Attendances continue on an upward trajectory

By Ian Townsend

January's numbers have been crunched- and the news continues to be positive

Bostik League Statistician Mike Wilson has put away his scientific calculator for another month and delivered January's attendance figures to Bostik Towers- and the news is good. Not only were January's attendances almost 11% higher than the previous year, but over the season we're showing gates up almost twelve and a half percent on 2016/17.

January saw the biggest attendance for the season so far in the North Division- and the second largest too. The 514 who watched AFC Sudbury take on Bury Town on New Years Day jumps into top spot, but second place is also taken by a January match-the 398 who watched Aveley take on AFC Hornchurch on 5th.

In the Premier Division, the 860 who watched Margate beat Dulwich Hamlet with a late Kane Haysman goal on 13th January was the biggest crowd of the season at Hartsdown Park so far, whilst in the South Division the highest attendance of the month was at on the Channel Islands, where 687 watched Guernsey take on Ashford United. The Green Lions, incidentally, have six of the top ten crowds of the Bostik South season so far.

Looking at averages for the first six months of the season- yes, we're already six months into the campaign, where did it all go- Dulwich Hamlet lead the way with their average of 1493. Billericay Town are in second with 1176, Margate's 507 puts them third, whilst Worthing- who you might recall started the season playing their home games in Bognor- are in fourth with 499.

In the North Division the highest average attendance is 280, and Aveley's beautiful new Parkside stadium has hosted them, whilst Bury Town sit in second place with 259 and Canvey Island are just two behind with 257.

Lewes might lead the South Division league table but they are runners up in the stats table. The biggest average crowds come across the water in the Channel Islands, where Guernsey have 629. The Dripping Pan sits in second place with an impressive 500, whilst the 360 average at Hastings United sees them in third.

Turning to growth now, the biggest Bostik victors in the growth table are Aveley, as their crowds are up by two hundred and twenty five (and a half) percent on last season. Haringey Borough take second place in that list, with growth of almost 168%, whilst the 145% increase at Walton Casuals isn't to be sneezed at even if you do have a January cold. Billericay Town sit in fourth place, their average of 1176 up 108% on last season.

Many thanks to all of those who regularly turn out and watch our clubs. After all, football without fans is just 22 people and a bag of wind!

Image- Parkside courtesy of Louis Maughan

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