Quote Originally Posted by upthemaggies View Post
They never averaged more than 3,632 during their L1 spell recently, overall average for the last 50 years is 2,508.

A big factor might be the fact they spent 36 consecutive seasons in the 4th tier from 1974-2010 and the vast majority of those mid-bottom half of the table as no hopers, which is hardly going to inspire new generations of fans to turn up. They reached one play off final two years before going up with us in the Munto season, that 2008 Wembley trip (losing 2-3 to Stockport) probably was the thing that inspired their brief period of relative success. They were League Cup finalists back when it was a two leg home and away final in the 1960s but it must be that prolonged spell of stagnation that explains their lack of support.
Most of their "success" was also due to having Alan Hill as manager who called in a lot of favours and they had just a nuts amount of loan players at the time ( many on season long loans to keep the wage bill down) most of whom worked out for a while. Obviously not a recipe for long term success. But at the time I doubt any Rochdale fans moaned. It takes a special kind of person to support a perennially struggling team like them or Torquay with no investment ever and basically on the breadline every season. Much worse than Notts. I salute all of their fans.