Possible new attendance record set ?
The 16056 that passed through the gates in the two recent games within 3 days at Adam's Park, appears to be a record for that timescale. I've been looking back and cant find any 2 gates that surpass that figure with 7 days. Even the huge 15000 plus gates of the 1950's don't seem to pass it, as due to no floodlights midweek games were rarely played.
I'd be interested if any of the Wanderers state's,historians or general saido's can see two home games within a week to exceed the two combined Cov and Ipswich gates.
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Was that 15,000 per two consecutive games @ChasHarps ? From failing memory there were 10,000 there for the Middlesbrough game in January 1975 and I can’t believe 15,000 could have been shoe-horned into Loakes Park.
No, just 2 games within a week at home, can be Sat to Sat.
Would the previous record have been Runcorn and Altrincham in the conference winning season?
Actually 2001, Wolves followed by Brentford a week later - 9617 followed by 6604.
A very creditable combined 16,221
@micra, it was officially a 12,000 capacity sell out versus Middlesbrough.
We had 12000 for the Middlesborough game. I was there There was room for more but it was limited for safety reasons. When you look at the photos of those games in the 50s you can well believe there was 15000 there. Also back in the 50s most of the hospital end was a grass bank ! Not much H and S back then.
Thanks guys. Yes of course. 12,000. I was certainly there and the hospital end was indeed partly grassy bank. I wonder if there was ever a 15,000 crowd for a single match. I doubt it but @ChasHarps may be able to confirm one way or the other. My memory of the cowshed crush in January 1975 and subsequent photographs make it hard to believe another 3,000 could have been accommodated.
15,000+ for an Amateur Cup match v St Albans City way back when rings a bell... (in terms of reading about it, not actually being there!)
Wikipedia has it as 15850 for that one @LeedsBlue in 1950.
Were any current gasroomers there to witness it? It's possible.
Back to the original question. How many would have watched the home game on December 28th versus Sutton, the week before the Middlesbrough game?
@Twizz 2350, of whom 1876 paid on the day.
@NewburyWanderer, not as many as I'd thought then. Supporters must have been saving themselves for the following week I guess.
@Twizz That was about standard for an Isthmian League match at Loakes Park at that time.
Good call @ChasHarps
A couple of potential close ones (if we allow a week)
1930/31
31 Jan Slough Town B&B undisclosed (6000 next round away)
7 Feb Romford FAAC 9016
1954/55
5 Feb Ilford FAAC 10000
12 Feb Barking IL undisclosed (6000 not unusual)
I watched the Middlesbrough match from the hospital itself. I rode my motorbike straight into the back of a lorry the day before. Some of us would have done anything to get a view without a ticket!
For the Middlesbrough game I changed ends at half time as I always did in those days. However, it's got me thinking, was there any attempt at segregation? I cannot remember where the 'boro fans were, assuming there were some - I seem to remember a bit of a fracas at some point at the Gasworks end. Anyone with a better memory than me?
I changed ends too As far as I could remember there seemed to be just a few Boro fans in the old wooden stand. The TV pictures bear out an absence of away fans in any numbers which is odd
I vaguely remember seeing a big Boro banner displayed across the paddock in front of the Main Stand. I have read somewhere (probably the Boro programme when we played them in the League Cup in the 90s) that they were given 1500 tickets for the game (or had 1500 supporters, one or the other). Don't remember noticing that many. Probably scattered throughout the ground, don't recall any attempt at segregation.
The crowd for the replay was over 30000 Wouldn't get that now !
!5,500 v Ilford amateur cup in 1957
14,000 v Pegasus Am cup in 1955
15,850 v St Albans am cup in 1950
I was at the St Albans match and always thought the figure was over 17,000. In those days attendances were normally under declared. How else could the players get any" boot money". Someone I worked with who was on the committee at the time told me that, In confidence of course.
I was also at the other two games. The banks at either end of the ground were packed but never dangerous
The visiting supporters were amongst us. I was sitting on the shelf along the front of the stand. We were giving them a real run around at the time and one plaintive cry was heard "come on give us a kick". That was one game we really did deserve to win, There was no segregation at that time. The desire of supporters to lay one on their opposite numbers only grew up later. I wonder why?
I'm jealous.
Great to hear from you @wingnut. Such memories. I could probably dredge up a few from the Athletic Ground (Maidstone United) around the same time but they would be of little interest to anyone who wasn’t there.
A happy and I hope reasonably healthy New Year to you and yours.
This recording, courtesy of Ian Blacklidge, of the Radio London phone-in with Brian Lee, the day after the Middlesbrough game, has a discussion of the crowd limit, and a fight at the game. That starts at 31:27.
http://www.chairboys.co.uk/history/1974-1975/1975_01_05_brian_lee_bbc.mp3
@wingnut, that must have been a glorious time to be a supporter of Wycombe Wanderers - nearly 16,000 for a home amateur cup tie!
@Steve_Peart That is a sensational artefact for the "Memory Laners" amongst us!
And for those of us slightly too young to remember, thanks @Steve_Peart!
It it on the COTN Middlesbrough 40th anniversary page.
http://www.chairboys.co.uk/history/1974-1975/1974_75_facup_extras_credits.htm
Towards the end of the tape I like Brian Lee's comments on the professional foul. His players don't commit them and if they did, they have two chances!
What a fascinating interview. Brian's sensible idea that the then 4th division should become regionalised has never come to pass more's the pity. I knew Brian through his job at Bisham Abbey and he was a pleasure to deal with. His comments on the pressures that professional managers are faced with are more relevant today than ever.