Shrewsbury make controversial decision from 2026/27 season that leaves fans saddened

Shrewsbury Town make a controversial decision set to be in place from the 2026/27 season that leaves match-going fans saddened.

They are one of several clubs who in recent times waving goodbye to the much loved printed matchday programme.

Fair to say it has caused quite the reaction on social media, getting plenty of response as well as advice from fans who still want them on sale on matchdays.

Whether it’s to have as a memento, something to read before, during or after matches, or to add to their collection, it seems there is still a huge love for the matchday programme.

The sad thing is, clubs are struggling with the cost to make them, and fans seemingly put off from buying them. It seems fans have responded to Shrewsbury as to how they can make it cheaper.

We can confirm that, following a comprehensive review, printed matchday programmes will no longer be produced from the start of the 2026/27 season.

We recognise the tradition & sentiment printed programmes can hold for supporters.

Full explanation 👇https://t.co/HFQ8ZjK667

— Shrewsbury Town FC (@shrewsburytown) April 23, 2026

CLUB STATEMENT:

Shrewsbury Town would like to inform supporters that, following a comprehensive review, printed matchday programmes will no longer be produced from the start of the 2026/27 season.

This decision has not been taken lightly – with the club recognising the long-standing tradition and sentimental value that programmes hold for many supporters.

However, despite everyone’s best efforts it has become clear the considerable cost and effort of producing a matchday programme, is not being reflected in sales.

Last year, we held a fan engagement panel meeting where we outlined the significant financial losses associated with the programme.

The initial plan had been to discontinue production ahead of the current campaign.

However, we instead chose to continue for a further season, making cost reductions where possible in an effort to improve sustainability.

For a number of fixtures this season, though, sales have been below 200 per game – a figure far too low the level required to make production viable.

As a result, it has become clear that, while historically valued, demand for printed programmes is no longer sufficient to justify their continuation.

This is not a situation unique to Shrewsbury Town. Across League One and League Two, numerous clubs have made the decision to stop printing a programme.

We understand that many supporters value having a souvenir or keepsake from each match they attend.

With this in mind, from next season we will introduce a paper team sheet, which will also include a preview of the opposition.

This will be available for a nominal fee of 50p.

More content will also be available in a digital format, which will be published on our website.

Everyone at Shrewsbury Town would like to place on record our sincere thanks to our dedicated programme sellers for their outstanding work over many years.

Many have served the club at both Gay Meadow and the Croud Meadow, and their commitment and loyalty are deeply appreciated.

We would also like to thank all of our contributors for their long-standing support and the high-quality content they have consistently produced

Further details on the new digital format will be shared during the close season.

The club will also produce printed matchday programmes for any special one off games or occasions.

Finally, for this weekend’s clash with Fleetwood, we will be producing a special keepsake edition of the programme, filled with iconic images over the years.

As mentioned, Shrewsbury make a controversial decision from the 2026/27 season that leaves fans saddened…

@groundhopper23: Clubs are obsessed with producing a glossy, 40+ page magazine of a thing which they then charge £5 for and then wonder why punters are loathe to buy it. Plenty of non league clubs produce a decent basic programme costing as little as £1 or £2. If they can manage it why can’t you?

@SportingNest: It’s a mistake. Don’t do it. The connection between the fans and players basically disintegrates, and the feedback between board and fans also vanishes, creating more hostility and more feelings of ‘them and us’ rather than togetherness.

@AndrewHague1: In non league, most clubs still issue a programme with much lower attendances, and these invariably sell out. I like to have a physical record of every game I have been to, and hope that like vinyl records, programmes will make a comeback. Just make them have fewer pages.

@cwall2288: That’s the least of your problems, £28 a ticket is the reason me and the kids haven’t been more than once this season. Surely you could offer unsold tickets to local clubs, get the kids in with a cheap accompanying adult. Majority will spend on food and drink too.

@Sean_Fernyhough: Demand for printed programmes will have fallen because we’ve been relegated and the crap football is a turn-off. Non-league clubs produce a programme for two or three league games. The club is offering fans less and less and not noticing it’s not getting away with it.

@Bigalanh5: We also undertook a comprehensive review at Notts County in 2018 and from a pure financial perspective it doesn’t stand up but given the predominant age profile of our supporters we deemed it was still an important part of the match day experience.

@JWILSON990: My club Port vale did this a few years back. It’s a disgrace. I still 40 years later look back at my old programmes and can remember some of those matches. Feel sorry for the younger generation who don’t bother with this stuff anymore. A sad indictment of the modern game.

@andyhutchcraft: Why don’t clubs just produce a simple, 12-page non-league style programme? It’s cheap to produce, gives the fans something to buy/read, and keeps the tradition alive. Why does it have to be thick, glossy and expensive, or online? There is a halfway choice.

@salopcast: While disappointing for some fans, I don’t think you can criticise the detailed explanation.

@BuzagloToBalis: A shame to read. Football programmes are a document of record. And until clubs take charge of their entire digital footprint, including the safeguarding of future content, programmes are likely to be the only reliable form of archive.

@BroadcastMoose: Sadly there are now more EFL Clubs who have stopped producing Programmes than do. Such a shame. I collected them, and they are/were a brilliant souvenir of a day at the Football

@LutonReport: I sure hope this isn’t the start of things to come, only an anomaly. I love buying a programme at every game I attend, more as a memento of the fixture along with (sometimes) the art that dons them!

@1985Pete: We did the same a few years ago, we did replace it with a monthly magazine which covers all the fixtures for that month, player and manager profiles/interviews etc, this I believe was/is very popular, obviously a subscription and can be posted every month or paid in the club shop

@Connorr1999: I don’t even support your club but you’re saying you can’t even get a printing sponsor to cover that cost??? Crazy

@UpTheWakes: Many League Two clubs ditching the printed programme….. Guess it’s up to many wonderful non-league clubs to keep producing and printing!

@MagicOfFACup: And have you made extensive plans to ensure that every single website story is properly archived and easily accessible, thereby ensuring the history of your club continues to be properly documented, even when you change web provider? Because you’ve never done it before.

@sistoney67: Sad to hear things like this. Feels like loss of tradition. But the world doesn’t stay the same does it.

@ChrisThorpe_: A sign of the times. Programmes feel like a dying breed in this day and age. I’m always grateful to the Wimbledon fans who continue to buy ours. It keeps it alive. It’s one of football’s great traditions.

So football clubs that are losing millions a season, let’s stop the printed programme.

Money Problem solved 😎 pic.twitter.com/YW8zmS359G

— Sam Deakin (@UpTheWakes) April 24, 2026