Derby County, Leeds United and Leicester City are in the top three, who else features?
Below is a list of the top 10 average attendances of Football League clubs last season. With a view to next season, we have included those promoted to the Premier League, and the three relegated out of it separately for additional context.
1 Derby County 26,020
2 Leeds United 23,379
3 Leicester City 23,036
4 Cardiff City 22,100
5 Nottingham Forest 21,969
6 Sheffield Wednesday 21,336 *
7 Brighton and Hove Albion 20,029
8 Birmingham City 19,126
9 Hull City 18,790
10 Sheffield United 18,701 *
* Attendances in League One as opposed to the Championship.
Now to see how the Championship’s promoted clubs and the Premier League’s relegated sides compare:
Promoted sides:
West Ham United 30,923
Southampton 26,419
Reading 19,219
Relegated sides:
Wolves 25,672
Bolton 23,673
Blackburn Rovers 22,251
West Ham and Southampton had the two biggest attendances of any Championship sides last season, while Reading also would have featured in the top 10. Do the clubs mentioned above therefore have the strongest chance of winning promotion to the Premier League next season?
Is there a correlation between the financial gate receipts and on-pitch success? If so then fans will hope the cream eventually rises to the top. For fans of sleeping giants Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday it has been a torturously slow wait.
Each will be hoping that next year is their year, and for Forest in particular, who have new owners and are set to appoint a new manager, they will hope their attendances shoot up with the extra anticipation of the team’s success.
Alternatively many would argue the team’s success must come first, with stay away fans drawn back to the stands when the clubs start nearing success again. Most will agree a smattering of fair weather fans joining the ranks is a small price to pay for a return to the Premier League
Are there any surprises in terms of teams with the best attendance?
image: © eamoncurry
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