Dot Counting Home League Attendances 2024/25 - 2nd best season ever

[MarkG]

I must admit I admire those supporters who travel around the country by public transport - and all the potential hassle that involves.
Whilst attending almost all home matches and many away this season (and some of the latter really quite depressing) I admit I have the luxury of travelling by car and the advantage of going “door to door” and the only requirement being road conditions and where to park.
Occasionally, however, the temptation to stay in and watch on Sky has been too much (Hull on a Tuesday night for example).
Fair play to the other 1600 Yellows who I see regularly around the country - and who have travelled without the benefit of a car!

I used to drive to home games until one game we went for a curry after and I found the train and plus bus was cheaper than petrol cost. Also the last few years the highways agency have been doing the a3/m25 junction which can add half an hour just to get through that junction. Combined with the higher crowds and parking I haven’t bothered with midweek home games for a few seasons now. Exceptions being Peterborough POSF and Leeds a few weeks ago.

Even the Saturday 12:30 kick offs haven’t been that bad. Just like getting up early for an away game.

 

[holdsteady]

I used to drive to home games until one game we went for a curry after and I found the train and plus bus was cheaper than petrol cost. Also the last few years the highways agency have been doing the a3/m25 junction which can add half an hour just to get through that junction. Combined with the higher crowds and parking I haven’t bothered with midweek home games for a few seasons now. Exceptions being Peterborough POSF and Leeds a few weeks ago.

Even the Saturday 12:30 kick offs haven’t been that bad. Just like getting up early for an away game.

Train £16 then bus £4 for me assuming it would be similar for you as I believe you do Guildford to Reading then change? I get on at Blackwater. You must be able to drive for less than that?

 

[MarkG]

Do you keep any record of what you spend on top of travel and match tickets? Like drink, food, merchandise etc? Would be interesting to see a complete total from one season.

I don’t keep a record of drink and merchandise. But as you ask about food.
This season: on the train to a game. I have had these on X separate occasions. My walk to the station is past a fruit and veg market so I pick up something for a morning breakfast
Apple cox - 1
Apple Granny Smith - 1
Apple russet - 1
Banana - 6
Blackberries - 2
Blueberries - 8
Cherries - 5
Clementine - 9
Dragon fruit - 1
Figs - 3
Grapefruit - 3
Grapes red - 4
Grapes white - 1
Grapes black - 2
Grenadilla - 3
Kiwi fruit - 4
Lychee - 1
Mango - 3
Melon - 1
Nectarine - 1
Nispero - 1
Orange midnight Valencia - 1
Orange blood - 1
Passion fruit - 10
Peach - 1
Pear conference -1
Plum Angelino - 4
Plum Greengage - 1
Plum ruby red - 2
Plum Victoria - 1
Raspberries - 6
Sharon fruit - 2
Strawberries - 1
Watermelon - 1

 

[holdsteady]

I don’t keep a record of drink and merchandise. But as you ask about food.
This season: on the train to a game. I have had these on X separate occasions. My walk to the station is past a fruit and veg market so I pick up something for a morning breakfast
Apple cox - 1
Apple Granny Smith - 1
Apple russet - 1
Banana - 6
Blackberries - 2
Blueberries - 8
Cherries - 5
Clementine - 9
Dragon fruit - 1
Figs - 3
Grapefruit - 3
Grapes red - 4
Grapes white - 1
Grapes black - 2
Grenadilla - 3
Kiwi fruit - 4
Lychee - 1
Mango - 3
Melon - 1
Nectarine - 1
Nispero - 1
Orange midnight Valencia - 1
Orange blood - 1
Passion fruit - 10
Peach - 1
Pear conference -1
Plum Angelino - 4
Plum Greengage - 1
Plum ruby red - 2
Plum Victoria - 1
Raspberries - 6
Sharon fruit - 2
Strawberries - 1
Watermelon - 1

Good to see you keeping healthy.

You should document your entire spend next season, would be interesting to see.

 

[MarkG]

Train £16 then bus £4 for me assuming it would be similar for you as I believe you do Guildford to Reading then change? I get on at Blackwater. You must be able to drive for less than that?

It’s around 140 miles round trip and when I first worked it out it was costing me around £20 in petrol vs £20 train. Even if I drive at 40mpg that’s around £25 I think at current prices.

 

[holdsteady]

It’s around 140 miles round trip and when I first worked it out it was costing me around £20 in petrol vs £20 train. Even if I drive at 40mpg that’s around £25 I think at current prices.

I always assumed my slightly shorter trip cost me a tenner or a bit more but that might just be my maths, that’s also not allowing for the wear and tear in your car so it’s probably a similar cost. I have family to visit so use the match’s as a chance to do that, which makes the car journey more economical for me.

 

[Colin B]

It was quite fluid in those days, and as many as they could cram in. Probably somewhere between 18,00 and 19,000 though. Our largest home league crowd that season was 17,939 against Derby and our smallest home league crowd was 7,005 against Preston, and there was a very large swing in attendances week on week, depending on the opposition, unlike the present day, where crowds don't fluctuate much.

I have most of the away averages for this season, and will complete it today, and put the figures up here, but it looks like we'll finish 12th with an average just below 1,600. I think that is excellent, and will be the highest away verses home average in the division.

I'm still waiting for the Swansea confirmation, and five other figures, but none of the other five affect our final position, so here it is:

Going with the 2,617 Swansea figure we finished on 1,575 and in 12th position. Even if the 2,006 figure was correct, we would still be 12th. Our away to home percentage is by far the best in the division and the divisional away average is 1,720. That's subject to a minimal change when the final numbers are in.

There are a number of clubs who think of themselves as "bigger" than us, who have an away average much smaller than ours, and one of those is in the Play Offs.

 

[NottsYellow]

I'm still waiting for the Swansea confirmation, and five other figures, but none of the other five affect our final position, so here it is:

Going with the 2,617 Swansea figure we finished on 1,575 and in 12th position. Even if the 2,006 figure was correct, we would still be 12th. Our away to home percentage is by far the best in the division and the divisional away average is 1,720. That's subject to a minimal change when the final numbers are in.

There are a number of clubs who think of themselves as "bigger" than us, who have an away average much smaller than ours, and one of those is in the Play Offs.

Bristol City?

 

[West Oxon U’s]

£510 plus season ticket £269. (Face value of the tickets so not including postage and fees of £62.

So your tickets and travel worked out at just over £70 per match before you bought any beer, pies or programmes etc.

Championship football worth ever penny!

I generally work on the metric that an away match in the Champ. is basically a £70 day out on average.

 

[SSU Dozer]

I had a good time going away this season, I missed five matches, including Leeds (last Saturday before Christmas and all that) which was probably a low point. I mistrust public transport so drove to them all bar QPR and WBA when I used the supporters coach. I don’t like doing two long drives in one day, especially after evening matches so stayed in a hotel for 13 matches (15 including Exeter and the first Plymouth postponement). Quite an outlay but it has been great time to support OUFC and, one way or another, I enjoyed all the trips. No match this season was as bad as Bolton and Peterborough away last season but, of course, we got redemption from both of them.
It’s going to be a bit of a flat few months now.

 

[QR]

This season i went to 36 games and every one using public transport. Travelled 8846 miles by train (estimate using route planner between stations). Train cost £1635.25 and buses £55.60.

Now, I like a spreadsheet as much as anyone but...........

 

[Carpy]

I'm still waiting for the Swansea confirmation, and five other figures, but none of the other five affect our final position, so here it is:

Going with the 2,617 Swansea figure we finished on 1,575 and in 12th position. Even if the 2,006 figure was correct, we would still be 12th. Our away to home percentage is by far the best in the division and the divisional away average is 1,720. That's subject to a minimal change when the final numbers are in.

There are a number of clubs who think of themselves as "bigger" than us, who have an away average much smaller than ours, and one of those is in the Play Offs.

I think it'll be interesting to compare this number in a couple of seasons should we still be at this level. I would hope they remain similar but it is also possible that it's that high due to a new league with new clubs.

 

[Colin B]

I think it'll be interesting to compare this number in a couple of seasons should we still be at this level. I would hope they remain similar but it is also possible that it's that high due to a new league with new clubs.

I'm sure the novelty factor helps, as I think we'd stagnated a bit in League One, having been there for eight seasons.

I suppose the trick is to make sure we get promoted a bit earlier this time.

 

[Stranger]

I had a good time going away this season, I missed five matches, including Leeds (last Saturday before Christmas and all that) which was probably a low point. I mistrust public transport so drove to them all bar QPR and WBA when I used the supporters coach. I don’t like doing two long drives in one day, especially after evening matches so stayed in a hotel for 13 matches (15 including Exeter and the first Plymouth postponement). Quite an outlay but it has been great time to support OUFC and, one way or another, I enjoyed all the trips. No match this season was as bad as Bolton and Peterborough away last season but, of course, we got redemption from both of them.
It’s going to be a bit of a flat few months now.

To quote from your avatar: what a long strange trip it's been

 

[SSU Dozer]

To quote from your avatar: what a long strange trip it's been

It has been a strange trip. What a contrast Saturday was compared to just over three years ago when we lost to Morcombe on a cold, Tuesday evening in front of less than 4000 spectators. But instead of a ‘Touch of Grey’ we’ve had a Touch of Gary

 

[holdsteady]

It has been a strange trip. What a contrast Saturday was compared to just over three years ago when we lost to Morcombe on a cold, Tuesday evening in front of less than 4000 spectators. But instead of a ‘Touch of Grey’ we’ve had a Touch of Gary

If you want a real contrast, 19 years ago today we were losing at home 3-2 to Leyton Orient and seeing them dance on our pitch as they celebrated getting promotion to league while we sat there with it sinking in that we were no longer in the premier league. I realise that 19 years is a long time but it seems a lifetime and a world away now.

Still can't bring myself to want anything but them not going up in the play offs, even if it is a decent away day.

 

[Swinny]

Away attendances very much at the whim of the fixture computer and changes...sure we'd have taken many more to Turf Moor had that stayed as a 3pm Saturday KO being an obvious one...

Nothing but respect for anyone who makes those long midweek journeys for games!

 

[Colin B]

I'm still waiting for the Swansea confirmation, and five other figures, but none of the other five affect our final position, so here it is:

Going with the 2,617 Swansea figure we finished on 1,575 and in 12th position. Even if the 2,006 figure was correct, we would still be 12th. Our away to home percentage is by far the best in the division and the divisional away average is 1,720. That's subject to a minimal change when the final numbers are in.

There are a number of clubs who think of themselves as "bigger" than us, who have an away average much smaller than ours, and one of those is in the Play Offs.

The club have now updated the official figure for Swansea away as 2,550. That's the figure that FotMob had an hour or so after the game, and feels about right too. It drops our average from 1,575 to 1,572 but leaves us in 12th place as stated above.

I think whoever did the initial match report and attendance on the official site must have borrowed @bazzer9461 's fat fingers!!!

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

This season i went to 36 games and every one using public transport. Travelled 8846 miles by train (estimate using route planner between stations). Train cost £1635.25 and buses £55.60.

This season I went to 4 games and every one using a plane and car. Travelled 19596 miles by plane and car (estimating using google maps between airports) . Plane for me and daughter (4 flights) cost $4.2k and car rental an additional $1.1k.

Worth every minute even the Leeds away drubbing for the memories with my daughter who is now a dedicated Texan yellow parading replica kits around her Houston school

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

 

[Colin B]

View attachment 27065

Most of those figures are wrong. Not by much, but they're wrong.

 

[NottsYellow]

Burnley's away following is poor bearing in mind they've been going for promotion & title all season.
Also their average is boosted by two "one off" away crowds of 5k ish at Preston & Blackburn.
Take those two games out and average comes down to 1,650.

Our average would have have boosted a tad if only we had those extra Leeds tickets.

 

[Sarge]

Burnley's away following is poor bearing in mind they've been going for promotion & title all season.
Also their average is boosted by two 2one off" away crowds of 5k ish at Preston & Blackburn.
Take those two games out and average comes down to 1,650.

Our average would have have boosted a tad if only we had those extra Leeds tickets.

Apparently those with decades of experience knew better

 

[Colin B]

Burnley's away following is poor bearing in mind they've been going for promotion & title all season.
Also their average is boosted by two 2one off" away crowds of 5k ish at Preston & Blackburn.
Take those two games out and average comes down to 1,650.

Our average would have have boosted a tad if only we had those extra Leeds tickets.

All of the northern teams benefit from the huge allocations given at both Preston and Blackburn, about 5,500 and 7,500 respectively. Added to that some of them are no more than 15/20 minutes apart. We do not have the luxury of either of these things, with our closest game about 50 miles away and none of the southern allocations being above 2,000 (apart from Bristol City, which we sold out, and that's 85 miles away). Even Cardiff is way over 100 miles away.

We would have definitely sold the extra Leeds tickets. We sold out Plymouth, before it was postponed and re-arranged for midweek, midwinter, meaning we took about 1,000 fewer. Same with Burnley, where I think we would have either sold out, or been very close to it, if the original date hadn't been changed. Similarly Coventry on a Saturday, rather than Friday night on Sky, would have been about 1,000 more.

If you factor those four games in then I'd say you could add another 4,000 to our total following, or 175 to the average, putting it at about 1,750. Of course other clubs may be able to say something similar, although I'd be amazed if anyone else turned down extra tickets to a game that never even made general sale???!!!

 

[MarkG]

All of the northern teams benefit from the huge allocations given at both Preston and Burnley, about 5,500 and 7,500 respectively. Added to that some of them are no more than 15/20 minutes apart. We do not have the luxury of either of these things, with our closest game about 50 miles away and none of the southern allocations being above 2,000 (apart from Bristol City, which we sold out, and that's 85 miles away). Even Cardiff is way over 100 miles away.

We would have definitely sold the extra Leeds tickets. We sold out Plymouth, before it was postponed and re-arranged for midweek, midwinter, meaning we took about 1,000 fewer. Same with Burnley, where I think we would have either sold out, or been very close to it, if the original date hadn't been changed. Similarly Coventry on a Saturday, rather than Friday night on Sky, would have been about 1,000 more.

If you factor those four games in then I'd say you could add another 4,000 to our total following, or 175 to the average, putting it at about 1,750. Of course other clubs may be able to say something similar, although I'd be amazed if anyone else turned down extra tickets to a game that never even made general sale???!!!

Do your stats show how many away games we had as 3pm Saturdays (and other days/times) compared to other clubs?
I think we got relatively lucky with I don't think any Sunday or Monday night games, whereas the big clubs I feel got picked more for Sky. So some game weeks everyone had a Tuesday or Wednesday game, but I am thinking more about the moved for tv games.

 

[Carpy]

I'd be amazed if anyone else turned down extra tickets to a game that never even made general sale???!!!

They clearly do not possess years of experience.

 

[Colin B]

Do your stats show how many away games we had as 3pm Saturdays (and other days/times) compared to other clubs?
I think we got relatively lucky with I don't think any Sunday or Monday night games, whereas the big clubs I feel got picked more for Sky. So some game weeks everyone had a Tuesday or Wednesday game, but I am thinking more about the moved for tv games.

I haven't made a note of that, although I could go back and do so. But unfortunately that would be a real ball ache to do retrospectively. It might be something I look at next season.

I did used to compare our attendances in League One on Saturdays verses midweek, and also other clubs, but it was much easier as there weren't so many different kick off times. It was generally 3pm Saturday, or midweek. There was a noticeable drop in virtually every club's attendances when it was midweek.

 

[MarkG]

I haven't made a note of that, although I could go back and do so. But unfortunately that would be a real ball ache to do retrospectively. It might be something I look at next season.

I did used to compare our attendances in League One on Saturdays verses midweek, and also other clubs, but it was much easier as there weren't so many different kick off times. It was generally 3pm Saturday, or midweek. There was a noticeable drop in virtually every club's attendances when it was midweek.

It is hard enough trying to keep track of our own games and attendances let alone everyone else's particularly when some match reports either don't give home and away attendance, or are wrong.

Anyway, I think although we could have taken more but for midweek and rearranged games and not taking allocations, it probably applies to every other club and even worse if they have more moved games.

Apart an FA Cup rearrangement for Plymouth, our only away moved league games to a weekday were I think Coventry, Watford and Norwich. Similarly our only moved to 12:30 away were Pompey, Stoke, MiIlwall (New Years Day 1pm) and Cardiff (bank holiday).

 

[holdsteady]

It is hard enough trying to keep track of our own games and attendances let alone everyone else's particularly when some match reports either don't give home and away attendance, or are wrong.

Anyway, I think although we could have taken more but for midweek and rearranged games and not taking allocations, it probably applies to every other club and even worse if they have more moved games.

Apart an FA Cup rearrangement for Plymouth, our only away moved league games to a weekday were I think Coventry, Watford and Norwich. Similarly our only moved to 12:30 away were Pompey, Stoke, MiIlwall (New Years Day 1pm) and Cardiff (bank holiday).

Swansea was 12.30.

That’s 7 out of 23, although a couple more were midweek as well, Burnley, Sheffield United and maybe some more, so getting on for half that away fixtures were not at 3pm on a Saturday.

 

[MarkG]

Swansea was 12.30.

That’s 7 out of 23, although a couple more were midweek as well, Burnley, Sheffield United and maybe some more, so getting on for half that away fixtures were not at 3pm on a Saturday.

Yes I realise those other midweeks. But it was Tuesday / Wednesday fixtures for everyone that week so I don’t count as being moved.