Attendances in Scottish Football

[Pretty Boy]

I saw some interesting attendance figures today for the games that took place in the Scottish top division during the first weekend in December in 1972:

Airdrie v Aberdeen - 4060
Arbroath v Dundee United - 4153
Dumbarton v Celtic - 14488
Dundee v East Fife - 5275
Hibernian v Falkirk - 10606
Kilmarnock v Partick Thistle - 3490
Morton v Motherwell - 3256
Rangers v Hearts - 27350
St Johnstone v Ayr United - 2148

A total of 74826 across 9 games, an average of 8314 per game.

Contrast that to the weekend just past:

St Johnstone v Celtic - 6950 (estimate taken from a Celtic site, no official crowd announced)
Hibs v Aberdeen - 16592
Rangers v St Mirren - 47835
Kilmarnock v Hearts - 5915
Motherwell v Dundee - 4239

A total of 81531 across 5 games, an average of 16306 per game.

The 2 that jump out at me are the Hibs and Rangers crowds . Rangers finished 2nd (by a point) in 72/73 and had won the Cup Winners Cup the summer before yet their crowd seems remarkably poor. The Hibs team finished 3rd, had beaten Rangers in the League Cup semi final a couple of weeks before, would go on to beat Celtic in the final a week later and we were playing in front of 10K?! It doesn't seem an anomaly either, we beat Ayr 8-1 the week after the LC final and only 12K bothered to show up. Our crowds around that whole period just seemed pretty rubbish considering how many people wax lyrical about the quality of the team. Now I know the figure reported wasn't always totally accurate back then but why did more people not want to go out and watch Hibs (and Rangers apparently) week in, week out? My initial thought was maybe the economic climate of the 1970s but then we are hardly living through an age of prosperity now and football is by almost any measure more expensive now than it was then so maybe not.

The other thing to note is that the bigger teams seem to be holding up well and often increasing but not so much the smaller clubs. Because of the impact of the weather this weekend and some clubs who were at home 51 years ago being away this weekend there isn't a like for like comparison for a lot of clubs but using their last home game some of the clubs have seen significant drop offs in crowd and others significant rises:

Airdrie - 4060 v 1418 - down 65%
Arbroath - 4153 v 1753 - down 57%
Dumbarton - 14488 v 526 - down 96% (opposition obviously a factor here)
Dundee - 5275 v 6652 - up 26%
Hibernian - 10606 v 16592 - up 56%
Kilmarnock - 3490 v 5915 - up 69%
Morton - 3256 v 1614 - down 50%
Rangers - 27350 v 47835 - up 74%
St Johnstone -2148 v 6950 - up 223% (again opposition obviously a factor)

It seems we are in a weird place with crowds in Scotland. For the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen they are holding up well and indeed are often significantly better. You don't get the 30 or 40K who would pitch up at European games anymore or the huge away crowds from Celtic, Rangers and at derbies but the core support seems much more consistent in turning up week in, week out (I suppose the growth in popularity of STs accounts for some of that). For others their crowds have collapsed and I daresay the bigger clubs mentioned above, particularly the Glasgow two, are the beneficiaries.

[worcesterhibby]

I saw some interesting attendance figures today for the games that took place in the Scottish top division during the first weekend in December in 1972:

Airdrie v Aberdeen - 4060
Arbroath v Dundee United - 4153
Dumbarton v Celtic - 14488
Dundee v East Fife - 5275
Hibernian v Falkirk - 10606
Kilmarnock v Partick Thistle - 3490
Morton v Motherwell - 3256
Rangers v Hearts - 27350
St Johnstone v Ayr United - 2148

A total of 74826 across 9 games, an average of 8314 per game.

Contrast that to the weekend just past:

St Johnstone v Celtic - 6950 (estimate taken from a Celtic site, no official crowd announced)
Hibs v Aberdeen - 16592
Rangers v St Mirren - 47835
Kilmarnock v Hearts - 5915
Motherwell v Dundee - 4239

A total of 81531 across 5 games, an average of 16306 per game.

The 2 that jump out at me are the Hibs and Rangers crowds . Rangers finished 2nd (by a point) in 72/73 and had won the Cup Winners Cup the summer before yet their crowd seems remarkably poor. The Hibs team finished 3rd, had beaten Rangers in the League Cup semi final a couple of weeks before, would go on to beat Celtic in the final a week later and we were playing in front of 10K?! It doesn't seem an anomaly either, we beat Ayr 8-1 the week after the LC final and only 12K bothered to show up. Our crowds around that whole period just seemed pretty rubbish considering how many people wax lyrical about the quality of the team. Now I know the figure reported wasn't always totally accurate back then but why did more people not want to go out and watch Hibs (and Rangers apparently) week in, week out? My initial thought was maybe the economic climate of the 1970s but then we are hardly living through an age of prosperity now and football is by almost any measure more expensive now than it was then so maybe not.

The other thing to note is that the bigger teams seem to be holding up well and often increasing but not so much the smaller clubs. Because of the impact of the weather this weekend and some clubs who were at home 51 years ago being away this weekend there isn't a like for like comparison for a lot of clubs but using their last home game some of the clubs have seen significant drop offs in crowd and others significant rises:

Airdrie - 4060 v 1418 - down 65%
Arbroath - 4153 v 1753 - down 57%
Dumbarton - 14488 v 526 - down 96% (opposition obviously a factor here)
Dundee - 5275 v 6652 - up 26%
Hibernian - 10606 v 16592 - up 56%
Kilmarnock - 3490 v 5915 - up 69%
Morton - 3256 v 1614 - down 50%
Rangers - 27350 v 47835 - up 74%
St Johnstone -2148 v 6950 - up 223% (again opposition obviously a factor)

It seems we are in a weird place with crowds in Scotland. For the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen they are holding up well and indeed are often significantly better. You don't get the 30 or 40K who would pitch up at European games anymore or the huge away crowds from Celtic, Rangers and at derbies but the core support seems much more consistent in turning up week in, week out (I suppose the growth in popularity of STs accounts for some of that). For others their crowds have collapsed and I daresay the bigger clubs mentioned above, particularly the Glasgow two, are the beneficiaries.

My understanding is that back in the 60's and early 70's a lot of "working men" worked Saturday morning, meaning that they only had time to get to a local match, so were unlikely to travel to see higher quality football. That's rarer now as most people (unless working in retail etc) get saturday off, so are more able to travel to matches (they also have a car to make the journey).

This all ties in with my post on the TV rights thread. The Top 8 sides in Scotland are far more dependant on gate receipts than many other similar leagues in other countries. So widening of the number of Live matches that were shown on TV (and thus a bigger more lucrative TV deal) would undermine those attendances..particularly if they were shown on a Saturday at 3pm

[pollution]

Interesting thread you have here, you have spent time on research which is always positive in this day and age !

Firstly, today's so called attendances are actually seats sold, not those who turned up ( except for European and Cup games ) versus notoriously unreliable

figures from the Seventies where many entered the ground uncounted.

However, your question of why crowds were, on average, so low is that in my view there is a lot more disposable income nowadays. This is despite there being a greater

range of things to do today compared with then. Games were very very rarely played on a Sunday then whereas now those who had to work on a Saturday could go.

Today's crowds would be even higher if we had a bigger away end for sure. Perhaps 15000 plus away fans for the obvious teams, twice a year minimum.

Good thread, I could go on for ages on it.

[DH1875]

Remember that a lot of the time the crowds were given lower than what they actually were due to it being cash gates and tax avoidance.

[Kato]

No way was there only 12000 at ER when we beat Ayr Utd 8-1.

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[Broken Gnome]

Remember that a lot of the time the crowds were given lower than what they actually were due to it being cash gates and tax avoidance.

If that was the case, you'd have to offset it against Hibs and others over reporting actual attendances these days.

The number of people inside Easter Road on Sunday probably falls bang in between the 10.5k of the seventies and what the official match attendance is. Our actual game-going support is probably much the same as it was 15 years ago I'd reckon, following that bump in the 2016 - 2020 period.

[DanishJohn]

What a great post ! A great subject and a great piece of research on your behalf.

I might throw in a couple of points

1 Rangers- They were still embroiled in (For them Rangers) Celtic's horrible 9 in a row
2 - A lot more girls and women go to the football nowadays ?

[Chorley Hibee]

If that was the case, you'd have to offset it against Hibs and others over reporting actual attendances these days.

The number of people inside Easter Road on Sunday probably falls bang in between the 10.5k of the seventies and what the official match attendance is. Our actual game-going support is probably much the same as it was 15 years ago I'd reckon, following that bump in the 2016 - 2020 period.

The crowd wasn't even close to 16500 on Sunday.

I remarked on the match thread how empty (and quiet) the stadium was.

At a rough guess, based upon the capacity of each stand, I'd suggest the crowd was circa 12-13k.

I'm always amazed that we seem to have so many season ticket holders that rarely show up.

[neil7908]

The crowd wasn't even close to 16500 on Sunday.

I remarked on the match thread how empty (and quiet) the stadium was.

At a rough guess, based upon the capacity of each stand, I'd suggest the crowd was circa 12-13k.

I'm always amazed that we seem to have so many season ticket holders that rarely show up.

No way was there only 12k. It was quiet in terms of noise from the crowd but I don't think 16k is that wide of the mark imo.

For there to be 12k you'd be saying 4.5k had tickets but didn't show. Seems extremely unlikely when that's over 20% of the stadium capacity.

[worcesterhibby]

The crowd wasn't even close to 16500 on Sunday.

I remarked on the match thread how empty (and quiet) the stadium was.

At a rough guess, based upon the capacity of each stand, I'd suggest the crowd was circa 12-13k.

I'm always amazed that we seem to have so many season ticket holders that rarely show up.

People have busy lives and more disposable income (even in current climate) £400 a year split in payments isn't actually a lot (for many people - obviously I understand it is a huge amount for some people) and many people will spend far more each year on take away coffees ( I know..It beggars belief, but It's true). If you are buying two coffees a day during the week from Costa or similar you will be spending about £1500 a year on coffee.

I suspect there are plenty of people that only use their seat 50% of the time or less.

[Broken Gnome]

No way was there only 12k. It was quiet in terms of noise from the crowd but I don't think 16k is that wide of the mark imo.

For there to be 12k you'd be saying 4.5k had tickets but didn't show. Seems extremely unlikely when that's over 20% of the stadium capacity.I tend to think I might over egg this, but I wouldn't be surprised if 16k was way in excess. I wasn't there on Sunday, but there's numerous similar occasions when you can look at both the East Stand and FF from the vantage of the West Upper and those stands look half or 2/3s full at best.

You could comfortably put all supporters in the East from one end of the stand to the other with no spare seats, which then would leave a pretty substantial empty block at the other end.

1.5k in the FF, 4.5k in the East, 5k in the West and 1.5k-ish Aberdeen fans. You wouldn't be far off.

It's great so many are paying for tickets, but the regularly fuller stands have understandably taking a hit given the last few years of poor performance.

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[Chorley Hibee]

No way was there only 12k. It was quiet in terms of noise from the crowd but I don't think 16k is that wide of the mark imo.

For there to be 12k you'd be saying 4.5k had tickets but didn't show. Seems extremely unlikely when that's over 20% of the stadium capacity.


I sat in the West stand for a change on Sunday, and I was astonished by just how empty the East stand was.

It couldn't have been more then two thirds full at best, yet there were only a few hundred tickets for sale for that stand before kick off.

Now I think the East stand holds circa 6k, and likewise, the Famous Five (circa 4k capacity) couldn't have been anymore than two thirds full too.

If I assume the West also was around two thirds full, that gives me a rough estimate of attendance as circa 11-12k.

Add on around 1500 Aberdeen fans, then I don't think I'm too far off in my assessment.

Or look at it this way, the home stands hold circa 16k.

If you take 1500 off the official attendance for Aberdeen fans, then that means there were supposedly only a 1000 empty seats in the home stands.

In reality, there were at least a 1000 empty seats in the Famous Five stand alone.

[allezsauzee]

I would say it's a mixture of people having more disposable income , more people having jobs that allow them to attend games and a significant increase in women attending. We live in a less egalitarian society which makes people think they are worse off but people are on average much better off than they were 50 years ago (as you would expect in a developed country).

[Pagan Hibernia]

I sat in the West stand for a change on Sunday, and I was astonished by just how empty the East stand was.

It couldn't have been more then two thirds full at best, yet there were only a few hundred tickets for sale for that stand before kick off.

Now I think the East stand holds circa 6k, and likewise, the Famous Five (circa 4k capacity) couldn't have been anymore than two thirds full too.

If I assume the West also was around two thirds full, that gives me a rough estimate of attendance as circa 11-12k.

Add on around 1500 Aberdeen fans, then I don't think I'm too far off in my assessment.

Or look at it this way, the home stands hold circa 16k.

If you take 1500 off the official attendance for Aberdeen fans, then that means there were supposedly only a 1000 empty seats in the home stands.

In reality, there were at least a 1000 empty seats in the Famous Five stand alone.

East stand two thirds full at best?

[Brizo]

Interesting stats and from a Hibs perspective we seem to have been going through a period of consistently good attendance since that famous day in 2016.

I remember going to games with crowds of 5 or 6 thousand back in the early '80s and have read that pre-WW2 and Famous Five era crowds were regularly under 10k, so the last few years have probably been one of our better-supported periods. What has changed is that with a majority of attendees being ST holders nowadays, the actual numbers of those who turn up and take their seats can vary dramatically from week to week.

As others have mentioned the growth of a female audience will have undoubtedly played its part in boosting our, and other clubs core support , while Edinburghs populations increased by over 1000,00 since the year 2000. Regarding the latter stat , unfortunately most of these new Edinburghers, whether theyre from Africa or the South of England , will probably be armchair EPL fans , but its a new constituency that the club can hopefully tap into.

[Carheenlea]

The East was really just a smattering of fans 5 mins before KO but filled up pretty quickly before game got underway. The “HFC” white lettering doesn’t do any favours where vacant seats are mind you.

The numbers of ST’s now compared to then will be night and day. Even Rangers and Celtic would have small numbers of season tickets, predominantly in their main, and centre stands. League attendances now don’t really have the same fluctuations from week to week, subject to opposition as they did in the 70’s.

I think now you have more hardy regulars, and the away crowds are pretty consistent in size which again points to more regular attendance.

A lot of the one time “walk up’s” who for whatever reason could only get to a handful of games now have the option to embrace IPTV, and the habit of watching streamed games can then negate the enthusiasm to attend at all.
Given how easy it is to access games from your home I think our attendances in Scotland are very impressive when you also consider the cost of attending games. Back then going to the game was the only way you would get to see your team other than being lucky if your teams weekend fixture was selected for the solitary Scotsport/Sportscene highlights.



https://i.postimg.cc/tgyRPqnN/IMG-1448.jpg (https://postimg.cc/PC3knk4C)

[Chorley Hibee]

East stand two thirds full at best?

I'm not being funny, but that's not a very clear photo and it doesn't show the many countless empty green seats that were available.

I took a few photos during the game myself, but when trying to upload them on here, it's saying the files are too big.

You could still, roughly, see the HFC in the stand throughout the game, which shows how empty it was.

I'll be kind and say the East was 3/4 full at best then, but it was still nowhere near the 16500 given.

[Chorley Hibee]

The East was really just a smattering of fans 5 mins before KO but filled up pretty quickly before game got underway. The “HFC” white lettering doesn’t do any favours where vacant seats are mind you.

The numbers of ST’s now compared to then will be night and day. Even Rangers and Celtic would have small numbers of season tickets, predominantly in their main, and centre stands. League attendances now don’t really have the same fluctuations from week to week, subject to opposition as they did in the 70’s.

I think now you have more hardy regulars, and the away crowds are pretty consistent in size which again points to more regular attendance.

A lot of the one time “walk up’s” who for whatever reason could only get to a handful of games now have the option to embrace IPTV, and the habit of watching streamed games can then negate the enthusiasm to attend at all.
Given how easy it is to access games from your home I think our attendances in Scotland are very impressive when you also consider the cost of attending games. Back then going to the game was the only way you would get to see your team other than being lucky if your teams weekend fixture was selected for the solitary Scotsport/Sportscene highlights.



https://i.postimg.cc/tgyRPqnN/IMG-1448.jpg (https://postimg.cc/PC3knk4C)

Now looking at that pic, which isn't too dissimilar to my own, then if you sit everyone side by side, in all those empty seats, from end to end, it's not far off my 2/3 assessment.

[Pagan Hibernia]

Now looking at that pic, which isn't too dissimilar to my own, then if you sit everyone side by side, in all those empty seats, from end to end, it's not far off my 2/3 assessment.

I think it's closer to 3/4 than 2/3 bit we'll not fall out over it mate :aok:

[wookie70]

I sat in the West stand for a change on Sunday, and I was astonished by just how empty the East stand was.

It couldn't have been more then two thirds full at best, yet there were only a few hundred tickets for sale for that stand before kick off.

Now I think the East stand holds circa 6k, and likewise, the Famous Five (circa 4k capacity) couldn't have been anymore than two thirds full too.

If I assume the West also was around two thirds full, that gives me a rough estimate of attendance as circa 11-12k.

Add on around 1500 Aberdeen fans, then I don't think I'm too far off in my assessment.

Or look at it this way, the home stands hold circa 16k.

If you take 1500 off the official attendance for Aberdeen fans, then that means there were supposedly only a 1000 empty seats in the home stands.

In reality, there were at least a 1000 empty seats in the Famous Five stand alone.

It is frequently like that. Always makes me laugh when those in the East are having a go at the poor attendance in teh FFL as the East isn't that much different. Also an example of why photos can be deceiving. It always looks busier after we score.
27448

[Chorley Hibee]

People have busy lives and more disposable income (even in current climate) £400 a year split in payments isn't actually a lot (for many people - obviously I understand it is a huge amount for some people) and many people will spend far more each year on take away coffees ( I know..It beggars belief, but It's true). If you are buying two coffees a day during the week from Costa or similar you will be spending about £1500 a year on coffee.

I suspect there are plenty of people that only use their seat 50% of the time or less.

I'm in total agreement with what you say.

I just think the disparity between tickets sold and actual attendance always looks far greater at Easter Road than elsewhere.

[Ringothedog]

Now looking at that pic, which isn't too dissimilar to my own, then if you sit everyone side by side, in all those empty seats, from end to end, it's not far off my 2/3 assessment.

From my view in the West stand I would say there were about 1200 empty seats in a capacity of 6500. The FF had about 1000 empty seats mostly in the lower tier. I would guess at around 3000 In that stand. The West would have its usual 4500. My guess is at least 12800 Hibs fans in attendance with 1700 Aberdeen. A lot closer to 14500 than your estimate but I am not fixated on our attendances. They are what they are.

[Chorley Hibee]

From my view in the West stand I would say there were about 1200 empty seats in a capacity of 6500. The FF had about 1000 empty seats mostly in the lower tier. I would guess at around 3000 In that stand. The West would have its usual 4500. My guess is at least 12800 Hibs fans in attendance with 1700 Aberdeen. A lot closer to 14500 than your estimate but I am not fixated on our attendances. They are what they are.

Fixated?

I'm commenting on a thread titled "Attendances in Scottish Football" and speaking about it from a Hibs perspective.

Also, I said circa 11-12k Hibs fans, so not a huge difference from your own assessment of circa 13k.

Either way, it's nowhere near the official 16500, and disappointing that circa 2/3k season ticket holders aren't in attendance most weeks.

[Greenio]

Population growth?

[basehibby]

For me a massive factor is the advent of all seater grounds and resultant REDUCTION in capacity. This has resulted in a lot more fans becoming Season Ticket holders because its the only way of guaranteeing a seat at big matches like the Derby. This in turn has lead to larger attendances week on week because many more fans have already paid up front than was the case in the 70s.

In general, being an ST holder has become a more commonplace cultural phenomenon - seen as a positive way of supporting your club in addition to the convenience factor - and this has resulted in greater average Gates even though the max capacity is usually smaller

[worcesterhibby]

Population growth?

Gates were much higher in the 50's when the population was much smaller.

However I think that just backs up what basehibby has just posted about the advent of all seater stadiums. very good point about how that has meant higher average attendances

[DIXIHIBS]

Gates were much higher in the 50's when the population was much smaller.

However I think that just backs up what basehibby has just posted about the advent of all seater stadiums. very good point about how that has meant higher average attendances

Gates were undoubtedly higher in the 50s but the population was over 5 million so similar to today.

[Lago]

No way was there only 12000 at ER when we beat Ayr Utd 8-1.

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Well I was there and there certainly couldn't have been many more, going to ER through the 70/80s crowds were frequently of 8000 on average.

[ancient hibee]

No way was there only 12000 at ER when we beat Ayr Utd 8-1.

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I well remember looking around Easter Road that day and saying what a pathetic crowd had turned up to see the League Cup winners.

[worcesterhibby]

Gates were undoubtedly higher in the 50s but the population was over 5 million so similar to today.

I couldn't quite beleive you, so had to check and you are correct. Amazing how our cities have enlarged and sprawled across huge parts of the countryside, yet the population is about the same.

[wookie70]

Gates were undoubtedly higher in the 50s but the population was over 5 million so similar to today.

3 times more pensioners in the population now than there was then and half as many kids. So perhaps we have more older fans and less lift over the turnstiles. That would account for a fair difference each match. Less than 10% difference in overall population so as you say not a huge factor.

As others have said I think seated stadium made ST purchase more of a necessity if you wanted to go with friends or family. That meant a big lump of our core support had a ticket bought for each game and just accepted the benefits were worth it if they couldn't go every week. I'd love to see a figure for what I would consider is disposable income ie beer and football money. The government includes thing like rent which are massive now in comparison to the 20th century and social housing is pretty much a thing of the past. One thing that is sure is that ticket prices have outstripped inflation massively so our attendances are really impressive but may be explained in the local population growth in and around Edinburgh as well as the factors already mentioned. Edinburgh has a 30% higher population than it did in 1980

[DIXIHIBS]

I couldn't quite beleive you, so had to check and you are correct. Amazing how our cities have enlarged and sprawled across huge parts of the countryside, yet the population is about the same.

Remembered it from school😀. A lot of high density inner city tenements/slums knocked down in 60s and moved more folk to new towns and outskirts etc. Defo seems more built up but same population.

[where'stheslope]

I think the difference in now to back then is the TV coverage now is tilted towards the 2 Uglies for live games.
For an instance, up till 10 years ago, St Johnstone V Celtic would have been a sell out crowd, now a days, the Celtic fans fill their end but not the rest of the stadium as they did before.
The money lost to the likes of St Johnstone is massive, Killie seem to give the Uglies as much as they want for club funds???

[EastStandGates]

I think the difference in now to back then is the TV coverage now is tilted towards the 2 Uglies for live games.
For an instance, up till 10 years ago, St Johnstone V Celtic would have been a sell out crowd, now a days, the Celtic fans fill their end but not the rest of the stadium as they did before.
The money lost to the likes of St Johnstone is massive, Killie seem to give the Uglies as much as they want for club funds???

No danger St Johnstone were selling out for home games against Celtic and Rangers 2012/2013, if they did they gave away fans three out of 4 stands. Their average for that season was 3712, their average last season was 5232.

Killie offer OF same allocation as us. Around 3900.


Our attendances aren't anywhere near as bad as people make out.

St Johnstone would have the 2nd biggest average home gates in Hungary, biggest in Bulgaria, biggest in Albania, 3rd biggest in Croatia, 2nd biggest in Cyprus, 5th biggest in Czech, biggest in Finland, 2nd biggest in Serbia, 2nd/3rd biggest in Slovakia, biggest in Slovenia. There are teams in those league from big cities playing in Europe every season.

[O'Rourke3]

That's the only other game I've been to on my birthday..Hibs must have had plenty "10K" crowds as normal then. Stand wasn't always full but the Terrace/ Cave and Dunbar ends always busy. The Ayr game was packed, the 2 Reserve team players on the wee flat bed was comedy, but we all applauded the cup at half time

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[Crunchie]

I well remember looking around Easter Road that day and saying what a pathetic crowd had turned up to see the League Cup winners.
according to wikipedia there was 12500 there but how reliable that site is is anyones guess.
The same season it has the Rangers scottish cup games as 63000 at Ibrox and 49000 at Easter Road :rolleyes:

[superfurryhibby]

I couldn't quite beleive you, so had to check and you are correct. Amazing how our cities have enlarged and sprawled across huge parts of the countryside, yet the population is about the same.

Interesting, I would have guessed that our population would have increased a fair bit since the 50's, with all the changing demographics and living longer.

It seems strange that the Turnbull side of 1972-73 only got a 12k crowd. I was at that game, but not the final (was only 8, auld man, uncle(s) and grandad, they never took me, the swine) and have always remembered the way we played. I bet the usual crowd v Ayr back then would have been closer to 8000 if we weren't following on from the League Cup win.

Can also recall looking at crowd sizes and official attendances for big European games and thinking that Easter Road was rammed, like v Leed Utd,73-74, and being surprised that the official stats said something like 26,000. The ground could still take closer to 50'000 and the terracing was packed.

Somebody mentioned attendances in the era of the Five and and I wondered how many the OF or Hearts would bring then?

Hibs played in at least one game at Hampden to more than 140,00, v the Atilla's in a semi final. You wonder how many we would have taken through, 40,000-50,000?

[gbhibby]

Interesting, I would have guessed that our population would have increased a fair bit since the 50's, with all the changing demographics and living longer.

It seems strange that the Turnbull side of 1972-73 only got a 12k crowd. I was at that game, but not the final (was only 8, auld man, uncle(s) and grandad, they never took me, the swine) and have always remembered the way we played. I bet the usual crowd v Ayr back then would have been closer to 8000 if we weren't following on from the League Cup win.

Can also recall looking at crowd sizes and official attendances for big European games and thinking that Easter Road was rammed, like v Leed Utd,73-74, and being surprised that the official stats said something like 26,000. The ground could still take closer to 50'000 and the terracing was packed.

Somebody mentioned attendances in the era of the Five and and I wondered how many the OF or Hearts would bring then?

Hibs played in at least one game at Hampden to more than 140,00, v the Atilla's in a semi final. You wonder how many we would have taken through, 40,000-50,000?There were some games at Easter Road where the official attendance quoted was nothing like the actual attendance especially at the midweek matches and European games.

There were special trains and special buses put on in the 50s 60s and 70s to go to away games so large numbers would travel. Unfortunately due to the vandalism on trains and buses in the 70s these services were done away with. You could turn up at the St Andrew Square bus station and get on a special bus to away matches. Transport was probably better for getting to away matches then than it is now






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[Keith_M]

The average attendances in the early 70s were massively inflated by the visits of the OF (and, to a lesser extent Hearts).

Outside of those matches, a lot of the attendances were actually pretty poor.

e.g.

1971-72:
Highest attendance: 40,600 v Celtic
Lowest attendance: 1,700 v Motherwell

1972-73:
Highest attendance: 49,000 v Rangers
Lowest attendance: 7,000 v QoS

1973-74:
Highest attendance: 48,000 v Celtic
Lowest attendance: 4,900 v Morton


After around 1976, the bigger matches had nothing like those numbers, so the average attendances slumped to less than 10k.

[Ringothedog]

The average attendances in the early 70s were massively inflated by the visits of the OF (and, to a lesser extent Hearts).

Outside of those matches, a lot of the attendances were actually pretty poor.

e.g.

1971-72:
Highest attendance: 40,600 v Celtic
Lowest attendance: 1,700 v Motherwell

1972-73:
Highest attendance: 49,000 v Rangers
Lowest attendance: 7,000 v QoS

1973-74:
Highest attendance: 48,000 v Celtic
Lowest attendance: 4,900 v Morton


After around 1976, the bigger matches had nothing like those numbers, so the average attendances slumped to less than 10k.
There was also the issue that correct attendances were never actually given by the club unless it was a cup tie where gate receipts were split 50/50

[RoxburghHibs]

I'm in total agreement with what you say.

I just think the disparity between tickets sold and actual attendance always looks far greater at Easter Road than elsewhere.

Don't agree with that. Just look at Celtic Park and Tynecastle in mid-week. Both had loads empty seats all round the stadium - Hearts had 17k tickets sold but way less than that in the stadium.

So it's not just a "Hibs thing" all clubs do this.

[A Hi-Bee]

The average attendances in the early 70s were massively inflated by the visits of the OF (and, to a lesser extent Hearts).

Outside of those matches, a lot of the attendances were actually pretty poor.

e.g.

1971-72:
Highest attendance: 40,600 v Celtic
Lowest attendance: 1,700 v Motherwell

1972-73:
Highest attendance: 49,000 v Rangers
Lowest attendance: 7,000 v QoS

1973-74:
Highest attendance: 48,000 v Celtic
Lowest attendance: 4,900 v Morton


After around 1976, the bigger matches had nothing like those numbers, so the average attendances slumped to less than 10k.

Auld enough to have been around then, at the games shown as well, lets not forget about the 3 day week the winter of discontent, strikes little money around and that Scotland was shown to be a very violent country, in a few U.N. reports, sure I read that you had more chance of being knifed in Scotland than in the middle east at the time. All came into going to the games or not, no way was the true attendance shown when it was bags of cash being carried around from the turnstiles.
That rankers cup game was some battle on and off the pitch. Weedgies with machetes' and all running around the terraces. The **** of the planet.

[Ringothedog]

Auld enough to have been around then, at the games shown as well, lets not forget about the 3 day week the winter of discontent, strikes little money around and that Scotland was shown to be a very violent country, in a few U.N. reports, sure I read that you had more chance of being knifed in Scotland than in the middle east at the time. All came into going to the games or not, no way was the true attendance shown when it was bags of cash being carried around from the turnstiles.
That rankers cup game was some battle on and off the pitch. Weedgies with machetes' and all running around the terraces. The **** of the planet.

The game you mention, my recall is that they got battered upside down that evening. The YLT walking right into them behind the goals.Union flag held up and burned

[A Hi-Bee]

The game you mention, my recall is that they got battered upside down that evening. The YLT walking right into them behind the goals.Union flag held up and burned

I could not possibly comment my friend, but you are no far wrong.
Was more than 49,000 in the ground as well.