[SocraticCFC]

Zigsuk, on 30 March 2024 - 09:08 AM, said:

Agree there were a few crowds of 16000 but never 19000. The biggest crowd of living memory was that 17000 against Barnsley. There were only a handful of crowds of 16000 but plenty of 14/15000. I also vaguely remember the days before true segregation walking past I think Notts Co fans as we swapped ends st half time. Remember being shocked when the fence went up on Compton Street. Oh for the days when people could be trusted to behave like decent human beings and segregation was unnecessary. But then there's little hope for decency these days even on internet forums.

Heard from someone that if CFC were to expand capacity, it would be on North/South stands. Not sure when but unlikely unless we became a Championship challenger. Interesting to see how it would be done in terms of going further back or adding another 'deck'.

[Osborne again]

Brookie, on 30 March 2024 - 06:49 AM, said:

In 69/70 I remember standing on Compton Street when attacking Cross Street then moving to Kop when kicking that way. There was an area on Kop that was usually left for kids in corner near stands.

I probably followed you round mate, on many occasions 😁.

[Osborne again]

My dad, who worked the turnstiles in the 50s to the mid 60s, told me of the massive crowds they used to get when he was a kid, but then again, what other entertainment did they have on a Saturday afternoon?

[whittman]

Osborne again, on 29 March 2024 - 09:13 PM, said:

There were some very impressive crowds during the 69/70 season and if I remember right there were near on 19,000 when we played Swansea, and there must have been some good numbers for when we played Villa, Wednesday, Sheffield United and Scabfield.

Funnily enough the top attendances for that promotion season never reached over 17000 with several in the 16500 range or just below


The cynic in me always thought of good old arthur sutherland the erstwhile secretary at the time and a possible crowd bonus for the players/tax ruse lol

The only 2 Attendance over 16500 I can recall in my time of watching the Town at Saltergate were funnily enough both against Barnsley

Over 17000 for an FA Cup tie in the 67/68 season and the over 18000 Boxing Day 1980 match

[Osborne again]

whittman, on 30 March 2024 - 01:19 PM, said:

Funnily enough the top attendances for that promotion season never reached over 17000 with several in the 16500 range or just below


The cynic in me always thought of good old arthur sutherland the erstwhile secretary at the time and a possible crowd bonus for the players/tax ruse lol

The only 2 Attendance over 16500 I can recall in my time of watching the Town at Saltergate were funnily enough both against Barnsley

Over 17000 for an FA Cup tie in the 67/68 season and the over 18000 Boxing Day 1980 match

I've certainly attended matches at that time, when breathing in was a chore and trying to drink a Bovril could end up with you wearing most of it.

[SocraticCFC]

whittman, on 30 March 2024 - 01:19 PM, said:

Funnily enough the top attendances for that promotion season never reached over 17000 with several in the 16500 range or just below


The cynic in me always thought of good old arthur sutherland the erstwhile secretary at the time and a possible crowd bonus for the players/tax ruse lol

The only 2 Attendance over 16500 I can recall in my time of watching the Town at Saltergate were funnily enough both against Barnsley

Over 17000 for an FA Cup tie in the 67/68 season and the over 18000 Boxing Day 1980 match

STOP PRESS. How about 10,000 for the league cup game v Everton in 1983 when JD was manager. They only brought a few hundred - in terms of any game, this was the one, I reckon. Graham Sharpe scored the only goal, from memory. Last time there were 9800 or more home fans!

[dart in the crossbar]

I recall what felt like big crowds v Wednesday, Oldham and Bristol Rovers (Bannister & Warboys era). Some time in the mid 1970s. Around the 15000 mark?

I also think that I have a recollection of us fielding a very young Ian Rush up front for a home games. Then again, I may be wrong as I can't see how that would fit in with him being at Chester then straight into the Wales and Liverpol side.

[Mr Mercury]

SocraticCFC, on 30 March 2024 - 11:35 AM, said:

Heard from someone that if CFC were to expand capacity, it would be on North/South stands. Not sure when but unlikely unless we became a Championship challenger. Interesting to see how it would be done in terms of going further back or adding another 'deck'.

I seem to remember when it was muted as a new ground build that any extension, for cost effectiveness and ease of construction was to leave the Main Stand as the stand alone stand and fill in the corners at both sides of the East Stand, but I might have dreamt that!

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 30 March 2024 - 07:00 PM

[spireitenag]

Mr Mercury, on 30 March 2024 - 07:00 PM, said:

I seem to remember when it was muted as a new ground build that any extension, for cost effectiveness and ease of construction was to leave the Main Stand as the stand alone stand and fill in the corners at both sides of the East Stand, but I might have dreamt that!

I seem to remember it being stated that a couple of the stands were built on foundations to possibly take a second tier if neccessary in the future.

[Sussex Spireite]

essexspireman, on 29 March 2024 - 09:09 PM, said:

The side was Compton Street, I was at the Barnsley Game, can’t remember if they had Compton as well, a lot of big away teams were given half of Compton, but even with that they would probably have had 5000 there

I was stood on Compton for that game and I'm pretty sure I was closer to Cross St than I was to the Kop, so therefor Barnsley didn't have half of Compton.

[fishini]

I think there was almost 17000 when we played villa in 1970-71 season

[60s 70s Spireite]

fishini, on 30 March 2024 - 08:51 PM, said:

I think there was almost 17000 when we played villa in 1970-71 season

16,689

[Osborne again]

spireitenag, on 30 March 2024 - 07:11 PM, said:

I seem to remember it being stated that a couple of the stands were built on foundations to possibly take a second tier if neccessary in the future.

Yes, I think I heard something similar, but I can't remember which stands they were. I think filling the corners in would be the first option.

[essexspireman]

Sussex Spireite, on 30 March 2024 - 08:29 PM, said:

I was stood on Compton for that game and I'm pretty sure I was closer to Cross St than I was to the Kop, so therefor Barnsley didn't have half of Compton.

You’re right, it was probably more like a third of Compton that away fans were given if they could fill it.

[lindave]

dart in the crossbar, on 30 March 2024 - 05:35 PM, said:

I recall what felt like big crowds v Wednesday, Oldham and Bristol Rovers (Bannister & Warboys era). Some time in the mid 1970s. Around the 15000 mark?

I also think that I have a recollection of us fielding a very young Ian Rush up front for a home games. Then again, I may be wrong as I can't see how that would fit in with him being at Chester then straight into the Wales and Liverpol side.

Barnsley, Luton, Workington touching 17000.

[lindave]

dart in the crossbar, on 30 March 2024 - 05:35 PM, said:

I recall what felt like big crowds v Wednesday, Oldham and Bristol Rovers (Bannister & Warboys era). Some time in the mid 1970s. Around the 15000 mark?

I also think that I have a recollection of us fielding a very young Ian Rush up front for a home games. Then again, I may be wrong as I can't see how that would fit in with him being at Chester then straight into the Wales and Liverpol side.

Barnsley, Luton, Workington touching 17000.

[boot]

Pretty sure I have been on Saltergate with 23,000 in the 1950's v Derby County when they dropped to the third level in the 1950's for two seasons. Might be wrong on the gate - can somebody check ?One of our 2 away games against them at the Baseball Ground resulted in a 7-1 defeat I think it was. Memory plays tricks, but the certainty is I was at all 4 games.

[60s 70s Spireite]

boot, on 30 March 2024 - 09:17 PM, said:

Pretty sure I have been on Saltergate with 23,000 in the 1950's v Derby County when they dropped to the third level in the 1950's for two seasons. Might be wrong on the gate - can somebody check ?One of our 2 away games against them at the Baseball Ground resulted in a 7-1 defeat I think it was. Memory plays tricks, but the certainty is I was at all 4 games.

22,505 Feb 1956.

[matthew]

spireitenag, on 30 March 2024 - 07:11 PM, said:

I seem to remember it being stated that a couple of the stands were built on foundations to possibly take a second tier if neccessary in the future.

i hope this is the case, a second tier of safe standing on the kop would be glorious

[DIFH]

essexspireman, on 29 March 2024 - 09:09 PM, said:

The side was Compton Street, I was at the Barnsley Game, can’t remember if they had Compton as well, a lot of big away teams were given half of Compton, but even with that they would probably have had 5000 there

How many Rangers fans came ? There’s your barometer.