Look who popped into Philip Howard Books, Roundhay, Leeds – home of Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd – today! That’s right it’s David Milliband, future Prime Minister (he just doesn’t know it yet) and brother of current Labour leader Ed Milliband.

While he was in the shop, our own dear Ros Caplan couldn’t resist showing him a copy of the independent voice of rugby league. Welcome aboard, David!

Okay, so the review is written by Ian’s journalist son, Craig, but it’s still a goodie so here it is. The book is a match-by-match account of Blackpool’s one and so far only season in football’s Premier League. http://stortbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

After sixty years, Iby broke her silence about her extraordinary wartime experiences, surviving the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, and was featured in the BBC TV series My Story.

Iby’s talk is at the Otley Courthouse and begins at 2pm. Tickets, priced £6 or £5 concessions, can be booked here http://www.wegottickets.com/event/154650
Iby will talk about ‘the past is other countries’ and her book The Woman Without a Number.

What a hectic old time it’s been – hardly time to draw breath – and phew. One minute we are standing by the presses watching our latest offspring – Forty-20 Magazine – come to life, the next we’re on telly sat next to Look North‘s Harry and Christa promoting it.

Two issues in and we have to say the reaction has been beyond expectations. The subscriber numbers are more than double what we dared anticipate and cover around 100 different geographical locations across Britain and into France, Spain and Oz which sort of justifies our mantra about the spread of rugby league.

Adding the respected and esteemed Guardian columnist and local radio doyen Martin Kelner to the stable of great writers was a real coup for issue two, while Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, or Louie McCockney as he now refers to himself on Twitter, has increased the sale of QVC apps through his column. Louie is pictured above, hard at work.

With supermarket chain Asda coming on board and giving us near nationwide access in their stores, the magazine print run doubled between issues one and two which helped to bring on board Alton Towers as an advertiser. You’d think this was planned.

Not that the book front has been neglected, with York’s Greast Races proving to be a hit at the course and Ronnie Teeman’s legal and sporting meander A Lawyer for All Seasons also attracting media interest.

The veteran and venerable legal eagle of Leeds – who is still practicing and counts some of sport’s great names among his friends and clients – is set to appear on BBC radio in the north’s One on One programme this Friday, 19th August, an hour long Desert Island Discs-type format to discuss his life and career.

Waterstones in Leeds, where he is doing a signing on 24th September, have a display of his tome in the window and he has also been ‘booked’ (sorry) to appear on his old stamping ground, the Leeds University Law Society.

In addition, Mr T has been contacted by a long lost friend who he went to school and through university with, but has lived in London for years and came across his book by chance – ah, the power of the written word.

Also just published and going down a storm is Lee Crooks’ eagerly awaited autobiography, From Hull to Hell & Back.

The big man has been superb in answering the call of those wanting to interview him, including the Hull Daily Mail, Yorkshire Evening Post, Yorkshire Post plus stints on local BBC TV, Yorkshire Radio and Radio Leeds, where his honesty and candidness were captivating.

Launched with events in Hull and Castleford, and a signing in Waterstones Hull, Lee has been kept busier than when he used to face that great Wigan pack of the mid-eighties, and the signs are that isn’t about to change. There will also be a major feature on Lee and his autobiography, written in association with Vince Groak, in this year’s Wembley Challenge Cup final programme.

Thanks for supporting us, long may the indies flourish.

Phil & Tony

Online subscription

If old-fashioned ink and paper is not your thing, then from August 13th 2011, why not take out a subscription to our digital version?

As soon as Forty-20 is published – on the 13th day of every month – you’ll be able to read it online. A year’s subscription costs just £19.50 regardless of where in the world you watch your rugby league. Or you can take out a recurring three-issue subscription for just £5 a pop. That’s good news for your wallet and good news for the rainforests.

Visit exacteditions.com to see a free trial issue and then begin your free paid-for subscription from Saturday August 13.

AND COMING SOON: The Forty-20 iPhone and iPad app – available to buy through Apple’s App Store. Watch this space!

Along with local newsagents, a greater national spread of WHSmiths shops (actual stores TBC), several Super League clubs – and, of course, via subscription – Forty-20 will be widely available in ASDA from issue 2 (August 13). Here is a geographical breakdown of the ASDA stores who will stock the magazine.

ASDA
GATESHEAD; PETERLEE; SEAHAM; BISHOP AUCKLAND; MIDDLESBROUGH; SUNDERLAND;
BOLDON; BENTON; WASHINGTON; CRAMLINGTON;
HARTLEPOOL; GOSFORTH; DARLINGTON;
BLYTH; SPENNYMOOR; STANLEY; THORNABY;
STOCKTON; ASHINGTON; SOUTH SHIELDS

ADEL; MORLEY; HUDDERSFIELD; BRADFORD; DEWSBURY; WAKEFIELD; SHIPLEY; HARROGATE;
BARNSLEY; YORK; KILLINGBECK; PUDSEY; HALIFAX; KEIGHLEY; GLASSHOUGHTON

HESSLE; KINGSWOOD; CARCROFT; SCUNTHORPE; BILTON; CHAPELTOWN; HULL MT PLEASANT; GRIMSBY; SHEFFIELD; DONCASTER; ROTHERHAM

ASHTON; PILSWORTH; RADCLIFFE; CHADDERTON; WYTHENSHAWE; SHAW; TRAFFORD PARK; HYDE; EASTLANDS; ROCHDALE; HARPURHEY; STOCKPORT; HULME; LONGSIGHT

BOLTON; BARROW; BLACKPOOL; BURNLEY; FARNWORTH; BURNDEN PARK; LANCASTER; WIGAN; ACCRINGTON; PRESTON FULWOOD; CARLISLE; HORWICH; CLAYTON GREEN; BURY; BLACKBURN; KENDAL; COLNE; FLEETWOOD; RAWTENSTALL; WORKINGTON

GOLBORNE; LEIGH; LIVERPOOL BRECK ROAD; SEFTON; SOUTHPORT; AINTREE; HUNTS CROSS; WESTBROOK; SKELMERSDALE; WALTON; ST HELENS; BIRCHWOOD; BOOTLE; HUYTON

QUEENSFERRY; WREXHAM; ARROWE PARK; CREWE; RHYL; WARRINGTON;
RUNCORN; WINSFORD; BROMBOROUGH; LISCARD;
WIDNES; LLANDUDNO; ELLESMERE PORT

GRANTHAM; BURTON ON TRENT; LINCOLN; SINFIN; DERBY; MANSFIELD; WEST BRIDGFORD;
ARNOLD; HYSON GREEN; LONG EATON; SUTTON IN ASHFIELD; BOSTON; LANGLEY MILL

BRISTOL; LOWER EARLEY; SWINDON HAYDON; HEREFORD; LONGWELL GREEN; GLOUCESTER; BEDMINSTER; WESTON SUPER MARE; PATCHWAY; SWINDON; TILEHURST; TROWBRIDGE; FROME

CAERPHILLY; CARDIFF BAY; MERTHYR TYDFIL; CWMBRAN; TONYPANDY; BRYNMAWR; NEWPORT PILLGWENLLY; BRIDGEND; LECKWITH ROAD;
SWANSEA; BLACKWOOD; ABERDARE; CARDIFF; PENTWYN; LLANELLI;
NEWPORT; GORSEINON

We know Forty-20 won’t be to everyone’s taste and that’s fine. We have deliberately set out to offer an alternative voice and different approach to that which currently exists. The sport of rugby league is rapidly evolving, socially and geographically, and it is our ambition to reflect that.

In a nutshell, we want Forty-20 to be intelligent, thoughtful and resolutely non-glossy. We will be story-led rather than club-led; champion quality writing, photography and illustration; give more of a voice to current players and coaches; and assume that our readers are able to think for themselves. Like us, they will most probably take an interest in the game as a whole, rather than just their own favourite club. We’ll have a laugh from time to time too.

In other words, we aim to give rugby league the broadsheet-quality coverage that’s taken for granted in other sports. Some very kind folk have already compared Forty-20 to magazines as diverse as the original Open Rugby, Private Eye, The New Yorker, The New Statesman and When Saturday Comes – which will more than do for us! And given that this is only issue one, we know there is plenty of room for improvement.

Especially in the area of distribution, which was initially beset by ‘teething’ problems. Happily, most of those issues are now ironed out. If the magazine isn’t already in your local independent newsagent, you can ask them to order it. Along with club shops at Warrington, Wigan, Leeds, St Helens, Salford (and more such as Castleford and Crusaders to follow) the mag should soon be available at train stations, airports, service stations and garages too.

Unfortunately, those distribution issues mean that, this month, Forty-20 won’t be on open display in as many WH Smiths stores as we had anticipated – although it can still be ordered anywhere in the country. From issue two onwards, however, this should be rectified and Forty-20 will be widely available in WH Smiths as planned.

In the meantime, here is a list of seventeen WH Smiths stores which WILL have the first issue of Forty-20 on display this month, from Wednesday 20 July. If it’s not on the shelves, ask them to get it out of the storeroom – they’ve got it (unless it’s sold out, of course)!

• Bradford, Kirkgate
• Bristol, Galleries
• Leeds, White Rose Centre
• York, Monks Cross
• Newcastle, Northumberland Street
• London, Oxford Street Plaza
• Sheffield, Meadowhall
• Manchester, Trafford Centre
• Wakefield, Ridings Centre
• Warrington, The Mall
• Whitehaven, King Street
• Widnes, Albert Square
• Wigan, Standishgate
• Workington, Washington Square
• Wrexham, Hope Street
• Hull, Prospect Centre
• St Helens, Church Street

In the months to come, we intend to broaden our distribution base still further, taking in supermarkets etc. And, of course, there are our splendid subscription deals to be taken advantage of – whether postal here or, from July 27, the online digital version, more details of which will be posted here soon.

Once again, it’s great finally to be up and running. We look forward to you joining us on the 13th day of every month from here on in – or perhaps even contributing yourself.

Tony Hannan – editor-at-large; Phil Caplan – managing editor

A new Rugby League monthly is set to hit the newsagents on Wednesday 13^th July, when the first edition of Forty-20 magazine makes its appearance.

The publication is the brainchild of Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd co-founders Phil Caplan and Tony Hannan, pictured above, who said: “We think there is a demand within rugby league for a different type of product, not to mention an alternative editorial voice.

“We aim to build a reputation for quality writing from a different range of perspectives and are looking to recapture the zeal and excitement of the original Open Rugby, but with a magazine tailored to the 21st century.”

Forty-20 will initially run to 48 pages and features thought-provoking articles by some of the game’s most respected writers and best-known personalities – including former Bradford, Wigan, Crusaders and Great Britain coach Brian Noble, Castleford star Richard Mathers and St Helens’s Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook – with more to follow.

It will have face-to-face interviews with Rugby League’s most engaging characters, be they in the European Super League, Australasian NRL or anywhere else in the world.

“In Forty-20 magazine we intend to value every rugby league club or nation whatever their geography or playing standard, from Barrow to Brighton, Bradford to Belgrade, Perpignan to Parramatta to Papua New Guinea,” added Hannan, the magazine’s editor-at-large.

“We will be offering a wide-ranging and open-minded publication that is bright and witty, punchy and intelligent. We will grapple with the big debates and explore front-line and behind the scenes issues. We will take Rugby League seriously, but not too seriously.

“And given how Forty-20 is a rugby league magazine for the 21st century, we will also encourage the talents of young and aspiring writers, photographers and illustrators.”

Managing editor Caplan went on: “We have been incredibly heartened by the number of advance subscriptions taken out, which is an indication that there is a need for a different perspective reflecting the sport. Their geographical spread – from Barnsley to Newport, Kirkintilloch to Barnstable, New South Wales to Milton Keynes – is further evidence of its current wider appeal that we will endeavour to cater for.”

Forty-20 will come out on the 13^th day of each month – an appropriate date for rugby league. Priced £2.95, it will be available from newsagents and on line here. An app edition is also being produced – watch this space!

We’ve had lots of positive reaction to Steve Carroll’s book York’s Great Races, which was officially launched at the course in question – the Knavesmire – today. The review here for example, published in the York Press, sings the praises of a lively tome that is sure to have the world of horse racing talking.

On top of that, there is a smashing piece on the Sky Sports website today, written by Jon Doidge, which can be read here.

During his promotional round, author and racing journalist Steve has also appeared on Yorkshire Radio and Sky Radio and is set to share details of York’s Great Races with television audiences in the not too distant future. Odds on that his book is set be a big success!