Average Home Attendance Is 11,225

[And Its Smith]

These are our average attendances over the last 8 seasons that we have been in this division:

99-00 9,803

00-01 10,369

01-02 11,220

02-03 11,890

03-04 12,879

04-05 11,391

05-06 11,725

06-07 11,225

Attendances can be up or down depending on other teams in the division. This season it will only be Forest, Millwall and possibly Yeovil at home where we see bigger gates than say 14,000. League position is also a major factor but over the last few years that hasnt fluctuated too much.

We are currently having our lowest attendances since 01/02 even though we are top 4. So what can the club do to improve this?

I think they should look at cutting prices - Wigan are struggling for fans and have slashed prices in their home game against Chelsea to £15 and season ticket holders can bring a mate to Villa at home for a fiver. Whelan is pro-actively trying to get people through the turnstiles and hopefully keep them there. At £21/22 to watch City I think this is the main reason for the current attendances.

These figures are an assumption but 11,225 minus 7,000 season ticket holders is 4,225. Assuming 3,000 of these are adults paying £21 then thats £63,000. If it was £15 to get in then we would need 4,200 people to pay this to gain the same money. Would that happen I don't know, is it worth a try once a month or so, probably. It couldnt happen every game without the price of season tickets coming down but thats another argument.

Other options are to open the you know what (if they were going to do that they would have by now although I think it would attract a few more hundred to the Gate) or get promoted (if only it was that easy).

The extra fans would also mean more of a vocal support for the team which although it can never be proven, I reckon counts for a couple of points a season. Something needs to be done, don't know what the rest of you think? I've heard arguments that the smoking ban and the food are factors but I cant believe any fan is staying away because of that.

[tomvickeryBCFC]

Attendances can be up or down depending on other teams in the division. This season it will only be Forest, Millwall and possibly Yeovil at home where we see bigger gates than say 14,000. League position is also a major factor but over the last few years that hasnt fluctuated too much.

also swansea will draw a big crowd of over 14,000

[lotusman]

Kind of odd that our position has not generated more interest,was just reading that Yeovil have increased their average attendance by 12% over the last 6 home games.

[BS10 RED]

Yeah drop prices

[Nogbad the Bad]

I'd say our crowds are remarkably high and consistent considering the length of time we've been floundering in this division.

A tribute to the exceptional loyalty of the so often maligned City fans.

Just out of interest, why do you pinpoint the Millwall game as one of our 3 largest likely attendances?

[Robbored]

Yeah drop prices

City's prices are comparable to other Division 1 clubs.It wasn't so long ago that we were all moaning about how expensive the Forest away tickets were and yet City took the best away support of the season so far.

Look at Yeovil - what brings the crowds in is success on the pitch but it City's case we've shown promise in most of the last 8 seasons but failed to deliver.The City fans are fed up with false dawns and as yet we don't know if this will be another.Certainly with the inconsistant performances over this season so far it could turn out to be.

What City needs is a string of good performances and then you'll see the fans starting to believe and the crowds improve.

[And Its Smith]

I'd say our crowds are remarkably high and consistent considering the length of time we've been floundering in this division.

A tribute to the exceptional loyalty of the so often maligned City fans.

Just out of interest, why do you pinpoint the Millwall game as one of our 3 largest likely attendances?

Because I think they will bring a few and for that game season ticket holders can bring a mate for a tenner. Thats the one game that the club are trying something different. I reckon it'll attract a few extra hundred down.

Point taken about Swansea as well from another poster. Perhaps 4 big gates this season then.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Because I think they will bring a few and for that game season ticket holders can bring a mate for a tenner. Thats the one game that the club are trying something different. I reckon it'll attract a few extra hundred down.

It may well do, but on the other hand the Family Enclosure was populated almost entirely by Dad's only the last time Millwall were at the Gate. Almost to a man they told the kids they weren't taking them to that match.

As for Millwall "bringing a few", they have had restrictions on away support for quite a while - have these been lifted this season?

By the way, i think we'll get less than the average home crowd for Millwall.

[A Horse With No Name]

These are our average attendances over the last 8 seasons that we have been in this division:

99-00 9,803

00-01 10,369

01-02 11,220

02-03 11,890

03-04 12,879

04-05 11,391

05-06 11,725

06-07 11,225

Attendances can be up or down depending on other teams in the division. This season it will only be Forest, Millwall and possibly Yeovil at home where we see bigger gates than say 14,000. League position is also a major factor but over the last few years that hasnt fluctuated too much.

We are currently having our lowest attendances since 01/02 even though we are top 4. So what can the club do to improve this?

I think they should look at cutting prices - Wigan are struggling for fans and have slashed prices in their home game against Chelsea to £15 and season ticket holders can bring a mate to Villa at home for a fiver. Whelan is pro-actively trying to get people through the turnstiles and hopefully keep them there. At £21/22 to watch City I think this is the main reason for the current attendances.

These figures are an assumption but 11,225 minus 7,000 season ticket holders is 4,225. Assuming 3,000 of these are adults paying £21 then thats £63,000. If it was £15 to get in then we would need 4,200 people to pay this to gain the same money. Would that happen I don't know, is it worth a try once a month or so, probably. It couldnt happen every game without the price of season tickets coming down but thats another argument.

Other options are to open the you know what (if they were going to do that they would have by now although I think it would attract a few more hundred to the Gate) or get promoted (if only it was that easy).

The extra fans would also mean more of a vocal support for the team which although it can never be proven, I reckon counts for a couple of points a season. Something needs to be done, don't know what the rest of you think? I've heard arguments that the smoking ban and the food are factors but I cant believe any fan is staying away because of that.

Prices are definitely a factor, but I think the main reason for the low crowds, and they are low for a City team at the top of the table, is the standard of football we are being served up. Yes, we are winning for the most part, but it is only a means to an end really. Most people are of the opinion that if Johnson can get us up playing like this, then all well and good, and they will return next season when the entertainment value will be much higher, but at the moment they will leave it , thankyou very much.

What we need to get crowds up is a couple of thumping 3-0 or 4-1 wins, as opposed to the backs to the wall 1-0 s that we are so often given. However, with no strike force to speak of, and therefore minimal goalmouth action to excite the crowd, this will not happen this season.

[bartolona]

Kind of odd that our position has not generated more interest,was just reading that Yeovil have increased their average attendance by 12% over the last 6 home games.

The attendance against us would have helped that.

Plus our attendance's will improve later in the season if we are challenging for promotion.

[tompo]

Prices are definitely a factor, but I think the main reason for the low crowds, and they are low for a City team at the top of the table, is the standard of football we are being served up. Yes, we are winning for the most part, but it is only a means to an end really. Most people are of the opinion that if Johnson can get us up playing like this, then all well and good, and they will return next season when the entertainment value will be much higher, but at the moment they will leave it , thankyou very much.

What we need to get crowds up is a couple of thumping 3-0 or 4-1 wins, as opposed to the backs to the wall 1-0 s that we are so often given. However, with no strike force to speak of, and therefore minimal goalmouth action to excite the crowd, this will not happen this season.

Arguably one of the best games seen at AG for many years was the recent 2-1 win over Crewe. Two sides both committed to playing some decent football. Much better than a one sided affair although not quite so good for the old nerves.

I think prices of tickets is a bit of a red herring.

Some people will not go to AG even if you were to pay them.

One sure way of getting the East End opened to City fans is to ensure that demand warrants its opening because the rest of the ground is sold out.

[StapleHillPhil]

City's prices are comparable to other Division 1 clubs.

What City needs is a string of good performances and then you'll see the fans starting to believe and the crowds improve.

Just because every other club is attempting to bleed their fans dry doesn't mean that City have to follow suit.

To bring the crowds back City must either reduce ticket prices to an acceptable level for the average punter, or, alternatively Steve Lansdown could grow some balls, sack Colin Sexstone and put the club back in the heart of the community.

[deadratinmycider]

As Nogbad said earlier in the thread, the City support has remained pretty impressive considering the mediocrity we have endured over the last 8 seasons. The price's are on the high side but there are quite a few offers during the season that make up for it (for non season ticket holders).

Don't forget that all the away sides have brought one man and his dog to the gate which hasn't helped attendances. If City stay around the top 2 then the crowds will increase. People are sceptical because of all the false dawns we've had and will not return until later in the season if we are still up there.

[Barrs Court Red]

I believe the price rise for paying on the gate puts a few off, and seems a rather pointless endeavour.

[Bristol Boy]

Depends when you calculate the average-ie-does it include a play off season or play off games.

What the figures tell me is what we already know and that is crowds won't budge until we're in The Championship.

Visiting teams will bring more support-wavering or uncommited fans will start coming, now & again and people will be prepared to pay £23 to see WBA, Brum & Leeds......they won't for Cheltenham, Chesterfield & Orient.

Prices are to expensive-we've been in this awful division which is getting worse by the year for nine seasons and the debacle at the Millenium finished a lot of people off.

The massive turnover in players over the last two years has also created a disconnect between fans & players who rarely mix after games.

10% of ST Holders moved from what is now the Premier/Hospitality Area did not renew and that didn't help.

You'll probably remember the pinned post in which I canvassed opinion.I put that into a short report and forwarded that to Steve L at his request.

The ST has also conducted a member survey along the same lines.One of the proposals centred around a singing/standing area and a meeting will be arranged to discuss all the topics.Another suggestion was an entry or exit survey to canvass wider supporter opinion.

As with most things in football, progress will largely depend on success & promotion.

[red panda]

Sorry to be a sad statto - but the basic argument is probably wrong.

We've only had eight home league games this season (average attendance, as you say, 11,225)

We haven't yet played any "big" games. We haven't had Christmas, New Year, Easter, etc. And we haven't had the run in to the end of the season where we are usually in with a shout for promotion, distant chance of play-offs etc.

A better comparison would be with the first eight games of last season. Fortunately, we played a similar bunch of non-entities then (Doncaster, Port Vale, MK Dons, Colchester, Blackpool, Barnsley, Hartlepool & Tranmere) as we have this season so far.

Even though we got a spectacularly high attendance for the opening match last season (15481 - presumably the [MS returning hero]/[Judas]* [* delete as appropriate] effect), the average for the first eight games was only 11,117 - ie LOWER than this season so far.

If you take away the MS effect or whatever boosted the attendance against Doncaster, then the improvement this season is even greater.

You can always bend things with statistics, of course. I wouldn't claim to have proven that we are definitely doing better this season. But there is some support for this argument in the numbers. And it's difficult to argue that we are doing significantly worse this season than last season.

P.S. I'm not sufficiently sad to have calculated similar comparisons for the first eight games of previous seasons. But I don't think they would work because ---- strange fact coming up ---- for the previous few years, we always seemed to play Swindon at home very early in the season.

[Bristol Boy]

Kind of odd that our position has not generated more interest,was just reading that Yeovil have increased their average attendance by 12% over the last 6 home games.

I think they played City & Forest during that period and their gates would have been boosted by 1,500 a time on those occassions.That's more than 20% of their average gate, which is around the 5,500 mark if not lower.

[SE23Red]

Comparing end of season averages with this seasons average after eight games will always make this seasons average look lower as many of the big gates come at the end of the season.

The average after eight games in each of the last six seasons is as follows (with league pos after 8th home game);

01/02 11494 (inc. Swindon)

02/03 11184 3rd (inc. QPR and Swindon)

03/04 11570 11th (inc. Swindon and Sheff Wed)

04/05 11745 10th (inc. Swindon)

05/06 11117 18th

06/07 11251 2nd

So remarkably consistent really. League position doesn't seem to play too big a part, and neither does the quality of the football. I'd guess that the high average to the start of 04/05 is probably down having just had our most successful season in 03/04 when we finished with five consecutive sell outs and the trip to Cardiff.

So what can we do to improve our average attendance? Stay within touching distance of 2nd place and sell out as many games as possible at the end!

P.S. I'm not sufficiently sad to have calculated similar comparisons for the first eight games of previous seasons. But I don't think they would work because ---- strange fact coming up ---- for the previous few years, we always seemed to play Swindon at home very early in the season.

I am

[Guest ashtonyate]

The ticket price is high considering we are in the third division and in truth not worth what the fans pay, football has gone mad our players are not worth the money they get.

Until the game puts its house in order and start paying player what they are worth, we are never going to see Ashton filled to the brim.

We are forth in a poor division with a team without a strike force, no wonder fans are not flocking back because they can see what most of us think another season next year in this division.

It doesn't help when fans have to book in advance and no just turn up like they did in the old days with out paying more for entry.So don't start knocking the fans over not supporting City I think we are Loyal considering everything.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Visiting teams will bring more support-wavering or uncommited fans will start coming, now & again and people will be prepared to pay £23 to see WBA, Brum & Leeds......they won't for Cheltenham, Chesterfield & Orient.

Surely prices are likely to rise further if City go up?

the debacle at the Millenium finished a lot of people off.

Agreed, and frankly you can't blame them. It was truly an horrific anti-climax, on top of so many other previous disappointments.

The massive turnover in players over the last two years has also created a disconnect between fans & players who rarely mix after games.

You mention this often but i'm not sure how unusual City are in this respect. Many other clubs have had similar turnovers, and the other day Sky mentioned a club who'd used over 100 players in the last two seasons. Can't remember who, Leeds possibly.

As with most things in football, progress will largely depend on success & promotion.

Not sure about promotion making a massive difference to crowds. What was City's average last time we were in the Championship? How many thousand per game were they up on the previous ( promotion) season? Success obviously helps, but on its own only short term nearing the end of the season. Entertaining winning football and a feel good factor around the ground are an attractive incentive to the non-committed.

I've no doubt also that City underestimated the feeling of alienation they created by marginalising smokers. For many that was the final straw.

[CodeRed]

City's prices are comparable to other Division 1 clubs.

Doing a random survey of 6/7 clubs - 1 each (north/south/London/midlands/west/wales):

Bournemouth £16/£17

Swansea £15

Blackpool £16/£17

Hudders £17

Northampton £16/£18

Tranmere £15

Millwall £19

City £17/£19/£21

walk up prices

This shows only Millwall - london prices - are more expensive than City

We all know about Forest (still on championship costs & prices) but City ARE expensive in this league.

Please don't believe everything Colin Sexstone tells you.

[Tom Fleuriot]

Kind of odd that our position has not generated more interest,was just reading that Yeovil have increased their average attendance by 12% over the last 6 home games.

AS well as BB's point made above, I'd have thought that they've got a lower starting point. We've had 8 years of stabilised league positions whereas Yeovil are bound to pick up fans as they rise through the division. If we got promoted to the Championship, stabilised in the first season then found ourselves in second place the following season, I'd expect at least a 12% increase.

[bucksred]

City's prices are comparable to other Division 1 clubs.It wasn't so long ago that we were all moaning about how expensive the Forest away tickets were and yet City took the best away support of the season so far.

Look at Yeovil - what brings the crowds in is success on the pitch but it City's case we've shown promise in most of the last 8 seasons but failed to deliver.The City fans are fed up with false dawns and as yet we don't know if this will be another.Certainly with the inconsistant performances over this season so far it could turn out to be.

What City needs is a string of good performances and then you'll see the fans starting to believe and the crowds improve.

Fair shout, but it also needs a board not treating City fans as another disposable asset, to be ignored. THAT would help too...........

[badger22]

These are our average attendances over the last 8 seasons that we have been in this division:

99-00 9,803

00-01 10,369

01-02 11,220

02-03 11,890

03-04 12,879

04-05 11,391

05-06 11,725

06-07 11,225

Attendances can be up or down depending on other teams in the division. This season it will only be Forest, Millwall and possibly Yeovil at home where we see bigger gates than say 14,000. League position is also a major factor but over the last few years that hasnt fluctuated too much.

We are currently having our lowest attendances since 01/02 even though we are top 4. So what can the club do to improve this?

I think they should look at cutting prices - Wigan are struggling for fans and have slashed prices in their home game against Chelsea to £15 and season ticket holders can bring a mate to Villa at home for a fiver. Whelan is pro-actively trying to get people through the turnstiles and hopefully keep them there. At £21/22 to watch City I think this is the main reason for the current attendances.

These figures are an assumption but 11,225 minus 7,000 season ticket holders is 4,225. Assuming 3,000 of these are adults paying £21 then thats £63,000. If it was £15 to get in then we would need 4,200 people to pay this to gain the same money. Would that happen I don't know, is it worth a try once a month or so, probably. It couldnt happen every game without the price of season tickets coming down but thats another argument.

Other options are to open the you know what (if they were going to do that they would have by now although I think it would attract a few more hundred to the Gate) or get promoted (if only it was that easy).

The extra fans would also mean more of a vocal support for the team which although it can never be proven, I reckon counts for a couple of points a season. Something needs to be done, don't know what the rest of you think? I've heard arguments that the smoking ban and the food are factors but I cant believe any fan is staying away because of that.

Maybe people have bought season tickets for library for a better atmosphere?

[badger22]

These are our average attendances over the last 8 seasons that we have been in this division:

99-00 9,803

00-01 10,369

01-02 11,220

02-03 11,890

03-04 12,879

04-05 11,391

05-06 11,725

06-07 11,225

Attendances can be up or down depending on other teams in the division. This season it will only be Forest, Millwall and possibly Yeovil at home where we see bigger gates than say 14,000. League position is also a major factor but over the last few years that hasnt fluctuated too much.

We are currently having our lowest attendances since 01/02 even though we are top 4. So what can the club do to improve this?

I think they should look at cutting prices - Wigan are struggling for fans and have slashed prices in their home game against Chelsea to £15 and season ticket holders can bring a mate to Villa at home for a fiver. Whelan is pro-actively trying to get people through the turnstiles and hopefully keep them there. At £21/22 to watch City I think this is the main reason for the current attendances.

These figures are an assumption but 11,225 minus 7,000 season ticket holders is 4,225. Assuming 3,000 of these are adults paying £21 then thats £63,000. If it was £15 to get in then we would need 4,200 people to pay this to gain the same money. Would that happen I don't know, is it worth a try once a month or so, probably. It couldnt happen every game without the price of season tickets coming down but thats another argument.

Other options are to open the you know what (if they were going to do that they would have by now although I think it would attract a few more hundred to the Gate) or get promoted (if only it was that easy).

The extra fans would also mean more of a vocal support for the team which although it can never be proven, I reckon counts for a couple of points a season. Something needs to be done, don't know what the rest of you think? I've heard arguments that the smoking ban and the food are factors but I cant believe any fan is staying away because of that.

Maybe people have bought season tickets for library for a better atmosphere?

[Redland]

For a club that has been stuck in this division for 8 years 11,225 is a good figure. Two things would increase the attendance - success and more attractive opposition. We have neither.

[Guest]

I've no doubt also that City underestimated the feeling of alienation they created by marginalising smokers. For many that was the final straw.

Could be right there; myself I just gave up smoking

[mcbcfc]

In my opinion one of the main reasons this season's attendances are low is because we don't have a 'star' player anymore. Looking back over the years we've had at least one free scoring player i.e. Lita, Murray, Thorpe, Akinbyi or a flair player i.e. Wilkshire. But at the moment we lack this with Brooks & Enoch out, Jevo yet to hit top form and a I know I'm not allowed to say it on this forum but one of our better players farmed out to Yeovil.

[Tom Fleuriot]

In my opinion one of the main reasons this season's attendances are low is because we don't have a 'star' player anymore. Looking back over the years we've had at least one free scoring player i.e. Lita, Murray, Thorpe, Akinbyi or a flair player i.e. Wilkshire. But at the moment we lack this with Brooks & Enoch out, Jevo yet to hit top form and a I know I'm not allowed to say it on this forum but one of our better players farmed out to Yeovil.

There's a point to be made there, but are you saying that people used to head down the Gate to watch Thorpe or Wilkshire?

And I thought Akinbiyi was with us before our average attendances got above 11,000 - less than now?

[Robbored]

I've no doubt also that City underestimated the feeling of alienation they created by marginalising smokers. For many that was the final straw.

What tosh! Those that wish to poison themselves can do so within designated area's at AG without poisoning those non-smokers around them.

The segregation of smokers is a national and indeed international intiative designed to promote good health.Its not an arbitary decision by those in charge at AG to 'alienate' fans.