Our Average Attendance

[Shrimp in a Kilt]

Quote[/b] (Thenewblue @ Jan. 09 2005,23:32)]I'm on Jávea's side, but I think they go hand in hand, I think success breeds crowds and that in return gets the team playing better?!

Sounds plausible, but on that basis the bigger the crowd the more likely we are to win... So why do we consistently fluff our lines in front of the bigger crowds? (viz. Luton, Mansfield)

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:44)]... whilst we are providing entertainment then fans will come. And then we the chance to add to our fanbase that sticks even when times are hard.

I could be pedantic and ask what happened to the 16,000 or so extra souls who "supported" Southend United in Cardiff?!

WS

 

[Shrimp in a Kilt]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,23:46)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:44)]... whilst we are providing entertainment then fans will come. And then we the chance to add to our fanbase that sticks even when times are hard.

I could be pedantic and ask what happened to the 16,000 or so extra souls who "supported" Southend United in Cardiff?!

WS

Three of us had to go back to Scotland, another three live in Oxford so don't get to many matches - that knocks it down to 15,994.

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Shrimp in a Kilt @ Jan. 09 2005,23:49)]Three of us had to go back to Scotland, another three live in Oxford so don't get to many matches - that knocks it down to 15,994.

Two of us are here in Jávea ...

15,992 to go.

WS

 

[footymad13]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,22:46)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:44)]... whilst we are providing entertainment then fans will come. And then we the chance to add to our fanbase that sticks even when times are hard.

I could be pedantic and ask what happened to the 16,000 or so extra souls who "supported" Southend United in Cardiff?!

WS

Good Question !

 

[Beefy]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,23:24)]

Quote[/b] (Beefy @ Jan. 09 2005,23:21)]We're getting bigger gates than we were in the final season, when we were really, really bad and when the novalty of being in the First Divison had worn off.

Only just though ...

1996/97 : 5,072

2004/05 : 5,143

WS

To be fair there were a lot more away fans travelling to Roots Hall for games that season than usually happens now. I'm fairly certain more Southend fans are coming now than did in that second Ronnie Whelan year.

 

[Guest]

Quote[/b] (Javea Shrimper @ Jan. 09 2005,23:46)]

Quote[/b] (footymad13 @ Jan. 09 2005,23:44)]... whilst we are providing entertainment then fans will come. And then we the chance to add to our fanbase that sticks even when times are hard.

I could be pedantic and ask what happened to the 16,000 or so extra souls who "supported" Southend United in Cardiff?!

WS

From looking around the crowd I suspect a fair few have become regular supporters.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Let's look at another comparison, if anybody can be arsed to dig out the stats of average attendance!

It was a long time ago now, but what was our average attendance at The Hall the last time we were pushing for promotion - and managed to succeed - in Div. 4 back in the '89-'90 season?

Back then, the first game of the season (against York City) attracted 2,725 fans. That was the first day of the season... fair enough... but the last home game of the season (of a promotion campaign) was a paltry 3,650!

We had only lost 4 games at home... so although I cannot find the stats for the average crowd in '89-'90, it does seem to me like Southend United is a much better supported club now than it was the last time we were pushing for success in the basement league.

I'd put this down to a mix of the LDV final factor, better all-round marketing of lower league football, better running and promotion of the club, the Tilson-Brush factor and results.

(Thanks to Robin Michel's site for the stats)

 

[Wessex Blue]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Jan. 10 2005,08:38)]Let's look at another comparison, if anybody can be arsed to dig out the stats of average attendance!

It was a long time ago now, but what was our average attendance at The Hall the last time we were pushing for promotion - and managed to succeed - in Div. 4 back in the '89-'90 season?

Back then, the first game of the season (against York City) attracted 2,725 fans. That was the first day of the season... fair enough... but the last home game of the season (of a promotion campaign) was a paltry 3,650!

We had only lost 4 games at home... so although I cannot find the stats for the average crowd in '89-'90, it does seem to me like Southend United is a much better supported club now than it was the last time we were pushing for success in the basement league.

I'd put this down to a mix of the LDV final factor, better all-round marketing of lower league football, better running and promotion of the club, the Tilson-Brush factor and results.

(Thanks to Robin Michel's site for the stats)

The Jobson years had an effect on support as well, there were plenty of people who were put off of coming to the Hall because of the way VJ ran the club.

Personally I think we do have a better support now than before but being honest I think that's probably true of a lot of lower league clubs. Back at the start of the nineties you could pick virtually any match you fancied attending on a Saturday, you could pay on the gate and you wouldn't have to re-mortgage to get in. Those days are long gone and the occasional fan who would go to Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs etc on the day can no longer get tickets so we benefit from that.

I'd love to see us break the 6,000 average attendance barrier this season and I think we can do it. The cup matches against Canvey, the LDV attendances versus the scum and our support at Cardiff show that the interest and potential for a bigger support is there, we just need a bit of success and a shiny new stadium to tap into it.

 

[Smiffy]

" Build it, and they will come "...

 

[The Fitter]

I wish I could believe that we could gain average attendances in 5 figures but I just can't.

Sure (some big IF'S coming) if we go up this season and if we repeated that the following one and if we started our first season in the championship in a shiny new stadium I am sure that we could quite easily see in excess of 10 thousand 'fans' every game and FM could tell us all he told us so. (That is not a dig at you FM)

However when the wheels came off our wagon, and by that I don't mean relegation I mean mid table finishes for a couple of seasons, the 'fans' would fade away untill we are left with the same poor souls that we always get.

IMO unless the 4 thousand or so regular attendees all win the big one on the lottery in successive weeks and then choose to invest in the club we will be in much the same position attendance wise in 10 years. Only difference being it will be FM 25ish telling the new FM the younger that we can't average 10 thousand a week.

In my dreams it is all so different but hey, thats life with a 4th division side.

 

[bas blue]

i feel this club does not sell its self enough. if it wasnt for the echo putting us on the back page a lot of the time, the general public wouldnt even know we exhisted. whilst we are doing well its the perfect time to raise the profile of the club in the local area. not sure how, but selling our shirts in basildon and lakeside would be a start. i know this is an old chestnut but it really ****es me off i can buy football and rugby shirts from around the world, but not from one thats on our doorstep. not that is unless you visit the dingy damp "superstore" !

 

[* ORM *]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Jan. 10 2005,09:39)]The Jobson years had an effect on support as well, there were plenty of people who were put off of coming to the Hall because of the way VJ ran the club.

Sorry, but I believe this comment is bollox. I'd guess that less than 10% had any inkling of what was 'allegedly' going on and substantially less than 10% probably stayed away 'in protest'.

 

[Smiffy]

I agree with that bas blue, we should be able to see our shorts in the local stores.

But i tell you what ****es me off more is i spotted a borient calendar in Virgin southend the other day.

 

[* ORM *]

Quote[/b] (Smiffy @ Jan. 10 2005,10:40)]But i tell you what ****es me off more is i spotted a borient calendar in Virgin southend the other day.

Didn't you have a box of matches on you ?

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Jan. 10 2005,08:38)]Let's look at another comparison, if anybody can be arsed to dig out the stats of average attendance!

It was a long time ago now, but what was our average attendance at The Hall the last time we were pushing for promotion - and managed to succeed - in Div. 4 back in the '89-'90 season?

Back then, the first game of the season (against York City) attracted 2,725 fans. That was the first day of the season... fair enough... but the last home game of the season (of a promotion campaign) was a paltry 3,650!

We had only lost 4 games at home... so although I cannot find the stats for the average crowd in '89-'90, it does seem to me like Southend United is a much better supported club now than it was the last time we were pushing for success in the basement league.

I'd put this down to a mix of the LDV final factor, better all-round marketing of lower league football, better running and promotion of the club, the Tilson-Brush factor and results.

(Thanks to Robin Michel's site for the stats)

Just the point I was going to make!  From memory our average attendance in 89/90 was well under 4,000 despite getting off to a storming start and being top of the table for the first few months and then being in the top 3 for virtually all the season.  Despite a better league position than this season our crowds were more than 20% lower.  (Looking at the previous Div 4 promotion year, 86/87, our average was less than 3,700 despite two huge crowds against Northamption (over 7,000) and Wolves (over 10,000)).

Without question, the core and floating fan base has substantially increased over the last few years.  IMHO, a combination of many factors - football is now more trendy, better marketing, better facilities, better organisation at the club.  

Another point is that going back to the 60s and 70s we were a very well supported club with regular 10,000 crowds.  For a number of general reasons (eg Hooliganism) and club specific reasons (eg Anton Johnson) crowds declined depite some unbelievably successful seasons.  Are we not now just seeing a steady return to our old good support (as indeed lots of clubs are seeing) but the difference with us is that our crowds fell further than most and so have further to grow?

As for the LDV, I think this has turned some floaters into more regular fans.  Perhaps only a couple of hundred but better than nothing.

Overall, I'd have to er towards FM13's view and see no reason why crowds cannot increase even further if we continue to be successful. One encouraing sign is the number of kids now seen at Roots Hall which was not the case in the past.

BUT, a new ground does not automatically mean an increase in attendances.  If the new ground is a soulless concrete box, hard to access, poor parking, poor facilities etc then the opposite could be true (especially as Roots Hall is in a great location - central, easy parking, close to trains, ready supply of pubs etc).

Finally, to average 6,000 this season overall we'd need to average over 7,100 for our remaining home games ie the home sections nearly sold out for every game.  Can't see this
happening.

 

[CSWICKFORDSHRIMPER]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ Jan. 10 2005,10:40)]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Jan. 10 2005,09:39)]The Jobson years had an effect on support as well, there were plenty of people who were put off of coming to the Hall because of the way VJ ran the club.

Sorry, but I believe this comment is bollox. I'd guess that less than 10% had any inkling of what was 'allegedly' going on and substantially less than 10% probably stayed away 'in protest'.

I recall Stan Collymores 1st game the supporters called for a boycott cos of Vic Jobson and his handling of the clubs fans...
Supporters where asking telling people to stay in the pubs and not go to the game I still went and we won 3.0 I think?but only just over 3300 turnup for the game and missed one of the best games of the season ..

my point is that season we averaged over 6000 home gates, but alot of true/loyal supporters boycotted many games cos of Vic Jobson

but today I think we are a bigger club and the support is growing and reckon we will break the 6000 mark this saturday...

One Team In Essex
SOUTHEND UNITED FC

 

[sufcintheprem]

Just to put a badly needed fresh angle on this debate.

The first games I went to go and see were in the first division and these had a massive impact on my commitment to Southend as a fan. Who's to say how many current loyal fans started to support the team in the Div 1 days.

In addition to that, I think it's commonly accepted that loyal fans tend to bring 'floaters' (hardly a generous term for any Southend fan) to games, increasing the attendance.

If this is the case, then the real attendance increase should be measured in terms of the size of the core support, i.e. the people who turn up even if we are 23rd. IMO, this number is as big as it's been for a good number (for young people, a few for old people) of years and has shown a recent, steady increase.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Quote[/b] ]I'm not one of those to harp on about the good old days of the north bank! I just feel we deserve to have our maximum capacity for home fans when away support barely take 10% of their allocation only two that spring to mind are Col ewe and Torquay last season.

Too be fair, Canvey almost sold out the away end in the FA Cup last season.

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]Only difference being it will be FM 25ish telling the new FM the younger

you mean hes going to have offspring GOD HELP US!