Jump to content
IGNORED

Attendances In The Late 70's / Early 80's


Ashton1

Recommended Posts

As we all know with our Wembley appearances they all come out the woodwork and we could easy sell 45-50k, the top games ( if and when we get to the prem ) ie manure chelski etc would definately sell out with a 26 k stadium the rest would be fairly full everygame . If we think realistically season ticket holders would probebly be 18k club members buying tickets 1st would cover the other 8 k so the majority to miss out would be the ones who come out the woodwork for big games only

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The premiership has become such a huge product now compared to then and I dare say there wern't half as many Man utd/man city/liverpool/chelsea/spurs supporters floating around bristol and the surrounding areas. These are all the sort of extra fans who would come and watch City if they were in the top flight.

Sadly they'd come to AG, but only to cheer on their current favourite established Prem team. A few years ago when City were still in League 1, I was asked by a 14 year old who i supported to which I replied Bristol City. A few moments of concentrated thought and then "Are they in the Premiership"? This kid could not believe anyone supported a non Premiership team. That is the problem of the 72 teams in the Football League.

As for crowd size, Wigan have survived in the Prem for some years with low attendances compared to their rivals.

Stoke usually have 26 - 27k for their home games and are currently 10th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly they'd come to AG, but only to cheer on their current favourite established Prem team. A few years ago when City were still in League 1, I was asked by a 14 year old who i supported to which I replied Bristol City. A few moments of concentrated thought and then "Are they in the Premiership"? This kid could not believe anyone supported a non Premiership team. That is the problem of the 72 teams in the Football League.

It is a problem around here I agree. But the only way that is ever going to change is if we established ourselves in the prem for a good amount of time. And when/if we managed to do that I feel we would need alot more than 26000. Youve only got to look at attendences in this league we more a less get 13000 most weeks. In league one i remember it being 10000 most weeks. Thats with us being a poor team. When playing well in this leage we get 16000 most games. Floating supporters can gradually become regular supporters with sustained league standings. I think this would be the case with a lot of Man utd/liverpool.....etc supporters IF we got to the prem. But as I cant see that happening for a while 26000 will be fine in this league.

(Those Figures arn't factual and probably not accurate but you get the gist).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not in the office so don't have the exact stats to hand, but from memory average attendance in first season in div 1 was approx 24.5k, falling to approx 20.5k the season we went down. Season we dropped to div 4, average was 4,700!

Not far off, Dave.

http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/bric.htm

76/77 23,522

77/78 23,357

78/79 22,306

79/80 18,932

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a look through this before in some Bristol city record books (a complete record)

Stats on league games..

The average appears to be 22k with a few 23-24k games but mostly popular were big games, with big names ie; liverpool, man utd, spurs, man city, wba (first season in the top flight) in 1976-77 out of the 21 home games 8 games peaked over 25k

In 1977-78 out of 21 home games again 8 games peaked over 25k

In 1978-79 out of 21 home games 7 games peaked over 25k

1979-80 out of 21 home games 3 games peaked over 25k

1980-81 out of 21 home games city failed to get anywhere near 20k let alone 25k

1981-82 out of 21 home games city failed to get anywhere near 15k let alone 25k

The promotion season to the top flight the average gate was around 12k which surprised me.

1937-38 a gate of 38,066 seen city at home lose 1-0 to cardiff

The best time for gates at Ashton gate was 1955 to 1960

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a look through this before in some Bristol city record books (a complete record)

Stats on league games..

The average appears to be 22k with a few 23-24k games but mostly popular were big games, with big names ie; liverpool, man utd, spurs, man city, wba (first season in the top flight) in 1976-77 out of the 21 home games 8 games peaked over 25k

In 1977-78 out of 21 home games again 8 games peaked over 25k

In 1978-79 out of 21 home games 7 games peaked over 25k

1979-80 out of 21 home games 3 games peaked over 25k

1980-81 out of 21 home games city failed to get anywhere near 20k let alone 25k

1981-82 out of 21 home games city failed to get anywhere near 15k let alone 25k

The promotion season to the top flight the average gate was around 12k which surprised me.

1937-38 a gate of 38,066 seen city at home lose 1-0 to cardiff

The best time for gates at Ashton gate was 1955 to 1960

Promotion season average was 16,204.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a look through this before in some Bristol city record books (a complete record)

Stats on league games..

The average appears to be 22k with a few 23-24k games but mostly popular were big games, with big names ie; liverpool, man utd, spurs, man city, wba (first season in the top flight) in 1976-77 out of the 21 home games 8 games peaked over 25k

In 1977-78 out of 21 home games again 8 games peaked over 25k

In 1978-79 out of 21 home games 7 games peaked over 25k

1979-80 out of 21 home games 3 games peaked over 25k

1980-81 out of 21 home games city failed to get anywhere near 20k let alone 25k

1981-82 out of 21 home games city failed to get anywhere near 15k let alone 25k

The promotion season to the top flight the average gate was around 12k which surprised me.

1937-38 a gate of 38,066 seen city at home lose 1-0 to cardiff

The best time for gates at Ashton gate was 1955 to 1960

Funny that, 1955 the first year I attended and 1960 the year as a 13 year old I started my illustrious 40 year career in amatuer football in the Boys Club League.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Promotion season average was 16,204.

Ah yes typo there oops, some good home gates

75-76 season home league games

Bolton 10,510

Sunderland 12,199

Bristol Rovers 17,940

Oxford 10,373

Blackpool 10,246

Charlton 12,659

West brom 19,133

Orient 14,553

York 11,228

Carlisle 12,446

Hull 10,361

Plymouth 21,471

Blackburn 12,168

Southampton 22,316

Forest 15,302

Oldham 14,631

Luton 15,872

Fulham 19,546

Chelsea 25,319

Portsmouth 27,394

Notts county 24,614

League Cup

West ham Away 19,837

West ham Home 19,849

FA Cup

Coventry Away 15,653

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder how many had season tickets back then? Certainly turning up on the day nowadays for both adults and kids is very off putting. Back then potd prices were very affordable. I would not expect with the current potd prices we would match the attendances back in the 70's and 80's

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah yes typo there oops, some good home gates

75-76 season home league games

Bolton 10,510

Sunderland 12,199

Bristol Rovers 17,940

Oxford 10,373

Blackpool 10,246

Charlton 12,659

West brom 19,133

Orient 14,553

York 11,228

Carlisle 12,446

Hull 10,361

Plymouth 21,471

Blackburn 12,168

Southampton 22,316

Forest 15,302

Oldham 14,631

Luton 15,872

Fulham 19,546

Chelsea 25,319

Portsmouth 27,394

Notts county 24,614

League Cup

West ham Away 19,837

West ham Home 19,849

FA Cup

Coventry Away 15,653

Only game i missed that season was Sunderland away, night match, 1-1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some games were well over 30k.

The East-End was like a pressurised sardine can, as was the Park End.

Terrace in front of the Williams also full as was the Dolman standing area.

People sitting on walls,the dug out and in the away end.

Bloody brilliant.

And if it kicked off - well, what an atmosphere in AG when the game started - don't go all loony lefty chaps - all of us who were there remember how fired up and aggressive AG was when the 'big-boys' came to the East End and copped a beating.

90 minutes of the angriest passionate support you could imagine.

Brilliant.

......& all that atmosphere was because you could stand up. It's got to come back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can anyone help with exact attendances for our games whilst in the top flight? Still hearing people moan that the re-build will only give us 26k!

I'm not sure we would fill that week on week even in the prem!

I remember being crammed in the East End on a Monday night 16th May 1977, we beat Liverpool 2-1 and I think Garland got one, attendance 38,688. Liverpool thugs throwing bottles into the East End from the car park. All kicked off after in the park, oh happy days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A mate and I were seriously considering getting a cheap advance season ticket for the east end in your 'nearly' season and we're both gas. I can't remember the amount but it was a bargain for premiership football. We'd watch the big teams and let city supporting mates use our tickets for the wigans and stokes.

Glad we didn't bother for obvious reasons.

My point though is that there would be enough hard core and casual support to comfortably fill a 26k capacity stadium should either Bristol club get to the premiership.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the question is more like "how much ££ per ticket will be needed at 26k capacity to keep club afloat" ..............

A lot more than at 30k or 40k for sure ..........But not as much as it will be if it remains at present 19k...

Still ....not worth wasting time discussing Plan B..........is it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...