Linfield clinch IL title..

[ifk101]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the crowd, even estimated for IFA cup final yesterday ? Portadown website said they took 3,000.

Also as for Linfield claim to be the biggest on the Island, maybe for honours (40 cups & 44 or 49 Lges) thats impressive.

However, I think their attendances and recent euro record would maybe put a litte dent in that claim, I think their avg lge crowd is only 1,800, thats about the same as a side in 4th or 5th in LOI PD would expect or even a challenging FD side.

There's an attendance thread on the Irish League Supporters forum that should answer your question(s). Some recent attendances figures are posted below.

1st March
Crusaders v. Glenavon - 1969

2nd March
Cliftonville v. Lisburn Distillery - 416
Coleraine v. Institute - 738
Linfield v. Portadown - 1573

9th March
Glentoran v. Institute - 761
Linfield v. Dungannon Swifts - 1187

13th March
Ballymena United v. Portadown - 881
Crusaders v. Newry City - 675
Glenavon v. Dungannon Swifts - 250
Institute v. Lisburn Distillery - 250

16th March
Cliftonville v. Linfield - 1979
Institute v. Crusaders - 300
Newry City v. Coleraine - 184

19th March
Portadown v. Coleraine - 1979

20th March
Dungannon Swifts v. Cliftonville - 345
Linfield v. Ballymena United - 1610
Lisburn Distillery v. Crusaders - 250
Newry City v. Glentoran - 640

23rd March
Cliftonville v. Glentoran - 1307
Dungannon Swifts v. Coleraine - 320
Linfield v. Glenavon - 1346
Lisburn Distillery v. Newry City - 105

25th March
Crusaders v. Ballymena United - 648

3rd April
Coleraine v. Portadown - 937
Glentoran v. Dungannon Swifts - 1119
Lisburn Distillery v. Ballymena United - 160

6th April
Ballymena United v. Coleraine - 1300
Glenavon v. Institute - 200
Linfield v. Glentoran - 4385

8th April
Cliftonville v. Crusaders - 902

10th April
Dungannon Swifts v. Linfield - 1160
Lisburn Distillery v. Institute - 90

13th April
Coleraine v. Newry City - 469

17th April
Crusaders v. Glentoran - 1279
Glenavon v. Lisburn Distillery - 300

[Graemerz]

Almost 9000 at the Cup Final. The biggest crowd at an Irish Cup Final since 2006.

[oriel]

Thanks for posting those figures up guys. Some really terrible lge crowds, but also some are ok.

Also not a bad crowd at all at the IFA cup final.

[holidaysong]

10th April
Lisburn Distillery v. Institute - 90

Surely, that has to be near enough a record low for a top flight match!

[gspain]

Surely, that has to be near enough a record low for a top flight match!

Ever been to Belfield???

[pineapple stu]

Now now!

148 is the lowest I've ever seen in Belfield for a Premier Division game, and that on a Sunday afternoon against Cobh when Dublin were playing in Croke Park at the same time.

[gspain]

Now now!

148 is the lowest I've ever seen in Belfield for a Premier Division game, and that on a Sunday afternoon against Cobh when Dublin were playing in Croke Park at the same time.

wrists suitably slapped.

I actually remember 5 at kickoff. Think it was 92/3 in the first division. Horrible day with most games cancelled. Pitch was perfect as usual. Crowd was 5 at kickoff (in fairness most
would have thought it was off) 3 college and 2 Limerick. It got up to approx 40 by halftime.

[Den Perry]

We're the biggest club on the island. There is no doubts about it.

Why would anybody envy a club so long linked with bigotry?

[pineapple stu]

wrists suitably slapped.

I actually remember 5 at kickoff. Think it was 92/3 in the first division. Horrible day with most games cancelled. Pitch was perfect as usual. Crowd was 5 at kickoff (in fairness most
would have thought it was off) 3 college and 2 Limerick. It got up to approx 40 by halftime.

Proof that, in percentage terms, our attendances are increasing faster than anyone else's.

[osarusan]

Why would anybody envy a club so long linked with bigotry?

Because they win things.

[EalingGreen]

Why would anybody envy a club so long linked with bigotry?

Why do you support the national team of a country so associated with, oh I dunno, child clerical abuse, alcoholism, drugs, guns, organised crime, third world economics, stabbings, cute hoordom and that obnoxious twa t Bono?

After all, those are the sorts of reason why I support my* national team...

P.S. Feel free to substitute "Paramilitarism" for "Bono" (which I still think gives us marginally the better deal)

[Den Perry]

Why do you support the national team of a country so associated with, oh I dunno, child clerical abuse, alcoholism, drugs, guns, organised crime, third world economics, stabbings, cute hoordom and that obnoxious twa t Bono?

After all, those are the sorts of reason why I support my* national team...

P.S. Feel free to substitute "Paramilitarism" for "Bono" (which I still think gives us marginally the better deal)

How typical of you to take something out of context. However, if they are the reasons you support your national team, shame on you.

For the record, I asked why would anybody "envy" such a club, not why they would support them. You should read posts properly before responding and making an idiot of yourself

[oriel]

Surely, that has to be near enough a record low for a top flight match!

Newry regularly 'pull' in crowds of under 100 for some league games (Dec/Jan time), the IL 'premiership' has to be one of the lowest crowds and worst standards of any top flight division in Europe.

I cant think of any other leagues that would be of poorer standard for teams 4th place and lower. Maybe Wales & Lux ?

[Rasputin]

However, I think their attendances and recent euro record would maybe put a litte dent in that claim, I think their avg lge crowd is only 1,800, thats about the same as a side in 4th or 5th in LOI PD would expect or even a challenging FD side.

Jesus christ thats our average attendance over the past few seasons and we havnt won anything since 1997.

[dantheman]

Donegal Celtic promoted back into the IPL, beat institute last night, goal in the last 4 minutes.

[pineapple stu]

Newry regularly 'pull' in crowds of under 100 for some league games (Dec/Jan time), the IL 'premiership' has to be one of the lowest crowds and worst standards of any top flight division in Europe.

Maybe, but so what? Does it really matter? (And we all know where it ranks - roughly - in Europe through the UEFA rankings)

People who go on and on and on about small clubs baffle me.

[AnnaghRed]

The setanta and uefa rankings clearly give many southern fans the horn over how they can lord it over the IL, but attendances at setanta games would indicate that IL fans couldn't give a fiddlers
f(_)ck about games v southern teams.

[EalingGreen]

How typical of you to take something out of context. However, if they are the reasons you support your national team, shame on you.

For the record, I asked why would anybody "envy" such a club, not why they would support them. You should read posts properly before responding and making an idiot of yourself

(Only just noticed this, btw)

For the record, Osarusan answered your original question. I, however, was pointing out the predictability of the other aspect of your post, whereby you only have to see mention of "Linfield", "Northern Ireland" or "IFA" etc and you immediately start spitting out the "bigots" comments. It's like Pavlov ringing a bell in his kennel...

Now I'm no fan of Linfield (Heaven Forbid!) and there's a whole lot wrong about that club which could keep me going all day, but in certain respects (inc. politics, religion), the club is making big efforts to move on.

You might try the same...

[Dodge]

The setanta and uefa rankings clearly give many southern fans the horn over how they can lord it over the IL, but attendances at setanta games would indicate that IL fans couldn't give a fiddlers
f(_)ck about games v southern teams.

Setanta attendances prove southern fans culdn't give a toss about games v Northerners either, so whats your point again?

[Mr_Parker]

Maybe, but so what? Does it really matter? (And we all know where it ranks - roughly - in Europe through the UEFA rankings)

Not quite, but I am not sure how UEFA came up with these numbers as IL did not submit attendance figures during this period afaik.