Cambridge United's matchday programme reached the 'play-offs' in its first season back in Division Two, after mirroring the team's success and finishing runner-up last season among the Division Three publications.

In the prestigious annual awards from 'Programme Monthly', the United publication was awarded a "Very highly commended" and seventh place behind Wrexham, last season's winner Bristol Rovers, and Bristol City. The Wrexham programme has won for four of the last five seasons.

Programme Monthly commented, "There is a perceptible leap in quality into the Second Division (from the third). Wrexham have managed the nigh-impossible feat of improving their consistently excellent programme to swap places with the equally impressive Bristol Rovers issue.

"Bristol City (3rd) , Burnley (4th), Preston (5th), Millwall (6th), Cambridge United and Bournemouth (8th) have justifiable grounds for dissent."

Programme editor Mark Johnson (right) was dragged from behind his Mac to give the following interview to U's Net.

Q. It's your first full season in the 'driving seat' of the programme - has it progressed since last season when it was runner-up in Division Three, and, if so, how?

"I would like to think that the programme has made progress this season, although I have to say that Andy Pincher did leave me an excellent base on which to build. I hope that, if nothing else, I have eradicated some of the typos which dogged some of last season's efforts and were, quite frankly, embarrassing. I have also made efforts to keep the programme as up to date as possible, by stretching print deadlines to the very limit. This has, for example, allowed me to get Roy's reaction to a Saturday match in the following Tuesday's programme.

"This is not, however, without its own problems. Some articles, such as the Youth, Reserve and Football in the Community sections are more reliant on the relevant contributors coming up with the goods in time. When this does not happen, it becomes a real struggle to fill the page - which is why you sometimes get match reports repeated in two programmes. Generally, though, I have been pleased with this season's programme."

Q. Are you pleased to see the programme ranked in the "play-off places" in its first season back in Division Two?

"I suppose at first sight, coming seventh after being runner-up last season is something of a let down ... and to be honest, that's how I felt when I first read the Programme Monthly report. After all, these are compiled by people who really do know football programmes.

"There are other awards later in the season such as The Football Programme Directory - in which we were 3rd last season - and the Commercial Managers Association - where we were also runners-up - and these have varying degrees of 'prestigiousness' .... depending on who you ask!

"But, on reflection, I think you have to bear in mind that the standard of programmes in this Division is very much higher than in Division Three. Although I did expect some difference, the gap in class has come as a real surprise. There are a few poor efforts amongst the competition - Notts County, Blackpool and Chesterfield come to mind - but there is also some genuine class out there, such as Bristol Rovers and Wrexham who were, justifiably, the best two in the Division."

Q. Does the budget for matchday programmes in this division tend to reflect the club's on-field budget?

"Yes, I think it does to an extent. If you look at the Wigan and Preston programmes, they have the feel of a glossy magazine, and I would be surprised if they don't feature much higher in the Commercial Managers' awards than they did in Programme Monthly. But although there are some Clubs throwing money at their programme, I don't necessarily feel that it has any bearing on the standard of the content."

Q. Have you any plans for possible additions or improvements for next season, or would that be giving away 'trade secrets'? And will the price be held at £2?

"Each season's programme should be only a poor prototype of the following season's offering - so yes, I would hope for vast improvements next season in design and content. Whether I achieve it, of course, is another matter altogether!

"As I may have already hinted, I would like to improve the Youth, Reserve and Community pages, and I have already had preliminary conversations with Mark Nutter to beef up the latter. The Commercial section is another area of the programme which I would like to change but even in its current format, I feel it still compares favourably with the competition.

"As far as the price is concerned, I don't see there being a tremendous pressure to increase the price. I believe that Roger Hunt, the Director with responsibility for, and a special interest in, the programme feels the price to be correct and I know the programme sellers are happy with it from a giving change point of view. But we do need to maintain - and hopefully improve on - the current figure of selling to approximately 40% of the crowd. And with that in mind, if anyone is interested in selling programmes on a matchday, please contact me at the Club. But whatever happens, I can guarantee that there will be one radical change next season ... but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait until the first full programme of 2000/01 to find out what it is!"

If you are interested in becoming a programme seller and earning some "half decent pay" with a chance to earn commission on your sales, you should be "over 16, numerate, reliable and outgoing" according to Mark. If that describes you he would be delighted to hear from you on (01223) 729202.