| The City Gent | |
| Editor: | Mike Harrison |
| Previous Editor: | John Dewhirst and Brian Fox |
| Category: | Fanzine, Bradford City A.F.C. |
| Firstdate: | October 1984 |
| Country: | England |
| Based: | Bradford, West Yorkshire |
| Language: | English |
| Website: | http://www.thecitygent.co.uk/ |
The City Gent is the oldest surviving football fanzine in the UK with nearly 40 years of continuous publication, having first been published in October 1984.[1] It was co-founded by Bradford City A.F.C. fans John Dewhirst and Brian Fox.
In the summer of 1984 Bradford City A.F.C. fans John Dewhirst and Brian Fox discussed the creation of a football fanzine, as a result of being made unemployed, Brian Fox was able to commit more time to the project and so in October 1984 the first edition was published and sold at the ground on match days.[2] The first edition was positioned as being the ‘Voice of Bantam Progressivism’ and was a success due to it being built on four principles:[3]
The name for the fanzine was taken from the mascot for Bradford City A.F.C. that was introduced in the 1960s by the club.[4] and the design of the character was based on then chairman Stafford Heginbotham.
In 2000 during Bradford City's spell in the Premier League the editors were banned from selling the fanzine at Bradford's last two away games, at Villa Park and Derby's Pride Park, because those clubs wished to protect their in-house publications. However, then Chairman Geoffrey Richmond allowed the fanzine to be sold at the Club's shop despite it being in competition to the official programme, such was Richmond's support for the fanzine.[5]