City attendances 1976/77 season

[Gary James]

For years, it was generally accepted that Maine Road (35,215) had boasted a higher average attendance than Old Trafford (34,254) during the 1954-55 season, mainly due to the last four games, when United’s late season apathy, had been overshadowed by the anticipation of City’s forthcoming Wembley appearance.

It was also noted in the Manchester City Story (Andrew Ward 1984) that it was the last season when City had recorded a higher average attendance than United.

However, since the birth of the internet, United’s average attendance for 54-55 has mysteriously increased to 36,900.

Strangely, United’s Wikipedia page (presumably written by a United fan), records their average as 33,815, and actually lists their individual attendance figures.

Naturally, there’s no point whatsoever in trying to convince a rag that this really happened.

It would be like suggesting that United had successfully lobbied the Football League to reclassify Martyn Margetson’s 1991 own goal at Old Trafford, purely to create the myth that Ryan Giggs had scored a goal in every season that he played.

I know Andy Ward (he helped me a lot with my early books) and Andy got that info from someone at City but, sadly, the official Football League attendances have always shown that Utd did have an average attendance higher than City in 1954-55. When I get chance I’ll do my own calculation - I have all the figures for both clubs. One of the issues is that City back then only submitted the number of tickets sold specifically for that game. They kep season ticket holders separate - they saw that as a sale at a certain point in the season and not part of the game by game attendance. I don’t know if this was common practice but a lot of City games between 1923 and about 1960 are listed in newspaper reports as xx,xxx plus ticket holders (meaning season ticket holders). I’d love to find out how many season ticket holders we had back then - it was hundreds rather than thousands - and do a crowd revision.

On Giggs’ er um goalon his debut.... the scorer wasColin Hendry though Fergie claimed it as Giggs’ on the day and the media stuck with that story. Nowadays the dubious goals committee would take it away.

 

[Hoghead]

You could normally tell if the crowd was over 40k when the open bit of the Main Stand next to the North Stand was getting full.

 

[mancityvstoke]

Yes only 19,500.I know it's off subject but the 1990 semi final played at Maine rd rags v Oldham 44,000 but the replay only 35,000 very low crowd don't you think.

yeah........just checked it looks like Oldham stayed at home