User:Blueblagger/cfcuk

cfcuk is a football fanzine (supporters' magazine) for supporters of Chelsea Football Club. It was first established and published in 1999 under the then title "Matthew Harding's Blue And White Army". It was so named after the late Matthew Harding, the vice-Chairman of Chelsea Football Club who was killed in a helicopter crash on October 22nd 1996.

Originally founded as a tool to aid a section of Chelsea supporters in their fight to remove Ken Bates, the then chairman of Chelsea Football Club, Matthew Harding's Blue And White Army changed its name in 2003 to cfcuk when the football club was taken over by Mr Roman Abramovich. Although the fanzine is generally supportive of Mr Roman Abramovich, it is renowned amongst Chelsea supporters for its ability to criticise those running the club on his behalf.

With the arrival of Mr Roman Abramovich to Chelsea and under the guidance of former chief executive Mr Peter Kenyon, the club set up a Fans’ Forum, holding regular meetings with various supporter bodies and representatives. cfcuk is a ‘permanent member’ of the forum.

The cfcuk fanzine has, over the years, featured many interviews with well-known individuals connected with Chelsea, either by way of the fact that they play for the club, work for it or support it. The fanzine’s favourite interviewees so far are current Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole (twice), ex-Chelsea star Charlie Cooke, Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook and guitarist Steve Jones, Daniel Woodgate and Suggs from the band Madness and Chelsea authors Martin Knight, John King and Martin King. Former Chelsea and Wales international Mickey Thomas is a regular contributor to the fanzine along with Mark Worrall, Kelvin Barker, The Guy Who Blagged Me, Chels Guevara, True Blue, Jack Kirchner, Chelsea Dagger, Victoria Meldrew and Wally Otton.

When Chelsea play home matches at Stamford Bridge, cfcuk has a stall on the Fulham Road from where it sells copies of the fanzine and where, occasionally, some Chelsea related celebrities make personal appearances. These include Chelsea supporter Dazzling Darren Barker – current British and Commonwealth Middleweight boxing champion, Daniel Woodgate and Graham Bush of Madness and ex-Chelsea players Mickey Thomas, Paul Canoville, Kerry Dixon, Charlie Cooke and the late Peter Osgood.

Special Editions

As well as the 'regular' editions of the fanzine, three 'specials' have also been published.

"Luca Vialli's Blue And White Army" was published prior to Chelsea's 2000 FA Cup Final appearance against Aston Villa and named in honour of Chelsea's Italian manager Gianluca Vialli. 20,000 copies were printed and were distributed free of charge.

In 2004, two more 'special' editions were produced.

May 2004 saw the publication of "cfcuk The Football Factory", an edition that charted the making of the film version of the John King novel The Football Factory . It featured interviews with all the main actors who were involved in the film.

In August 2004, "cfcuk Zola - The Legend" was published and was a tribute to Chelsea supporters' cult hero Gianfranco Zola, the Italian footballer who joined the Stamford Bridge side from Italian club Parma in 1996 and played for the club until 2004.

Written by the Chelsea supporters for the Chelsea supporters, the cfcuk fanzine is read by many concerned with the fortunes of the football club including the owner Mr Roman Abramovich, chairman Mr Bruce Buck, the majority of the players and backroom staff and many who are employed by the club. cfcuk averages sales of 2000 per issue.

The cfcuk fanzine is unusual amongst football fanzines as it is now one of the only football fanzines that does not feature a full colour front cover and is famed for the fact that it only costs £1. It is on sale at every Chelsea Football Club 1st team match at home, away and abroad.

10 Years and 100th Edition

In 2009, the cfcuk fanzine celebrated its 10th anniversary and the publication of its 100th edition.

Each edition of the cfcuk fanzine is archived by the British Library with its unique publishing code being ISSN 1740-5947.

References

• Duncan Adams, "Essential Football Fan: The Definitive Guide to Premier and Football League Grounds", Aesculus Press Ltd, 2004, ISBN 1904328229, p.21

External links

• cfcuk.net - virtual editon