Details
Ref: Evening Times’s Sport Times (later known as Saturday Sport).
aka: The Pink, Evening Times Saturday Sport, Evening Times Sport Times
Started: […1950’s?…]
Ended: 1990’s/Early 2000’s
Background
Back in the old days, before the Internet, all domestic games were on a Saturday (and some midweek) and for many there was little way to find out the full listings of scores. News bulletins were infrequent and there was a wait to find out scores with little detail.
So, across the UK, there were various newspapers released soon after the final whistle on a Saturday around 5pm, which was full of details on matches on the day, with some fast written reports too of key matches, and pre-written notes.
Widely called ‘The Pink‘ due to the colouration of the paper, this newspaper was avidly awaited by supporters and pools players to get the full set of results (and for something to read on a Saturday evening).
The newspaper was delivered and sold on corners in the City Centre but also within pubs too. In corner shops you used to get guys standing and waiting often getting frustrated bothering the shopkeeper by repeatedly asking “When’s it arriving?”, “Where is it?”or “Is it here yet?” over and over again.
Aberdeen had the ‘Green Final’ and if brought up in Central Fife you could have the ‘Edinburgh Evening News‘ ‘pink‘ and the Dundee published Sporting Post within ten minutes of each other about 7pm at the newsagent.
Times move on. Increased radio coverage, Ceefax on the BBC, then Satellite & Cable TV, the internet, sports news channels and mobile internet (beginning with the primitive ‘WAP’), all led to the inevitable demise of these newspapers.
Not all games now are played on the one day either, with all weekend games prior to the Satellite TV revolution being played at 3pm on a Saturday. So the changes further split up those who would wish to buy the paper if their team was or was not playing on the Saturday.
Sad loss as it was a wonderful addition to the football experience throughout the 20th Century. Should be remembered fondly.
Edinburgh Evening News newspaper version
