Average Attendances

[Dkc]

one of those pivotal power-shift moments in Sheffield football (such as 26/12/79) that was capable of defining the next decade or more. They were on a huge high.
.

40th anniversary coming up in 2019, I wonder if The Star will have a special pull-out

 

[borbokis]

The pigs will move the goal posts and start wittering on about "matchday take" as their tickets are way more expensive than ours. As if anyone gives a shit

 

[Balham]

Love to know what % those figures are in relation to ground capacity.

Some surprises in there but the main one for me is Cardiff. Averaging 20k and only just over 60% of capacity in a promotion season is pathetic. Kudos to Norwich; given how bad they've been since relegation it's impressive that they've nearly sold out every game.

nb: capacities are pre-safety related reductions (arf)

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Their business plan predicates promotion (sooner rather than later). If promotion had occurred in either of the seasons they reached the play offs it would be argued that their business plan was a good one.
As they have not achieved promotion they are now up shit creek without a paddle, so their business plan is a bad one. Shame.

I think what they’ve proved is that despite all the kicking and screaming about prices, their core support has remained intact and that says something. It may be a few hundred less but essentially what it shows is that fan loyalty is a very important factor and you can stretch that to higher prices and make a more profitable business.

Do I want us to do that? No.

I think their price hike has been forced by a very difficult situation with them sailing close to the wind with FFP rules. And I think next season will see them severely restricted in the transfer market. They have got very few players that other clubs want to buy. And they have very limited funds to bring new players in. Unless they sell their best players. And then replace them with what?

And who will orchestrate such a strategy? A Dutch Dwarf with no knowledge of the English League?

Not good!

 

[LS16Blade]

40th anniversary coming up in 2019, I wonder if The Star will have a special pull-out

Indeed.

Of course, speaking of anniversaries, 2018 marks 50 years since SWFC - one of England's 'elite' clubs as many of their supporters would have us believe - last managed to average 30,000 in a season. A whole half-century; the Golden anniversary, if you will.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Been saying it for a while now.

United have caught and overtaken Wednesday’s fanbase. They’ve been stagnant for years, doing nothing to develop and grow what they had. As a result their fanbase has over time actually shrunk a little as supporters lose their affinity to the club and find other things to do.

(Saying that IMO their support has always be exaggerated. I’ve never seen anything crowd wise to justify this myth about them being potentially a huge club)

While this was happening McCabe had incentives such as cheaper tickets and looked after the younger future supporters of the club. Add to that the undoubted extra support from students who get hooked and then settle in the city (again thanks to McCabe targeting the Universities)

The year in the Prem did us no harm either.

But the biggest unfathomable thing for me is the incredible hardcore loyalty of the fans that’s kept the club going over the years.

There is not another club in the country with our record of having shit kicked in our faces and under achievement on a epic scale who can match our numbers.

It’s a bit perverse but the more shit we go through, the bigger our fanbase gets.

Wednesday's fan base started to decline years ago, when they brought in that law to make it illegal to have sex with members of your own family.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Out of all the cities in England with 2 clubs. United and Wendy are probably the closest in terms of size and stature. Both clubs despite lack of success and being out of the top flight for many years, still attract good crowds

 

[oldblade]

If either team had a significantly bigger fanbase than the other it may be a valid point of pride, but we don't, so it isn't.

Arguing over a few hundred or even a couple of thousand here and there does just seem petty.

If viewed as just one season in isolation it probably is. However, if viewed as part of an emerging pattern it might be suggesting something a bit more significant in terms of the direction of support at both clubs.

Historically, Wednesday have had bigger average attendances than us.

However, there is some evidence that over the last decade or so Wednesday have been losing that edge over us in terms of their fan base.

We have been in the same division as Wednesday for 5 out of the last 11 seasons. In 4 out of 5 of those seasons we have had a higher average attendance than them. United had never previously had a higher average attendance than Wednesday when in the same division as them (not this side of the second world war anyway!) and yet in the last 5 seasons when in the same division as them we have done it 4 times.

 

[oldblade]

Edit to above. My mistake. It has happened on one other occasion. The 1970-1 promotion season.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Anyone know why in the 92 and 93 PL season's we only averaged 19k?

 

[Silent Blade]

Anyone know why in the 92 and 93 PL season's we only averaged 19k?

There were some Blades who didnt like the football we played under Bassett and stayed away from the Lane

 

[SRA76]

Well said.

I honestly don't know why people get so tetchy about it.

Wednesday have a bigger stadium than us and slightly more fans.

So what? Why does it matter? Get over it.

Like it or lump it. They are averaging 25k crowds in div 3. They probably take more away than any club outside prem. including Sunderland. Say what ya want about pigs but you can’t ever knock their support. Loyal ? Thick ? Who giz a fuck either way sheffield football is better supported than most in England

 

[Valley Blade]

Anyone know why in the 92 and 93 PL season's we only averaged 19k?

Compare it to everyone else's attendance and it was actually pretty good. Crowds were nowhere near what they are now. We averaged more than Chelsea in at least one those years.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

There were some Blades who didnt like the football we played under Bassett and stayed away from the Lane

Cheers mate, how times change!