Creators of Brighton fanzine Dogma on its popularity

Dogma was started during the first lockdown in 2020 and first published in November that year.

The subscription-based fanzine aims to tell the stories of Albion fans rather than focus on the day-to-day football noise around players, transfers and tactics.

It started off as a handmade fanzine and “snowballed” into a “high quality publication” delivered through fans’ doors every three months.

Some of the latest editions ready to be posted (Image: Newsquest)

James William, 33, editor of the fanzine, spoke with The Argus following the latest edition of Dogma in September.

He is part of a team of about half a dozen behind the fanzine.

He said: “We feel the lived experience is underrepresented in football media. We hear endlessly about players, transfers and tactics.

“We’re about beer cans on train, funny things happening on the concourse, we want to find the beauty in the ordinary parts of being a football fan.

The latest edition and its stickers ready to post out (Image: Newsquest)

“The feedback we have got has been overwhelming and some has been really funny.

“Someone wrote a really funny post about Dogma, this guy described us as a bunch of hipsters taking pictures of spilt Bovril. I’m going to get a tattoo of that I think.

“His critique was so razor sharp, we were so proud. He understood what we were trying to do, it was perfect.”

The first edition of the fanzine was handmade using stencils.

The first edition of Dogma in 2020 used stencils for its design (Image: Newsquest)

As its popularity has grown, the seven-strong team of friends behind it now use more modern software to design each edition.

The latest features articles about the experience of the women’s Euros in the summer, with a focus on the two matches at the Amex.

It also talks about Leandro Trossard and how he “symbolised the Potter project” and its ups and downs.

England Women celebrating their 8-0 triumph over Norway during the Euros

The fanzine, which now posts across the world, is focused on the experience of those in the stands rather than the non-stop world of football news.

The departure of Brighton’s boss Graham Potter to Chelsea perfectly encapsulated this.

Apart from a mention in the editor's notes on the first page, the content of the magazine was exactly the same as it would have been.

Historically fanzines were sold outside football grounds but James explained why their approach is different.

He said: “We don’t feel like there's a place for handing out a fanzine outside a turnstile now. We have come up with this distribution model where you pay online and in advance and receive it in the post every three months.

“We don’t make a penny out of it but any money we make goes towards stickers and things like that we put into the fanzine.

“We have an emphasis on not trying to make money, we don’t want financial complications or commercial pressures.”

For more information, visit the Dogma website.