Tony Hannan
Encyclopedia
Tony Hannan is an author, journalist and publisher who specialises in British popular culture.
between 1997 and 1999 and was also the editor of Rugby League World magazine from 2002 until 2004. He was UK correspondent for the Australia's official NRL
weekly, Big League
between 2004 and 2006.
; and autobiographies of Ikram Butt
(ghost written by Hannan), Ray French
MBE, Iby Knill, John Holmes and Doncaster Rovers chairman John Ryan, amongst others.
, Punch
and similar publications.
In the late 1980s, while editor and creator of the fanzine Bernard of the Bantams, a sister publication to Bradford City FC's award-winning City Gent, Hannan created the character of Boring Stan, Park Ave Fan. Stan, as the name suggests, was a very dull supporter of Bradford City's cross-town rivals Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
, who had gone into liquidation in 1974 and were only just being revived via the amateur Sunday leagues. To this day, Bradford Park Avenue fans are known by the nickname 'Stans'.
Books
Hannan has edited, contributed to and written several books, the most recent being On Behalf of the Committee, a comprehensive history of northern English comedy.http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifestyle/the-arts/exploring_the_roots_of_northern_comedy_1_2313851 He also wrote Being Eddie Waring, a critically acclaimed http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/discovering-the-real-eddie-waring-778052.html biography of the BBC rugby league commentator of that name http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2008/01/23/eddie_waring_biography_feature.shtml. In 2010, this was the basis for a BBC4 television documentary, Eddie Waring: Mr Rugby League, in which Hannan also appeared. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tnwkv.Selected books
- On Behalf of the Committee - A History of Northern Comedy (2010) ISBN 0956007562
- Tries and Prejudice - The autobiography of England's first Muslim rugby international (2009, with Ikram ButtIkram ButtIkram Butt is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants, and London Broncos, playing at , i.e. 2 or 5....
) ISBN 0956007538 - Being Eddie Waring - The Life and Times of a Sporting Icon (2008) ISBN 1845963008
- Seasons In The Sun - A Rugby Revolution (2005) (editor) ISBN 0954788443
- Stevo's Super League Diary (2004) ISBN 0954788427
- The Dream Season (with Graham Clay) (2004) ISBN 0954788400
TV and Radio
Hannan has made numerous radio and television appearances. Among the most notable are:- It's Funny Up North with... Vic Reeves (ITV Tyne Tees 2006)
- Eddie Waring: Mr Rugby League (BBC4, 2010)
- Eric and Ernie: Behind the Scenes (BBC2, 2011)
Journalism
Hannan is currently editor-at-large of Forty-20, a rugby league magazine. Formally he was editor of Total Rugby League, the now-defunct sister newspaper of Rugby League WorldRugby League World
Rugby League World is a dedicated rugby league magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. Other rugby league titles published by League Publications Ltd include the weekly newspaper Rugby Leaguer & League Express and the annual Gillette Rugby League Yearbook.-History:Rugby League World began...
between 1997 and 1999 and was also the editor of Rugby League World magazine from 2002 until 2004. He was UK correspondent for the Australia's official NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
weekly, Big League
Big League
Big League is the official magazine of the National Rugby League and that of the NRL's forerunners, the New South Wales Rugby League and Australian Rugby League competitions. Its predecessor, The Rugby League News, was first published in 1920; in 1974 it was rebadged as Big League.It also serves as...
between 2004 and 2006.
Publishing
Along with fellow author and rugby league journalist Phil Caplan, Tony Hannan is a co-director of Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd, an independent publishing house based in Leeds, Yorkshire. http://www.digyorkshire.com/(X(1)S(m2dvelie2tjknz452momso45))/EventListing.aspx?event=48829&pdate=14/11/2009&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Primarily devoted to the production of books inspired by aspects of northern English culture, since its inception in May 2008 Scratching Shed has published around 30 titles including '1895 and All That...' by the Lord Aberdare Literary Prize-winning author Professor Tony CollinsTony Collins
Anthony Collins is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League and the Arena Football League.-Early years:...
; and autobiographies of Ikram Butt
Ikram Butt
Ikram Butt is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Featherstone Rovers, Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants, and London Broncos, playing at , i.e. 2 or 5....
(ghost written by Hannan), Ray French
Ray French
Raymond James French MBE is a former rugby union and rugby league player who achieved the rare honour of representing his country at international level in both codes of the game. French won his four caps for the England national rugby union team in 1961 as a lock forward, playing in all four...
MBE, Iby Knill, John Holmes and Doncaster Rovers chairman John Ryan, amongst others.
Cartoonist
Hannan was the creator and illustrator of the popular and long-running satirical cartoon character 'Walt', whose pithy comments were a nightly feature in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus newspaper from March 1987 until April 2002. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/leisure/taleisurebook/booksreviews/4780182.Likely_story_of_Northern_mirth/)/ Having first appeared alongside Brad Ford, a cheeky bear based on the 'Bradford's Bouncing Back' regeneration campaign figurehead of the late 1980s, Walt soon took over the strip. Hannan's cartoons have also appeared in Private EyePrivate Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
, Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
and similar publications.
In the late 1980s, while editor and creator of the fanzine Bernard of the Bantams, a sister publication to Bradford City FC's award-winning City Gent, Hannan created the character of Boring Stan, Park Ave Fan. Stan, as the name suggests, was a very dull supporter of Bradford City's cross-town rivals Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
, who had gone into liquidation in 1974 and were only just being revived via the amateur Sunday leagues. To this day, Bradford Park Avenue fans are known by the nickname 'Stans'.