Lowest-ever LoI match attendance?

[culloty82]

Surely last night's 42 at Mervue-Waterford must be an all-time record, or has a game ever been played behind closed doors?

[peadar1987]

Was there not a match that was boycotted a while back. Before my time, but I think I remember hearing about it.

[monutdfc]

We played Dundalk behind closed doors in the Foot-and-Mouth season

[atfconline]

Similarly we played Drogheda behind closed doors during F+M season.

[Bluebeard]

I was at a league cup game in Kilkenny once when there was some major hurling game on which seemed to have about 15 non-staff members there in the early 90s, though I don't recall an official attendance. I'd say that there were some dreadful low LC and Shield attendances over the year, so they should probably be discounted.

[gufcfan]

Surely last night's 42 at Mervue-Waterford must be an all-time record
Wouldn't surprise me if Devon beat that a couple of times this season.

[Spudulika]

I was at a St. Francis game when there would have been less than 50, same with Home Farm-Everton (playing Mons at Tolka).

[oriel]

In the Irish Lge, Newry had a crowd of 96 one Sat before xmas, this was for a IL Prem game and the joke at the time was there would have been more working in the Sainsburys store not far away from the ground.

Surely a record low for any european 'top flight' lge ?

[pineapple stu]

This exact thread was done about six months ago by the way.

[SkStu]

well then, as moderator, you should probably merge the two threads.

[Paddyfield]

The first ever competitive game at Strokestown Road (now Flancare Park) was a League Cup hame between between Longford and Galway United circa 1992. There were zero facilities. No dressing rooms. No boundry wall. No fence surrounding the pitch. No public address. No gate. No seats. No toilets, No nothing. Oh yeah, and a crowd of around 30 people. I took photos which I must dig out. Both teams togged out in the Longford Arms Hotel and retuned there afterwards for showers.

LTFC stayed in Abbeycarlton for another year AFAIR before moving permanently to where there is now a fine stadium.

[sligoman]

There was 27 at a rams match years ago when we were bottom of the 1st divOut of interest, what sort of crowds are ye getting these days in the A league?

[bholg]

chr1st... youse are depressing.2 on a Monday morning, suicide status...... code1

[pineapple stu]

well then, as moderator, you should probably merge the two threads.
Thanks for your concern, but I was merely pointing out that if the OP wanted a quicker answer to the question, he should be able to find it by searching here. Being helpful, not snotty, you know.

(I know for a fact that oriel's exact point was made before, perhaps even by him. The Boss pointed out some Greek attendances, and I queried whether the attendance and the round number were being mixed up)

[culloty82]

In the Irish Lge, Newry had a crowd of 96 one Sat before xmas, this was for a IL Prem game and the joke at the time was there would have been more working in the Sainsburys store not far away from the ground.

Surely a record low for any european 'top flight' lge ?

I give you Cefn Druids in the 2009-10 Welsh Premier:
The case highlights the effect of two things;

1) Their proximity to the area's big club (Wrexham)
2) The imperialism of the Premier League upon the young minds of north Wales.

74 Cefn Druids v Airbus UK Broughton 10/03/2010

64 Cefn Druids v Haverfordwest County 05/04/2010

64 Cefn Druids v Gap Connah's Quay 13/04/2010

51 Cefn Druids v Carmarthen Town 12/12/2009

[pineapple stu]

I'll raise you FC Valga in the Estonian top flight in 2006 - average attendance 38 (http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/2000/aveest.htm) (down 3 on the previous season).

[Dodge]

yeah, yeah whatever. just merge the threads....

[**FrOsTy**]

I think there was 27 at a game between ourselves and limerick about 10-11 years ago

[eamo1]

I counted 54 people at a Galway Utd-Cork City game in Terryland back around 00/01.It was a league cup game i think played on the wettest,windiest Tuesday night i've ever experienced.

[Dillonman]

I give you Cefn Druids in the 2009-10 Welsh Premier:
The case highlights the effect of two things;

1) Their proximity to the area's big club (Wrexham)
2) The imperialism of the Premier League upon the young minds of north Wales.

74 Cefn Druids v Airbus UK Broughton 10/03/2010

64 Cefn Druids v Haverfordwest County 05/04/2010

64 Cefn Druids v Gap Connah's Quay 13/04/2010

51 Cefn Druids v Carmarthen Town 12/12/2009

Whats the craic with TNS? I watched that Sgorio show there a few weeks back and they where at home, and there was about 100 people there, and they are supposed to be the top team? Sorry off topic!

[pineapple stu]

Getting bankrolled by Mike Harris. Though their attendances (http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/matchcentre/attendances-20089/attendances-grid-20089) aren't quite at the 100 level.

[oriel]

Pineapple, I think you are right we did do this months & months ago, I think in the boredom of pre LOI 2010 season. I forgot it was on this site.

[peadar1987]

Getting bankrolled by Mike Harris. Though their attendances (http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/matchcentre/attendances-20089/attendances-grid-20089) aren't quite at the 100 level.

Hmm... It looks like the Welsh Premier League have a better website than the LOI, as well as better champions!

[Johnnie C]

Does anyone know what kind of crowds Newcastle West used to get when they played in the LOI from 1985 - 1990 ?

[oriel]

I dont know, but I dont think they lasted even that long. I recall they approached Newcastle Utd for strips around this time, so they must have been hard up.

There was an FAI Cup game they played at home to Limerick City, a thrviving club at the time, this was a sell out if I recall, around 1986.

The Soccer Magazine used to give estimated crowds of all matches around this time, I think I finally threw all of my collection out.

[sean r]

i have a few soccer mags left anyway which league has worse support? the loi or welsh league?

[cornflakes]

welsh league i think

[Dodge]

Not even close.

[SMorgan]

We played Dundalk behind closed doors in the Foot-and-Mouth season

Yes and the circumstances of that match still annoys some Dundalk fans to this day.

When Dundalk FC were at its lowest ebb, Monaghan United had a good old kick... The match was held behind closed doors at Monaghan's insistence...

[Dillonman]

We played a game at Baldonnell during the same season(foot and mouth outbreak) and it was insisted to be held "behind closed doors"(Dundalk fans where banned from gettign in or travelling to it), think there was 3 DFC fans who where at it, they climbed over the wall from what I can remember reading in the paper anyways and there was about 15 locals!

[gufcfan]

We played a game at Baldonnell during the same season(foot and mouth outbreak) and it was insisted to be held "behind closed doors"
I just had a hilarious thought... Mervue United or Salthill Devon being forced to play a match "behind closed doors". They wouldn't be any bloody difference!

[peadar1987]

I just had a hilarious thought... Mervue United or Salthill Devon being forced to play a match "behind closed doors". They wouldn't be any bloody difference!

Why would that ever happen? Crowd trouble?!!

[Lim till i die]

Judging by tonight soon Salthill will play a game and no one will be at it.

If a striker is hacked down in the box and no one's there to see it does he make a noise??

[Spudulika]

We played a game at Baldonnell during the same season(foot and mouth outbreak) and it was insisted to be held "behind closed doors"(Dundalk fans where banned from gettign in or travelling to it), think there was 3 DFC fans who where at it, they climbed over the wall from what I can remember reading in the paper anyways and there was about 15 locals!

In fairness Dillonman, the way Dundalk were playing in 2001 it was for the best! I remember Limerick coming up and getting a point and the Dundalk keeper arguing with fans behind the goal. At first I wondered why he'd bother with a bunch of no no's from the dark side (as one of my former colleagues used to call it - mainly because he never ventured from the Carrick Road side), then I realised that it was out of sheer boredom.

I noticed a shocking trend in the Croatian Premier League, attendances have been tumbling for the big 2 sides, on forums fans are putting the blame on increased match-fixing, I thought at first it meant because there were more teams in the league, more matches, then I re-read the posts and it was as it was, and as it always was from experience. Shocking drops in numbers though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prva_HNL#League_matches

* the noted doubling in home attendances for Hajduk in 2008-9 can be simply explained by the fact that the club horrifically ripped off their fans in a "share issue" which was almost identical to what DeValera did to investors with the Irish Press, except worse! All fans who bought 100e worth of shares got a free season ticket for 1 year, the money has since flowed out of the club, as per usual, and now the club are back asking the city for money to survive until Christmas.

[Furnando]

I played for Kilkenny City in its final year before administration in 2006. Think we played Wexford Youths in Buckley Park, there was no more than 20 at the game..

[Mark]

Whats the craic with TNS? I watched that Sgorio show there a few weeks back and they where at home, and there was about 100 people there, and they are supposed to be the top team? Sorry off topic!

seriously off topic but I've watched a few of the live Sgorio games on S4C on Saturday afternoons. The attendances aren't great and we beat them on stadiums as well. Some of theirs are atrocious.

[holidaysong]

I know it was a top of the table clash but there seemed to be a pretty good attendance at the Bangor City vs. TNS match on Saturday. It would be fair to say that our attendances are much better though in comparison to the WPL. However, you have to take into account that the best Welsh teams play in the English league system so it's not really a direct comparison.

EDIT: Just checked and there was 1,030 at the match on Saturday. Largest crowd of the season so far actually.

http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/matchcentre/attendances-20089