I received a free copy of Kickaround, a new magazine for kids, a couple of months ago with WSC. I was chuffed to see that a mainstream publisher was finally offering a football magazine to children that wasn’t just about the big European clubs. It offers a far more balanced look at the beautiful game that we all love…

Anyone passionate about the so-called ‘lesser clubs’ must despair at all the attention lavished on the mega-stars of the Big Clubs by the football magazine’s aimed at kids. Kickaround, just launched by the long-established When Saturday Comes, aims to be an antidote to all that glory-hunting from the sofa.

This new monthly magazine aimed at 7-12 year-olds embraces the whole of football from the Champions League through the EFL and women’s football and even includes an imaginary comic strip club Faintly Athletic who play in League 1 1/2. Issue 1 is out now and features a poster of Shrewsbury’s Abu Ogogo and Luton’s James JJ Justin taking on a young fan in a cross-bar challenge.

It’s good to see a publisher standing up for the whole game and emphasising that participation is a far more enriching experience than passive consumption. Kickaround is about generating young fans’ enthusiasm for going to actual matches and kicking a real ball. Editor Tom Hocking says “for D3D4 fans Kickaround can a play part in your kids not growing up to be Real Madrid or Barcelona fans but following your club instead!”

Kickaround launch issue is on sale now at WH Smith, McColls. selected Tesco and independent newsagents.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football