War of the Monster Trucks

War of the Monster Trucks was an independent supporters’ fanzine devoted to Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. It was created in 1993 by David Richards and Matthew Cooper, at a particularly significant moment in the club’s modern history. Sheffield Wednesday had recently won its first major trophy in more than half a century, finished third in the First Division, and reached the finals of two major cup competitions in the same season. That combination of sporting achievement and heightened supporter interest provided a strong environment for a new publication aimed at fans who wanted commentary, humour, opinion and club-focused material outside the formal football media. The fanzine’s first issue used the headline “Lucan Alive! Found in Sheffield United Trophy Room,” establishing the irreverent and provocative tone associated with its identity. Its title referred to a well-known broadcasting controversy involving Yorkshire Television. On 21 April 1991, the station chose to broadcast the 1986 television special War of the Monster Trucks instead of the post-match celebrations following Sheffield Wednesday’s unexpected 1–0 League Cup Final victory over Manchester United. The decision angered Wednesday supporters and became a recurring example, in the eyes of both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United fans, of perceived Yorkshire Television bias toward West Yorkshire and Leeds. By adopting the title, the fanzine turned that grievance into a satirical badge of identity. Richards and Cooper co-edited the publication for several years. The editorial operation later passed to Paul Taylor, with Andy Selman, Nick Riley and Steve Walmsley also associated with its production. Like many football fanzines of its period, War of the Monster Trucks operated outside the club’s official communications structure and represented an independent supporter perspective. Its value lay less in commercial scale than in its local voice, cultural references and ability to reflect the emotions and arguments surrounding Sheffield Wednesday. The publication initially appeared as a paper fanzine. Over time, it lost some of the early energy or “fizz” noted in accounts of its development, but continued for several years before moving online. Available reference material does not establish a precise final print issue, a definitive closure date, current ownership, or whether the online version remains active. Accordingly, its present operating status is uncertain. Historically, however, the title belongs to the tradition of British football fanzines that combined supporter journalism, satire and local football culture.

War of the Monster Trucks emerged from Sheffield Wednesday’s supporter culture in 1993. Its founders, David Richards and Matthew Cooper, launched the fanzine after an unusually successful period for the club. Wednesday had won the League Cup, its first trophy in more than fifty years, had taken third place in the First Division and had also appeared in the finals of two major cup competitions during the same season. The club’s achievements created a large and engaged audience for independent fan publishing. The title was deliberately provocative. It recalled Yorkshire Television’s decision on 21 April 1991 to show the 1986 television programme War of the Monster Trucks rather than the celebrations following Sheffield Wednesday’s 1–0 League Cup Final win over Manchester United. For Wednesday supporters, the broadcast choice symbolised an apparent disregard for a major local sporting event. The incident subsequently became part of football folklore in Sheffield and was cited by supporters of both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United as evidence of perceived regional and club-related bias in Yorkshire television coverage. The fanzine repurposed this controversy as an instantly recognisable name with a strong local reference. The first issue carried the headline “Lucan Alive! Found in Sheffield United Trophy Room,” reflecting the publication’s satirical approach and its willingness to engage in rivalry-based humour. Richards and Cooper edited the fanzine together for several years. Editorial responsibility later moved to Paul Taylor, while Andy Selman, Nick Riley and Steve Walmsley were also connected with its production. The title functioned as an unofficial supporter publication rather than an official Sheffield Wednesday product, giving contributors space for opinion, jokes and fan-centred discussion. War of the Monster Trucks began as a paper fanzine, part of the wider British football-fanzine movement in which supporters produced inexpensive, distinctive publications around match-going communities. Such publications generally depended on volunteer or semi-professional editorial work, local distribution and the loyalty of a club’s fan base. The available account does not provide circulation figures, issue counts, cover prices or detailed content categories, so the scale of the fanzine cannot be quantified reliably. After several years in print, the publication moved online. The transition reflected the broader shift in football supporter media from paper distribution toward internet publishing. The source account observes that the fanzine had lost some of its early “fizz” by this stage, but it does not give a precise date for the move, identify a continuing publisher, or confirm whether the online publication is still maintained. Its current status is therefore unclear. Historically, War of the Monster Trucks is best understood as a Sheffield Wednesday fan-media brand whose significance comes from its local identity, irreverent title and place within the independent football-fanzine tradition.

• 1993

  Fanzine launched

  [1]War of the Monster Trucksen.wikipedia.org

  David Richards and Matthew Cooper launched War of the Monster Trucks as a Sheffield Wednesday supporters’ fanzine. Its first issue used a deliberately provocative headline about the Sheffield United trophy room.

• 1991

  Yorkshire Television broadcast controversy

  [1]War of the Monster Trucksen.wikipedia.org

  On 21 April, Yorkshire Television aired a 1986 War of the Monster Trucks programme instead of post-match celebrations for Sheffield Wednesday’s League Cup Final victory over Manchester United. The incident later supplied the fanzine with its name.

• Editorial leadership transferred

  [1]War of the Monster Trucksen.wikipedia.org

  After several years of joint editing by the founders, editorial responsibility passed to Paul Taylor, with Andy Selman, Nick Riley and Steve Walmsley also associated with the publication.

• Transition from print to online publishing

  [1]War of the Monster Trucksen.wikipedia.org

  The fanzine continued for several years as a paper publication before moving online. The exact transition date and present status are not specified in the available reference.

An independent, humorous and locally rooted Sheffield Wednesday supporters’ publication, positioned outside official club media and mainstream football journalism.

• Sports fanzine · 1993

  War of the Monster Trucks print fanzine

  The original paper publication was an independent Sheffield Wednesday supporters’ fanzine. It used satire, local references and football rivalry to provide an unofficial fan perspective during the club’s successful early-1990s period. Issue-level details such as frequency, circulation and price are not established by the available sources.

• Online sports publication

  War of the Monster Trucks online publication

  The brand later moved from paper publishing to the internet, extending its role as a Sheffield Wednesday supporter outlet. The available reference confirms the transition but does not identify the launch date, platform, publisher or whether the online edition remains active.

1. 1War of the Monster Trucksen.wikipedia.org