20th Anniversary edition

It was August 1989 and two Merthyr supporters are carrying a box around Old Road, Briton Ferry during a pre-season friendly in the sunshine (can you remember when we had a pre-season and it was sunny?), the majority of the crowd that day bought a copy of the new fanzine Dial M For Merthyr, probably most of them thought it was the programme (in the early days we were always asked "Is this the programme?", we'd say yes, sell one and then hope they didn't realise until we were safe in Strikers drinking the profits!) but it was the start of the Dial M For Merthyr fanzine.

The late 80s had spawned a new generation of publications dedicated to raising the profile of the ordinary supporter on the terraces, the early pioneers being When Saturday Comes, The City Gent (Bradford City), The Pie (Notts County), Orientear (Leyton Orient) and Watch the Bluebirds Fly (Cardiff City), it was a post-Hillsborough landscape with the fight against ID cards being led by the fledgling Football Supporters Association from its Liverpool headquarters, fences around the pitches, crumbling terraces and a wagonwheel was the best food you could get. The fanzines were a constant antidote to the patronising and out of touch coverage of the established media in the UK who failed to see the real issues relevant to all supporters, the fanzines weren't always welcome (the Merthyr Express expressed its caution in welcoming us after one of our early issues) but they remained vibrant until the establishment began to absorb the better elements into the mainstream, mainstay publications like Shoot were soon overtaken by more fanzinesque editions like FourFourTwo who relied heavily on journalists who had cut their teeth on the fanzine scene.

Dial M For Merthyr has continued over the 20 years to cover the fortunes of our club whether through joint fanzines with Cardiff City, testimonial issues for Chris Holvey or anti-racism booklets for the annual Let's Kick Racism Out of Football. We may not be able to match both Cardiff City and Swansea City for the number of fans but we have shown constantly that we have enough talent to maintain a famous fanzine brand which continues to be admired in terrace culture.

Twenty years after that first issue copied in Merthyr Law Courts and side stapled by hand, we look to bring out an anniversary issue celebrating 20 years of Merthyr Tydfil FC fan culture so whether its the poncho you wore to Woking, the music you listened to as you drove to Sutton Coldfield or the article that changed your view on football please forward your memories on both fanzine and Merthyr Tydfil to us for inclusion in the next issue. Deadline will be around 28th September.

Please forward all articles, one liners, poems, ideas for articles, dodgy photos of MTFC fans in various grounds to us at wolvesy@yahoo.co.uk

NEITHER CARDIFF NOR SWANSEA BUT INTERNATIONAL MERTHYRISM

Can you feel the difference?

The first month of the season is almost over, and to be honest it's been enjoyable once again to be a Merthyr fan, I've actually spent my time discussing the team with fellow Martyrs fans (usually in Tesco where of course anyone who is anyone meet these days, usually in front of the dog food for some reason), the lack of a comprehensive pre-season calendar has obviously hampered Shep's preparations but in all three home matches so far (unbeaten as we type this article!) we have finished the stronger of the two teams so physically we continue to compete right until the last whistle but I think the lack of match practice means we haven't really gelled in front of goal, yesterday's goalless draw against a very unambitious Bedford team being a prime example. The return of Cortez Belle surprised a few, this scribe included, but so far I have to say that I have been impressed, a determination to take on the defence will produce the goods soon surely. So on the pitch we seem to have continued from last season but it is off the pitch that has provided the platform for the stability on the field of play. The Trust has continued its work from the close season with the main activities thankfully turning from legal arguments to stadium renovation and commercial income; Penydarren Park is slowly returning to its full use but its going to be a long haul with the main issue being security to prevent the constant vandalism on the site, new fences coupled with a new community vision will hopefully reduce the problem. Commercially it's been a vast improvement on recent seasons; local businesses seem happy to work with the supporters to provide both services and money to help turn around the fortunes of our famous club, it's a never-ending search for funds as the main issue of the club being in administration will need to be tackled sooner than later but if the club continues as a going-concern then at least we buy ourselves a chance in keeping the biggest football club in the Valleys alive, there's plenty more big decisions to come though so no-one should sit back and think the job is done. The Trust movement in the UK, governed and backed by Supporters Direct, believes that supporters can make a difference in the running of their clubs and this is being proved correct at Merthyr Tydfil FC, it is the supporters who are making the difference and that is obvious by the renewed enthusiasm evident at the Lyn Jones Gates where a few "old faces" are returning once again to see their heroes in black & white, people are definitely enjoying the new season, there's a long way to go and every club event needs to be supported to maintain the resources to keep the dream alive but together we have acheived so much and united we can deliver more.

Keep on, keepin' on!