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We are the best supported club in the Championship

SAFCOldie said:
Doyle 😊 You are in a small group just below us. Take that as a compliment.
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Doyle why? Yes we are in a group just below the really big clubs, but of the example of the l1 clubs mentioned above Boro's all time average is higher than all of them except Sheff Wed and they are only a few thousand ahead. All these clubs are given their due, yet on this board we are seen as some kind of slightly bigger Hartlepool. For example Sheff Wed always considered a decent sized club. look through the record say since 1970 how many 30k average crowds per season has either club had. I'm guessing that that prior to that, during their glory years, they may have done a lot better. The thing is Boro haven't had any glory years, all the clubs mentioned all have, for us to be ahead of all bar one is very good. In summary, Newcastle and Sunderland are bigger clubs than Boro but we are as well supported as most of the best of the rest. What nobody can say for certain is what we could pull in if we had a top class prem team, we never have had a team that is capable of challenging. As the ground stands at the moment we couldn't find out with its 32,33k capacity.
 

CaptainRed said:
Mags 5th
West Ham 10th
Leeds 11th
Us 12th
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it cannot be all time!leeds were only formed in 1919 as i doubt their crowds would be higher than ours if they counted the extra 39 yeas we have on them!anybody got a link to the full list? Are west ham the best supported unsuccessful club?.......10th in the list but have never won the top league!
 
oriss said:
Doyle why? Yes we are in a group just below the really big clubs, but of the example of the l1 clubs mentioned above Boro's all time average is higher than all of them except Sheff Wed and they are only a few thousand ahead. All these clubs are given their due, yet on this board we are seen as some kind of slightly bigger Hartlepool. For example Sheff Wed always considered a decent sized club. look through the record say since 1970 how many 30k average crowds per season has either club had. I'm guessing that that prior to that, during their glory years, they may have done a lot better. The thing is Boro haven't had any glory years, all the clubs mentioned all have, for us to be ahead of all bar one is very good. In summary, Newcastle and Sunderland are bigger clubs than Boro but we are as well supported as most of the best of the rest. What nobody can say for certain is what we could pull in if we had a top class prem team, we never have had a team that is capable of challenging. As the ground stands at the moment we couldn't find out with its 32,33k capacity.
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Not to all of us marra, I hate the way the three of us try to belittle each other over the only thing that makes us stand out in my lifetime. As banter it's fine, I worked with lads from Stockton years ago and the ribbing was great but it's all turned into some serious chip on the shoulder bullshit since then. We can and used to have a rivalry whilst having a respect for each other and knowing we were all the same.
It's the same as those who claim Us v You isn't a real derby, go back to the late 80s or early 90s away at Ayresome Park as a Sunderland fan an tell me that wasn't even more edgy than an away day v the Mags.
 
oddbod said:
it cannot be all time!leeds were only formed in 1919 as i doubt their crowds would be higher than ours if they counted the extra 39 yeas we have on them!anybody got a link to the full list? Are west ham the best supported unsuccessful club?.......10th in the list but have never won the top league!
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It' ls the all time averages, not aggregates.
 
JohnKay said:
Not to all of us marra, I hate the way the three of us try to belittle each other over the only thing that makes us stand out in my lifetime. As banter it's fine, I worked with lads from Stockton years ago and the ribbing was great but it's all turned into some serious chip on the shoulder bullshit since then. We can and used to have a rivalry whilst having a respect for each other and knowing we were all the same.
It's the same as those who claim Us v You isn't a real derby, go back to the late 80s or early 90s away at Ayresome Park as a Sunderland fan an tell me that wasn't even more edgy than an away day v the Mags.
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Much edgier than the Mags away definitely back then, and the games at Roker Park were certainly livelier in the streets before and after against the Boro, unlike the Mags who were just gobshites safely tucked away behind the police lines usually
 
CaptainRed said:
It' ls the all time averages, not aggregates.
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The Leeds United all-time average is slightly misleading because their data only starts from 1922, when gates were far higher.
Those clubs that started playing in the league from 1889 will have some really low attendances included in their all-time average
because football was just starting in 1889, so attendances were very low, with many clubs averaging 2K to 8K.

Leeds United took over from Leeds City
If they included the Leeds City attendances when they played in the league form 1906 to 1920, then the Leeds United all-time average would be much lower.
West Ham are another one that didn't enter the league until 1920, so they avoided the era when every average attendance was very low.
 
blade01 said:
The Leeds United all-time average is slightly misleading because their data only starts from 1922, when gates were far higher.
Those clubs that started playing in the league from 1889 will have some really low attendances included in their all-time average
because football was just starting in 1889, so attendances were very low, with many clubs averaging 2K to 8K.

Leeds United took over from Leeds City
If they included the Leeds City attendances when they played in the league form 1906 to 1920, then the Leeds United all-time average would be much lower.
West Ham are another one that didn't enter the league until 1920, so they avoided the era when every average attendance was very low.
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Was wondering how Leeds & WHU were so high up, when neither have had massive crowds for any sustained period, that explains it.
 
JohnKay said:
Boro have away support as good as anyone, all three clubs up here are the same.
Sunderland fans take the piss out of Boro the same way Newcastle do to us, it's sad as feck and small time imo. Support through mediocrity is what make NE supporters the best imo. When you think of the miles the fans have to put in compared to loads of clubs we're all mad as a box of frogs number wise.
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Agree, there are 3 clubs in the North East.
In reality compared to other clubs you have Newcastle who are massive, Sunderland who are massive and Boro who are a big club.

However it's interesting how the media like to put everything in neat boxes.
So they have for many decades classed Newcastle United as "the team" that represent the North East.
They constantly continue with the stereotype of them having the best supporters, the most long suffering supporters etc etc.

As Sunderland are the 2nd club of the North East, they have never had the recognition they deserve as it doesn't fit the media agenda.
and as Boro are the 3rd club of the North East......well the may as well be Hartlepool United and they don't register in the media agenda.

It's similar in Yorkshire. The media like to put everything in neat boxes.
So for many decades Leeds United were classed as "the team" that represents Yorkshire.

Sheff Wednesday are traditionally the 2nd biggest club in Yorkshire but don't receive anywhere near the recognition compared to Leeds and Sheff United are traditionally the 3rd biggest club in Yorkshire, so we're like a Boro and don't really register, when we're actually a big club compared to most other EFL and PL clubs.
 
blade01 said:
If Bolton get a crowd of 22K everyone in the media raves about it being a huge crowd or Ipswich might get 25K and it's wow.

However of course Sheff Wed have challenged for the title in the early 60's and early 90's. Ipswich and Derby were both great teams in the 70's, with Ipswich doing well in Europe.
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Bolton share their catchment area with Man Utd and Man City as well as a dozen other clubs and haven't won a major trophy since 1958.

We've also been in L1/L2 for much longer than Derby, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday.

Maybe that's why it's more noteworthy.
 
blade01 said:
What does bigger actually mean?

Is it support? current support, historical support, trophies, seasons in the top flight etc.
Check the stats Sheffield United are bigger than Bolton, Ipswich (much bigger support) and historically bigger than Derby too.

Sunderland have always had fantastic support but I don't think it receive enough press attention.
If Bolton get a crowd of 22K everyone in the media raves about it being a huge crowd or Ipswich might get 25K and it's wow.

The same week Sheff Utd have 30K and Sunderland have 40K and it's meh because it's normal, no big deal.
The current Sheff United capacity has been restricted by the safety committee to 30,100, no tickets are allowed to be sold on the Kop, it's season tickets holders only on there
so most of our last few matches have been almost sold out even though we have one the dearest match tickets in the Championship, it was £34 cheapest against Stoke on Saturday.


Another point is our current average is 28,720, which is decent but nothing special.

However in the last 53 years (many people's living memory) Sheff Wednesday have only averaged more in ONE season
and that was only 29K when challenging for the title in the top flight.

The last time Sheff Wed averaged more than 28,720 in the 2nd tier (Championship level) was in 1952. (that's 71 years ago).
Sheff Wed have always had a good hard core but apart from the odd one off big games and never had regular big crowds in living memory.


However of course Sheff Wed have challenged for the title in the early 60's and early 90's.
Ipswich and Derby were both great teams in the 70's, with Ipswich doing well in Europe.

Much better than Sheff Utd and Sunderland (exc 1950 when you finished 3rd) who have both done very little on the pitch since the war.
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I think that when we finished 3rd we had the same points as the champions . Surprised by your attendance stats mind, just shows what publicity can do .
 
Attendances are funny things. It's not always the higher the league the bigger the crowd. Mediocrity can set in, even in the PL, and crowds dwindle after a few seasons. Nothing like a promotion campaign or just a general feeling around the town/city for a team etc. to get attendances up.

In 97/98, in the second tier, we had a season ticket sell out. 30k average (before expansion) and probably for some games would have got over 40k. But then when we got comfortable in the PL, under McLaren, the same enthusiasm wasn't there.
 
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Big Jeff said:
By a mile.

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Truly amazing our dedicated fans.
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We are in the top 14 best support clubs in the UK

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Plus rangers and Tim's

All this whilst the geordie Nashun of Islam is gathering its evil
 
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SpiritofBurnden said:
Bolton share their catchment area with Man Utd and Man City as well as a dozen other clubs and haven't won a major trophy since 1958.

We've also been in L1/L2 for much longer than Derby, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday.

Maybe that's why it's more noteworthy.
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Agree any club in Greater Manchester is always going to find it tough, saying that I've always been impressed with Burnley's support, relatively speaking.

I think what makes Bolton Wanderers a "big club" is your number of seasons in the top flight stat.
73 season is impressive, notice that Blackburn Rovers are quite similar with 72 seasons in the top flight.
History is important and sometimes might explain why fans of some clubs (like Everton and Villa) might appear arrogant and have a sense of entitlement.

Regards winning major trophies, Sheffield United haven't won a major trophy since 1925
and we haven''t even been in a cup final since 1936, however we have competed in and lost plenty of semi-finals and play-off finals.
blade01 said:
Agree any club in Greater Manchester is always going to find it tough, saying that I've always been impressed with Burnley's support, relatively speaking.

I think what makes Bolton Wanderers a "big club" is your number of seasons in the top flight stat.
73 season is impressive, notice that Blackburn Rovers are quite similar with 72 seasons in the top flight.
History is important and sometimes might explain why fans of some clubs (like Everton and Villa) might appear arrogant and have a sense of entitlement.

Regards winning major trophies, Sheffield United haven't won a major trophy since 1925
and we haven''t even been in a cup final since 1936, however we have competed in and lost plenty of semi-finals and play-off finals.

Our claim to fame is that up to the 2nd world war we'd spent almost our entire history in the top flight (at the time one of the best records in the league).
Another weird stat that whoever Sheff Utd have been outside the top flight we've nearly always been involved in a promotion battle.
The stats show that nearly 70% of the time we've finished in the top 10 when outside the top flight.
Also Sheff Utd have rarely in their history been involved in relegation battles, it seems everytime we've had a spell near the bottom of a league we've ended up relegated.

15 years ago I worked with an Agency worker from Coventry. He was a decent guy and we got talking about football.
Told him I never considered Coventry a big club and have always seemed quite bland, only being famous for Jimmy Hill.
He told me a weird stat arguing that Coventry must have some of the best fans in England because he was in his early 30's
and said he'd never seen Coventry be involved in a promotion during his life time.

As a Blade I take promotion battles for granted and half expect them as being normal.
Never realised that for some supporters there's very little to look forward to, no promotion or relegation battle, just mid table.
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The Sheff Utd claim to fame is that up to the 2nd world war we'd spent almost our entire history in the top flight (at the time one of the best records in the league).
However since the war we've been seriously shite. The PL started in 1992 and we've only spent 6 seasons there, which is a disgrace.

However a weird stat that whenever Sheff Utd have been outside the top flight we've nearly always been involved in a promotion battle.
The stats show that nearly 70% of the time we've finished in the top 10 when outside the top flight.
Also Sheff Utd have rarely in their history been involved in relegation battles, it seems everytime we've had a spell near the bottom of a league we've ended up relegated.

15 years ago I worked with an Agency worker from Coventry. He was a decent guy and we got talking about football.
Told him I never considered Coventry a big club and they've always seemed quite bland, only being famous for Jimmy Hill.
He told me a weird stat arguing that Coventry must have some of the best fans in England because he was in his early 30's
and said he'd never seen Coventry be involved in a promotion race during his life time, check the stats and he was correct,
for decades Coventry (apart from 3 seasons) always finished in the bottom half.

As a Blade I take promotion battles for granted and half expect them as being normal.
Never realised that for some supporters there's very little to look forward to, no promotion or relegation battle, just regular mid table nothingness.
 
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Big Jeff said:
By a mile.

You must be logged on to see external links

Truly amazing our dedicated fans.
Click to expand...

Honestly, this is, I think, one of the main reason I've been a supporter from afar through thick and thin. I certainly could've walked away when times were tougher and nobody'd be any the wiser -- as there's nobody around here that I'm in regular contact with who's a Sunderland supporter. But, 1) that felt wrong, and, 2) it's this fact -- that we're fukking loyal to the hilt -- that has kept me keeping the faith.
 
burchmackem said:
Honestly, this is, I think, one of the main reason I've been a supporter from afar through thick and thin. I certainly could've walked away when times were tougher and nobody'd be any the wiser -- as there's nobody around here that I'm in regular contact with who's a Sunderland supporter. But, 1) that felt wrong, and, 2) it's this fact -- that we're fukking loyal to the hilt -- that has kept me keeping the faith.
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The club gets under your skin marra, the fact you are from America and it's still the same speaks volumes. You don't support us expecting glory, iirc you ended up here because of Reyna and the rest is history. It's just the way it is.
 
A quiz question came up on tenable the top ten most passionate fans in the country.1)sunderland 2)Leicester 3)Stoke 4)Leeds 5)Everton 6)poocastle 7)Sheffield Wednesday 8)pompey 9)spurs 10)West ham
 
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