FANS THANKED FOR RECORD SUPPORT
Posted on: Thu 04 Sep 2008
Carlisle United are optimistic that their record-breaking support can continue to reach another new high this season despite doubts caused by the credit crunch.
The Blues' average league attendance from 23 fixtures last season of 7,835 was their highest for 32 campaigns stretching all the way back to 1975-76 - the year after the club's only appearance in English football's top flight.
It was the third successive season that Carlisle had recorded a rise in their average league crowd, which was as low as 2,554 in 1991-92 and just a paltry 2,235 in 1987-88.
This season's average after the first two league fixtures against Crewe and Yeovil is 6,603, which represents a drop of 697 on the total attendance from last season's opening pair of games versus Oldham and Cheltenham.
However, almost all the fall is covered by the fact that Oldham's 982-strong travelling support far outnumbered the combined total of away fans at Brunton Park so far this season.
And with Carlisle flying high and unbeaten so far in the league, the club expect the figure will rise considerably by the end of this month after the visit of Southend on Saturday (3pm kick off) followed by Leeds United on September 20 (12.15pm kick off).
Managing director John Nixon said: "It would be a tremendous achievement if we could register another rise in our average league attendance for the fourth successive season come the end of this campaign.
The Blues' average league attendance from 23 fixtures last season of 7,835 was their highest for 32 campaigns stretching all the way back to 1975-76 - the year after the club's only appearance in English football's top flight.
It was the third successive season that Carlisle had recorded a rise in their average league crowd, which was as low as 2,554 in 1991-92 and just a paltry 2,235 in 1987-88.
This season's average after the first two league fixtures against Crewe and Yeovil is 6,603, which represents a drop of 697 on the total attendance from last season's opening pair of games versus Oldham and Cheltenham.
However, almost all the fall is covered by the fact that Oldham's 982-strong travelling support far outnumbered the combined total of away fans at Brunton Park so far this season.
And with Carlisle flying high and unbeaten so far in the league, the club expect the figure will rise considerably by the end of this month after the visit of Southend on Saturday (3pm kick off) followed by Leeds United on September 20 (12.15pm kick off).
Managing director John Nixon said: "It would be a tremendous achievement if we could register another rise in our average league attendance for the fourth successive season come the end of this campaign.
"A lot of clubs in League One and other divisions are already feeling the effects of the credit crunch, with some worrying drops in their attendances.
"But we are very encouraged by the level of support continuing to be shown by our fans this season. We have sold more season tickets than last year - the figure is now heading towards a new milestone of 3,000 - and we are relatively pleased with the crowds we have had so far despite neither game being against what many fans would regard as particularly attractive opposition.
"We have several attractive deals for all our games, like free admission for under-sevens and major reductions for under-11s and Juniors aged 11-17 as well Students and Senior Citizens on top of savings on tickets bought up to the day before a game.
"We would certainly like to thank everyone who has continued supporting the Blues since the takeover in the summer. Hopefully together we will all achieve our goal, which is promotion to the Championship."
Carlisle's crowds have risen every year since averaging 5,513 in the Conference in 2004-05. Attendances had actually been higher - 5,617 - the season before when the Blues were relegated from the Football League.
The League Two championship campaign in 2005-06 produced an average of 7,218 and the figure went up again in 2006-07 in the Blues' maiden League One campaign to 7,793.
The only other time Carlisle had managed an average of 6,000 or more since 1976-77 was in the promotion-clinching Division Three campaign of 1994-95 when the figure was 7,422.
United's average crowd in their only top-flight season in 1974-75 was 14,525. The previous year when the Blues gained promotion from Division Two it was 8,271.
"But we are very encouraged by the level of support continuing to be shown by our fans this season. We have sold more season tickets than last year - the figure is now heading towards a new milestone of 3,000 - and we are relatively pleased with the crowds we have had so far despite neither game being against what many fans would regard as particularly attractive opposition.
"We have several attractive deals for all our games, like free admission for under-sevens and major reductions for under-11s and Juniors aged 11-17 as well Students and Senior Citizens on top of savings on tickets bought up to the day before a game.
"We would certainly like to thank everyone who has continued supporting the Blues since the takeover in the summer. Hopefully together we will all achieve our goal, which is promotion to the Championship."
Carlisle's crowds have risen every year since averaging 5,513 in the Conference in 2004-05. Attendances had actually been higher - 5,617 - the season before when the Blues were relegated from the Football League.
The League Two championship campaign in 2005-06 produced an average of 7,218 and the figure went up again in 2006-07 in the Blues' maiden League One campaign to 7,793.
The only other time Carlisle had managed an average of 6,000 or more since 1976-77 was in the promotion-clinching Division Three campaign of 1994-95 when the figure was 7,422.
United's average crowd in their only top-flight season in 1974-75 was 14,525. The previous year when the Blues gained promotion from Division Two it was 8,271.
The average dropped back down to 8,277 in 1975-76, the season after being relegated from Divison One. It then fell to 7,679 the following campaign and tailed off to 5,319 the next season, failing to top 7,500 again until the last two seasons.
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