Matt Richards: "wonderful to connect, enjoy our shared passions!"

'Champ We Are United' creative team

It is a great honor for Greek Unofficial Roy of the Rovers fan club to publish the following interview with our dear friend Matthew Richards, one of the biggest supporters of British football comic culture worldwide!

We Greek comic fans are very happy to contact people like you and your friends of Champ We Are United, having a real interest in football comic series. In Greece well known comic series are Roy of the Rovers (of course!), Eric Castel, This Goalie’s Got Guts (titled as The Doctor – Goalkeeper), Jon Stark - Match-winner for Hire, Limp Along Leslie, Bernard Briggs, The Goals of Jimmy Grant, Durrells Palace and Wayne’s Wolves, Hot Shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse, Billie’s Boots, Tommy’s Troubles, Mike’s Mini Men, Jack and Jimmy, Raven on the Wing, The Team that Went to War, The Hard Man, Kevin Cox etc.

 

• Except 2000AD & Judge Dredd Megazine what other comics still exist in the U.K.? 
• Answer: We still have the famous “The Beano”, first published back in 1938 by DC Thomson, and also there is one called “The Phoenix” which is positioned towards older children 7-14, that’s been running since 2012. And from a “War stories” sense DC Thomson still publish Commando books. There are other comics for younger children, but they are tie ins with toys or TV programmes. 
• How are things about Roy of the Rovers new era? Hoping to see new stuff soon or it’s the end of the story? 
• Answer:  From what we hear and sense I sadly can’t see any new stories being published. I’ve even noted that the 3rd episode of “Soccer Diaries”, the novels regarding Rocky Race, has been delayed in being published, so all does not appear well, but we live in hope! 
• Are football comics (comics, generally) famous among teenagers in the U.K. these days? 
• Answer: Sadly no, there are the ones already mentioned eg The Beano, 2000AD etc but I would think a lot of the buyers are also adult comic collectors, unfortunately I think the format is too dated for children or teenagers to read in big enough numbers to make it viable for companies to be able to make a profit nowadays. 
• Do older British fans collect comics of the past? Is it a hobby of low or high cost? 
• Answer: Yes definitely many do, there are a number of Facebook sites where you see people selling comics, often in bundles of around £1 each….for individual copies you may pay a little more, and collectors will buy them. I think it is a relatively low-cost hobby, but of course it depends how many you buy! 
• What is your favorite comic character, except Roy? 
• Answer: That is very difficult! It probably changes everyday! But I do have a soft spot for Johnny Dexter ie “The Hard Man”, especially the early years from 1976 - 1980, but I have lots of other favourites such as Hot-Shot Hamish, Tommy Barnes, Bobby Booth, Nipper, and of course all the Melchester Rovers players! Blackie, Vernon, Duncan, Mervyn etc etc
• Who is your beloved comic artist? 
• Answer: I would have to say my friend David Sque, it has been a delight and honour to have interviewed him a number of times, but then also there are many others such as Yvonne Hutton, Barrie Mitchell, Tony Harding, Doug Maxted, Julio Schiaffino, Paul Trevillion, Joe Colquhoun, Osvaldo Torta, Pete Foster and Neville Wilson. So many!  
• In Greece (Athens mainly) there are still some Subbuteo fan Clubs. Is this game always well-organized in England? 
• Answer: Yes it is! I don’t participate, though I used to have a set back in the 70s, but it is popular here, there are many Subbuteo fanclubs on Facebook. That is the (positive) power of social media, many likeminded people can connect and share their passions and hobbies. 
• Would you like to send a message to Greek football comic fans?
• Answer: Yes I would love to! I love that Roy of The Rovers, and all British football comics and characters are loved in Greece! To read for many years the fantastic Greek Unofficial Roy of The Rovers I’ve always sensed the love that is there, it’s fascinating hearing the differences in how you received the stories and also what you took from them, ie the insights into British culture, I guess it was slightly the same as when I read the “Asterix” books, which in their own way educated me about France and other cultures (albeit 2000 years ago! ) and it is wonderful to connect, enjoy our shared passions and be friends with you all! 

 Many thanks for this interview!

Roy of the Rovers stuff in U.K. and Greece

This is an article about when RotR was firstly published in England, thus came in Greece via various comic magazines.

Have a look using the link below (in Greek language).

https://blekmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/08/blog-post_20.html#more

Champ We Are United-Episode 91: The Unoffical Greek Roy of The Rovers fan club!

You can watch all interesting discussion using the link below:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTFLWTGRlRU&t=131s

Melchester Rovers’ well known substitutes.

Artwork by Yvonne Hutton.

(By Nikos D. - Th. Nikolaidis)

During the long-term action of the famous Melchester football team, there were, in addition to the well-known main players, many substitutes, who also contributed to the "building" of the legend of “Rovers”. Readers are certainly expected to remember the main protagonists the most, as they were the ones who scored and delivered so many trophies in the history of Roy Race and his equally gifted team-mates. However, today we will introduce you to some substitute players who, from time to time, interrupted the streak of success, adding in turn, some more, some less to the chain of many and timeless honors of the team.

Stratos and Nikos in RotR podcast by 'CHAMP We Are United'

 

Δύο τουλάχιστον από τους πιο πιστούς φίλους της αγαπημένης μας σειράς, ο Χιώτης Στράτος Καββάδας κι ο Αιγαλιώτης Νίκος Δ. - Θ. Νικολαΐδης θα πάρουν μέρος σε επικείμενο podcast που θα παρουσιάσει η ομάδα του Matthew Richards (Champ We Are United) και των συνεργατών του.

Λεπτομέρειες σύντομα!

David Sque's RotR artwork for sale!

Ο σπουδαίος καλλιτέχνης και εικονογράφος της σειράς Roy of the Rovers (από το 1975 έως το 1986) David Sque, δημιούργησε μια υπέροχη σύνθεση της δουλειάς του (άνω) η οποία πωλείται μέσω του Facebook, στο γκρουπ με τίτλο Roy of the Rovers comic 40 years on (Melchester Rovers).

Οποίος φίλος ή φίλη ενδιαφέρεται, ας επισκεφτεί το γκρούπ (ΕΔΩ).

70 years RotR anniversary show by Champ we are United

This is a great tribute to 70 years RotR comic anniversary (September 11th[*], 1954 - September 11th, 2024).

Being the 2nd anniversary RotR show, it was presented via youtube by Matthew Richards, having invited David Sque (the RotR artist) and Barrie Tomlinson (Tiger & Roy of the Rovers editor) at Champweareunited studio in order to talk about some famous "Roy of the Rovers stuff"

[*] firstly published on September 7th, 1954

Feel free to watch the show with a 'click' here!

Τα μέλη στο ελληνικό φαν-κλαμπ του Ρόυ Ρέης!

 

Ευχάριστα νέα για τους φίλους του Ρόυ Ρέης και της Μέλτσεστερ στη χώρα μας! Όπως ανακοινώθηκε σήμερα, το μέχρι πρότινος πενταμελές Δ.Σ. του συλλόγου των θαυμαστών του ηγέτη των θρυλικών Ρόβερς στην Ελλάδα μετατρέπεται σε 15μελές, ύστερα από ομόφωνη απόφαση. Η νέα σύνθεση του Δ.Σ. που συγκροτήθηκε επίσημα πλέον σε σώμα είναι η ακόλουθη:

• Πρόεδρος: Στράτος Καββάδας.
• Α' Αντιπρόεδρος: Νίκος Πίκουλας.
• Β' Αντιπρόεδρος: Γιώργος Πολ. Παπαδάκης.
• Γενικός Γραμματέας: Νίκος Νικολαΐδης.
• Ειδικοί Γραμματείς: Πάνος Θωμόπουλος - Βασίλης Χειλάς.
• Εκπρόσωποι Τύπου: Μάνος Κασσωτάκης - Χρήστος Νάστος.
• Υπεύθυνοι Δημοσίων Σχέσεων: Κώστας Κοτταρίνος - Παναγιώτης Πλαφουτζής.
• Έφοροι Αρχείου: Γιώργος Κοντόπουλος - Νικήτας Μαγκανάς - Νίκος Μωραΐτης - Αλέξης Μάνου - Αδριανός Ντερβής.

Λοιπά τακτικά μέλη (αλφαβητικά): Σπύρος Ανδριανός, Μάριος Αντωνόπουλος, Βασίλης Βασιλειάδης,  Κώστας Γιαννακόπουλος, Νίκος Κοττής, Χρήστος Κωνσταντακόπουλος, Νίκος Λεγάτος, Μπάμπης Μούσκος, Χρύσα Νικολαΐδου, Θάνος Ποδάρας, Βαγγέλης Σαΐτης, Θεοδόσης Στάλιας, Ανδρέας Τσιρώνης, Γιώργος Φαρδέλλος, Ρόζα Φατσέα, Κώστας Φωτεινάκης και Μάκης Ψυχογιός.

• Επιπλέον, προστέθηκαν ως επίτιμα μέλη (πρέσβεις του κλαμπ μας στο εξωτερικό) οι Λεωκράτης Ανεμοδουράς, Γιώργος Γερ. Βλάχος, Νικόλαος Ζώης, Γαβριήλ Τομπαλίδης, David Sque και Paul Trevillion όπως και το Subbuteo Club Kallithea's Flame. 

Τους καλωσορίζουμε και ευχόμαστε σε όλους να απολαύσουν τη συμμετοχή τους στις δραστηριότητες της κοινότητας.

Roy of the Rovers (συντελεστές)

Η πρώτη συνέχεια της αγαπημένης μας σειράς  

 Τα δικαιώματα της σειράς (copyright) ανήκαν στην εταιρεία Egmont UK. Από τους πιο γνωστούς εκδότες αυτού του κόμικς ήταν ο Μπάρι Τόμλινσον (1963-1990). Έπειτα (2018) τα δικαιώματα της σειράς αγόρασε η εταιρεία Rebellion Publishing η οποία και προχώρησε στη δημιουργία νέων ιστοριών. Κυριότεροι συγγραφείς της εβδομαδιαίας έκδοσης ήταν οι Φρανκ Σ. Πέπερ (ως σύμβουλος σεναρίου και μόνο για τα τέσσερα πρώτα επεισόδια), Τζο Κολκάχουν (ο οποίος χρησιμοποιούσε το ψευδώνυμο "Stewart Colwyn") από την έναρξη έως και το Φεβρουάριο του 1959, Ντέρεκ Μπέρνεϊτζ (1913 - 2004) που ήταν και ο αρχικός εκδότης της σειράς (ανέλαβε τη συγγραφή της από το Μάρτιο έως και τον Αύγουστο του 1959 χρησιμοποιώντας το ψευδώνυμο "Mark Winsor"), Μπόμπι Τσάρλτον (1960) και Τομ Τάλι που ήταν και ο μακροβιότερος, ξεκινώντας κατά αραιά διαστήματα (αρχικά) από το 1969-1970 για να αναλάβει πλήρως από τα μέσα της δεκαετίας του 1970 έως και την ολοκλήρωση της εβδομαδιαίας έκδοσης (1993). 

David Sque is back

 

...and he will draw the new RotR graphic novel "Roy of the Rovers: New Digs", due next October. 

Ο ΡΟΫ ΞΑΝΑΓΥΡΙΖΕΙ !!!

Οι περιπέτειες του θρυλικού άσσου της Μέλτσεστερ

(Γράφει ο Νίκος Δημ. Νικολαΐδης)

Ο Ρόυ Ρέης, ο «παλιόφιλος» των παιδικών και εφηβικών μου χρόνων είναι ξανά κοντά μας! Δεν αναφέρομαι στις έκτακτες, επίτομες εκδόσεις («new era») της βρετανικής εταιρείας Rebellion που εδώ και μερικά χρόνια κατέχει τα πνευματικά δικαιώματα της σειράς (άλλωστε, ο νέος Ρόυ που παρουσίασε, είναι πιο κοντά στα καρτούν παρά στα κόμικς) αλλά σε δικές μου δημιουργίες, με έμπνευση από τη χρυσή εποχή της Μέλτσεστερ, τις δεκαετίες του ’60, του ’70 και του ’80. Τότε που η δική μου γενιά είχε το προνόμιο να απολαμβάνει στο χαρτί τις εξαιρετικές ιστορίες του αγαπημένου μας ποδοσφαιρικού ήρωα, που φιλοτέχνησαν οι προικισμένοι καλλιτέχνες Joe Colquhoun, Yvonne Hutton, David Sque και Mike White.

RotR in Esquire magazine

"As one of English football's most famous names is rebooted in a new comic series, we explore Roy Race's journey from Melchester Rovers reserves to friend of Alf Ramsey and the Duke of Edinburgh"

Read it HERE in English and HERE in Greek

New RotR stories on Match of the Day magazine

• Roy of the Rovers is being rebooted and relaunched in 2018, with a modernised Roy Race taking centre stage.

• The ‘new’ Roy Race is 16 years old, and beginning his career in football with Melchester Rovers.

• An exclusive Roy of the Rovers comic strip is to appear in Match of the Day magazine, running from 5 June – 25 August 2018 – the first new Roy of the Rovers material to be published since 2001.

• The new Melchester Rovers kit is designed and supplied by hummel®, and sponsored by The Totally Football Show Podcast.

• The artist on the Match of the Day Magazine Roy of the Rovers strips is talented newcomer Lisa Henke, and they are written by Rebellion’s Rob Power and Keith Richardson.

• The character design on the Roy of the Rovers reboot is by Ben Willsher (2000 AD, Doctor Who Magazine).

• Rebellion’s publishing plan also includes three 56 page hardback graphic novels per football season, launching in Autumn 2018, January 2019 and April 2019. The graphic novels are written by Rob Williams (Suicide Squad, Action Comics) and illustrated by Ben Willsher.

• Middle grade illustrated fiction titles are also to be released alongside the graphic novels, launching in October 2018 and following on in February 2019 and May 2019. These titles are written by best-selling children's author Tom Palmer.

More info here

New Melchester Rovers crest and shirt sponsor!

Featuring a modern, sleek design and a nod to the history of Roy of the Rovers – which made its debut in Tiger back in 1954 – the brand new Melchester Rovers crest represents a new era for the club after so many years out of the public eye. Also, Melchester Rovers is delighted to unveil its official shirt sponsor for the 2018/19 season: The Totally Football Show.

Read more HERE

RotR officially back in September 2018

• Rebellion to launch a brand new, rebooted Roy of the Rovers in 2018.

• Leading British comic talent Rob Williams and Ben Willsher are the creative team behind new

Roy of the Rovers graphic novels.

• Best-selling British children’s author Tom Palmer to write Roy of the Rovers middle grade fiction.

• Publishing plan includes three 56 page hardback graphic novels per football season, launching in

September 2018, January 2019 and April 2019.

• Middle grade illustrated fiction titles to be released alongside the graphic novels, launching in

October 2018 and following on in February 2019 and May 2019.

Read more here...

O Roy Race επανέρχεται!

Για πρώτη φορά σε αυτόνομη έκδοση στην Ελλάδα μαζί με την εφημερίδα Τα Νέα κάθε Σάββατο...

Ακολουθεί το δελτίο τύπου της εφημερίδας:

Light at the end of the tunnel? 2000AD Publisher buys RotR rights!

The publisher of cult comic 2000 AD has announced it has bought Roy of the Rovers and dozens of other out-of-print 1970s and 1980s titles.
Oxford-based Rebellion said it is the biggest deal of its kind in 30 years and could bring "long-vanished" classic comics back into print.
Read more here 

Roy of the Rovers - The Official Autobiography

You can read the first 79 pages on Google Books and then you can purchase it! Enjoy!

Οι... ήρωες μιας άλλης εποχής!

Προμηθευτείτε χαρτομάντιλα για μία νοσταλγική κατάδυση στα λατρεμένα ποδοσφαιρικά εικονογραφημένα μίας άλλης εποχής. Το Gazzetta Weekend Journal με αφορμή τον «Τερματοφύλακα Γιατρό» θυμάται «Ρόι της Ρόβερς», «Ερίκ Καστέλ» και άλλους ξεθωριασμένους ήρωες!

Διαβάστε τη συνέχεια εδώ

David Sque's message to Greek RotR fans!

Concerning the current run of Roy of the Rovers strips in the Greek monthly 'Blek' magazine, starting with the Rovers' visit to Crete in the Summer of 1980, David Sque took the time to write a message to my friend's Nikos Nikolaidis Greek RotR blog. Here's what the great artist wrote: