Programmes
Part Two - Post-War
Following the war, programme production was slow to take off and although there were sporadic issues in season 1945-46 from specifically Queen of the South and St.Mirren against Falkirk, Falkirk themselves didn't start issuing again until 10th October 1946. Coincidently this issue was once again against Aberdeen and this time in the newly formed Scottish League Cup. Production was now in-house, although printing was in Glasgow, and the programme is considered truly 'Official' as it has been every season since. Now however, the cost had risen to threepence (3d), at which price it would remain, despite several changes of style and presentation, until August 1966 when it doubled to sixpence.
Fundamentally the programme didn't change much in content for the next 40 years or more, although the appearance, size and style all changed in keeping with the times. Of course, various features came and disappeared with the years and the changes of editor, but essentially the programme remained an advertising sheet with the team line ups attached. The amount of club news was generally smaller than the pen pictures of the opposition. This doesn't mean to say that other clubs were any better served on this front and although some may have been glossy and larger, there was not a deal to choose between them.
Where some clubs did steal a march on Falkirk was with the production of programmes for Reserve fixtures, with clubs like Hibernian, Heart of Midlothian and Berwick Rangers producing regularly right up to the late 50's and Aberdeen only stopping following 1962-63 season. Falkirk did produce three issues for Reserve matches in season 1957-58 possibly to service large turnouts at these games hoping to secure International tickets by their attendance.
Worthy of mention was a decision by the club's board in 1983, prompted by the persistent loss in revenue which the programme was producing. They decided that the programme would be purely an advertising sheet along with probable team line ups and would be placed inside the ground where they could be picked up free of charge. This state of affairs lasted for two seasons until 1984-85 with one change in the size and format but normal service was resumed in 1985-86, presumably when the club's fortunes once more started to turn around.