Attendances

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

So we got 54,371 against Chelsea - I estimate 300 to still go in in the North West Corner - I also think there is scope at some stage this season to put some more in in the South East and South West Corners - those 3 rows we used to have for the legends lounges? That would be say 40 long x 3 rows x 2 section - 240.

Potentially if they are creative they could get up to 54,911?? At Watford I am going to spot anywhere a seat can be squeezed in and I will email the club! Will get it to 55,000 somehow.

I think there is a serious danger of you developing a seat fetish and ending up on one of those people with strange hobbies programmes in years to come :-)

 

[Gary James]

So we got 54,371 against Chelsea - I estimate 300 to still go in in the North West Corner - I also think there is scope at some stage this season to put some more in in the South East and South West Corners - those 3 rows we used to have for the legends lounges? That would be say 40 long x 3 rows x 2 section - 240.

Potentially if they are creative they could get up to 54,911?? At Watford I am going to spot anywhere a seat can be squeezed in and I will email the club! Will get it to 55,000 somehow.

Worth noting that there's one fairly large area that the club have not filled that could be filled with seats with a bit of creativity - the service tunnel. At OT Utd have a seated area that lifts up to allow service vehicles in. Personally, I'm not certain that this is great from a safety aspect (ambulances etc.), but if anyone can achieve a safe, additional seated area then those running our club can. Maybe the tunnel could add another 500+ seats? There's also the extra tunnel above the players' tunnel that is unnecessary and could be blocked off and replaced by seats.

 

[squirtyflower]

So we got 54,371 against Chelsea - I estimate 300 to still go in in the North West Corner - I also think there is scope at some stage this season to put some more in in the South East and South West Corners - those 3 rows we used to have for the legends lounges? That would be say 40 long x 3 rows x 2 section - 240.

Potentially if they are creative they could get up to 54,911?? At Watford I am going to spot anywhere a seat can be squeezed in and I will email the club! Will get it to 55,000 somehow.

I don't know if you noticed but the aisle seat on the left hand side of each entrance has been removed for about 4/5 rows. There's an unusually large gap at the top of each exit/entrance now which could have been additional seats

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

That's correct. It was the last game before the North Stand became seated and Maine Rd's capacity dropped from 63,000 the next season. People may wonder why no League crowd was over 53,000 in 1972-73 yet the Sunderland game was 54k plus. Maine Rd's capacity for 1973 onwards was about 52,500 and in 1972-73 that appears to be the League capacity. In interviews I have performed the Sunderland cup game is viewed as an anomaly. Bernard Halford admitted to me that as this was his first game in charge as secretary he underestimated how long it took to close down the turnstiles and he gave the order as capacity was close to shut the gates. It took longer than he expected and in the end an official crowd, which matched the safety certificate, was announced. That was higher than the capacity for League games.

Personally, I'm not certain what our final capacity will be this season when the extra seats are added, but I hope our record crowd is for a game v Bournemouth or a smaller team, not MUFC. Would much prefer the record to show that we fill our stadium, not the quality/rivalry of the opposition.

That's interesting. So the official gate versus Sunderland was exactly equal to the Safety Certificate? In other words even that match was understated! I was sat in the "new" North Stand that day (the one and only time I ever sat there) and the Kippax looked dangerously full. I stood in the Kippax for the Liverpool versus Everton semi-final in 1977 which was an all ticket 52,600 game and in the second half it started pissing it down.The Kippax was split by a temporary fence down the middle. A lot of Liverpool fans moved undercover from "Windy Corner" by the North Stand while the Everton fans did the same from the corner by the Platt Lane. The undercover part of the Kippax was no more full in the second half than for a number of City matches during that decade. We'll never know what the true crowds were. I think that the Safety Certificate was reduced in 1973 following the publication of the report into the Ibrox Disaster if I remember rightly.

 

[blueparrot]

I don't know if you noticed but the aisle seat on the left hand side of each entrance has been removed for about 4/5 rows. There's an unusually large gap at the top of each exit/entrance now which could have been additional seats

Forget all this fiddling about trying to fit a few hundred seats in they should just crack on and get the North stand extended.

 

[bluemoon98]

Slightly off topic but what's Danny wilson's email please?

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

Forget all this fiddling about trying to fit a few hundred seats in they should just crack on and get the North stand extended.

I think we need to do both. It would be stupid to spend £80m on the South Stand extension and not maximise the existing potential capacity for this season. I do agree though that the North Stand extension should be sooner rather than later.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Its been stated the capacity is 55097, by the MEN. Surprised they would be so specific in not confirmed by the club.

The MEN must have counted them all when going through with their red pen.

 

[franksinatra]

The MEN must have counted them all when going through with their red pen.

Maybe the reporter lynch??? was one of the apprentices installing them. It sounds like a career step in the right direction and also engages his passion for seats.

 

[JOGAMIGMOG]

Funny how everyone is now clamouring for the N Stand to be built sooner rather than later. Not many sceptics now is there?