Record attendance for an Irish club?

**bluemovie** · 24/08/2013, 2:46 PM

Might be worth checking some of Mervue's numbers in the attendances thread?

**wonder88** · 24/08/2013, 2:51 PM

When Pat Dolan was at Pats there were reported (in the Star) crowds of 4000 at most games. When you compare that to the crowds they are getting this season it indicates that the club have lost around 3k supporters. I remember that a Cork Hibs v Cork Celtic or Waterford league decider at Flower Lodge in 1975 ? had a big crowd at it. Highlights were shown on Sports Stadium the following saturday of some LoI games then and this was one of them. Perhaps Cork folks here would have better knowledge on crowds in Cork in the 1970's.

**bluemovie** · 24/08/2013, 3:02 PM

I presume you mean the 1972 title decider between Hibs and Waterford. There was supposed to be about 30,000 at that. A lot of the Waterford bandwagoners left early with us losing 2-0 and down to ten men and missed the club's greatest ten minutes ever as we won 3-2 and clinched the title. Typical bloody 70s barstoolers!!

**Mad Moose** · 24/08/2013, 9:07 PM

Originally Posted by redron

I actually can't work out where the figure of 712 comes from at all.
Four matches, three of which went to extra time, gives 450mins of football.
It was approx 362hrs from kick-off in the first match to final whistle in the last match.

Just don't try and work it out. It's wrong. Full stop. I haven't even tried the maths. Just it's wrong.

**pineapple stu** · 25/08/2013, 9:33 AM

You don't need to try the maths. I've already explained it!

**Mark** · 26/08/2013, 4:54 PM

The official attendance for the Waterford v Celtic game was 42,000. They had printed 48,000 tickets and the Irish Independent report the next morning said 'only a handful of tickets were not sold'. However, anyone who was there would tell you that the attendance was 50,000 at least!

**nigel-harps1954** · 26/08/2013, 5:06 PM

Official attendance was 42,000 exactly? Cool...

**TonyD** · 26/08/2013, 8:44 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

When Pat Dolan was at Pats there were reported (in the Star) crowds of 4000 at most games. When you compare that to the crowds they are getting this season it indicates that the club have lost around 3k supporters. I remember that a Cork Hibs v Cork Celtic or Waterford league decider at Flower Lodge in 1975 ? had a big crowd at it. Highlights were shown on Sports Stadium the following saturday of some LoI games then and this was one of them. Perhaps Cork folks here would have better knowledge on crowds in Cork in the 1970's.

Don't think the crowds were anything like that tbh, bit of hype from big Pat there. Certainly bigger crowds than we're getting now though. Very frustrating, as this is the best football I've seen Pats play in nearly 20 years as a regular. Biggest crowd for a league game that I can remember attending was away in Cork in 1999. Turners Cross was packed. Not sure what the Capacity was then but it must have been just about full. Think it was estimated at 8-9000 at the time. Atmosphere was electric.

**El-Pietro** · 27/08/2013, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by TonyD

Don't think the crowds were anything like that tbh, bit of hype from big Pat there. Certainly bigger crowds than we're getting now though. Very frustrating, as this is the best football I've seen Pats play in nearly 20 years as a regular. Biggest crowd for a league game that I can remember attending was away in Cork in 1999. Turners Cross was packed. Not sure what the Capacity was then but it must have been just about full. Think it was estimated at 8-9000 at the time. Atmosphere was electric.

I was at that game, and the League cup (semi final I think) which had a similar attendance. I was about 13 or 14 at the time, and very small for my age, I was at on the barrier at the front of the Shed and at that time there was a 5-10 foot area between the Shed and the wall behind the goal, and there wasn't any space. That entire area was packed, I couldn't see the floor. There was easily 9k at both games, and I think the league game was on TV as well. Great atmosphere, and great game, Pats were applauded off after their victory as I recall too, I remember my mother commenting on how sporting the City fans were in defeat.

The frustrating thing is if we'd beaten Pats just once that season we'd have been champions! 3 games, 3 defeats and we lost by 3 points. A draw might have been enough, I'm not sure what the goal difference was.

**Dalymountrower** · 27/08/2013, 12:22 PM

Dearly departed who would have attended the cup final between Bohs and Rovers in the `40`s would say that it was well over 40.000 and the biggest crowd in Dalymount`s history until the Ireland v Italy debacle in 1986(?),
I seem to remember Pats playing a friendly in Iran and there were over 80,000 reported to have been at that, Pats drew ( I think)
I was at the Waterford v Celtic game as a nipper and there were plenty of empty spaces, particularly after it kicked off between Derry and Belfast Celtic "fans"

**wonder88** · 27/08/2013, 3:14 PM

Did Cork Hibs v Cork Celtic games attract big crowds in mid 70's ? and did the clubs have certain parts of the city where they drew support from? It is a mystery how St Pats crowds are so poor this year with the nice soccer they are playing, I went to two games myself and there was only over 1k at both on lovely sunny evenings to be outdoor. Did some Pats fans follow Crolly and the big name players to Shamrock Rovers as they were expected to win the league by most people at the start of the season. A crowd of 2k plus should be possible on Friday as Bohs will bring a decent support after their good result in the last league game.

**nigel-harps1954** · 27/08/2013, 6:16 PM

I recall many people telling me of days passed. Back in the 70's Harps used to see regular crowds around the 15,000+ mark when they were up challenging for league honours. Indeed I've seen many photos of Finn Park absolutely packed to the rafters.

Regardless of record crowds, what I'd give to see even 5,000+ attendances at every ground in Ireland on a regular basis. Would make for a much healthier league.

**TonyD** · 27/08/2013, 7:56 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

Did Cork Hibs v Cork Celtic games attract big crowds in mid 70's ? and did the clubs have certain parts of the city where they drew support from? It is a mystery how St Pats crowds are so poor this year with the nice soccer they are playing, I went to two games myself and there was only over 1k at both on lovely sunny evenings to be outdoor. Did some Pats fans follow Crolly and the big name players to Shamrock Rovers as they were expected to win the league by most people at the start of the season. A crowd of 2k plus should be possible on Friday as Bohs will bring a decent support after their good result in the last league game.

Oh, wash your mouth out. The very idea !!!! Agree with you though. Our crowds are very poor for where we are and the type of football being played. Hopefully the crowds will increase for the run in, with Bohs, Derry and Sligo to visit, and now a cup qf v Shamrocks.

**Nesta99** · 27/08/2013, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by TonyD

Oh, wash your mouth out. The very idea !!!! Agree with you though. Our crowds are very poor for where we are and the type of football being played. Hopefully the crowds will increase for the run in, with Bohs, Derry and Sligo to visit, and now a cup qf v Shamrocks.

Great to see Dundalk forgtten again;p have i just bitten ha!

**PartySaint** · 27/08/2013, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

It is a mystery how St Pats crowds are so poor this year with the nice soccer they are playing, I went to two games myself and there was only over 1k at both on lovely sunny evenings to be outdoor. Did some Pats fans follow Crolly and the big name players to Shamrock Rovers as they were expected to win the league by most people at the start of the season. A crowd of 2k plus should be possible on Friday as Bohs will bring a decent support after their good result in the last league game.

I think we lost a lot of fans in 2009, our horrendous season under Kenna coincided with Rovers first season up in Tallaght. I know a few people who used to go to Pats game but are now regulars up in Tallaght.

Our crowds aren't as bad as reported, a lot of games have had attendances announced as a few hundred lower than they actually were due to only people who paid on the night being counted.

But still our crowds should be higher than they are.

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/08/2013, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by PartySaint

I think we lost a lot of fans in 2009, our horrendous season under Kenna coincided with Rovers first season up in Tallaght. I know a few people who used to go to Pats game but are now regulars up in Tallaght.

Were they actually Pats fans or were they just floaters? I can't imagine somebody would start supporting a different team just because the stadium was handy to get to.

Our crowds aren't as bad as reported, a lot of games have had attendances announced as a few hundred lower than they actually were due to only people who paid on the night being counted.

But still our crowds should be higher than they are.

Are Pats crowds much different than they have been over the past few years? To be honest, I was at the game in Tallaght with relatives from England and I was explaining to them how Pats usually don't have half this many fans and they must have flown them in from abroad.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 27/08/2013, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Nah Nah Nah Nah

Celtic filled Lansdowne a few weeks ago.......

There was at least 20k Liverpool 'fans' in, allegedly.

**avvenalaf** · 28/08/2013, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I recall many people telling me of days passed. Back in the 70's Harps used to see regular crowds around the 15,000+ mark when they were up challenging for league honours. Indeed I've seen many photos of Finn Park absolutely packed to the rafters.

Regardless of record crowds, what I'd give to see even 5,000+ attendances at every ground in Ireland on a regular basis. Would make for a much healthier league.

True. I was at a match Harps v Cork Hibs (Wiggington, Davenport etc.,) in early 70s on St Patrick's Day and the crowd was unreal - at least 15000. Think it might have been a cup replay?

**PartySaint** · 28/08/2013, 2:09 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Were they actually Pats fans or were they just floaters? I can't imagine somebody would start supporting a different team just because the stadium was handy to get to.

Some floaters, some Pats fans, one 'hardcore' Pats fan I knew is now a 'massive' Rovers fan and writes for a well known LOI website.