Attendances

[Ian]

Our average attendance last season in all competitions was 4871. In light of our relegation I wonder how much this will drop next season. I hate seeing a ground like ours (which is quite a big one in div 2) with so few supporters in it.

I wonder if they'll close sections of the ground to save costs?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Actually Ian, I would bet attendances could actually be up next year, at least there's a good chance. Our average gate was quite good considering our league position and poor home form. Next season, ticket prices are down and visiting supporters should be about the same, so if we can improve our form and perhaps even mount a promotion challenge, a lot of the fickle supporters should return. Remember that 4 go up, so 7th is good enough for the play-offs, so most teams in the top half will be in with a chance for most of the season. As a lot of people have said on other threads, if only we can get a decent manager ......

On your point about closing parts of the ground, I hear there's talk of moving home support back to the cowshed. (No need to ask my views on that!!) Personally, I don't think anything will change, particularly if gates stay buoyant.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Our average last season was actually 5,113, which is not bad for a relegated side. I agree with BBTC that our home support should if anything be higher next season, certainly if we are in the top half of the table for the majority of the campaign. There will however be a reduction in away numbers at PP, as the local sides we will play at that level, such as Morecambe, Fleetwood and Accy, have an almost non-existent away following. The small southern clubs like Dagenham will bring less than 100 fans I would imagine.

Regarding a potential move for the home fans back to the Cowshed, we should not do it, particularly as we are dropping to a lower level. In my view it is always a negative move for a club to give its biggest stand to the away team, and it would not improve the atmosphere at PP; I used it to sit in that stand when it was the home end and the atmosphere was consistently poor. It would be completely farcical to have the Kop stand virtually empty for the majority of matches, save for 100-150 away fans, and to segregate the Kop needs additional staff and requires money we have not got.

 

[Boz]

I'd agree that the home support isn't likely to drop substantially at first but thereafter it will depend on things like the start we make, the new manager's approach etc. Another factor is the cost for non-season ticket holders. I'm unsure that there's any merit in the ABC pricing structure at this level and it would make sense to freeze the prices around this year's B level with the odd game at discounted level. AS RLC highlights above, there won't be as much travelling support; I could only think of half a dozen sides who'd bring 300+ as opposed to nearly 2/3 of last seasons visitors, so this will be pushing the crowd numbers down.
On moving fans around within the ground I don't see it happening for the economic reasons suggested.