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Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:45 - Nov 11 by BostonR
Towards the end of the 75/76 season the ground was rammed and the gates closed. I would say that for the Arsenal and Leeds games there was close to 35/40,000 crammed into LR with thousands outside. For both those games, I was in SAR and it was over-loaded.
We have always managed to pull big crowds at finals, in the 70's (v Leicester FA Cup - 36,000) and into the 90's - that great night v Arsenal in the FA Cup. In the 90's we done well with a reduced capacity.
LR is not fit for purpose and one huge step would be a better stadium with outstanding facilities. It's a must. Get that right, improve the team post Covid (the footy landscape will change). The supporters are out there.
I was at both. I used to pay on the gate and for the Arsenal game, I didn't arrive until just before kick off. The gates were locked and for the only time in my life, I had to purchase from a tout, although I think I got it at face value. I ended up standing in the paddocks. For the Leeds game, I got there a bit earlier and got in the Loft.
As for the supporters being out there, I would suggest they are the ones that only turn up for 'glory games'. We surely can't decide on a suitable capacity to include many of them.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 18:28 - Nov 11 with 5137 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 17:11 - Nov 11 by NewBee
As an outsider who's been going to various London grounds (i.e. not solely Brentford) since 1983, may I venture the opinion that were QPR to build a new ground, it should be a minimum of 25k, and imo 30k+. (That is assuming it was reasonably close to LR, and not some industrial estate out by the M25 or wherever).
People talk about the Glory Days (1970's), when QPR were getting crowds in the mid 20k's etc. And fair enough, in the peak season of 1974/75, when you finished 2nd in the top flight, your average attendance was 23,870.
But what this fails to take into account is that the top attendance anywhere that season was Man U on 54.6k, with Liverpool next on 41.6k. Random others were Man City on 34.2k, Newcatle 32.2k, Spurs 27.8k and Arsenal 26.9k: https://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/eng-premier-league-1975-1976/1/
Crowds are now far higher than at any time since the immediate post-war boom when, frankly, there was sod-all else to do bar the pub or the pictures.
So that now, with PL games everywhere being 95% sold out, any London club could sell 25k seats a game in a new stadium to away fans, tourists, day trippers and ground-hoppers alone, never mind regular home fans - see eg Fulham, currently extending the Cottage.
I mean, even WHU get the guts of 60k a match at the God-awful Stratford Toilet Bowl (even if tickets are at giveaway prices).
Or look at Palace, currently on 25k capacity at Selhurst, but spending a bundle to get it up to 34k - and that's for a team which just avoids relegation in a good season, but gets caught out by it in a bad one.
So if QPR ever did have a choice, imo you'd be mad to settle for anything less than 30k.
I think chairman Jim Gregory wasn’t reporting the ‘true’ crowd figures back then. Phil Parkes said the players were on bonuses if the crowd was over a certain amount. They played one game when it was packed to the rafters, the next day he looked in the paper and he couldn’t believe the crowd was given as 19,000. He reckons Gregory had one turnstile for the club and one for himself.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 18:28 - Nov 11 by Nov77
I think chairman Jim Gregory wasn’t reporting the ‘true’ crowd figures back then. Phil Parkes said the players were on bonuses if the crowd was over a certain amount. They played one game when it was packed to the rafters, the next day he looked in the paper and he couldn’t believe the crowd was given as 19,000. He reckons Gregory had one turnstile for the club and one for himself.
My first Rs game was the Arsenal home game, Easter Monday 1976. The 'official' attendance that day was 31k. There was hardly an inch of room in LR that day even to my eleven year old eyes.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 18:09 - Nov 11 by Paddyhoops
Crowds back in the seventies and eighties were nothing to write home about. When I came here back in the eighties we would have nine or ten thousand at top flight games, albeit for the Coventrys and Southamptons of the world. I'd often go to Highbury with my Arsenal mate on other weekends. 20 odd thousand fans were regular occurrences for the lesser lights. It was a game for the working class in those days. I'd like to see a twenty thousand seat stadium with an option to increase. Build it and they will come!!
Even for some Man Utd games we only had 10,000 in the pre premier league days.But attendances really dipped after 1985 for a few seasons all over the country. I just googled it and the Andy Gray 3-2 win against them in May 1989 was watched by a crowd of 10,010.
[Post edited 11 Nov 2020 20:35]
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 20:48 - Nov 11 with 4892 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 20:26 - Nov 11 by stowmarketrange
Even for some Man Utd games we only had 10,000 in the pre premier league days.But attendances really dipped after 1985 for a few seasons all over the country. I just googled it and the Andy Gray 3-2 win against them in May 1989 was watched by a crowd of 10,010.
[Post edited 11 Nov 2020 20:35]
I think that game was postponed a couple of times by cup games and then post-Hillsborough shut down. It was a midweek end of season game with nothing on it. And the United bandwagon has rusted up for a few years!
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 21:11 - Nov 11 with 4872 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 16:25 - Nov 11 by hantssi
All ticket games those, you had to write to the club with a cheque (or postal order!) enclosing a SSAE! I was there, awesome, never experience anything like it again although Oldham was pretty close?
This is news to me that these games were all ticket!
I certainly didn't get tickets in advance & I was there for both games. I even had two cousins with me for the Leeds game & that was the first match they saw that season.
The Arsenal game was a morning kick off on Easter Monday & I entered Portman Road just after the 3.00pm kick off to join my wife. How I laughed about how Stan had tripped himself up to get the winning penalty!
For the Leeds match I drove to Chesham & picked up my brother & cousins before driving to The Bush. We probably were in the queue to get in at about 2.00pm & managed to stand in the same small area of LR as we had done so since our first visit.
Prior to the start of the PL & all seating, the only matches that I can remember being all ticket were FA Cup 6th round matches.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 21:27 - Nov 11 with 4835 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 21:11 - Nov 11 by terryb
This is news to me that these games were all ticket!
I certainly didn't get tickets in advance & I was there for both games. I even had two cousins with me for the Leeds game & that was the first match they saw that season.
The Arsenal game was a morning kick off on Easter Monday & I entered Portman Road just after the 3.00pm kick off to join my wife. How I laughed about how Stan had tripped himself up to get the winning penalty!
For the Leeds match I drove to Chesham & picked up my brother & cousins before driving to The Bush. We probably were in the queue to get in at about 2.00pm & managed to stand in the same small area of LR as we had done so since our first visit.
Prior to the start of the PL & all seating, the only matches that I can remember being all ticket were FA Cup 6th round matches.
I got the first72 bus from roehampton on the morning that the tickets went on sale.I got there about 6.30 and had to queue up for a few hours before the box office opened at 9am I think. I stood on the loft that day too so I don’t know why others didn’t buy tickets.Or is my memory playing tricks again?
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:18 - Nov 11 with 4752 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 21:11 - Nov 11 by terryb
This is news to me that these games were all ticket!
I certainly didn't get tickets in advance & I was there for both games. I even had two cousins with me for the Leeds game & that was the first match they saw that season.
The Arsenal game was a morning kick off on Easter Monday & I entered Portman Road just after the 3.00pm kick off to join my wife. How I laughed about how Stan had tripped himself up to get the winning penalty!
For the Leeds match I drove to Chesham & picked up my brother & cousins before driving to The Bush. We probably were in the queue to get in at about 2.00pm & managed to stand in the same small area of LR as we had done so since our first visit.
Prior to the start of the PL & all seating, the only matches that I can remember being all ticket were FA Cup 6th round matches.
It wasn’t just us. In the 80s I would go and watch anyone I wanted when we were away. Hoddle and Waddle at Spurs, McAvennie and Brooking at West Ham, Charlie Nicholas at Arsenal, Forest winning 6-2 at Chelsea.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:18 - Nov 11 by MrSheen
It wasn’t just us. In the 80s I would go and watch anyone I wanted when we were away. Hoddle and Waddle at Spurs, McAvennie and Brooking at West Ham, Charlie Nicholas at Arsenal, Forest winning 6-2 at Chelsea.
One of the factors which hugely affected crowds - in the old 1st Division, at least - was that there were 22 teams, with 3 relegated, and only 4 qualifying for Europe (1 x EC, 1 x ECWC and 2 x UEFA Cup).
Which meant that come March, if you were safe from relegation, had no hope of Europe and were out of the FA Cup, there was nothing to play for. Meaning that crowds dipped markedly, made worse by the fact that so few had Season Tickets in those days. And which was made even worse if the weather was bad and you were playing another mid-table team from the other end of the country, so you didn't even get away fans.
We all remember the "big" games where you had to queue to get in to a stadium which was packed to the rafters etc, but we more easily forget the "nothing" games which were half empty.
Anyhow, I have no doubt that if QPR were in the PL in a modern stadium in a good location, you'd have no problem selling out 25k+.
After all, Fulham can do it...
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:44 - Nov 11 with 4703 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 20:26 - Nov 11 by stowmarketrange
Even for some Man Utd games we only had 10,000 in the pre premier league days.But attendances really dipped after 1985 for a few seasons all over the country. I just googled it and the Andy Gray 3-2 win against them in May 1989 was watched by a crowd of 10,010.
[Post edited 11 Nov 2020 20:35]
Game was played on a Friday evening and there was a tube strike that day that severely happered the attendance
Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:37 - Nov 11 by NewBee
One of the factors which hugely affected crowds - in the old 1st Division, at least - was that there were 22 teams, with 3 relegated, and only 4 qualifying for Europe (1 x EC, 1 x ECWC and 2 x UEFA Cup).
Which meant that come March, if you were safe from relegation, had no hope of Europe and were out of the FA Cup, there was nothing to play for. Meaning that crowds dipped markedly, made worse by the fact that so few had Season Tickets in those days. And which was made even worse if the weather was bad and you were playing another mid-table team from the other end of the country, so you didn't even get away fans.
We all remember the "big" games where you had to queue to get in to a stadium which was packed to the rafters etc, but we more easily forget the "nothing" games which were half empty.
Anyhow, I have no doubt that if QPR were in the PL in a modern stadium in a good location, you'd have no problem selling out 25k+.
After all, Fulham can do it...
England had five places in the UEFA Cup back in the day. The teams that finished 2nd-5th in the first division plus the League Cup winners so a total of seven European spots up for grabs with the European Cup and the Cup Winners Cup.
We (QPR) finished fifth in the first division in 1983-84 in our first season back after promotion and were in the UEFA Cup the following season.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:51 - Nov 11 by CamberleyR
England had five places in the UEFA Cup back in the day. The teams that finished 2nd-5th in the first division plus the League Cup winners so a total of seven European spots up for grabs with the European Cup and the Cup Winners Cup.
We (QPR) finished fifth in the first division in 1983-84 in our first season back after promotion and were in the UEFA Cup the following season.
Yeah, at bloody Highbury in front of 7,000 supporters, although the Belgrade game was a real classic.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:18 - Nov 11 by MrSheen
It wasn’t just us. In the 80s I would go and watch anyone I wanted when we were away. Hoddle and Waddle at Spurs, McAvennie and Brooking at West Ham, Charlie Nicholas at Arsenal, Forest winning 6-2 at Chelsea.
I was at the Chelsea-Forest game. Tee-hee.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 23:25 - Nov 11 with 4637 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:55 - Nov 11 by Loftgirl
I was at the Chelsea-Forest game. Tee-hee.
That was cracking. I went with a college friend (City) and his workmate (Ch*ls**), we stood in the Shed End. It was a weird game, Ch*ls** were 2-1 up in ten minutes, then the roof fell in. The home fans abused all their players in turn, it seemed rude not to join in.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 00:29 - Nov 12 with 4564 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 22:51 - Nov 11 by CamberleyR
England had five places in the UEFA Cup back in the day. The teams that finished 2nd-5th in the first division plus the League Cup winners so a total of seven European spots up for grabs with the European Cup and the Cup Winners Cup.
We (QPR) finished fifth in the first division in 1983-84 in our first season back after promotion and were in the UEFA Cup the following season.
Fair enough about the UEFA Cup places, though in my defence I've been talking about the 1970's.
And a random check of 1974/75, 1975/76 and 1976/77 shows England had four UEFA Cup entries, not five.
And with one of those being the League Cup winners - decided by end of February - it still meant that many mid-table 1st Division teams had little to play for by the fag-end of the season, hence dwindling crowds.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 07:51 - Jun 23 with 3945 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 21:11 - Nov 11 by terryb
This is news to me that these games were all ticket!
I certainly didn't get tickets in advance & I was there for both games. I even had two cousins with me for the Leeds game & that was the first match they saw that season.
The Arsenal game was a morning kick off on Easter Monday & I entered Portman Road just after the 3.00pm kick off to join my wife. How I laughed about how Stan had tripped himself up to get the winning penalty!
For the Leeds match I drove to Chesham & picked up my brother & cousins before driving to The Bush. We probably were in the queue to get in at about 2.00pm & managed to stand in the same small area of LR as we had done so since our first visit.
Prior to the start of the PL & all seating, the only matches that I can remember being all ticket were FA Cup 6th round matches.
Pretty sure we paid at the turnstile for all the games in 75/76. Used to get there quite early and then there were only shortish queues Well packed in the Loft for those final 2 Arsenal and Leeds games though.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 15:53 - Jun 23 with 3255 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 10:03 - Jun 23 by QPROslo
Pretty sure we paid at the turnstile for all the games in 75/76. Used to get there quite early and then there were only shortish queues Well packed in the Loft for those final 2 Arsenal and Leeds games though.
Well the Loft was packed for the Arsenal game, more so as there was a fair sized combat / demilitarized zone between the warring fans.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 07:51 - Jun 23 by stevec
Old oak common station gets the go ahead, perfectly positioned for any club sticking a football stadium on the scrubs.
Old oak starts very soon won’t be ready for a good ten years though . Said it from day one LC was the second worst option Aval car giant being the first wort option , club wanted land on the cheap whe. Three sites even closer to the ground were all for sale , BBC site sold for 300 milllion Dairy crest behind white city station 105 million pretty much perfect for all of uncle Tony’s dream of a super stadium and part of the cost could of been off set by building around it similar to how arsenal have done The ole white city site not sure of price for that ,uncle Tony went balls deep on car giant missed out on the rest and now we are left with LC . Wait fir the local resident to kick up about a new stadium it will be nothing on Warren farm that’s for sure
Linford Christie Stadium. on 23:13 - Jun 23 by wombat
Old oak starts very soon won’t be ready for a good ten years though . Said it from day one LC was the second worst option Aval car giant being the first wort option , club wanted land on the cheap whe. Three sites even closer to the ground were all for sale , BBC site sold for 300 milllion Dairy crest behind white city station 105 million pretty much perfect for all of uncle Tony’s dream of a super stadium and part of the cost could of been off set by building around it similar to how arsenal have done The ole white city site not sure of price for that ,uncle Tony went balls deep on car giant missed out on the rest and now we are left with LC . Wait fir the local resident to kick up about a new stadium it will be nothing on Warren farm that’s for sure
The Dairy was the best option but, I’d not downplay the Linford Christie, it could yet turn into our lunchbox.
Linford Christie Stadium. on 00:44 - Jun 24 by Boston
The Dairy was the best option but, I’d not downplay the Linford Christie, it could yet turn into our lunchbox.
[Post edited 24 Jun 2021 0:46]
dairy crests site couldnt have been any better , no residents to get through large piece of land , so offset costs with residential units great transport links prob best for any london club to be honest , easily have stuck a 35k stadium in and gained the other events on top when not being used , utter madness that we didnt go for it , silly money for such a location in central london shamebut another cock up to add to list
Linford Christie Stadium. on 11:57 - Jun 24 by wombat
dairy crests site couldnt have been any better , no residents to get through large piece of land , so offset costs with residential units great transport links prob best for any london club to be honest , easily have stuck a 35k stadium in and gained the other events on top when not being used , utter madness that we didnt go for it , silly money for such a location in central london shamebut another cock up to add to list
I think it was a bit more complicated than just being a missed opportunity.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 12:04 - Jun 24 with 2409 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 11:57 - Jun 24 by wombat
dairy crests site couldnt have been any better , no residents to get through large piece of land , so offset costs with residential units great transport links prob best for any london club to be honest , easily have stuck a 35k stadium in and gained the other events on top when not being used , utter madness that we didnt go for it , silly money for such a location in central london shamebut another cock up to add to list
Al Fayed wanted to take Fulham to the Dairy Crest site at the time we were sharing at your place, but most supporters campaigned against it. From memory, the planned capacity was 37,000. That site would have been ideal for Rangers, though.
[Post edited 24 Jun 2021 12:05]
Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 12:25 - Jun 24 with 2321 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 18:22 - Nov 11 by francisbowles
I was at both. I used to pay on the gate and for the Arsenal game, I didn't arrive until just before kick off. The gates were locked and for the only time in my life, I had to purchase from a tout, although I think I got it at face value. I ended up standing in the paddocks. For the Leeds game, I got there a bit earlier and got in the Loft.
As for the supporters being out there, I would suggest they are the ones that only turn up for 'glory games'. We surely can't decide on a suitable capacity to include many of them.
This was the first season I started going with my elder brother and a few mates. We got to the ground and it was so full we couldn't get in. By the time we had got back to Sarf London the game was over but we had no idea of the score as it was pre mobile phones obviously.
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Linford Christie Stadium. on 12:29 - Jun 24 with 2304 views
Linford Christie Stadium. on 07:51 - Jun 23 by stevec
Old oak common station gets the go ahead, perfectly positioned for any club sticking a football stadium on the scrubs.
There is enormous amounts of investment money sitting around in the UK and the demand for high quality development residential sites is booming, particularly in London.
As I see it, LR is a high value footprint and the club will do well when that site comes up for sale. Expect a massive auction, which will drive the price up - subject to planning which I do not see as a huge issue.
It's pointless talking about missed opportunities - that horse has bolted. Post Covid, I would expect the Board to go full-on with a proposal for the LC site, possibly a joint venture. I would be very surprised if discussions are not already taking place.
Local authorities are skinned and we are a big player in W12, we have the finances and the history. That site could de designed in a fantastic way with a myriad of options from retail, residential and commercial.
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