http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/attendances.htm 1974-75 average 48,388. Highest in the country in Div 2. Over 40k on average in the 80s. This is the point where you wind it back in
Of course you don't know because you're full of bs. Do a little research and find out which team has 4 of the top 10 all time league gates which were spread over a period of 30 years. Contrary to popular belief Chelsea were for quite a period the biggest supported club in the country bar none. That's your history lesson for today. Plank manc.
Check your stats for the 80's and all the way up to the first couple of years of the PL. Chelsea weren't all that and the fans stayed away. Good to see that you're another Chelsea fan that can't engage in a debate without having to throw in personal insults. What is it with you lot?
Your own club legend George Best (you might have heard of him) openly stated Stamford Bridge was his favourite ash ground due to the packed crowds and stated Chelsea were the only other club he'd have signed for. Chelsea get 41,000 now, we got 60,000 before we'd ever won a major trophy, we got 80,000 years before that Gates were poorthe 80s but they were for every club, when in the 2nd division we took more fans to away games than any other club in England bar United and Liverpool both of whom were top division sides. In terms of match going fanbase we gained only 1,500 new fans . United have gained 20,000 & Arsenal similar. You need to take a seat because your being factually shown up here, not just by Chelsea fans but Liverpool fans as well. You can attack Chelsea for many things but not attendances or fan loyalty
I have heard of that George Best character. Signed for Fulham eventually. So the 1980's...let's go with 1987: Chelsea average attendance - 17,694 Arsenal - 29,022 Spurs - 25,881 West Ham - 20,608 Quick Google shows that your average attendance is currently the highest it's been since the mid 50's, coincidentally when you won your last pre-Jose title. As for picking up 1,500 "new" fans, you were getting 18.5k twenty years ago and 27k fifteen years ago! No point in trying to recreate history as it's all documented and easily accessible now.
..not much I can say to that...apart from Benitez I'd rather take a 6-1 from City than be lumbered with that clown
You had one season when you averaged 50k in the 80s. Other seasons you averaged 36k, 39k (twice), 41k (twice) and 42k. http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn.htm And you had 20-odd K v everton and wimbledon in the 80s in Div 1 games. http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1989.html
We averaged 39,030 and 39,770 in the first seasons our stadium was back to 41k capacity before Roman took over. In 85/6 for example we averaged more than Spurs (21985 v 20895). Arsenal only averaged 23k that season too. We also averaged 23266 and 21120 in the 80s in Div 2 when the club was a real mess and spent five consecutive seasons in Div 2. Trust me, United would not have averaged 40k after five seasons in a row in Div 2 especially in the 80s. You would have down to mayne even under 30k. You were down to averaging 36k-39k in Div 1 for three consecutive seasons. And when you averaged 48k in Div 2 attendances were much higher. We averaged 29k in Div 2 as well then as stadiums were bigger and crowds were higher in general than the 80s. My work is done here.
Well done, you've found two games in a decade to back up your argument. One of them against Wimbledon!
You mean the bleak years after Vialli, Gullit, Zola, RDM and co had made Chelsea so unappealing to watch off the back of Bates's £80million debt? Where had those hardcore fans been hiding when David Speedie was considered a Chelsea legend?! so you agree then that the assertion that Chelsea have only picked up another 1,500 matchgoing fans is bollox? True you did. The first figure was your first division in the lower league and the last one was your promotion season ie they stayed faithful when you went down and came back when it looked like you were going up. In between the figure gradually dropped for 19k to 12k, clearly as people bored of watching second division football. I do agree that numbers would have fallen away, as they did with Chelsea and would do with any club, but they still would have been good attendances. The fact is, and one you seem to refuse to accept, that United have a large, faithful following who, somewhat annoyingly for you it seems, don't conform to your gloryhunting stereotype. What should be noted is that United averaged 6k more in Division 2 than the previous year in Division 1. Perhaps some fans felt they had neglected the club and needed to show their support. Hardly gloryhunting to return to a team that had been relegated! True, crowds were bigger but the season you were relegated to Division 2 you dropped from 27k to 19k. To be fair you went back up to 30k in your promotion season...they came back! Not quite, unless you were just trying to confirm that United's fanbase isn't made up purely of gloryhunters and that Chelsea does have more than it's fair share of plastic fans! I don't see why you can't just accept that United do have a strong, loyal fanbase (as well as gloryhunters) and that Chelsea have attracted a lot of fans who would **** off the minute they stop challenging for trophies. Do you never go to Stamford Bridge? I do a couple of times a season and the place gets more corporate, more "fashionable" for the Chelsea set, and more popular with overseas touring parties every season.
Nowhere is more corporate than Old Trafford. More languages spoken there than at a Nato meeting. You only needs to look at this vid to know: [video=youtube;u9okFFpXbtQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9okFFpXbtQ[/video] You've pointed out the 15 year dip in Chelsea attendances but failed to acknowledge our away following was amongst the largest in the entire country at that time. [video=youtube;lMgN73PoXNE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMgN73PoXNE[/video] 20,000 against Arsenal [video=youtube;Ma0U7NtKPAI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma0U7NtKPAI[/video] About 8,000 v United midweek. Don't have time to tweedle through the rest of your bullshit but fact is Chelsea have a far more loyal fanbase than probably any other along with Man City, West Ham and Spurs.
Brilliant DL, the Chelsea fans who come and go with success and failure are amongst the most loyal along with Spurs, City and West Ham. Absolute genius. No understanding whatsoever of fans of clubs outside of the top flight who support teams that win nothing. You'll be a City fan in no time.
hhhh yes we are jealous bcz you are having Rafa ... pls we are begging you to keep him .. give him a chance to build a team .. 3-4 years sound fair time .. pls keep the guy
