Home Support

I believe build it and they will in fact come . There's too much evidence to think any different - Teams at least have a short term 'spike' in numbers at games , many going on to achieve consistently  higher crowds . Referring back to the comments regarding "we couldn't get them to come when we were in The Championship ". A fair point but moving onto a new point - how many fans did we lose ?  , who never came back , on our gradual and painful dissent from there ?( I know quite a few myself who 'gave up' or became disillusioned with the way the club was going ) We almost have a 'new breed ' now along with the fans that stuck with it .

Quoted from Golden fox

I believe build it and they will in fact come . There's too much evidence to think any different - Teams at least have a short term 'spike' in numbers at games , many going on to achieve consistently  higher crowds . Referring back to the comments regarding "we couldn't get them to come when we were in The Championship ". A fair point but moving onto a new point - how many fans did we lose ?  , who never came back , on our gradual and painful dissent from there ?( I know quite a few myself who 'gave up' or became disillusioned with the way the club was going ) We almost have a 'new breed ' now along with the fans that stuck with it .

And that's why Kids Should be free .
Keep em out of pubs tho . Bah humbug ,those pesky kids

UTM

Quoted from tanga_the_indestructible

But the support has been there in the not that distant past. Didn't we have averages of about 11-12000 in our first season back in the old 2nd Division (1980-81 season)? Times are harder now and there are more leisure options, but with a new stadium and some impetus on the pitch, there's no reason why we can't aim for bigger attendances.

Agreed. I have been attending since 72 and can remember seasons when we had big crowds, but i think the days when fans just turned up in numbers regardless have long gone. As you say, there are more leisure options now and travel is much easier, so a lot of potential fans have sold their souls to the Prem. I do think however that a new ground will attract more fans and there is definitely an untapped market out there waiting to be lured. I just can't see us upping the attendance presently unless we are gunning for promotion. I attended plenty of Tuesday night games last season that were just over the 3000 mark, so 4300 the other night shows that we have upped the attendances this season by quite a lot. We have also had 2 attendances over 5000 already this season. I think we are doing ok.

Average league home support since 1970.

List is - Year - Final Postition in League - Level - Final Position in Football Pyramid - Average Home Attendance

2016      4      5      96      4.357
2015      3      5      95      3.683              
2014      4      5      96      3.568
2013      4      5      96      3.813
2012     11      5      103      3.308
2011       11      5      103      3.073                     
2010      23      4      91      4.428
2009      22      4      90      4.475  
2008      16      4      84      4.115
2007      15      4      83      4.379      
2006      4      4      72      5.151  
2005      18      4      86      4.943      
2004      21      3      65      4.730             
2003      24      2      44      5.700        
2002      19      2      39      6.431                    
2001      18      2      38      5.646              
2000      20      2      40      6.157                    
1999      11      2      31      6.681                    
1998      3      3      47      5.601      
1997      22      2      42      5.859              
1996      17      2      37      5.992              
1995      10      2      32      5.921             
1994      16      2      38      5.989             
1993      9      2      31      6.088            
1992      19      2      41      6.921        
1991      3      3      47      7.237             
1990      2      4      70      5.984             
1989      9      4      77      4.302             
1988      22      3      66      3.416                    
1987      21      2      43      5.050        
1986      15      2      37      5.157             
1985      10      2      32      6.458              
1984      5      2      27      7.643             
1983      19      2      41      7.741             
1982      17      2      39      8.406      
1981      7      2      29      10.961                   
1980      1      3      45      10.618
1979     2     4     70     6.528
1978     6     4     74     4.696
1977     23     3     67     4.738
1976     18     3     62     5.580
1975     16     3     60     5.962
1974     6     3     50     7.419
1973     9     3     53     10.849
1972     1     4     69     11.315
1971     19     4     87     4.329
1970     16     4     84     4.415

I imagine the choice of things to do in the 70's wasn't very big for young people so going to watch football down the road would have been fun, not like you can stay in your room and play FIFA online with your mates  . Supporting the local team probably felt like more of a big deal too compared to now when football and the Premiership,Champions League and everything else are so commercial and top football players are big celebrities nobody wants to watch players they never heard of play it's all about celebrity culture.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Average home support since 1970.

List is - Year - Final Postition in League - Level - Final Position in Football Pyramid - Average Home Attendance

2016      4      5      96      4.357
2015      3      5      95      3.683              
2014      4      5      96      3.568
2013      4      5      96      3.813
2012     11      5      103      3.308
2011       11      5      103      3.073                     
2010      23      4      91      4.428
2009      22      4      90      4.475  
2008      16      4      84      4.115
2007      15      4      83      4.379      
2006      4      4      72      5.151  
2005      18      4      86      4.943      
2004      21      3      65      4.730             
2003      24      2      44      5.700        
2002      19      2      39      6.431                    
2001      18      2      38      5.646              
2000      20      2      40      6.157                    
1999      11      2      31      6.681                    
1998      3      3      47      5.601      
1997      22      2      42      5.859              
1996      17      2      37      5.992              
1995      10      2      32      5.921             
1994      16      2      38      5.989             
1993      9      2      31      6.088            
1992      19      2      41      6.921        
1991      3      3      47      7.237             
1990      2      4      70      5.984             
1989      9      4      77      4.302             
1988      22      3      66      3.416                    
1987      21      2      43      5.050        
1986      15      2      37      5.157             
1985      10      2      32      6.458              
1984      5      2      27      7.643             
1983      19      2      41      7.741             
1982      17      2      39      8.406      
1981      7      2      29      10.961                   
1980      1      3      45      10.618
1979     2     4     70     6.528
1978     6     4     74     4.696
1977     23     3     67     4.738
1976     18     3     62     5.580
1975     16     3     60     5.962
1974     6     3     50     7.419
1973     9     3     53     10.849
1972     1     4     69     11.315
1971     19     4     87     4.329
1970     16     4     84     4.415

Which gives us a 47 year average of ..... 4400 ish

Pretty much bang on what we are averaging this season.

And yet I remember, albeit in a more distant era (that of Mike Brolly et al-whenever that was), Town had sell-out crowds of 22,000+ playing in League Cup games against Everton (who we beat 2-1) and Wolves (a 0-0 draw?), followed by another draw (1-1 ?) at Molineux, and then a second replay at Derby, where we lost to a late penalty, I think. Sometimes, therefore, like the recent Wembley play-off final games, large 'sleeping' pools of interested folk can be roused into turning up to watch. However, quite how you persuade at least some of these 'fans' into being regular supporters at BP is doubtless a multi-faceted conundrum.

Quoted from Hertsmariner

And yet I remember, albeit in a more distant era (that of Mike Brolly et al-whenever that was), Town had sell-out crowds of 22,000+ playing in League Cup games against Everton (who we beat 2-1) and Wolves (a 0-0 draw?), followed by another draw (1-1 ?) at Molineux, and then a second replay at Derby, where we lost to a late penalty, I think. Sometimes, therefore, like the recent Wembley play-off final games, large 'sleeping' pools of interested folk can be roused into turning up to watch. However, quite how you persuade at least some of these 'fans' into being regular supporters at BP is doubtless a multi-faceted conundrum.

Football was a lot cheaper to watch (in real terms) then though. People have been priced out of watching the game since that time. I don't believe you'd ever find 22,000 people in 2016 willing to pay £20 to watch a midweek game at BP or New BP. Wembley is a different matter.

Also consider that football is on tv almost non stop nowadays. Can watch a Prem club every game via your tv. Not like the good days when it was highlights once a week, or radio to keep in touch. TV deals are bad for the game in so many ways..the rich get richer, the greedy get greedier, kids don't follow local sides, kids with ability get taken at a daft age and herded into a system that simply does not work and is manufactured. 'Coaches'..and I use the term loosely..are given badges,qualifications that are ten a penny nowadays but give them the feeling of knowing all and sundry. Yet they all 'coach' the same way. Methods are light years behind others, and technique falling behind even countries with no money.

I maintain the game itself, the National side, the Competition and standard in this country will not improve until we go back to how things were. It'll never happen of course. Get football back to the working mans game..turn back on greed, get MOTD on once a week as only way of watching highlights, get kids interested in local side. Get the League system more fair, salaries more equal, leagues more competitive, transfer fees lower naturally and therefore clubs HAVE to be able to produce their own (lower leagues). Take the money away and the desire improves. And quality. Couldn't give a monkeys if all the elite went mammaries up - more fool them..

One can dream..

My home game attendances mainly fell in the first Buckley era 1990 - 1992 (me) and I remember the crowds swelling from 4,500 to 7,000. The atmosphere around the ground in that second promotion year was electric ! And I reckon as a 16 year old I paid £3. Bus fare home on the 9x was 52p and a bag of chips was roughly the same. All paid for by my early morning paper round from the Kabin in Waltham.....best memories.