Stickied League One Away Support Thread 2024/25

[Etienne Vermeer]

I meant more about the kids than actual attendances, but I take your point.

If you were in charge at Gillingham, what would you do to raise the club's profile?

 

[joethegill]

Every now and then we'll get a couple of games with an extra thousand or so on the gate cause we've gone out and given some tickets free to some local schools - we need to be doing that all the time that we have the wasted seats, not just once or twice a year.

To be fair the marketing this year has been pretty good, our results have been exceptional at home, and the ticket prices aren't nearly as high as previous years. I don't actually know exactly what needs to be done to fill the ground, it's been a bit weird - you can bet your bottom dollar the missing 30/35k will all be there if we get to Wembley though.

 

[valefan16]

To be fair our average attendances are about the same as ten years ago at this level so haven't really changed much since Sjoke got to the prem, in fact in league two we occasionally had larger crowds. We could do more to attract fans though! Paul Wildes was excellent as a PR man with good ideas so a shame Smurf and him didn't stick together as Smurf is a walking PR disaster at times with his outbursts.

 

[Agombar stool]

To be fair our average attendances are about the same as ten years ago at this level so haven't really changed much since Sjoke got to the prem, in fact in league two we occasionally had larger crowds. We could do more to attract fans though! Paul Wildes was excellent as a PR man with good ideas so a shame Smurf and him didn't stick together as Smurf is a walking PR disaster at times with his outbursts.

That's cute and more than a little ironic that you call them 'Sjoke'.

 

[Agombar stool]

It is actually quicker for me to get to London clubs by public transport than to get to Gillingham.
Gills are the only team in Kent however and I live in Kent, therefore I have always supported the Gills.
I can almost understand those who go to London to watch their games though.
I say almost because I still kind of despise them.

I know exactly what you mean fella. A part of my soul dies each time I walk past someone in a Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal shirt when en route to the Country Ground.

 

[F!RTHY]

By 3,000, I'm guessing you meant 2,000?

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/match-report/index.aspx?matchid=3747574

....and a round figure of 2,000 doesn't make you question the figure?

Ask the real attendance geeks, it was 2,950.

 

[F!RTHY]

Was the 2600 not a sell out? Anyway were obviously youre biggest game then arent we cos you dont take big numbers to closer games.

Nope, much like Wolves that season, they returned a small number of tickets. I think Rotherham were the only club to actually sell out.

Depends what you call "big numbers", really.

 

[JJH]

96 Burton at Sarfend.

 

[Jamo]

When are the latest tables going up? Think we've got 2 x 1000+ following to add to the last one.

I'll try and get it done this week. I'd usually update it every week but it's been a bit harder to do that recently due to work.

Bradford took 2,950 to Oakwell last season, confirmed by our club the week after the game.

 

[F!RTHY]

....oh look, I'm right (again).

 

[Neil2009]

The only followings in this league that can be considered poor are those of Crewe, Gillingham and Walsall. But then you look at the fact Crewe really are rubbish this season and they don't get great home crowds so can understand even though they have plenty of local (ish) games they are poorly supported away from home Gillingham have stupid distances to travel to most games but are challenging for automatic promotion. Their home gates are generally poor and they aren't even the best supported club in Gillingham (I think its West Ham who are the most supported club from Kent) so this can be excused. Walsall however are another side with very poor almost embarrassing home support figures considering they are more than challenging for the title but the away support is very poor also. I know this will swell with the Burton fixture at the weekend but an average of 600 away is not great for a club with title ambitions.

Fleetwood and Colchester of well to take any away, Colchester seem to get hammered every week and Fleetwood are a club developing a fan base.

Southend & barnsley when you look at distances to travel or home support numbers are up there with the better supported clubs away from home.

I'm not sure how you can make such generalising statements based on half a season of figures. We still have 1200 to be added from Crewe away, we have sold out 1800 at Burton. We have more big games coming up, so I would make your comment at the season end. If we are still up there we will be at 1000 average easily, perfectly reasonable for a club of our size.

Incidentally, our home gates have remained pretty stagnant for 20++ years. Doing well we get 5-6k, mediocre 4-5 and poorly 4. There hasn't been any noticeable change. We have lost away numbers, we used to travel very well and was always near the top of the % of home gate taken away. Maybe its years of mediocrity or the cost of following your club these days?

Talking of cost, I have noticed a downward trend across the board in numbers travelling at this level. No disrespect but the Fleetwoods, Burton's (96 at Southend tonight) and Crawley's of this world must hardly help matters....

 

[blademan89]

I'm not sure how you can make such generalising statements based on half a season of figures. We still have 1200 to be added from Crewe away, we have sold out 1800 at Burton. We have more big games coming up, so I would make your comment at the season end. If we are still up there we will be at 1000 average easily, perfectly reasonable for a club of our size.

Incidentally, our home gates have remained pretty stagnant for 20++ years. Doing well we get 5-6k, mediocre 4-5 and poorly 4. There hasn't been any noticeable change. We have lost away numbers, we used to travel very well and was always near the top of the % of home gate taken away. Maybe its years of mediocrity or the cost of following your club these days?

Talking of cost, I have noticed a downward trend across the board in numbers travelling at this level. No disrespect but the Fleetwoods, Burton's (96 at Southend tonight) and Crawley's of this world must hardly help matters....

You wont average a thousand even if you win every remaining match

 

[Neil2009]

You wont average a thousand even if you win every remaining match

I disagree.

We play Port Vale last game of the season, if we are still up there challenging we will take 3-4k there alone - just as we did at Swindon & Notts County when we were up there in the not too distant past....

It's all about momentum for clubs of our size, it takes time for people to believe in the club again and for the drifters to come back. If we arent at a thousand we will be in the 900's and again, as stated previously, I think that is reasonable. Certainly not one of the poorest in the league as suggested by the original poster.

 

[blademan89]

I disagree.

We play Port Vale last game of the season, if we are still up there challenging we will take 3-4k there alone - just as we did at Swindon & Notts County when we were up there in the not too distant past....

It's all about momentum for clubs of our size, it takes time for people to believe in the club again and for the drifters to come back. If we arent at a thousand we will be in the 900's and again, as stated previously, I think that is reasonable. Certainly not one of the poorest in the league as suggested by the original poster.

Considering youre league position and the fact there aint that much travelling you only average about 100 more than gillingham who have to travel miles and about a 100 more than burton albion who are basically as small as they come. Im not saying its shit but i suppose it could be one of the worst in the division all things considered.

 

[Neil2009]

Like I said, judge it at the end of the season. We will be averaging a lot more. Even with just our last and next away followings added it looks a lot healthier.

League positions don't mean anything now do they?

 

[mozzavale]

To be fair our average attendances are about the same as ten years ago at this level so haven't really changed much since Sjoke got to the prem, in fact in league two we occasionally had larger crowds. We could do more to attract fans though! Paul Wildes was excellent as a PR man with good ideas so a shame Smurf and him didn't stick together as Smurf is a walking PR disaster at times with his outbursts.

Like I said. The impact won't be felt for a few years yet. People won't change who they support, but kids born around 08 will become teenagers in 5 or 6 years. Where as in the past a fraction would choose to support Vale, that fraction will get smaller and smaller if things stay as they are now. Smurf doesn't have the intellect to identify that risk by himself, it took a report by the Stoke ceo to force him into action (reactive). Within a week he introduced the cheaper kids prices with a shirt chucked in. Even then, there's no ingenuity in that scheme, it's just a carbon copy of what Stoke have been doing for years.

 

[Hurrikeen]

League positions don't mean anything now do they?

Unless I'm missing something here, then yeah, I'd say they do.

 

[mozzavale]

....and a round figure of 2,000 doesn't make you question the figure?

Ask the real attendance geeks, it was 2,950.

Of course, but it was your 3,000 round figure that I originally questioned. When faced with "3,000" and Bradford's 2,000, combined with your tendency to embellish the truth, I thought chances are theirs would be closer. Happy to accept that I was wrong...and Bradford

 

[Shrimpurh]

Burton's 96 last night and Crewe have sold a grand total of 4 so far for next Tuesday's game... We get the best away followings down South.

 

[Hurrikeen]

96. Jesus.

May be a small club but top of the bloody league.

 

[Reaper]

A 1000 average over a season should be a given to clubs finishing in top 3 especially teams around the Midlands.

 

[Reaper]

96. Jesus.

May be a small club but top of the bloody league.

It is a low following but id personally never do that on a Tuesday night on Sky so fair play to those that went.

 

[blademan89]

Looks like our fans have fully given up now. An absolutely pathetic 1200 sold for rochdale on saturday. Will be around 1700 probably in the end, we took more on a tuesday last year i think. Our fans give up and get excited so easily should we manage to win our next 3 , then millwall away on the 19th will sell out pretty easily should we lose our next 2 or 3 it will be a 800 following tops. Fleetwood away a week on saturday not close to being sold out either.

 

[Camborne Gills]

96. Jesus.

May be a small club but top of the bloody league.

Seems like Southend must be a bigger dump than Gillingham

 

[F!RTHY]

Of course, but it was your 3,000 round figure that I originally questioned. When faced with "3,000" and Bradford's 2,000, combined with your tendency to embellish the truth, I thought chances are theirs would be closer. Happy to accept that I was wrong...and Bradford

Amazing.

Take note, I'm very rarely wrong when it comes to figures.

True story.

3,100 sold for Blackpool.

 

[Shrimpurh]

Seems like Southend must be a bigger dump than Gillingham

Hahaha come on now make it believable atleast

 

[Crewelad87]

Burton's 96 last night and Crewe have sold a grand total of 4 so far for next Tuesday's game... We get the best away followings down South.

We will bring between 100-130 at a guess. We're not too badly supported down south.

 

[joethegill]

Hahaha come on now make it believable atleast

Southend is better than Gillingham as a town. Doesn't mean it isn't a shithole though.

 

[blademan89]

Amazing.

Take note, I'm very rarely wrong when it comes to figures.

True story.

3,100 sold for Blackpool.

Great effort that. Same from cov too.

 

[WFC]

Our away support is fine not amazing and not shit.

95% of Tuesday night games have been away if you search, Rochdale, Barnsley, Swindon, Scunthorpe possibly another, which has knocked a few off the average. The % taken away ratio shows it ain't actually that bad, only poor thing is home numbers but not much we can do about that.

We've still got teams like Oldham Bradford, Chesterfield and port vale to play where two of those could well be 1,000+ and vale at least 2,000.