Attendance over the years

[s20Blade]

Interesting numbers here late 90's early 00's was all old division 1 but later years we seem to gain more than double figures (obviously premier league football helps) but even in our league 1 days we had more in attendance.

I can only presume that the pigs decline had a say in it?

 

[mansfieldblade95]

Obsessed

 

[I should coco]

I can only presume that the pigs decline had a say in it?View attachment 169523

Decline?

They took 3,000 to QPR, I'll have you know!

What do they say, Bigger, Older, Better?

If you know any oinkers, ask them the last time they averaged over 30k. They will bluster and say in the 90s with Waddle, Walker et al, but as ever, they are making it up.

If you get them to actually check yer' real facts, the correct answer is late 60s. Keep asking them to check, as in my experience, they go very quiet.

 

[s20Blade]

Decline?

They took 3,000 to QPR, I'll have you know!

What do they say, Bigger, Older, Better?

If you know any oinkers, ask them the last time they averaged over 30k. They will bluster and say in the 90s with Waddle, Walker et al, but as ever, they are making it up.

If you get them to actually check yer' real facts, the correct answer is late 60s. Keep asking them to check, as in my experience, they go very quiet.

They definitely have plenty of "fans" that went in the "glory days" but "can't do it anymore"

 

[I should coco]

They definitely have plenty of "fans" that went in the "glory days" but "can't do it anymore"

Plenty maybe, but still not enough to average over 30k.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

View attachment 160379



Here's that table again. Updated to the end of this season.

Going back to 1970 we're now very, very marginally more successful on the field in terms of average league position.
We average a league standing of 31st (so about midtable second tier), whilst their average finish has been 32nd (again, midtable second tier).

Over the same period, they have averaged crowds of 21,750 to our 19,990. Negligible.
With Premier League football awaiting us again next season, that gap will close further, whilst we will also widen the gap in terms of league standings.

In the last 5 or so years we've averaged 5k more fans.
In the 5 years before that we were inseparable.

They go on about being "bigger and better," but it simply isn't true.
Right now, we're considerably bigger (almost 20% larger crowds). Over a 50 year period, we've been marginally better.

In the last 10-15 years, we have had ex-players and academy graduates representing England, going to World Cups. We've been on numerous cup runs that have taken us to quarters and semi-finals. Big games in front of national audiences.
We've traded players in the 10s of millions and been to the PL 4 times.
In the same period, they've done absolutely nothing except tell the World they should be having our success and big up their (non-substantiated) size.

They will always have the fizzy pop trophy to hang onto though. Of course, this warrants all of their banter regarding our empty trophy cabinet. You'd think theirs was overflowing with gold.

If you want to look at modern day metrics for measuring relevance and size with a younger generation, check out our social media followings.

Instagram
Sheffield United 596k - 117k Sheffield Wednesday.

Facebook
Sheffield United 1m - 364k Sheffield Wednesday.

Twitter
Sheffield United 550k - 364k Sheffield Wednesday.


* Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou - tagging you as you were looking for this the other day.

I used that website to get these stats.

 

[Geordie Blade]

The attendances in the 1990s were almost certainly not reported accurately. I can remember attendances of “17,327” where you couldn’t see any gaps.

 

[Weasel]

The attendances in the 1990s were almost certainly not reported accurately. I can remember attendances of “17,327” where you couldn’t see any gaps.

I presume you are referring to Utd v Newcastle in the league cup when we won 3-0 as a third division club and the Geordies complete with Mirandinha rolled up and were totally turned over by Deane, Agana, Bryson at co. There was a reported attendance which made everyone on the Kop chuckle as we stood there like sardines. Clearly a large part of the gate receipts disappeared somewhere....

Another one was Port Vale at home which was a promotion contender night match and ended up a draw I think (2-2?) which had a much larger attendance than the official figure released. It happened often back then.

 

[Brewster Cost £70 million]

Remember port vale at home attendance was about 8k lost 3 zip iirc now look at attendances we've definitely come a long way since then

 

[Bath Blade]

I presume you are referring to Utd v Newcastle in the league cup when we won 3-0 as a third division club and the Geordies complete with Mirandinha rolled up and were totally turned over by Deane, Agana, Bryson at co. There was a reported attendance which made everyone on the Kop chuckle as we stood there like sardines. Clearly a large part of the gate receipts disappeared somewhere....

Another one was Port Vale at home which was a promotion contender night match and ended up a draw I think (2-2?) which had a much larger attendance than the official figure released. It happened often back then.

Blackburn in the cup quarter final in ‘93 is the one I remember. Think it was declared 23,000 and the ground was packed full.

 

[Snowflake]

I presume you are referring to Utd v Newcastle in the league cup when we won 3-0 as a third division club and the Geordies complete with Mirandinha rolled up and were totally turned over by Deane, Agana, Bryson at co. There was a reported attendance which made everyone on the Kop chuckle as we stood there like sardines. Clearly a large part of the gate receipts disappeared somewhere....

Another one was Port Vale at home which was a promotion contender night match and ended up a draw I think (2-2?) which had a much larger attendance than the official figure released. It happened often back then.

Turnstiles had the same problem as a fax m/c. Some appeared not to work.

 

[SUFCinks]

Last 20 years i think we are the better supported team in sheffield. The fact the other half always harp on about being massive is laughable. Tinpot fc.

Numerous +30k averages. Last 5 years havent dropped beneath 26k. This will only increase the more we are in the prem. I can’t seeing them catching us any time soon.

Not that it matters OFC. Just another reason why we are better. All they have is attendances and they don’t even have that

 

[PrestwichBlade]

I presume you are referring to Utd v Newcastle in the league cup when we won 3-0 as a third division club and the Geordies complete with Mirandinha rolled up and were totally turned over by Deane, Agana, Bryson at co. There was a reported attendance which made everyone on the Kop chuckle as we stood there like sardines. Clearly a large part of the gate receipts disappeared somewhere....

Another one was Port Vale at home which was a promotion contender night match and ended up a draw I think (2-2?) which had a much larger attendance than the official figure released. It happened often back then.

These were the days when our cctv was trained on the director's box rather than the fans

 

[coaxingstar71]

I think the historic attendance stats make interesting reading and I have a few observations.

We were not as fantastically supported as some would have you believe in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Stories of us getting 40k every week are well wide of the mark. We got those sort of crowds for big games and particularly just after the war because of the post war boom because fans had been starved of their football (or doing service). However we regularly got crowds of around 18-20k for top flight games, usually for less attractive opposition and perhaps the fact we had a 3 sided ground had something to do with it.
There was an obvious decline in the late 70's and 80's because of the decline of the side, the decline of the local economy with the steel and coal industries being hardest hit and the fact that fans were treated like caged animals at the time which meant that going to a match was sometimes not safe or at least it was certainly perceived that way.
The upward fortunes of the team and a successful World Cup meant that football became fashionable again in the early 90's.
Then in the early 2000's our average goes up and I reckon our core fanbase almost doubled in a few years. I'd say this is because of the triple assault season that gave us a lot of coverage, but other factors, such as the club being more open to families, women and kids. It's likely the first generation from TC's Saturday morning sessions was also coming to fruition as more kids decided to support the Blades instead of our neighbours.
I'd also add that I think more people now have more disposable income than they had 25-30 years ago and the club, certainly until recently, had done a good job at keeping match day prices down or at least at a competitive level.
There is also the issue of the club being economical with the truth on attendances, perhaps to avoid tax, allegedly. It could also be the case that before turnstile automation, some operators could have been keeping some of the cash themselves!

 

[ancientblade]

I presume you are referring to Utd v Newcastle in the league cup when we won 3-0 as a third division club and the Geordies complete with Mirandinha rolled up and were totally turned over by Deane, Agana, Bryson at co. There was a reported attendance which made everyone on the Kop chuckle as we stood there like sardines. Clearly a large part of the gate receipts disappeared somewhere....

Another one was Port Vale at home which was a promotion contender night match and ended up a draw I think (2-2?) which had a much larger attendance than the official figure released. It happened often back then.

yeah was at that cup game with newcastle was at least 25k in the ground that night i was there in the 80s when we got 7k at the lane cant remember who it was against could have been wimbledon

 

[Davalon]

The attendances in the 1990s were almost certainly not reported accurately. I can remember attendances of “17,327” where you couldn’t see any gaps.

100%.

One that stands out for me was the Newcastle League Cup game in 1988 that we won 3-0.

I think officially it was 17,000

There was more than that on the Kop and BL end.

 

[Geordie Blade]

I presume you are referring to Utd v Newcastle in the league cup when we won 3-0 as a third division club and the Geordies complete with Mirandinha rolled up and were totally turned over by Deane, Agana, Bryson at co. There was a reported attendance which made everyone on the Kop chuckle as we stood there like sardines. Clearly a large part of the gate receipts disappeared somewhere....

Another one was Port Vale at home which was a promotion contender night match and ended up a draw I think (2-2?) which had a much larger attendance than the official figure released. It happened often back then.

Definitely that Port Vale game (it was 3-3). I’m certain it was the biggest crowd I’d seen up to that point at Bramall Lane (I started going in 1983) and yet they said 18,000.

 

[Silent Blade]

Considerable drop in attendances for both Sheffield clubs in the mid 1960s. Sheffield public disgusted with the football bribery scandal that was first revealed in April 1964 and decided to stop going to matches?

United

Wendy

 

[Silent Blade]

Definitely that Port Vale game (it was 3-3). I’m certain it was the biggest crowd I’d seen up to that point at Bramall Lane (I started going in 1983) and yet they said 18,000.

Scoreless draw. 3-3 was at Vale Park

 

[Geordie Blade]

Scoreless draw. 3-3 was at Vale Park

You’re quite right (of course!). One of them was unbelievably foggy - could hardly see. I can’t remember whether it was the home or away game.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Interesting numbers here late 90's early 00's was all old division 1 but later years we seem to gain more than double figures (obviously premier league football helps) but even in our league 1 days we had more in attendance.

I can only presume that the pigs decline had a say in it?View attachment 169523

I always forget how top flight attendances in general were poor when I was a young in.

Check the first division results for a random Saturday in the late 80s and see how crap the crowds are.

Everybody talks about how tickets are extortionate these days, and I don't disagree, but football was relatively cheap in the 80s yet the gates were a lot poorer

 

[Silent Blade]

You’re quite right (of course!). One of them was unbelievably foggy - could hardly see. I can’t remember whether it was the home or away game.

The away game had a bit of fog. The home game was played in heavy rain

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Decline?

They took 3,000 to QPR, I'll have you know!

What do they say, Bigger, Older, Better?

If you know any oinkers, ask them the last time they averaged over 30k. They will bluster and say in the 90s with Waddle, Walker et al, but as ever, they are making it up.

If you get them to actually check yer' real facts, the correct answer is late 60s. Keep asking them to check, as in my experience, they go very quiet.

Didn't look to many behind the goal at Cardiff.

 

[s20Blade]

Watching todays game on a stream and can't believe how empty it looks? Must be season ticket holders given up hope especially with the amount of empty seats on John Street.

 

[Frank the tank]

incredible the amount of grunters on here when their own team is playing
all with blade in their username
bit sad but takes all sorts i suppose

 

[derbysufc]

Remember when warnock came !
He said put the money into an academy and the fruits now blossom.
We provided 3 of England's back 4 not so long ago.
We sold Marcus bent and brought Michael brown in and banked money for the academy .
This all started over 20 years ago .

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Watching todays game on a stream and can't believe how empty it looks? Must be season ticket holders given up hope especially with the amount of empty seats on John Street.

They're missing out then. Always watch Blades at Lane, would feel wrong if not.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

Pig in the pub overheard me talking to a Blade about the Liverpool game. First question wasn’t about the match but what was the attendance. I kid you not.

 

[Neuschwanstein]

Pig in the pub overheard me talking to a Blade about the Liverpool game. First question wasn’t about the match but what was the attendance. I kid you not.

Tell him 48k and 8k locked out on Shoreham Street.

 

[Sheffsteel]

100%.

One that stands out for me was the Newcastle League Cup game in 1988 that we won 3-0.

I think officially it was 17,000

There was more than that on the Kop and BL end.

I was at that game, our new player Alan Roberts looked pure class on the wing, tormented Newcastle all night.

He looked a wizard of the dribble, a far more talented than our other new player Ian Bryson (who was also good),
then Roberts quickly left not long after and hardly played football ever again.