[Albion] Our average league gate will be over 26k..,

[SIMMO SAYS]

You didnt understand my post , why the thumbs up at the end cos it was only banter

So calling me a mug is a term of endearment then

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I always thought 'snide island' was an anagram of Crystal Palace. Shows how deluded one can be!

 

[CT1]

Are we talking attendances before half time or after half time when half the people have gone home?

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Are we talking attendances before half time or after half time when half the people have gone home?

Repetition of half

 

[CT1]

Repetition of half

Are we talking attendances before half time or after the first two quarters of the game when four eighths of people have gone home?*

 

[Sussex Nomad]

True, but we didn't need it. Our average attendances in the top flight:

79/80 - 24,795
80/81 - 18,969
81/82 - 18,247
82/83 - 14,676

Yeah I knew the averages were below capacity, but people do tend to forget, or are to young to remember that our stadium was a 28k capacity from 1979.

 

[Brovion]

Not quite right. Had the capacity been greater, the attendances would have been far higher for big matches such as Man U, Liverpool etc. This would have increased the average a fair bit.

I hear what you're saying but I disagree. Our capacity in that first season was actually 33,500 (it didn't get reduced until later when the South Stand became all-seater after the fire in April 1980) and it never sold out, the highest being a couple of 29,000s for Man U and Liverpool which as you say were the biggest draws. Even the visit of Palace 'only' got a crowd of 28,000 - and this was when the rivalry was at its height!

Indeed speaking from memory during our time in the top division the only game that ever 'sold out' was the FA Cup quarter final against Norwich - how times change! 'Sold Out' of course was a lot cruder in those days; it was POTG, first-come-first-served and when the ground was full they simply shut the gates. In other words the Goldstone was plenty big enough and those averages do reflect the facts.

 

[Brovion]

Yeah I knew the averages were below capacity, but people do tend to forget, or are to young to remember that our stadium was a 28k capacity from 1979.

See my reply above to Green Cross Code Man. Our capacity actually varied from 33,500 to as low as 24,000 for a while when the North Stand roof was condemned! Luckily this co-incided with a drop-off in interest so it wasn't a problem. The salient point is it was always big enough to accommodate all the people who wanted to attend. (Norwich notwithstanding).

 

[severnside gull]

Snidey bitch slapping aside it is worth reflecting back to the original point of this thread.
By the end of the season we will have had just over 600K fans pay for tickets for league games. That will increase to 630K if we make it into the play-offs and if you include the two cup games that increases to around 680K seats sold.
By any account that is phenomenal success and everyone from the club and its fans deserves to be given some credit. I try to have a word with a few away fans after every game about their experience and very few have anything but praise for the stadium and the way they are treated.......for the palarse game even the horses enjoyed a good day out!
People can try to criticise our fanbase as plastic all they like but the simple truth is that, given we have really not achieved anything yet to be plastic about, what our attendances actually demonstrate is that if you offer a good product people will buy-in to it. Simples!

 

[Return of the Rev]

snidey bitch slapping aside it is worth reflecting back to the original point of this thread.
By the end of the season we will have had just over 600k fans pay for tickets for league games. That will increase to 630k if we make it into the play-offs and if you include the two cup games that increases to around 680k seats sold.
By any account that is phenomenal success and everyone from the club and its fans deserves to be given some credit. I try to have a word with a few away fans after every game about their experience and very few have anything but praise for the stadium and the way they are treated.......for the palarse game even the horses enjoyed a good day out!
People can try to criticise our fanbase as plastic all they like but the simple truth is that, given we have really not achieved anything yet to be plastic about, what our attendances actually demonstrate is that if you offer a good product people will buy-in to it. Simples!

catering and transport has been top notch this season

 

[Return of the Rev]

yeah i knew the averages were below capacity, but people do tend to forget, or are to young to remember that our stadium was a 28k capacity from 1979.

capacity was 33k never got a 30k in top flight

 

[LamieRobertson]

capacity was 33k never got a 30k in top flight

I thought it was reduced to the 28k no 30k in top flight

 

[Brovion]

capacity was 33k never got a 30k in top flight

I thought it was reduced to the 28k no 30k in top flight

Ahem! Please refer to posts #47 and #48!

(I dunno, I do all this research and nobody reads it!)

 

[Bodian]

Strange how 78/79 is way down on 77/78. There were no reductions in capacity until Summer 1979, and 78/79 saw a more successful team.

When did the horrible fences go in? I seem to remember that they were prompted by some trouble at the Spurs game in 77/78 - but they may not have gone in until the First Division Days? And also, there was a bit more trouble around - which may have put some off.

 

[chucky1973]

Ahem! Please refer to posts #47 and #48!

(I dunno, I do all this research and nobody reads it!)

what did you put

 

[Peter Grummit]

Although the attendance was pegged back to 28k capacity when we were promoted to Div 1.

Not strictly true. We never secured 30k in division 1 but the record top divison crowd was 29,670 against ManU.

The crowd for the Norwich QF in 83 was 28,800. Amazingly it was not all ticket and some were locked out. I remember getting in the North about 1pm and by 2pm it was full to heaving.

Brilliant that we will set an all-time record this year.

PG

 

[Washboard Didgets]

Our average attendances by match time:

79/80 [minutes] - 24,795
80/81 [minutes] - 18,969
81/82 [minutes] - 18,247
82/83 [minutes] - 14,676

Corrected that for you...

 

[catfish]

I hear what you're saying but I disagree. Our capacity in that first season was actually 33,500 (it didn't get reduced until later when the South Stand became all-seater after the fire in April 1980) and it never sold out, the highest being a couple of 29,000s for Man U and Liverpool which as you say were the biggest draws. Even the visit of Palace 'only' got a crowd of 28,000 - and this was when the rivalry was at its height!

Indeed speaking from memory during our time in the top division the only game that ever 'sold out' was the FA Cup quarter final against Norwich - how times change! 'Sold Out' of course was a lot cruder in those days; it was POTG, first-come-first-served and when the ground was full they simply shut the gates. In other words the Goldstone was plenty big enough and those averages do reflect the facts.

Remember as well that the matches in 79/80 against Liverpool, Man U, Spurs and Forest were all ticket. If they had been POTG the crowds might have been higher.

 

[el punal]

I believe our attendances were higher in the late 70's when we were in the Second Division ( Championship now ) than our 4 seasons that followed in the top flight. Palace had to win their last home game to pip us for the title and got 52,000 ish at Selhurst for that fixture.
Does this indicate that exciting winning football was more appealing than seeing your team get turned over regularly in the top flight or is that just simplification and there were more deep rooted social reasons.?

Bit of both in my opinion. The Tottenham game in April 1978 had so much crowd trouble that it resulted in fencing being put up in the close season. This restricted the view for a lot of fans plus the fact that going to watch football then could be seriously dodgy.

Our average attendance in 1978/79 was considerably lower despite getting promotion to Div.1.

When we did get into Div.I - August 1979 - the Goldstone capacity was reduced to 28,000.

Despite playing, the then, top sides in Europe in Liverpool, Forest, Aston Villa and Man.Utd(!) we never seemed to hit that capacity. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

By 1983 our average gates were only 15,000 and we got to the cup final! So, yes it could be deemed that our struggles on the pitch were reflected in lower crowds. I tend to think it was the terrible malaise of football at the time with hooliganism rife, and getting worse, that put off many fans.

Put it like this : I would not have dreamed of taking my grandson to a match then for those reasons. Now, with the way that Football has put its house in order I can't wait to take him to his first game at the Amex to watch the mighty Albion!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Wonder if the club will still be squealing about operating losses in the next financial year? *bites tongue*