Hitchin Town Football Club have announced a new initiative which will see their official matchday programme available to buy online.

A link up with the global providers of digital matchday programmes, MatchDayInfo, has resulted in the Canaries being able to offer a digital publication to run alongside their printed effort.

While embracing change, the club are also keen to stress their matchday programme in ink will continue for those who prefer the long established tradition of reading a publication while at a match.

However, from next season, fans who are unable to get to Top Field will be able to download the programme from their laptop or mobile device.

The club's matchday programmes will be uploaded to their MatchDayInfo app the evening before each home fixture, ready to be bought at the normal programme price and downloaded to the supporter's Android or iPhone device.

"We're thrilled to offer our fans the chance to purchase programmes digitally as we look to improve accessibility of our match day programme next season," said chairman Terry Barratt, adding: "Our programme will be easily accessible on a variety of electronic devices and that will assist those supporters' whose eyes are not what they used to be able to zoom in on the content."

Buying a football programme at a game was once as much a part of the matchday experience as a pie and a pint – but times have changed.

What was an essential part of a match day routine has now lapsed - as fewer and fewer of us football fans purchase printed publications.

With changes to the way we consume sport - along with wall-to-wall media coverage, as well as the rise of the immediacy of social media - have hit programme sales.

A law change by the English Football League two summers ago that went unnoticed by many has resulted in one of English football's most treasured traditions coming under threat from a virtual product.

The EFL's annual general meeting in June 2018 decreed clubs were no longer compelled to publish a printed matchday programme, citing rising print costs as well as concerted pressure from digital and social media.

All of which contributed to dramatically lower sales that saw many clubs lose money on their efforts in ink.

Clubs like nearby Stevenage acted quickly and the Lamex outfit became the first club in the UK to produce a digital programme for one of their early Checkatrade Trophy matches at the start of the 2018-19 season when they were in League Two.

Fast forward two years and the progressive Canaries have decided to follow the digital model – while, it has to be stressed, remaining fully committed to keeping their printed version going - for Top Field regulars ready for the long-awaited day when supporters are allowed to return to matches.

So. Is there still a place for the football programmes? Perhaps. One way to look at it is the fact the Canaries' revolutionary new concept means online readership numbers could rise dramatically.

For more information on how to buy the Canaries digital matchday programme visit the Hitchin Town website.