|
| Safety In
Numbers by Simon Craft |
While the supporters of York City are undoubtedly loyal and passionate about
their club, they are not nearly as numerous as the city's population
warrants. In fact, the club's attendance figures pale into comparison next
to certain other clubs in the Third Division. There are several potential
reasons for this, which I will go on to explore.
On a good day, such as when the club is riding high in the league, or for a
local derby, the club can expect around 4000 home fans to turn up at a home
encounter. However, this figure can decrease to approximately 2500 for more
'unattractive' fixtures, or when the club's form is poorer. When you
consider that the population of York has been estimated at 120,000, you
cannot help but wonder why the majority choose to stay away.
To answer this question, it would probably be helpful to study a few cases
in which clubs, despite their lower league status, manage to attract twice
as many fans as York.
Firstly, let us examine Cumbrian side Carlisle United. Their close escapes
from relegation out of the Football League have been well-documented, but
even through these testing times, gates at Brunton Park have been almost
double those at Bootham Crescent. This could well be attributed to the fact
that there are no other major clubs remotely nearby (at nearly 120 miles
away, York is one of the nearest  clubs). However, this is only one factor,
as the locals could simply choose to ignore the club altogether,
particularly with the lack of any local clubs to form rivalries with.
The same cannot be said of Swansea City, whose relationship with Cardiff
City is probably one of the most volatile in the Football League. Yet we are
still faced with a similar situation; a struggling lower-league club
attracting crowds which put the Minstermen's to shame. Another possible
reason why Swansea, and indeed Carlisle, have a larger following, is that
both have spent spells, albeit brief ones, in the top flight near the end of
the 20th century, and fans immediately pulled in by the lure of top division
football stayed as their side fell from grace.
This is not the case, though, with our last example: York's neighbours and
bitter rivals Hull City. Despite consistent underachievement and unfulfilled
promises over the past few seasons, Hull still manage to attract a large
amount of locals, often breaking into five figures, to their home matches.
Although the introduction of their impressive new 'KC Stadium' has boosted
attendance figures, even at their previous home of Boothferry Park, the
Tigers could lay claim to a support which far outnumbered that of York,
despite the similar fortunes of the two clubs.
So what is it that sets such sides apart from York and other clubs with
smaller followings? Clearly, many inhabitants of the city opt for the
nearest Premiership side in the form of Leeds United, but nearby Hull City
manage to co-exist and thrive, so this cannot be such a major factor.
Perhaps if the club were to miraculously rise to the heights of the
Premiership, enough fans would be won to form a more solid base.
At any rate, the current indifference displayed by the citizens of York
towards their hometown is undeniable. Take last year's home fixture against
Swansea as evidence; it was quite possible that it would be the club's last
ever match after entering administration and failing to find a buyer, yet
still just over 4000 fans made the effort. Eventually, the club's hardcore
supporters managed to muster enough cash to rescue the club themselves, but
with the impending threat of the financial re-structuring of the game, would
such a low number be able to see the club through a repeat? Hopefully we
will never find out.
|
|
|
