That's my reason too.
In the 80's we were on a financial level with small clubs and hardly spent anything and our crowds weren't that great even by div 3 and div 2 levels. In recent years we've been the biggest spenders in league 1, always the bookies favourites for promotion with great home and away support. We have a great stadium and our support is the envy of most Championship clubs.
That is not true.
In every single season that we were in the 3rd division in the 1980s our average home attendance exceeded the average attendance of the division above (ie the 2nd division):
1979-80 United average 16584, division 2 average 13230.
1880-1 United average 12772, division 2 average 11202.
1982-3 United average 11764, division 2 average 10768.
1983-4 United average 12881, division 2 average 11601.
In the 1981-2 fourth division season we averaged 14892 when the division 2 average was only 10282.
Whilst in the second division seasons we only once averaged fewer than the average for that division (and not by very much). That was in the 1987-8 season. United average - 10207, division two average 10557.
In all the other 1980s second division seasons our average attendance was higher than that for the division as a whole, and in three out of the four seasons it was quite a lot higher:
1984-5 United average 12055, division 2 average 8725.
1985-6 United average 10798, division 2 average 7688.
1986-7 United average 9992, division 2 average 9022.
1989-90 United average 16584, division 2 average 13230.
http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/england.htm