First Issue: 19th September 1970
Last Issue: 26th June 1971
Copyright: IPC Magazines
Score ‘n’ Roar issue number one appeared on 19th September 1970, eight months after the appearance of IPC’s other football comic Scorcher. Score ‘n’ Roar used a similar format to Whizzer and Chips which was to present itself as two separate comics with one comic inside another, Roar being inside Score. Score ‘n’ Roar’s life was short lived only lasting some 35 issues until its amalgamation with Scorcher comic. Score ‘n’ Roar introduced a number of characters, two of which later successfully transferred into Scorcher including one that also went on to appear in Tiger.
One of the best remembered football stories was that of ‘Nipper’ (Eric Bradbury) who made his debut in Score ‘n’ Roar no. 1. ‘Nipper’ was the story of a young orphan ‘Nipper’ Lawrence and his dog ‘Stumpy’ (Stumpy was saved by Nipper from drowning at the docks) who lived in the Midland’s estuary town of Blackport. Nipper had been orphaned after the death of his father who had worked as a cahier for a local shipping firm. The police had been chasing Nipper’s father at the time of his death as they believed he was responsible for swindling money from the shipping firm. Nipper was convinced that his father knew the identity of the real thief and believed that his father was on the way to the police to inform them when he died in the accident.
‘He may be small, but he sure can go’
Nipper believed in his father’s innocence so strongly that he would often get involved in fights if anyone suggested that his father was a thief. Nipper was determined to clear is father’s name and would spend every spare moment working down at the local docks for cash so that he could save up and hire a lawyer who would clear his father’s name.
Nipper was in the care of a guardian by the name of Nat Munger. Nipper hated Nat Munger, but considered him being his guardian preferable to being placed in a children’s home. Nat Munger would often disappear for weeks at a time leaving Nipper to fend for himself.. Nat Munger stole Nipper’s savings which left Nipper with no choice but to work even harder.
On discovering that the new Blackport Rover’s signing was on the princely sum of £100 pounds per week, Nipper decided to become a professional footballer. Nipper eventually became a professional footballer for Blackport Rovers after being discovered by Andy Stewart.
Score ‘n’ Roar lasted less than twelve months before merging with the other football comic, Scorcher.
Score ‘n’ Roar Comic First Issue 19th September 1970
Score Comic Last Issue 26th June 1971
Scorcher and Score Comic First Issue 3rd July 1971
