Clubs in this league in Size Order

[MillerWhale]

I quite like Dion's table, and I think it more or less gives a good ballpark idea of where clubs are.

I've got to say I was surprised to see Brentford's average so high. They must have attracted some pretty big crowds in the 40s and 50s.

Of course, attendances are primarily driven by success, so the longer clubs have been more successful, naturally the higher their averages will be. I mean for some on hear, they've only see Fulham post Tigana/Al-Fayed days so assumed they're a medium/big club, whereas I would say they're a small club as I remember the late eighties and early nineties. Some further back would say they're a decent sized club as used to be a top flight club for a good number of seasons from their fall from grace. Similarly hard to place Hull, Swansea and Cardiff.

And clubs like Bristol Rovers that can easily take 40,000 fans to Wembley and average 6/7k in a pretty poor stadium in the Conference, where do they stand? AS surely, with a bit of realised success, they'd be much bigger than the lower/mid-lower clubs in this division?

Very interesting though. I wonder how Bournemouth will fare in 15 years?

 

[MagpieBee]

I quite like Dion's table, and I think it more or less gives a good ballpark idea of where clubs are.

I've got to say I was surprised to see Brentford's average so high. They must have attracted some pretty big crowds in the 40s and 50s.

Of course, attendances are primarily driven by success, so the longer clubs have been more successful, naturally the higher their averages will be. I mean for some on hear, they've only see Fulham post Tigana/Al-Fayed days so assumed they're a medium/big club, whereas I would say they're a small club as I remember the late eighties and early nineties. Some further back would say they're a decent sized club as used to be a top flight club for a good number of seasons from their fall from grace. Similarly hard to place Hull, Swansea and Cardiff.

And clubs like Bristol Rovers that can easily take 40,000 fans to Wembley and average 6/7k in a pretty poor stadium in the Conference, where do they stand? AS surely, with a bit of realised success, they'd be much bigger than the lower/mid-lower clubs in this division?

Very interesting though. I wonder how Bournemouth will fare in 15 years?

We used to be quite a successful club in the first 40 years or so of existence, spending a lot of time in the top division, getting 30 thousand crowds occasionally.

The 2nd World War seemingly saw our demise start, and we've been a pretty small club ever since.

So yeah, our total in that table probably isn't a fair reflection of the last 30 years, but probably isn't too far off.

 

[Madejski]

And clubs like Bristol Rovers that can easily take 40,000 fans to Wembley and average 6/7k in a pretty poor stadium in the Conference, where do they stand? AS surely, with a bit of realised success, they'd be much bigger than the lower/mid-lower clubs in this division?

Which clubs in this league couldn't do that? Probably just Rotherham and MK Dons?

 

[MillerWhale]

Which clubs in this league couldn't do that? Probably just Rotherham and MK Dons?

Well we could if it was in Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester.

But given the distance travelled, I think there'd be a good 10 clubs that couldn't take that. It's a good 2 and half hours, isn't it?

For example, Sheffield United only brought about 27,000 to Wembley on their last outing and they're a much bigger club than Reading.

 

[TomPNE94]

Well we could if it was in Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester.

But given the distance travelled, I think there'd be a good 10 clubs that couldn't take that. It's a good 2 and half hours, isn't it?

For example, Sheffield United only brought about 27,000 to Wembley on their last outing and they're a much bigger club than Reading.

We only took 24,000 to Wembley but if it was the Championship Play-off final we would sell whatever we were given.

 

[Madejski]

We've always taken 30,000+ to Wembley on every visit there. Including our visit this season.

Tbh, it was more the 6/7k home attendances for a Conference promotion season, I think almost all teams in this league could achieve that. If you're getting 14k+ now your attendances shouldn't drop too much.

If Bristol Rovers were in this division only Brentford, Rotherham and MK Dons would be smaller than them. And Brentford would be close.

 

[City169]

And clubs like Bristol Rovers that can easily take 40,000 fans to Wembley and average 6/7k in a pretty poor stadium in the Conference, where do they stand? AS surely, with a bit of realised success, they'd be much bigger than the lower/mid-lower clubs in this division?

they didn't take 40k to Wembley, was much nearer 30k. I don't know exact details, but iirc the attendance was around 47k and there were about 7-9k tickets for neutrals, so rovers plus Grimsby barely made 40k combined and I think all thinks considered 30k was probably what the gas took. Still decent for a non league club mind, but they already vastly over exaggerate their attendances and don't need any help

 

[HertsWolf]

Very interesting though. I wonder how Bournemouth will fare in 15 years?

Wessex League

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

Well we could if it was in Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester.

But given the distance travelled, I think there'd be a good 10 clubs that couldn't take that. It's a good 2 and half hours, isn't it?

For example, Sheffield United only brought about 27,000 to Wembley on their last outing and they're a much bigger club than Reading.

Blimey, any away game we have that's 2 and a half hours way I consider to be close!

 

[Bobbin']

they didn't take 40k to Wembley, was much nearer 30k. I don't know exact details, but iirc the attendance was around 47k and there were about 7-9k tickets for neutrals, so rovers plus Grimsby barely made 40k combined and I think all thinks considered 30k was probably what the gas took. Still decent for a non league club mind, but they already vastly over exaggerate their attendances and don't need any help

I went to the JPT final in Cardiff and the play-off final at Wembley in the same season in 2007 to watch Rovers and I'm sure they had at least 40k on both occasions. They were in L2.

 

[City169]

I went to The JPT final in Cardiff and the play-off final at Wembley in the same season in 2007 to watch Rovers and I'm sure they had at least 40k on both occasion. They were in L2.

Fair enough that they did in those, but I was referring to their most recent visit, which was much more important to them than the JPT final and given their financial position and stadium redevelopment arguabley more important than the previous playoff final they were in

 

[HertsWolf]

Ours is actually 8,299 and Rotherham's has gone down, not up. The list is from 2008 you 'virgin'.

I took the original listing and added your 2013, 2014 and 2015 figures (and added the 23 games each season to the games total) and came up with the figures. How did you get 8,299?

Edit: Scratch that. I hadn't ever bothered to click on the link. I'm still surprised that yours has gone up so much though, even so.
Further edit: Still doesn't make 8,299. I've added the 2009-2015 figures and the total all-time average is 7,681 for you and 7,236 for Rotherham. So yes, they have declined a little.

 

[blademan89]

Well we could if it was in Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester.

But given the distance travelled, I think there'd be a good 10 clubs that couldn't take that. It's a good 2 and half hours, isn't it?

For example, Sheffield United only brought about 27,000 to Wembley on their last outing and they're a much bigger club than Reading.

No we didnt we took 33,000 against hull city last year in our last outing there.

 

[Gerry Gow]

We've filled the ends everytime we have been to Wembley. Means nothing though when we average 13,000 at AG!

 

[Heisenberg20]

We've filled the end everytime we have been to Wembley. Means nothing though when we average 13,000 at AG!

Lets not forget everyone prefers little old Rovers to us, they have done less than us and are less of a threat

 

[Gerry Gow]

Oh yeah the amount of times I've heard from the away fans ' you're just a shit Bristol Rovers '

I think it's hilarious.

 

[Heisenberg20]

Oh yeah the amount of times I've heard from the away fans ' you're just a shit Bristol Rovers '

I think it's hilarious.

Makes me giggle

 

[HertsWolf]

2015: 9,452
2014: 9,047
2013: 8,612
2012: 8,659
2011: 8,512
2010: 10,290
2009: 10,551
2008: 9,456
2007: 6,034
2006: 5,776
2005: 4,896

= 8,299

Ah right. So the average from 2005. My figures were the all-time average attendances. From 1899. Can't find the figures for either MK Dons or Rotherham from before that.

 

[HertsWolf]

We always take over 30,000 when we go to Wembley.

Out of interest, what do you think will be your average this season? My guess would be in the region of 14,000.

 

[HertsWolf]

Yeah I guessed the original figures included Wimbledon FC too. Doing it from 2004/2005 onwards makes more sense IMO especially seeing as people are quick to point out we're not Wimbledon FC.

I realised that as soon as I did the first sums in my head.

 

[GEORGE]

We've always taken 30,000+ to Wembley on every visit there. Including our visit this season.

Tbh, it was more the 6/7k home attendances for a Conference promotion season, I think almost all teams in this league could achieve that. If you're getting 14k+ now your attendances shouldn't drop too much.

If Bristol Rovers were in this division only Brentford, Rotherham and MK Dons would be smaller than them. And Brentford would be close.

Well we,ve been bigger than you lot most of my football supporting life. Do you remember Elm Park and your 3k crowds ?

 

[Madejski]

Well we,ve been bigger than you lot most of my football supporting life. Do you remember Elm Park and your 3k crowds ?

I'd love to know what makes you think Bristol Rovers are bigger.

League history we're better. Cup history we're better (which can't be said when comparing Reading to a majority of FL clubs). Overall historical average attendance we're better. And if we're cutting it back to just your lifetime that almost certainly takes out all of Rover's best seasons and keeps most of Reading's...

Reading did for a brief time get 3k attendances in the 80s, I wasn't around then. Worth pointing out that Bristol Rover's 1987 average attendance was the lowest either club have managed in their histories.

 

[Heisenberg20]

I'd love to know what makes you think Bristol Rovers are bigger.

League history we're better. Cup history we're better (which can't be said when comparing Reading to a majority of FL clubs). Overall historical average attendance we're better. And if we're cutting it back to just your lifetime that almost certainly takes out all of Rover's best seasons and keeps most of Reading's...

Reading did for a brief time get 3k attendances in the 80s, I wasn't around then. Worth pointing out that Bristol Rover's 1987 average attendance was the lowest either club have managed in their histories.

You forget, Bristol Rovers are absolutely massive!!!

 

[The Southbank]

It's pretty low when we have to justify being bigger than Bristol fucking Rovers.

 

[old parkender]

Agreed!!!!!

 

[Madejski]

Not that it was difficult.

Should have just mentioned the fact that they had gone non-league, would have been enough.

 

[Heisenberg20]

And they have never been top flight nor have they even been in the 2nd tier since 1993. For a so called Big Club they dont have too much to chime about.

 

[City169]

Now now guys, you are forgetting the 90000000 fans they have locked out at every away game

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

They do make me laugh. Only they could take 28k to Wembley and pass it off as being 40k. Wasn't even just the fans saying it, all the players and Darrell Clarke spoke of the unbelievable 40,000 strong support. If you say something enough times people will start to believe it and that's certainly the case with the Gas.

Oh and last time they were in the second tier (90's) they spent 3 years there and failed to hit a 6k average attendance. Massive.

 

[Redcityman]

For the so say (according to the deluded few) 40,000 attendances at Wembley they've have got to be the most under achieving side of all time, 5 promotions since 1883, and have not averaged above 10,000 since 1976, saying that they did win the Watney Cup.