Falkirk programme 'the navy blue' bottom of table

The matchday magazine is on sale around the ground priced £3

The annual awards, run by the ‘Programme monthly and Football collectable’ magazine, rate each club’s gameday literature per division.

Despite Falkirk having a healthy win record in the competition from their time in the Championship, they have finished their first season in League One eighth of the eight clubs who still produce programmes in the division.

Articles from Michael White and Grant Heaney were highlighted for praise by the reviewers who added: ‘the articles hint at what kind of programme this could really be without the extensive advertising – the most in the Division’ they also noted that half of the £3 48-page programme comprised advertising, a key component of the ranking system. Raith Rovers’ high advertising content – one third – was also highlighted in the League One reviews.

Programme Seller Damien Dewar with copies of the programme outside the main stand. Pic by Alan Murray

Clyde was named the best programme in the Bairns’ division, with the Team of the Decade feature run in association with our sister title The Cumbernauld News also singled out for commendation.

Peterhead and Forfar are the sides in League One who do not print matchday programmes, likewise in League Two Stenhousemuir have ceased their publications and were unranked in the latest edition.

Cowdenbeath took the League Two crown with Dundee United leading the way in the Championship.

Falkirk rebranded the matchday magazine as ‘The Navy Blue’ in 2013. They redesigned the magazine at the beginning of this season in response to fan feedback to feature ‘enhanced editorial content’. Reviewers for the awards assessed the edition of August 17 against Montrose.