The SITTER! STORY
Sitter was New Zealand’s first national football (soccer) fanzine, which was published from humble beginnings in May 1995 until its final issue (No 62) in January 2005. (For grammatical ease the traditional exclamation mark accompanying the title has been left off here.)
As the Sitter blurb used to say, it was “for serious fans, not puddings and toss pots” and pitched itself clearly at fans – as opposed to administrators, players or sponsors, who may have desired something far less opinionated and contrary.
Sitter agitated, informed and entertained with biting humour, incisive analysis, and forthright (and occasionally) defamatory opinion, having been born in an era when the internet was in its infancy in New Zealand.
Despite its notoriety it was also a literary landmark and was twice celebrated as the NZ Soccer Media’s Publication of the Year - and also as Total Football magazine’s winner of the inaugural Fanzine World Cup in 1997.
There has never been anything quite like Sitter before or since in New Zealand.
Sitter was a non-profit venture but also had a merchandising arm which ploughed more than $3000 in profits from the sale of t-shirts, caps etc back into the game.
But the fanzine's key focus was on reporting or analyzing New Zealand football (or soccer as the accepted Kiwi terminology was for much of its lifespan) the issues that affect it, and the trivia and humour that made following the game at the final frontier bearable.
Every issue contained a variation on the following disclaimer: “There is no copyright on anything in Sitter! and in true fanzine ethos, stuff should be considered fair game for use elsewhere, though it would be nice to see the source acknowledged. Don't try suing us because we haven't got any money. We're too busy forking out on petrol to get to the Kingz matches.”
Founding editor Boy Gorge (Derek Walker) wrote in his Up Front editorial in (36-page) issue 1: “Welcome to the first issue of a (hopefully) long running and successful Football Fanzine dedicated to New Zealand soccer and the international game. At the moment there is no forum for the New Zealand football public to air their views, comments and opinions. Hence the birth of Sitter… A quick glance at Sitter will tell you that our production costs are not astronomical. Nor are we journalists, nor are any of us trying to make a living from this venture. We are doing this with a love of the beautiful game as our only motivator.”
In May 1997 Bruce Holloway took over as editor. With his journalistic background he gave it a harder edge, while Grant Stantiall assumed the role of deputy where he concentrated more on the promotional side.
In October 2001 issue 50 was published, and both Walker and Holloway reflected on the Sitter years in articles.
They can be read here:
Notching the half century & Birth of a legend, by Derek Walker
The Sitter! years, by Bruce Holloway
Sitter continued until January 2005. There was no announced cessation of publication as such, but having taken up an administrative role in club football Holloway never found the opportunity and inclination to get anther issue done, even though he often threatened to. Stantiall meanwhile developed his skills as a freelance photographer of some note.
As the Sitter blurb used to say, it was “for serious fans, not puddings and toss pots” and pitched itself clearly at fans – as opposed to administrators, players or sponsors, who may have desired something far less opinionated and contrary.
Sitter agitated, informed and entertained with biting humour, incisive analysis, and forthright (and occasionally) defamatory opinion, having been born in an era when the internet was in its infancy in New Zealand.
Despite its notoriety it was also a literary landmark and was twice celebrated as the NZ Soccer Media’s Publication of the Year - and also as Total Football magazine’s winner of the inaugural Fanzine World Cup in 1997.
There has never been anything quite like Sitter before or since in New Zealand.
Sitter was a non-profit venture but also had a merchandising arm which ploughed more than $3000 in profits from the sale of t-shirts, caps etc back into the game.
But the fanzine's key focus was on reporting or analyzing New Zealand football (or soccer as the accepted Kiwi terminology was for much of its lifespan) the issues that affect it, and the trivia and humour that made following the game at the final frontier bearable.
Every issue contained a variation on the following disclaimer: “There is no copyright on anything in Sitter! and in true fanzine ethos, stuff should be considered fair game for use elsewhere, though it would be nice to see the source acknowledged. Don't try suing us because we haven't got any money. We're too busy forking out on petrol to get to the Kingz matches.”
Founding editor Boy Gorge (Derek Walker) wrote in his Up Front editorial in (36-page) issue 1: “Welcome to the first issue of a (hopefully) long running and successful Football Fanzine dedicated to New Zealand soccer and the international game. At the moment there is no forum for the New Zealand football public to air their views, comments and opinions. Hence the birth of Sitter… A quick glance at Sitter will tell you that our production costs are not astronomical. Nor are we journalists, nor are any of us trying to make a living from this venture. We are doing this with a love of the beautiful game as our only motivator.”
In May 1997 Bruce Holloway took over as editor. With his journalistic background he gave it a harder edge, while Grant Stantiall assumed the role of deputy where he concentrated more on the promotional side.
In October 2001 issue 50 was published, and both Walker and Holloway reflected on the Sitter years in articles.
They can be read here:
Notching the half century & Birth of a legend, by Derek Walker
The Sitter! years, by Bruce Holloway
Sitter continued until January 2005. There was no announced cessation of publication as such, but having taken up an administrative role in club football Holloway never found the opportunity and inclination to get anther issue done, even though he often threatened to. Stantiall meanwhile developed his skills as a freelance photographer of some note.