1972/3 attendances

[SwalePie]

Amazing to note that in the 1972/3 season Notts were in what is now League One and averaged 10,635, whereas Forest were in what is now the Championship and averaged 9,994.

Amazing what demolishing the Meadows and winning the old knockout version of the European Cup a time or two can do to swing the pendulum for so long!

[60YearsAPie]

Is that correct Swale?

Forest’s 1971/72 average attendance was 21,459, the season they were relegated from Division 1.

It’s incredible that the following season, in Division 2, the average attendance dropped to 9,994, meaning they lost over half their supporters.

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

Notts’ average attendance was greatly boosted in the last six games as we stormed to promotion. The aggregate for those six was over 100,000, including 23,513 on the final day v Tranmere. Forest’s highest was 18,082 v Villa in September- the previous Tuesday they’d had just 6,414 v Cardiff.

[sidders]

"The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there" L P Hartley The Go-Between

[Bohinen]

Is that correct Swale?

Forest’s 1971/72 average attendance was 21,459, the season they were relegated from Division 1.

It’s incredible that the following season, in Division 2, the average attendance dropped to 9,994, meaning they lost over half their supporters.

I think it is correct, but the figures I have shown (see link) are by year, not season. As it shows 2018 which is not yet complete, I think that's the end of season year (ie 1973 = 72/73). They probably did that to make the columns fit.

Notts had a better average in 71/72 at 13,941 (The first season in the third). I remember us having a massive crowd against Villa that year ... over 34,000. In 72/73 it shows our average as 10,635, lower than the previous year but higher than Forest, who had just been relegated.

http://european-football-statistics....nclub/notc.htm

Forest did indeed plummet to 9,994 in 72/73 after their relegation (see link). Loyal supporters, eh?

http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/notf.htm

[Bohinen]

"The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there" L P Hartley The Go-Between

In that case, then so is the future.

[upthemaggies]

One of their players around that time, Duncan McKenzie, reckoned that the majority of people in Nottingham actually supported Notts and only watched Fword when they were doing well.

From 1912 until 1957, that's almost a lifetime and also the period the vast majority of the support back then grew up in, they spent a grand total of three seasons in the top flight, we'd had seven seasons at the top in that time. They had a very successful spell from 57-71 but that was still very recent history and there probably was a sense that it was now all over and they were looking at another long stretch in the wilderness whilst Notts, on the other hand, were now resurgent.

[Old_pie]

One of their players around that time, Duncan McKenzie, reckoned that the majority of people in Nottingham actually supported Notts and only watched Fword when they were doing well.

From 1912 until 1957, that's almost a lifetime and also the period the vast majority of the support back then grew up in, they spent a grand total of three seasons in the top flight, we'd had seven seasons at the top in that time. They had a very successful spell from 57-71 but that was still very recent history and there probably was a sense that it was now all over and they were looking at another long stretch in the wilderness whilst Notts, on the other hand, were now resurgent.

My recollection of the 50's-60's was the sentiment was for Notts despite the successes over the river and this was reflected in attendances even when we hit the 4th tier the first time. However, and despite what happened in the Meadows, the failure to capitalise on that promotion winning side with players such as Carver, Roby, Hateley, Astle was the start of a decline especially the mid-60's.

Dunnett's great work in getting us out of the mire and appointing Sirrell would have worked really well until, and my heart sank when I heard the news, Cloughie and Taylor were coming to the other side of the Trent. We've not recovered from that imo. RT came nearest in recent times but "express yourself" Curle and RT's impatience meant we didn't get to the second tier when the Reds were having the worst of times. In this day and age we need to be the top dog in the city and I don't see that happening any time soon though I'm more hopefull now than I recall being since we reached the old First division, and that includes the Pavis/Warnock roller coaster.

[Jeekay56]

I wish people would learn how to spell Sirrel.

Some of the attendances for our away games during the 91/92 season are interesting.
I appreciate we were not the most attractive opposition that season.

Chelsea only drew 15,847.
Coventry City 10,685.
Villa 23,020.
Everton 24,230.
Spurs 23,364.
Liverpool 25,457.
Man City 23,426.

It's amazing what a bit of success can do.

[upthemaggies]

My recollection of the 50's-60's was the sentiment was for Notts despite the successes over the river and this was reflected in attendances even when we hit the 4th tier the first time. However, and despite what happened in the Meadows, the failure to capitalise on that promotion winning side with players such as Carver, Roby, Hateley, Astle was the start of a decline especially the mid-60's.

Dunnett's great work in getting us out of the mire and appointing Sirrell would have worked really well until, and my heart sank when I heard the news, Cloughie and Taylor were coming to the other side of the Trent. We've not recovered from that imo. RT came nearest in recent times but "express yourself" Curle and RT's impatience meant we didn't get to the second tier when the Reds were having the worst of times. In this day and age we need to be the top dog in the city and I don't see that happening any time soon though I'm more hopefull now than I recall being since we reached the old First division, and that includes the Pavis/Warnock roller coaster.

Longest run out of the top flight for them was 22 consecutive seasons, 1925/26 - 1956/57. Next season will be their 20th and most of those have seen them finish below half-way in the 2nd tier. It's almost as bad as it gets for them right now.

The one thing that they've still got going for them is their gates, which have held up remarkably well, although in comparison to other 2nd tier clubs they are beginning to fall behind. Down to 10th in the 2nd tier attendance table in the last two seasons from being 4th-7th beforehand.

Championship football for us however still feels a long way off. Realistically our best hope of finishing above them in the near future would be if they were to be relegated into the 3rd tier and have a really poor season whilst Notts managed to finish a few places above them in 8th or something like that.