Premier Division Attendances

[Chris Clapham]

Changing a Midweek night you play could put a few on the gate,but saying that R.P.V. and Colliers Wood both at home again this Wednesday,great planning.The second time this has occurred in the League.

 

To be fair to the league Smudge, our game this Wednesday v Egham was brought forward from 13th November (FA Vase). We would rather play it now than in mid-winter.

(I may change my opinion after Wednesday though!).

RPV and CWU moved to Wednesday because AFC Wimbledon, Sutton United and local league clubs play on Tuesdays.

Many fans in the area float around various clubs and our moves to Wednesday have been well received by local football fans.

[VPCTFC]

I think its a very worrying trend that non league attendances seem to be dropping to an unsustainable level, with kids, who should be seen as the future for our clubs, almost non existent.

 

Point of order. Non league attendances aren't dropping overall. Over the past years they've risen remarkably. Last season there was a rise in attendances at all football down to step four of 1%. OK, it's not much, but it's a rise. If you listen to the doddering old fools who inhabit internet forums then you'd believe football is too expensive at all levels and no-one's going anymore. Clearly they're wrong. Look at the Conference Premier these days. The average over all games last season was over 2000 for the first time ever. A few years ago a lot of clubs would be thankful of getting 1000 at a game.

A lot of clubs are seeing a drop but more are seeing a rise by engaging with their local communties, having imaginative pricing and doing a lot of work.

The CCL and Essex leagues struggle to get in the punters in but look at some of the other step 5 leagues. Quite a lot of clubs regularly get attendances in the 300's or higher. Locally Binfield are doing really well at getting bums on seats. The rest of us need to see if we can learn from clubs like these rather than just sitting back and wondering why the locals don't flock through the gates. And yes, I am including my own club in this.

Colliers Wood are giving it a go by having some Friday night games. It looks like it's working for them. It may not work for everyone but clubs need to be a bit more imaginative and try things out to see what works.

Edited October 11, 2010 by VPCTFC

[Carthorse]

Not having to play tonight when there is a England game on the TV might help a lot for Us.

[officialspokesman]

I think its a very worrying trend that non league attendances seem to be dropping to an unsustainable level, with kids, who should be seen as the future for our clubs, almost non existent.

 

Point of order. Non league attendances aren't dropping overall. Over the past years they've risen remarkably. Last season there was a rise in attendances at all football down to step four of 1%. OK, it's not much, but it's a rise. If you listen to the doddering old fools who inhabit internet forums then you'd believe football is too expensive at all levels and no-one's going anymore. Clearly they're wrong. Look at the Conference Premier these days. The average over all games last season was over 2000 for the first time ever. A few years ago a lot of clubs would be thankful of getting 1000 at a game.

A lot of clubs are seeing a drop but more are seeing a rise by engaging with their local communties, having imaginative pricing and doing a lot of work.

The CCL and Essex leagues struggle to get in the punters in but look at some of the other step 5 leagues. Quite a lot of clubs regularly get attendances in the 300's or higher. Locally Binfield are doing really well at getting bums on seats. The rest of us need to see if we can learn from clubs like these rather than just sitting back and wondering why the locals don't flock through the gates. And yes, I am including my own club in this.

Colliers Wood are giving it a go by having some Friday night games. It looks like it's working for them. It may not work for everyone but clubs need to be a bit more imaginative and try things out to see what works.

 

When I saw my first match in 1959 football was very much a men only working class thing but fortunately things have moved on and clubs now need to attract supporters of both genders and all ages and from all kinds of different backgrounds. Also my own club, Romford, would have average gates of well over 2000, and a cup match against a league side would always attract a crowd of 10,000 plus. Now we are lucky to get over 100 through the turnstile even though we have a decent team and play attractive football.

 

Last week Dagenham and Redbridge had a gate of 2700 for their game against Swindon, of which over 1000 were from Swindon, If a club that plays in the third tier of English football can only attract 1700 of its own supporters what hope is there for the rest of us..

 

Anyone that thinks non league football doesnt have a problem is in my opinion burying their heads in the sand.

[HTFCSUPPORTER]

Not having to play tonight when there is a England game on the TV might help a lot for Us.

 

 

Not playing tonight because I have to work would help me!!!!

[VPCTFC]

 

When I saw my first match in 1959 football was very much a men only working class thing but fortunately things have moved on and clubs now need to attract supporters of both genders and all ages and from all kinds of different backgrounds. Also my own club, Romford, would have average gates of well over 2000, and a cup match against a league side would always attract a crowd of 10,000 plus. Now we are lucky to get over 100 through the turnstile even though we have a decent team and play attractive football.

 

Last week Dagenham and Redbridge had a gate of 2700 for their game against Swindon, of which over 1000 were from Swindon, If a club that plays in the third tier of English football can only attract 1700 of its own supporters what hope is there for the rest of us..

 

Anyone that thinks non league football doesnt have a problem is in my opinion burying their heads in the sand.

 

So because Romford get less people and Dagenham & Redbridge have not yet built up a massive fan base it means non-league football is on the verge of collapse?

When I started going to football Aldershot were often getting crowds of less than 2000 in the old division 4. Attendances at league grounds were at their lowest ever level as people were, quite literally, taking their life into their hands by going to some grounds due to violence etc. Some clubs in division 4 were getting less than 1000 at some games.

At Camberley our attendances are about the same now as they were in the late 50's early 60's according to a couple of players from those days who come to watch us so maybe there are social reasons Romford have lost a lot of their support because it certainly hasn't happened to everyone. Even Premiership crowds were 10% higher last season than the division one of 1959.

The Conference started in 1980 - average attendance 1218. This fell year on year to 1986 when the average was 775. Since then it's been rising year on year to last season's average of 2028. How come those clubs are managing to attract more and more support each season? I know clubs like Luton & Oxford help to boost the numbers but all of us need to look at and learn from clubs who are doing well.