Its all starting to go horribly wrong for Reading !.

[north stand falmer]

Not that I want to defend Reading, but they had 18,000 for their last game at home to Ipswich game , and I can remember crowds of less than 10,000 for the Albion when we were in the old first division (equivalent of the Prem). People in glass houses etc.

Leave it out El pres!, Ipswish brought about 4,000 down and yes you are right, We did get less than 10,000 in the old first! When we was rock f***ing bottom. If we was in reading postion then we're get 18,000 every other week with the away fans as well.

 

[El Presidente]

Not so sure LBF

1990/91 with Albion in a play off position in the old second division, two home games to go, chance of going up to the Premiership, late April, and the team run out to a crowd of ...........7,738 v Bristol City

 

[north stand falmer]

Not so sure LBF

1990/91 with Albion in a play off position in the old second division, two home games to go, chance of going up to the Premiership, late April, and the team run out to a crowd of ...........7,738 v Bristol City

Sorry El Pres, I'll have to disagree with you on this one, You say a chance of reaching the first division and a crowed of 7,738 attended ? Sorry my old mucker But I need facts before I believe that. Don't you mean 17,738 ?

 

[brighton rock]

palace stuffed them 3-1 thats good enough for me?

 

[El Presidente]

I am sitting here with my copy of 'Seagulls' and the last three home games in 1990/91, when we were within a gnat's bollock of going up to the Prem, were as follows

Oxford United 8,118
Bristol City 7,738
Ipswich 12,281. (Biggest crowd of the season!!!)

We needed to win this final game to cement our play off place. Two minutes left and the score is 1-1. John Byrne is brought down outside the box. The crowd go strangely quiet as Dean 'Wendy' Wilkins floats a 22 yarder into the far corner, and then we go nuts.

Big crowds and the Albion are a bit of a myth. In the good years we have excellent support, but there is a huge fairweather element at the Albion historically. It's down to your generation to stop this trend!

 

[brighton rock]

I am sitting here with my copy of 'Seagulls' and the last three home games in 1990/91, when we were within a gnat's bollock of going up to the Prem, were as follows

Oxford United 8,118
Bristol City 7,738
Ipswich 12,281. (Biggest crowd of the season!!!)

We needed to win this final game to cement our play off place. Two minutes left and the score is 1-1. John Byrne is brought down outside the box. The crowd go strangely quiet as Dean 'Wendy' Wilkins floats a 22 yarder into the far corner, and then we go nuts.

Big crowds and the Albion are a bit of a myth. In the good years we have excellent support, but there is a huge fairweather element at the Albion historically. It's down to your generation to stop this trend!

home game agaist palace at falmer would blow them numbers away?

 

[Windmill]

Reading have always had a poor support, too many floating fans who'd rather go and watch London sides.

But their fans are a miserable bunch. They complained when they were in the top six, so its hardly surprising they're moaning now.

Some quotes from Reading fans up this way:

"Bloody Coppell's got them playing long ball.."

"Sidwell's done nothing, waste of money.."

"They should never have got rid of Maurice Evans.."

Well maybe that last one was made up, but come on Reading fans, you must qualify as being the most miserable, gloomy, down-in-the-mouth supporters in the land. Unless you are crowing over someone else's misfortune.

Like pinching someone else's manager.

And look where that's left you.

Reading for the Premiership....don't make me larrrf!

Relegated by Christmas.

Lowest points in the Premiership ever.

 

[north stand falmer]

Originally posted by El Presidente It's down to your generation to stop this trend!

You bloody cheeky monkey! I'll have you know that I've been to 79 away grounds watching the albion since 79.

I should tan your arse

 

[El Presidente]

Loftus Road will be my 100th league ground away with the Albion!

It was meant as a compliment, not as a diss, you are a lot younger than me from what I saw at the NSC meet up!

 

[north stand falmer]

Originally posted by El Presidente
It was meant as a compliment, not as a diss, you are a lot younger than me from what I saw at the NSC meet up!

The less said about that the better, Still can't understand why I got such a close up of myself. Didn't do me any favours. That's why I've been in hiding. How old are you then El Presi ?

 

[WhitleyDennis]

"They should never have got rid of Maurice Evans.."

He died, so neither we or he had much choice in the matter!

 

[Curious Orange]

Well maybe that last one was made up, but come on Reading fans, you must qualify as being the most miserable, gloomy, down-in-the-mouth supporters in the land.

Are Ernest and FG actually Reading fans then?

 

[El Presidente]

I will be 42 this year

 

[burrish gull]

Although the 1990/91 season saw us nearly get to the Premier League it was'nt until right near the end that we sneaked into the playoffs. up until then the football was pretty indifferent (except for Byrne and Small). If you look at our most successful periods we really pull the crowds in 20,000 to 25,000 (the capacity of Falmer) is easily within reach of this club in the 1st division and beyond.

Brighton And Hove Albion

Average in top flight (div 1) 1979 to 1983 - 24,927
Beat average 1978-79 season - 25,264
Average league gate - 12,712 (56 years)

www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/ englandcontent.html

 

[Wilts]

palace stuffed them 3-1 thats good enough for me?

3-1 BR!?!?! We should be so lucky! It was definitely 3-0 to you I'm afraid

El Pres, you're far too kind matey. Basically if you look at the whole of the south of England: Brighton, Reading, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bristol City... we can all draw quality crowds when we're doing well, but the expectations are far too high. Hence we'd get about 30,000 in the Premiership, and then in Div 1 we'd get about 14,000 if we're any lower than the playoffs.

Nowadays with the new ground and a big population (like Brighton too) there's no reason why the club cannot be bigger than the likes of around half of the Premiership. Just look at the smaller places with half-decent football teams... Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Bolton, Portsmouth...etc. All small places but have half decent support in the Premiership. We'd (both of us) cane that sort of levels of support in the Prem. Just get Falmer and build the right club infrastructure and you're away. We're just hoping for a change in form first... its not that easy!

Either way, thank god we're not like Wigan! Can't see them ever getting 5 crowds of 20,000+ in Division 2!

 

[Curious Orange]

Yes, the crowds in 90/91 were disappointing. The Goldstone was coming towards the end of it's life, the East Terrace crumbling, the football wasn't great (Wilkins and Codner in midfield, not inspiring), just the North Stand providing the entertainment.

Depressing thinking about it really, a missed opportunity perhaps....

 

[brighton rock]

3-1 BR!?!?! We should be so lucky! It was definitely 3-0 to you I'm afraid

El Pres, you're far too kind matey. Basically if you look at the whole of the south of England: Brighton, Reading, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bristol City... we can all draw quality crowds when we're doing well, but the expectations are far too high. Hence we'd get about 30,000 in the Premiership, and then in Div 1 we'd get about 14,000 if we're any lower than the playoffs.

Nowadays with the new ground and a big population (like Brighton too) there's no reason why the club cannot be bigger than the likes of around half of the Premiership. Just look at the smaller places with half-decent football teams... Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Bolton, Portsmouth...etc. All small places but have half decent support in the Premiership. We'd (both of us) cane that sort of levels of support in the Prem. Just get Falmer and build the right club infrastructure and you're away. We're just hoping for a change in form first... its not that easy!

Either way, thank god we're not like Wigan! Can't see them ever getting 5 crowds of 20,000+ in Division 2!

whats gone wrong wilts i rate coppell highly being a palace fan, is he having trouble bedding in?

 

[Wilts]

Coppell is a quality manager but I reckon (personally) the rest of the coaching team are getting in the way a bit and Coppell is not getting his say enough.

However I'm confident about the Forest game on Saturday. We've a point to prove and this needs to be the turning point of the season. If we play the right team then we shouldn't fear anyone in Division One. Just gotta get that "team" thing going again. The players are better this year, but just don't currently work as well together.

BTW - if you want to see good attendances then look at the Bundesliga. You pay about £5 each to see a game, and look at the attendances:

http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/2004/aveger.htm

Bear in mind that Schalke (Gelsenkirchen) is smaller than both Reading and Brighton.

 

[El Presidente]

Although the 1990/91 season saw us nearly get to the Premier League it was'nt until right near the end that we sneaked into the playoffs. up until then the football was pretty indifferent (except for Byrne and Small). If you look at our most successful periods we really pull the crowds in 20,000 to 25,000 (the capacity of Falmer) is easily within reach of this club in the 1st division and beyond.

Brighton And Hove Albion

Average in top flight (div 1) 1979 to 1983 - 24,927
Beat average 1978-79 season - 25,264
Average league gate - 12,712 (56 years)

www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/ englandcontent.html

Don't want to turn this into battle of the nerds, but your figures for the top flight are wrong.

Average 1979/80 24,795
1980/81 18,969
1981/82 18,247
1982/83 14,676

Overall average for the top flight 19,171



The last year we averaged over 10,000 was 1984/85

 

[brighton rock]

shame,they should let coppell get on with his job,the bloke knows how to win football matches
as for the forest game i watched them at palace about a month ago when we won 1-0 ,dont think they will give you much trouble as we should have beat them by more,and they seem to be in free fall down division one,which is a bit of a surprise seeing as they were a top side last year!