Gillingham Football Club’s managing director Joe Comper announces decision to scrap traditional matchday programme

Gillingham’s decision to axe their traditional matchday programme has provoked a mixed reaction.

The Gills have opted to cease publication of the traditional read, something several other clubs in the Football League have already chosen to do.

It’s a controversial move, with many fans seeing the programme as a must-have part of their football-going routine.

One fan on the social media platform X said, however, he’d “rather the money be used elsewhere to benefit the squad” while another commented that the club were “killing the true traditions of the game” after also noting the lack of physical tickets too.

Season ticket holder Stuart Lewis was one of those in support of the programme and wrote: “Sacking Keith Peacock was the worst decision ever made by a board at Gills - this programme assassination is a very close second.”

Managing director Joe Comper confirmed the news that they would stop production of the matchday programme as part of an update to fans before the weekend.

He said: “Sales haven't been great for a couple of years now.

“The reality is that people just aren't buying it, which is a shame, and it's a real traditional thing.

“We have fought against it for a couple of years…I think we've just got to the stage where it just can't be done. It doesn't make sense.

“We're going to have to discontinue it.”

Mr Comper said they would be looking to refocus their resources on other areas, saying they would “put stuff on the website, interesting articles, so people won't miss the content that is in the programme.”

The GFC programme during the 2025/26 season was priced at £3.50 and was 72 pages for the final edition against Swindon Town on the last home game of the campaign.

A comment from super fan Eddie Allcorn and