Apparently there was 'huge numbers' of empty seats...

[Chelsea Lad]

There was one season in the 80's when your average crowd was only 12,000 mate. And a 13,000...and a 15,000. At least your lot don't sing "Where were you when you were shit" ;-)

Haha that is very true mate, in the early 80s when the club was on its knees we had some shocking gates but understandable i suppose for the times, violence, racism, crumbling ground, unemployment, a team that went 12/15 games without scoring a goal!! Some games we'd actually take more away than what we got at the previous weeks home game!
I can excuse those times, but the 90s crowds baffle me, they were poor at times with no genuine reason or excuse.

Fans were fickle back then i suppose one midweek game we'd get 30,000 then the following sat we'd get 13,000!!

This is quite an interesting read on our gates(if your an anorak haha) City also get a mention..
http://www.theshedend.com/topic/25287-attendances-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/page-1

 

[manctheknife]

There were in fact 'huge numbers of empty seats', I know this because I was sat in one.

 

[Jamoid]

I work with a red rag and he said there was only 45.000 . I would have argued but I was pissing my self with laughter when he called it the emptyhad. United fans are so funny

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

Haha that is very true mate, in the early 80s when the club was on its knees we had some shocking gates but understandable i suppose for the times, violence, racism, crumbling ground, unemployment, a team that went 12/15 games without scoring a goal!! Some games we'd actually take more away than what we got at the previous weeks home game!
I can excuse those times, but the 90s crowds baffle me, they were poor at times with no genuine reason or excuse.

Fans were fickle back then i suppose one midweek game we'd get 30,000 then the following sat we'd get 13,000!!

This is quite an interesting read on our gates(if your an anorak haha) City also get a mention..
http://www.theshedend.com/topic/25287-attendances-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/page-1

Yes always interested in our own history - good and bad. Maybe Gary James could shed some light on the reason for that crowd differential in 1923/24.

 

[west didsblue]

Haha that is very true mate, in the early 80s when the club was on its knees we had some shocking gates but understandable i suppose for the times, violence, racism, crumbling ground, unemployment, a team that went 12/15 games without scoring a goal!! Some games we'd actually take more away than what we got at the previous weeks home game!
I can excuse those times, but the 90s crowds baffle me, they were poor at times with no genuine reason or excuse.

Fans were fickle back then i suppose one midweek game we'd get 30,000 then the following sat we'd get 13,000!!

This is quite an interesting read on our gates(if your an anorak haha) City also get a mention..
http://www.theshedend.com/topic/25287-attendances-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/page-1

Here's some stats from a couple of years ago that ignore pre WW1.
http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/historically-best-supported-clubs.290013/#post-7111008

 

[Gary James]

Yes always interested in our own history - good and bad. Maybe Gary James could shed some light on the reason for that crowd differential in 1923/24.

It's just the way football was. Some games were viewed as more attractive than others, but also weather would play a part and working week. Midweek games would be played early, as there were no floodlights, so occasionally games would be played on a Wednesday afternoon with kick offs at 3 or 4 depending on time of year/light etc.

Maine Road had less cover for fans than Hyde Road which, between 1910 and 1920 boasted of covered accommodation for over 35,000. Even after the Main Stand fire of 1920, the ground still had cover for at least 28,000 whereas Maine Road, despite its quality only housed 10,000 under a roof in 1923-24 (Old Trafford was similar - Hyde Road is often criticised by those writing about it but they overlook many of its qualities; In 1910 to combat the draw of Utd's new OT City spent a fortune on roofing 3 sides of the ground, improving terracing and entrances, to make it a great venue for Manchester; the criticisms of Hyde Road at the time were mostly about its size - too small for City's demands - and its approaches/access which were limited and involved muddy walks or tight alleyways/streets). This meant that many fans were unhappy that Maine Road lacked cover - I guess it's the same with those who get wet at the Etihad (some may argue that equivalent seats at Maine Road were dry, yet it's a modern stadium).

If the weather was poor then some fans would be put off (general expression 'fairweather fans' comes from this - if it's nice weather we'll go; if it's raining we'll listen to the radio for updates, or go and watch the highlights in the Pathe newsreel at the pictures next week). The game on 1.2.24 V Forest is one I'm researching a bit because some claim the crowd was about 3,000 - that would be the lowest at Maine Road but it's not an accurate figure. Reports I have saying there were only about 3,000 when the game started but then talk of several thousand more arriving during 1st half - maybe a tram problem? It was a midweek game, so maybe people arriving late from work? One report talks of harsh wind and frost putting off those who were on half-days (traditional early closing back then; something we don't seem to do anymore).

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

It's just the way football was. Some games were viewed as more attractive than others, but also weather would play a part and working week. Midweek games would be played early, as there were no floodlights, so occasionally games would be played on a Wednesday afternoon with kick offs at 3 or 4 depending on time of year/light etc.

Maine Road had less cover for fans than Hyde Road which, between 1910 and 1920 boasted of covered accommodation for over 35,000. Even after the Main Stand fire of 1920, the ground still had cover for at least 28,000 whereas Maine Road, despite its quality only housed 10,000 under a roof in 1923-24 (Old Trafford was similar - Hyde Road is often criticised by those writing about it but they overlook many of its qualities; In 1910 to combat the draw of Utd's new OT City spent a fortune on roofing 3 sides of the ground, improving terracing and entrances, to make it a great venue for Manchester; the criticisms of Hyde Road at the time were mostly about its size - too small for City's demands - and its approaches/access which were limited and involved muddy walks or tight alleyways/streets). This meant that many fans were unhappy that Maine Road lacked cover - I guess it's the same with those who get wet at the Etihad (some may argue that equivalent seats at Maine Road were dry, yet it's a modern stadium).

If the weather was poor then some fans would be put off (general expression 'fairweather fans' comes from this - if it's nice weather we'll go; if it's raining we'll listen to the radio for updates, or go and watch the highlights in the Pathe newsreel at the pictures next week). The game on 1.2.24 V Forest is one I'm researching a bit because some claim the crowd was about 3,000 - that would be the lowest at Maine Road but it's not an accurate figure. Reports I have saying there were only about 3,000 when the game started but then talk of several thousand more arriving during 1st half - maybe a tram problem? It was a midweek game, so maybe people arriving late from work? One report talks of harsh wind and frost putting off those who were on half-days (traditional early closing back then; something we don't seem to do anymore).

Cheers Gary.

 

[Chelsea Lad]

Yes always interested in our own history - good and bad. Maybe Gary James could shed some light on the reason for that crowd differential in 1923/24.

Yeah same here mate, got to take the rough with the smooth eh.

 

[Chelsea Lad]

Here's some stats from a couple of years ago that ignore pre WW1.
http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/historically-best-supported-clubs.290013/#post-7111008

Interesting read that, cheers. Post on their about Spurs, like someone said on our forum in the link, in 86/87 at their peak they only got gates of 10,000 at times, funny you never hear that mentioned from Spurs fans, instead they like to dig us out, at least we had valid reasons for our shit gates in the early 80s.

 

[Gary James]

Interesting read that, cheers. Post on their about Spurs, like someone said on our forum in the link, in 86/87 at their peak they only got gates of 10,000 at times, funny you never hear that mentioned from Spurs fans, instead they like to dig us out, at least we had valid reasons for our shit gates in the early 80s.

Can I just point out that when we look at attendances and compare with now almost every team will have 'sh!t gates' in the 80s. Better to look at where the club was in comparison with the average or in terms of best supported teams. Starting in 1979-80 City were: 3rd, 4th, 4th, 4th, 6th (but in Div 2), 8th (but in div 2), 4th, 8th (relegation season), 12th (in 2nd div), 6th, 5th (1989-90). I don't think that's a bad record and you could easily compare City's position with Spurs who were 5th, 6th, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 11th, 5th, 5th, 5th and 6th but were never out of the top division during those seasons and, indeed, had some significant highs and the likes of Gazza, Lineker, Ardiles etc. playing for them at times.