Blackadder
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Strange that we never had 30,000 in the top division. Reduction for the Meccano stand?
Ok then, how many of the crowds you've mentioned ACTUALLY had 30k people in attendance. It doesn't really matter, but I don't think we need to be bashful about admitting the Wolves attendance was less than 30k.O......FFS
Here we go again
I would suspect many of those crowds were above what was announced...May aswell debate that aswell
Same for me Kevo. Wasn't allowed to go to the Derby game as was too young and it was on a school night! It is incredible to think that we couldn't get 30,000 into a Division 1 game - was that purely down to reduced capacity even in our 1st season up or was it more strict on all-ticket matches etc? I know the results were worse!
I was only a child when we went up, but I seem to recall that the police did put a cap on the attendances.When you consider that top flight is the Holy Grail and we never reached 30000. I went to those home games but can't remember if there was a capacity limit.
How many have you done? I think Sunday was number 10 for me (all the ones from 76 onwards, except the Derby league cup game).
Feb 33 v West Ham (FA Cup Rd 5) 32,310
Mar 54 v Southampton (Div 3 S) 31,025
Apr 56 v Orient (Div 3 S) 30,864
Apr 58 v Watford (Div 3 S) 31,038
Dec 58 v Fulham (Div 2) 36,747
Aug 59 v Aston Villa (Div 2) 31,828
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
Jan 78 v Southampton (Div 2) 32,979
Apr 78 v Tottenham H (Div 2) 32,647
Apr 78 v Charlton (Div 2) 31,203
Apr 78 v Blackpool (Div 2) 33,431
Oct 78 v West Ham (Div 2) 32,634
Apr 79 v Charlton (Div 2) 30,859
May 13 v Wolves (Champ) 30,003
Jan 15 v Arsenal (FA Cup Rd 4) 30,278
Wolves can't possibly count, less than 30k in the ACTUAL crowd. What is the REAL figure for Arsenal, by the way? Anybody know?
The first Wolves match was the culmination of a great League cup run, and you're right, it was a fantastic atmosphere as Wolves, at the time, were a decent Div.1 outfit.Been to the last 16. The most crowded was Rochdale followed by Derby. The most incident filled was Spurs. The noisiest and atmosphere filled was probably the first Wolves one (but not the noisiest or most atmospheric match of all).
Looked very large to me at Wolves. Trains were more crowded than Arsenal. With the absence of segregation on the east this time, there weren't many gaps in west lower, got pictures. Did not see any gaps at the Palace (first match) and Blackpool either which might really have been over 30K.
The first Wolves match was the culmination of a great League cup run, and you're right, it was a fantastic atmosphere as Wolves, at the time, were a decent Div.1 outfit.
The Spurs game was horrible. Although we won 3-1 it was open warfare both in and outside the ground. And, for that, the main reason for the fences going up the following season.
For me, the match that ticked all the boxes was the Palace game of 1976. It had everything - huge partisan crowd, intense rivalry, unbelievable atmosphere, and, the right result 2-0. I lived on that for weeks.
When you consider that top flight is the Holy Grail and we never reached 30000. I went to those home games but can't remember if there was a capacity limit.
Once we got promoted to the old first division all the big matches were all ticket , and they reduced the capacity as well , in those days you had to go to the ground before hand to obtain a ticket . The only big match that was not all ticket was the very first match in the first division against Arsenal when they miscounted and shut the turnstiles before the ground was fullSame for me Kevo. Wasn't allowed to go to the Derby game as was too young and it was on a school night! It is incredible to think that we couldn't get 30,000 into a Division 1 game - was that purely down to reduced capacity even in our 1st season up or was it more strict on all-ticket matches etc? I know the results were worse!
I'm sure that there were quite a few spaces in the North Stand after the game started. I started going 1964/65 so on from there.Went to Wolves game and all but three after that - 11 in total
Still gutted about the Spurs one: left it too late to try to get in and was sold out when I got there
It was because the Goldstone was too small and crappy to be suitable. People stayed away because they couldn't see properly. The recession was beginning to bite down south as well. Crowds were low elsewhere, 25 K away at European Champions Forest, 15K away at Norwich, 23 K away at Everton etc. Average of 24,795 for the Albion in the first season up.
Average PL now 36,670 Average Div 1 then 26,327.
Last season PL gates were the biggest average since 1950 and that was before I was born.