Long standing members and supporters will no doubt remember the first SDS in June 1995 which at the time was in the form of a newsletter and was published by Richard Wood. Richard went on to publish three more editions before passing the baton on to myself in July 1996. Over the next two years the newsletter gradually developed into a fanzine and the first one to go on sale was the somewhat controversial 20 page SDS18 in October 1998. Since then, the publication has gradually grown into the 40 page fanzine that so many of you have become familiar with.
Is this the end of the road for the SDS? Most definitely not! There will be a phoenix publication for SDS members and subscribers, which will be fewer pages than the fanzine but will be more tuned to keeping up to date with life in our new surroundings. The exact format of the new publication is still to be finalised but I am sure members and subscribers will be happy with the content when it comes out in mid to late October. This should hopefully then free up some time to focus on how we can take the organisation forward.
I understand that cancelling the fanzine with immediate effect will disappoint some of our regular purchasers at the Shay but I hope I have gone some way in explaining the rationale behind the decision. Your support and kind comments to both myself selling in the South Stand and to John Denton and Paul Clark in the Skircoat have been greatly appreciated. All Town fans will be welcome to subscribe to our phoenix publication. SDS subscription is currently £8 but as we are some way through our subscription year we are happy to reduce this to £6. Alternatively, if anyone would like to try out our new publication on a one off basis they can just send a cheque for £1.20 payable to Shaymen Down South to SDS, 175 Peartree Lane, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3XL and a copy will be posted out on the day of publication.
There is now the opportunity for another group to take on the fanzine baton. If anyone would like any help or advice on this then please feel free to ask. Whilst we won't be able to provide any assistance with design work we can do black and white printing at a very competitive rate.
I look forward to the time when it will be appropriate to start again where we left off with SDS77 and until then I hope we can continue to count on your support for our initiatives both old and new as we all look to play our part in getting FC Halifax Town up to its rightful place in the football hierarchy.
SIMON DENTON