Note: to see my latest map-&-post of the English 3rd division, click on the following, Eng-3rd Level/League One.
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League One is the 3rd Level of English Football. This level invariably has the biggest disparity in attendance figures. In the past decade, this league has been usually comprised of one or two “big” clubs, who have fallen on hard times; mixed in with a large portion of medium-small sized clubs; and rounded out by some rather small clubs who are punching above their weight. Last season, League One had an overall average gate of 7,992, up 6.7% from the season before (thanks to Leeds’ gate figures, mainly).
This season, in the first category are Leeds United and Leicester City. Both these clubs, particularly Leeds, have fan bases bigger than some current Premier League clubs. In recent years (1999 to 2008), Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester City, and Birmingham City have had spells in the 3rd Level. These are all clubs that have spent considerable time (at least 45 seasons) in the top flight, and all regularly draw above 20,000 per game.
In the second category are clubs that presently draw around 5,000 to 10,000 per game. Some of these clubs, such as Oldham Athletic, Millwall, and Brighton & Hove Albion, have had a somewhat recent spell in the top flight (Oldham from 1991 to ’94, Millwall from 1988 to ’90, Brighton from 1979 to ’83). Huddersfield Town won 3 straight English Titles in 1924, ’25, and ’26, but has not been in the top flight since 1971-72. Four clubs here spent a single season in the top tier: Swindon Town in 1993-94, Carlisle United in 1974-75, Northampton Town in 1965-66, and Leyton Orient in 1962-63. Some of these clubs, like Colchester United, Southend United, Crewe Alexandra, and the just-promoted Stockport County have recently been in the second level, but have never made it to the top tier.
In the third category are a few clubs with very small fan bases, like Cheltenham Town, Hartlepool United, and the newly-promoted Hereford United. Yeovil Town, who until 5 years ago had never been above the 5th level, can be considered as part of this category, even with their rise in attendance (to the range of 5,400 to 6,400) since they were first promoted to the League, in 2004. Nevertheless, many feel the Glovers, from the Football-deficient outpost of Somerset, cannot maintain their status as a third-level club, and are due for the drop. Pretty much the same thing could be said for Gloucestershire’s Cheltenham Town, as well as Hereford. But County Durham’s Hartlepool seem to be holding their own in the third tier (with a 7th place finish last season), despite only drawing 4,500 per game.
As of 3rd August, the bookies’ favorites for promotion are Leeds United, the just-relegated Leicester City, and the just-promoted Peterborough United. The next favorites are the just-promoted MK Dons, as well as Huddersfield, Carlisle, and Southend. Brighton, and the just-relegated Colchester, are also rated as relatively good bets to go up {Click here (Statto.com site)}.
Thanks to the European Football Statistics site {Click here}, for the attendance figures.
