| As Things Are Looking Up... 21:30 - Sep 15 with 5094 views | Cleedale |
...I was trying to remember the highest and lowest attendances where I'd attended matches at Spotland; not pre-season but competitive 1st team League or Cup matches.
Never bought many home programmes in more recent years but have stacks from way-back-when. So, although not all details available I was a supporter (but not attending) the 2-1 FA Cup victory over Coventry in 1971 (played on a Monday afternoon re-failing floodlights?) when I think the gate was about 13,000. Saw my first game around 1972/73 and seem to think there was an all-time-low of about 400'ish. Perhaps someone can fill in the details of that - was it Cambridge at home and was that also something to do with power cuts/miners strike/floodlights? and therefore played on a mid-week afternoon?
Anyways, digressing here a tad.
Think mine were from the same season - Northampton (FA Cup) 1989/90 : 9,048 and Chester (Ley.Daf.) : 787.
Both these matches were when Spotland was the old ground with the Pearl Street Hill/Mound which I believe was made from deposits collected in levelling the pitch? Some deposits hey? Or some slope?
I'd be interested to know what your individual highest and lowest attended matches at Spotland were and does anyone know of anyone who attended when there was the record 24,000 against Notts County?
Also, can anyone verify whether that 9,000'ish gate has been surpassed since (apart from any rugby league final) the ground came into it's present state - ie. re-all the newer stands?
Many thanks if you can be as boring as me! One point of interest is that Dale's average league attendance over the last 30 years is 2,718 which is very similar to what it is today.
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 21:41 - Sep 15 with 4061 views | Cleedale |
PS....
If anyone would like a copy of my own chart showing THE average final positions over the last 30 years of using last year's 92 clubs and their average attendance (also over 30 years)...PM me with an email address or someone tell me how to upload it. That is from 1987/88 to 2017/18. My calculations btw. so obviously stand to be corrected!
UTD!!! | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 21:49 - Sep 15 with 4020 views | kiwidale |
Highest Halifax 1969 (13,000 odd) although I will always argue that Doncaster (11000 odd) same season was higher, I was also there V Coventry again 13,000 plus.
Not sure about the lowest but maybe 1200ish I started watching 1957 when attendances were around the 5000 mark depending whether it was a local game. | |
| This is not the time for bickering.
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 22:54 - Sep 15 with 3869 views | DevonDale |
The Northampton attendance was surpassed in 2008 v Darlington in the play off match - 9,870 | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 23:11 - Sep 15 with 3839 views | Cleedale |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 22:54 - Sep 15 by DevonDale |
The Northampton attendance was surpassed in 2008 v Darlington in the play off match - 9,870 |
Thanks for that Devon.
Do you know, apart from any rugby league matches, if that is the record since the stadium's been in it's present state?
Still fascinated what Spotland must have been like in that 1948? match against Notts County - was it 24,231 - must have really been sardines or were there other stands that have since been demolished?
Ironically, look where Notts C. are at present, proping up the leagues but surely too big a club to go out. | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 23:58 - Sep 15 with 3763 views | dingdangblue |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 23:11 - Sep 15 by Cleedale |
Thanks for that Devon.
Do you know, apart from any rugby league matches, if that is the record since the stadium's been in it's present state?
Still fascinated what Spotland must have been like in that 1948? match against Notts County - was it 24,231 - must have really been sardines or were there other stands that have since been demolished?
Ironically, look where Notts C. are at present, proping up the leagues but surely too big a club to go out. |
Yes the Darlington play off game is the new stadiums largest attendance. Although the Spurs game was officially a sell out so that should have been close - there is the old argument as to whether the attendance should be tickets sold or actual attendees (it was rumoured that a fair few Spurs fans bought tickets but didn't attend - explaining the crowd being a strangely low 8480). |  |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 00:00 - Sep 16 with 3754 views | Shun |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 22:54 - Sep 15 by DevonDale |
The Northampton attendance was surpassed in 2008 v Darlington in the play off match - 9,870 |
The Spurs and Leeds games, although the ‘official’ attendance stated otherwise, I find it hard to believe didn’t surpass the Darlington attendance. For the Darlington game there was at least one full block of partition between Daleys and Quakers in the away end. With no such missing blocks for the Spurs and Leeds games, and ticket seating allocations in place, I find it hard to believe that they didn’t surpass the Darlington attendance. |  | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 08:13 - Sep 16 with 3562 views | chalky_ncfc |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 23:11 - Sep 15 by Cleedale |
Thanks for that Devon.
Do you know, apart from any rugby league matches, if that is the record since the stadium's been in it's present state?
Still fascinated what Spotland must have been like in that 1948? match against Notts County - was it 24,231 - must have really been sardines or were there other stands that have since been demolished?
Ironically, look where Notts C. are at present, proping up the leagues but surely too big a club to go out. |
I can see that you are one of the best posters on here cleedale  | |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 09:17 - Sep 16 with 3481 views | ColDale |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 08:13 - Sep 16 by chalky_ncfc |
I can see that you are one of the best posters on here cleedale |
lot of looking up for your lot Chalky |  | | |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 10:53 - Sep 16 with 3368 views | pioneer |
I think it was 452 v Cambridge in feb 1974. It was during power crisis and flooddlight ban but that cannot be used to entirely explain the low crowd. We were rock bottom playing crap and won only one home game all season. We failde to make 1000 on at least one other occasion that season when the power restrictions had ended.
The attendence was later allegedly increased for official records by, i think, adding in season tickets since many didnt , and probably couldnt, atted..but similarly they probably didnt attend several other games in that horrific season. I was at the game and a photo from the game appeared on the front of the football league review which appeared as a centre piece in thematch programmes of many clubs, including Dale. | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:06 - Sep 16 with 3309 views | YadHoDale |
Another large attendance, and possibly the largest one I've been a part of at Spotland, was the FA Cup third round tie v Bury in January 1980. I think there was a problem with the turnstiles that night, and the gate ended up being estimated as 10,000 - but more may have been there "unofficially".
I think the last sub-1000 gate for a league game was 949, to see Vernon Allatt get the winner against Aldershot in about 1982. |  | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:17 - Sep 16 with 3286 views | D_Alien |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:06 - Sep 16 by YadHoDale |
Another large attendance, and possibly the largest one I've been a part of at Spotland, was the FA Cup third round tie v Bury in January 1980. I think there was a problem with the turnstiles that night, and the gate ended up being estimated as 10,000 - but more may have been there "unofficially".
I think the last sub-1000 gate for a league game was 949, to see Vernon Allatt get the winner against Aldershot in about 1982. |
I'll say there was a problem! Met up with a few mates at a house on Greave, just 2 minutes walk from Spotland. Thinking there wouldn't be a problem, we left it till about 5 minutes before kick off before setting off. We didn't get in till half time!!!
Don't think the gate was exaggerated though, 10000 was about right and incidentally (unless the stadium is revamped) is likely to be the last time Spotland exceeds that mark
The biggest gate i've seen was the 14500 (approx) for the FA Cup tie against Oldham, which we won 2-0 and the only time i ever saw the 'shed' on Willbutts Lane anywhere near full |  |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:21 - Sep 16 with 3276 views | TVOS1907 |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:06 - Sep 16 by YadHoDale |
Another large attendance, and possibly the largest one I've been a part of at Spotland, was the FA Cup third round tie v Bury in January 1980. I think there was a problem with the turnstiles that night, and the gate ended up being estimated as 10,000 - but more may have been there "unofficially".
I think the last sub-1000 gate for a league game was 949, to see Vernon Allatt get the winner against Aldershot in about 1982. |
A lot of crowds are later revised from those given out at the time. Those that appear in Rothman's and other reference books are usually the revised versions as they are printed several months after the revision and come directly from the Football League.
So, the last sub-1000 crowd for a league game was 936 on a Monday night in April 1986 to see Dale defeat Southend 2-1.
The last 10 sub-1000 home crowds for league games are:
Monday 21st April 1986 v Southend - 936 (won 2-1)
Tuesday 30th April 1985 v Hartlepool - 910 (won 4-3)
Tuesday 2nd October 1984 v Aldershot - 960 (lost 1-2)
Monday 7th May 1984 v Torquay - 943 (won 1-0)
Saturday 28th April 1984 v Aldershot - 853 (won 3-1, first goal from Allatt)
Tuesday 17th April 1984 v Colchester - 809 (drew 0-0)
Saturday 18th December 1982 v Aldershot - 888 (won 3-1)
Tuesday 7th September 1982 v Hartlepool - 987 (won 2-0)
Friday 18th April 1980 v Scunthorpe - 993 (lost 0-1)
Tuesday 15th April 1980 v Torquay - 958 (drew 0-0) |  |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:39 - Sep 16 with 3226 views | chalky_ncfc |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 09:17 - Sep 16 by ColDale |
lot of looking up for your lot Chalky |
Things are awful on the pitch,capable of scoring goals but the defence is non existent,the goalie is a joke with no idea how to command his area,you can't even blame the owner as he's chucked a load of money (for league two) to try and get promoted,it's going to be a long season | |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:41 - Sep 16 with 3218 views | TVOS1907 |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:39 - Sep 16 by Shun |
Was that white kit our home kit? Was it a one-off or did we often play in white at home? I was under the impression that from our inception we began in black and white stripes and since then have played in primarily blue. |
I could go all 442 on you here, Shun, but instead I'll leave you this link:
http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Rochdale/Rochdale.htm | |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:44 - Sep 16 with 3211 views | D_Alien |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:39 - Sep 16 by Shun |
Was that white kit our home kit? Was it a one-off or did we often play in white at home? I was under the impression that from our inception we began in black and white stripes and since then have played in primarily blue. |
Once that kit was chosen as our official kit for the season, something told me it was going to be a long hard grind (oooer!)
Don't think we had home & away kits as such back then, we just changed occasionally if we clashed with opponents
I'm struggling to name those players in the picture... anyone?
[Post edited 16 Sep 2018 12:47]
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:51 - Sep 16 with 3191 views | dogboy |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:44 - Sep 16 by D_Alien |
Once that kit was chosen as our official kit for the season, something told me it was going to be a long hard grind (oooer!)
Don't think we had home & away kits as such back then, we just changed occasionally if we clashed with opponents
I'm struggling to name those players in the picture... anyone?
[Post edited 16 Sep 2018 12:47]
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Graham Smith, Stan Horne and Paul Fielding |  | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:52 - Sep 16 with 3185 views | aleanddale |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:51 - Sep 16 by dogboy |
Graham Smith, Stan Horne and Paul Fielding |
That's impressive dogboy! | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:59 - Sep 16 with 3167 views | D_Alien |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:51 - Sep 16 by dogboy |
Graham Smith, Stan Horne and Paul Fielding |
Yep, very impressive!
Now, for the caption competition, what's the Cambridge guy saying to Stan Horne?
I'll start:
"Should i call the midwife?" [Post edited 16 Sep 2018 13:01]
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 13:49 - Sep 16 with 3092 views | Cleedale |
All fascinating stuff and thanks for the pic. Even what would have been Prem. games back then had pitches like that - perhaps makes you wonder how much more incredible people like Best would have been in today's game.
Always remember loads of sand on the pitch, particularly 90s, and clearly remember on at least one occasion where a sky-high hoof just never bounced and threw all the players who had to back-track.
Despite recent damage and relaying (last year) surely no one could have envisaged Dale playing on such amazing surfaces compared with back then. | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 13:58 - Sep 16 with 3083 views | TVOS1907 |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 13:49 - Sep 16 by Cleedale |
All fascinating stuff and thanks for the pic. Even what would have been Prem. games back then had pitches like that - perhaps makes you wonder how much more incredible people like Best would have been in today's game.
Always remember loads of sand on the pitch, particularly 90s, and clearly remember on at least one occasion where a sky-high hoof just never bounced and threw all the players who had to back-track.
Despite recent damage and relaying (last year) surely no one could have envisaged Dale playing on such amazing surfaces compared with back then. |
Tbf, that pitch was better than Spotland at the same time in 2018! | |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| As Things Are Looking Up... on 17:47 - Sep 16 with 2945 views | Shun |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 12:59 - Sep 16 by D_Alien |
Yep, very impressive!
Now, for the caption competition, what's the Cambridge guy saying to Stan Horne?
I'll start:
"Should i call the midwife?" [Post edited 16 Sep 2018 13:01]
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“Bloody hell, is your other one that big?” | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 17:49 - Sep 16 with 2944 views | Shun |
That’s a great link! ‘85 to ‘87 look like particular standouts to me. | | | |
| As Things Are Looking Up... on 17:56 - Sep 16 with 2933 views | ColDale |
Is it right that this kit was replaced midway through a season because the sponsor had faded in the wash over the season or was that just a rumour at the time? | | | |
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