Average Attendances 40 Years Ago

Airman Brown

Bit of an apples and pears comparison between now and then, albeit there is still a big difference. 70s and 80s crowds will have been understated, not necessarily fraudulently but because people often bunked in to The Valley. Charlton’s attendances improved at the end of their time at Selhurst Park in part because matches were suddenly ticketed. 

We know the West Ham turnstile operators were running a fiddle 1991-92, which led to fans being double counted with clickers to prevent it. 

A surprisingly high percentage of ST holders haven’t attended at each match since at least 2008/9 and from around the same time attendances were routinely inflated by thousands of issued but unused comps, certainly to the end of Sandgaard’s time. So most modern gates are significantly overstated.

The crowds are certainly bigger now, but putting a number on the difference is difficult.

TellyTubby

redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Fulham haven't ever had a hooligan reputation, West Ham have. The contrast between these in particular stands out for me.

We often hear complaints of our attendances, but worse was to come for us when we lost a generation of fans.

We should always be grateful for the people that helped bring us up from the depths. I would include Alwen, Murray, Curbs and Varney, as well as our fans.

paulsturgess

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Simonsen

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

ElfsborgAddick

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Airman Brown

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Me too.

Lewis Coaches

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

think that had something to do with the club winning the 2nd division that day,by a point from there local rivals BRIGHTON .

Baldybonce

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Airman Brown said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Me too.

If you don't mind me asking. Why?

Powell2ThePeople

oohaahmortimer said:

Last game of the season at Maine Road 47,285 to see them get promoted to the top flight against us in May 1985.
Where a 5-1 defeat and City fans left right and centre around the 200 or so travelling Addicks , singing loyal supporters and swapping scarves at the end .
We would have been dead if we’d won !

Was there for that.   First and only time at Maine Road (not including an Oasis concert in the 90s).    Seemed enormous.  

ElfsborgAddick

Baldybonce said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Airman Brown said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Me too.

If you don't mind me asking. Why?

I went to school at Roger Manwood, was only 13 at the time.
My mum said I could go with my friends, it was exciting going to a football match without an adult.

Chizz

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

So did I!

TellyTubby

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Lots of us on here did. That was a wrong move.

KingKinsella

The wages were so low then did the clubs  make a profit? one for K Maguire

Guardy

I’m probably in the minority but going to football was more enjoyable in those days, even with the possibility of a kicking.

Baldybonce

Guardy said:

I’m probably in the minority but going to football was more enjoyable in those days, even with the possibility of a kicking.

Being chased around a northern town was cheaper than a gym membership.

CAFCTrev

My first ever football match was Ipswich v Blackburn at Portman Road in November 1993—14,582 in attendance for a Premier League game. Hard to believe now, when they’re getting twice that at home in the league below.

Airman Brown

Baldybonce said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Airman Brown said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

Me too.

If you don't mind me asking. Why?

Obviously, hoping Palace would blow it. Spent much of the evening trying to find out the Millwall score as it was mathematically possible for them to send us down (but not on the night). They did go down.

Friend Or Defoe

Man City  are 4th, yet people born this century believe their fans are all johnny come latelys. Quite a few surprises, like West Ham being higher than Spurs.

iainment

ElfsborgAddick said:

Simonsen said:

paulsturgess said:

32,000 at palace wtf 
redlanered said:

TellyTubby said:

these attendances are surprising. 

Hooliganism, crap facilities, women and ethnic monorities often felt unwelcome, though football very much the national sport only the diehards wanted to go regularly

Crystal Palace got 51,400 in their final game of that season v Burnley.

Went to that.

So did I.

wolfgang

golfaddick said:

1985 - 2025.

Better Stadiums, worse entertainment. 

Think I'd rather stand on the terraces & watch a 4-3 than sit in a nice stadium watching tippy- tappy sideways no shots football 

The average number of goals scored in a FL second tier match in 1925/26 was 2.97

The average number of goals scored in a FL second tier match in 1965/66 was 3.15

The average number of goals scored in a FL second tier match in 1985/86 was 2.79

The average number of goals scored in a FL second tier match in 2024/25 was 2.45

So the only significant change coincides with the introduction of better facilities.

I think there is a common factor: big money. Managers are terrified to drop points these days so set their teams out more defensively.

jimmymelrose

cantersaddick said:

I suspect that with the lack of safety measure at that time crowds weren't properly counted either. Imagine there's a possibility of undercounts.

And now there are massive overcounts. Often a ground looks half empty yet the attendence is given as two thirds of capacity. 

jimmymelrose

randy andy said:

Simonsen said:

charltonkeston said:

Football was dying on its arse back then. Looking back I enjoyed football then but it wasn't great times. Theres a few clubs in that list like Swindon who must think nothing has changed much in the way of attendances. As much as I dislike what has become to much of the game now I think this country is the best place to watch it. When I go to our home games now I do like the fact there are so many Europeans that pop over to take a game in, us being in London and playing at a reasonable must make us an attractive place to visit.

Better than Germany? 

The difference is that you go to any major German city and you've got 1-3 professional sides available. London you've got a dozen league teams, 7 of them in the Premiership. There's really nowhere else like it in world football. Look at France, Spain, Italy, Germany, every city has 1-3 professional clubs, most just the 1 or 2. The closest competitors to London for sheer volume of teams are West Midlands (i.e. the metropolitan area including Brum, Cov and Wolves) and Greater Manchester, both with 6 I believe.

Yes, there is : Buenos Aires.

TellyTubby

Apparently,  FAC3 1924. Interesting that they print the takings.

jimmymelrose

Why do we always sign old or injured players? Chambers scored 2 for Liverpool in 1924 but I  doubt he can do it now. Maybe that’s why he plays in defence.

pickwick

It was a lot cheaper too though, in 1988, it was £3.50 on the Kop, £3.50 in the Gladys Street and £3.30 in the Stretford End, (I was at University in the north west then) roughly two pints of beer, if it had stayed at that level prices now would be between £10 and £15/game.