Goldstone crowds over 30,000

[Icy Gull]

In the days of thirty thousand plus crowds we rarely if at all played Pompey iirc.

True they were in Division 4, where they are now headed again...if they're lucky!

This all sounds quite familiar

1972–1988: Deacon to Gregory

A cash injection, that accompanied the arrival of John Deacon as chairman in 1972, failed to improve Portsmouth's league position. With Deacon unable to continue bankrolling the club on the same scale, Portsmouth were relegated to the Third Division in 1976.

In November 1976, the club found itself needing to raise £25,000 to pay off debts and so avoid bankruptcy. With players having to be sold to ease the club's financial situation, and no money available for replacements, Portsmouth were forced to rely on an untried manager, Ian St John and inexperienced young players. Consequently, they were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1978.

Portsmouth were promoted back to Division Three in 1980, and in the 1982–83 season they won the Third Division championship, gaining promotion back to the Second Division. Under Alan Ball's management, Portsmouth narrowly missed winning promotion to the First Division twice before finally succeeding in 1986–87. Unfortunately, by the middle of the 1987–88 season the club was again in grave financial trouble, and Portsmouth were relegated straight back to the Second Division. The summer of 1988 saw Deacon sell the club to London based businessman and former Queens Park Rangers Chairman, Jim Gregory

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

In the days of thirty thousand plus crowds we rarely if at all played Pompey iirc.

night game in '77 was pretty packed ,not sure of the gate though,must of been close to 30k?

had a boxing day game at fratton in the 70's with 32k

 

[BensGrandad]

All of them for me and I still maintain, as I always have, that the official attendance against Watford to get promotion in 1958 was greatly understated as I remember the ground was jam packed full and the kids like me at the time 15 years old were sat on the cinder track surrounding the pitch. The ground itself was as full as the match against Fulham on the Boxing Day.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

All of them for me and I still maintain, as I always have, that the official attendance against Watford to get promotion in 1958 was greatly understated as I remember the ground was jam packed full and the kids like me at the time 15 years old were sat on the cinder track surrounding the pitch. The ground itself was as full as the match against Fulham on the Boxing Day.

Including the 1933 one, you old git Brian!!!!

 

[Marshy]

30,000 is bang on the money for us I believe.

Too many clubs have ideas of grandure, I would bloody hate watching football at a ground in a half full stadium.
There is nothing worse.

 

[BensGrandad]

Including the 1933 one, you old git Brian!!!!

Sorry wasn't born for that one and missed it on the list.

 

[Brovion]

What was the gate for the Villa game in about 1972? The one where we were on Match Of The Day?

 

[Hiney]

29,287 according to Tim Carder's book.

That's an interesting one.

In the programme for the Aston Villa game on 20 Jan 73, the attendance is given as 30,124

 

[kevo]

Luckily, I have a copy of 'Seagulls' to hand...

Pompey night game in '77 was pretty packed ,not sure of the gate though,must of been close to 30k?

25,451

What was the gate for the Villa game in about 1972? The one where we were on Match Of The Day?

28,833

 

[kevo]

That's an interesting one.

In the programme for the Aston Villa game on 20 Jan 73, the attendance is given as 30,124

Raise it with the History Man...!

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

Pretty sure I was at the last six listed ...

 

[highway61]

These
Apr 65 v Darlington (Div 4) 31,423
Feb 67 v Chelsea (FA Cup Rd 4) 35,000
Sep 69 v Wolves (League Cup Rd 3) 32,539
Mar 70 v Reading (Div 3) 32,036
Dec 71 v Bournemouth (Div 3) 30,600
May 72 v Rochdale (Div 3) 34,766
Feb 76 v Crystal Palace (Div 3) 33,300
Oct 76 v Derby (League Cup Rd 4) 33,500
May 77 v Sheff Wed (Div 3) 30,756

 

[The Oldman]

All of them for me and I still maintain, as I always have, that the official attendance against Watford to get promotion in 1958 was greatly understated as I remember the ground was jam packed full and the kids like me at the time 15 years old were sat on the cinder track surrounding the pitch. The ground itself was as full as the match against Fulham on the Boxing Day.

Agree with you BG re the Watford game. As for me no 1933 but every one from 1954 to 1967 then moved away and did away matches but back for everyone in 1978.

 

[sams dad]

All of them from 1965 onwards, so 15 for me.

Same for me .
If Hiney is correct regarding the Chelsea game in 1973, it will be 16

 

[Questions]

Everyone from Wolves 69 onwards. We got our tickets for that game at the Barrow league game just before and got a gate of 20 thousand. That Wolves game was brilliant. They were a bigger club then.

 

[T soprano]

Most of the official attendances in the 70's 80's I'm sure don't come close to how many people were really inside the goldstone I remember my dad & his mates all laughing when the attendances were announced if they said it was 22,000 you looked around and thought gotta be at least 26,000 I think a little bit of fiddling used to go on

 

[TottonSeagull]

Strange why we never got a 30,000 crowd when we got into the First Division yet we did in 78/79 for second division games. Anyone got any theories why?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Could have sworn the Wrexham game we lost 0-2 around 76/77 was 30k+? I may be confusing it for Sheff Weds, but the Wrexham game does stand out.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Strange why we never got a 30,000 crowd when we got into the First Division yet we did in 78/79 for second division games. Anyone got any theories why?

No theories, ground capacity was reduced.

 

[T soprano]

Strange why we never got a 30,000 crowd when we got into the First Division yet we did in 78/79 for second division games. Anyone got any theories why?

I'm sure we did get a crowd of over 30,000 but like I said earlier a wee bit of fiddling me thinks used to go on .when mike Bailey took over as manager the crowds started to dwindle it was the 3rd season in top league the novelty had worn off & we were supposedly playing boring football under Bailey shame though that was our highest ever league placing in our history