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Which R.L club has biggest crowds per capita ?


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The crowd was actually 17.731 and in the history books they say it was all ticket and Saints sent loads back, remember in the 1950s traveling from Lancashire to Yorkshire wasnt that easy so the away support was minimal. Rovers have topped the population many times

there was a lot from Warrington made it to Odsal.

You also have to remember that in those days special trains would be put on for football/rugby games, when people think back about transport they very often forget that we had a far better rail network than now.

As an aside.

Which history book are you quoting please. (nowt to do with this discussion for my own info).

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Someone once posted on here (may have been Kenny Tiger) that most people on the terraces at Castleford aren't from Castleford. (sorry Kenny if it wasn't you.)

Castleford is not that big a place. But for the surrounding areas, Ledsham, Ledston, Allerton Bywater, Kippax, Methley,South Milford, Sherburn in Elmet, Monk Fryston (all of which are in Leeds MDC BTW) Castleford is their main shopping town, and centre. They are today all large residential areas, and presumably supply large numbers of Cas's crowd.

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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Castleford is not that big a place. But for the surrounding areas, Ledsham, Ledston, Allerton Bywater, Kippax, Methley,South Milford, Sherburn in Elmet, Monk Fryston (all of which are in Leeds MDC BTW) Castleford is their main shopping town, and centre. They are today all large residential areas, and presumably supply large numbers of Cas's crowd.

So do you count these areas as Castleford as Leeds or as neither?

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Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007

Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king"

 

This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits.

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So do you count these areas as Castleford as Leeds or as neither?

They are very adjacent to Castleford. You only need to turn right at the end of Wheldon Road, go over the two bridges and you're in Leeds - politically. Speaking as someone who worked in Cas for 10 years, most of those living in the places I named treat Cas as the place to go out for a meal, or a drink, or to shop, or to watch sport. The centre of Cas is much larger than that which would be needed for a town of its size.

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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They are very adjacent to Castleford. You only need to turn right at the end of Wheldon Road, go over the two bridges and you're in Leeds - politically. Speaking as someone who worked in Cas for 10 years, most of those living in the places I named treat Cas as the place to go out for a meal, or a drink, or to shop, or to watch sport. The centre of Cas is much larger than that which would be needed for a town of its size.

I don't care what the eating habits are of the people who live there, if I asked someone who lived there where are you from would they be more likely to say Castleford or Leeds (presuming they didn't say 'our street').

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Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007

Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king"

 

This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits.

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I don't care what the eating habits are of the people who live there, if I asked someone who lived there where are you from would they be more likely to say Castleford or Leeds (presuming they didn't say 'our street').

People from Kippax consider themselves from Castleford even though the postal code and phone numbers are both Leeds. When someone says "lets go into town" they mean Castleford and not Leeds.

Their are a fair few Cas fans in Garforth, Micklefield and Swillington as well, all of which are in the Leeds district.

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People from Kippax consider themselves from Castleford even though the postal code and phone numbers are both Leeds. When someone says "lets go into town" they mean Castleford and not Leeds.

Their are a fair few Cas fans in Garforth, Micklefield and Swillington as well, all of which are in the Leeds district.

I always think that Cas draw most of their support obvously from Cas (Whitwood, Airedale, Glasshoughton) but mainly after that from north of the Aire.

Fev on the other hand draw mainly from Ponte, Knottingley, Ferrybridge, Ackworth Purston Streethouse, Hemsworth, South Kirkby (where my family come from orignially) I think Sharlston's a bit borderline between Fev and Wakey.

Wakey again obviously from Wakefield, but Horbury, Wrenthorpe, Alverthorpe, Outwood, Lofthouse, Stanley, Normanton but then to areas bordering on Barnsley like Brierley, Ryhill, and Royston.

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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I always think that Cas draw most of their support obvously from Cas (Whitwood, Airedale, Glasshoughton) but mainly after that from north of the Aire.

Fev on the other hand draw mainly from Ponte, Knottingley, Ferrybridge, Ackworth Purston Streethouse, Hemsworth, South Kirkby (where my family come from orignially) I think Sharlston's a bit borderline between Fev and Wakey.

Wakey again obviously from Wakefield, but Horbury, Wrenthorpe, Alverthorpe, Outwood, Lofthouse, Stanley, Normanton but then to areas bordering on Barnsley like Brierley, Ryhill, and Royston.

Good god this is hard work.

Wigan, as I stated, have regular supporters who turn up from Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford, but you don't count these places as Wigan. Wigan also draw from Standish, Pemberton, Hindley which people would tend to bracket as Wigan.

Now try again, are the places you mention where teams draw support from considered geographicaly part of those towns or not.

Edited by Padge

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Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007

Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king"

 

This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits.

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Good god this is hard work.

Wigan, as I stated, have regular supporters who turn up from Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford, but you don't count these places as Wigan. Wigan also draw from Standish, Pemberton, Hindley which people would tend to bracket as Wigan.

Now try again, are the places you mention where teams draw support from considered geographicaly part of those towns or not.

Oi what about Darwen ;)

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there was a lot from Warrington made it to Odsal.

You also have to remember that in those days special trains would be put on for football/rugby games, when people think back about transport they very often forget that we had a far better rail network than now.

As an aside.

Which history book are you quoting please. (nowt to do with this discussion for my own info).

The game is highlighted in 2 books Featherstone Rovers 50 greatest matches and Featherstone Rovers RLFC (history of) both by Ron Bailey. My father in-law was at the game and he told me the away support was minimal as it was the year after (i think it was) when the same teams met in the same round and there was over 15k at the game a game that was played in a snow blizzard. After that match the groundsmen collected 60 odd empty whisky bottles from the terraces (the youth of today eh).

You cant really compare a challenge cup final replay in the warmth of May to a 1/4 final at Fev in freezing February. There will of been no special train from saint helens to fev for these games i would imagine.

Certain people wont like it but im afraid Rovers have had several crowds bigger than the population and with limited away support, we can only appologise for this

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Good god this is hard work.

Wigan, as I stated, have regular supporters who turn up from Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford, but you don't count these places as Wigan. Wigan also draw from Standish, Pemberton, Hindley which people would tend to bracket as Wigan.

Now try again, are the places you mention where teams draw support from considered geographicaly part of those towns or not.

What do you call geographically? Geographically, Ledston, Ledsham, Kippax, Allerton Bywater, and Methley are very adjacent to Cas. Some almost within walking distance of Cas town centre, but politically they are in Leeds. Standish is in Wigan, Coppull is in Lancashire. Does Copull count as Wigan's area?

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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I think it was an Open Rugby issue from 1981 or 1982. If I recall correctly, Hull came out poorly as did Sydney. Fulham came out quite well as they used the figures for the LB of Hammersmith and Fulham, not London as a whole.

Yes, the Fulham example rings a bell.

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Here you go...

In a piece of research by David Johnson of Hull, published in Open Rugby of October 1981:-

Season 1980/81 average crowds as a percentage of town population (1971 census figures - the last figures available for town population)

Fulham 31.0% (6,096 19,715)

Featherstone 19.8% (3,007 15,231)

Castleford 12.0% (4,612 38,234)

Whitehaven 10.2% (2,733 26,724)

Leigh 9.7% (4,498 46,181)

Widnes 9.3% (5,306 56,949)

Wakefield 8.0% (4,814 59,590)

Workington 7.7% (2,188 28,431)

Hull/Hull KR 7.2% (20,615 285,970)

Warrington 7.2% (4,917 68,317)

Barrow 6.3% (4,065 64,034)

Wigan 5.8% (4,693 81,147)

Swinton 4.8% (1,935 40,167)

St Helens 4.7% (4,934 104,341)

Halifax 4.5% (4,090, 91,272)

York 3.7% (3,827 104,782)

Batley 3.1% (1,329 42,006)

Oldham 3.0% (3,220 105,913)

Keighley 2.9% (1,612 55,345)

Dewsbury 2.7% (1,377 51,326)

Salford 2.6% (3,458 130,976)

Bradford 2.0% (6,105 294,177)

Leeds/Bramley/Hunslet 1.6% (7,905 496,009)

Huddersfield 1.3% (1,769 131,190)

Rochdale 1.3% (1,149 91,454)

Doncaster 0.8% (628 82,668)

Blackpool 0.5% (684 151,860)

Huyton 0.4% (270 66,775)

As has been said, a pretty meaningless table of statistics - but a bit of fun. I don't know if it would be possible to replicate this for the present day as I don't know if the population figures are easily available on a town basis.

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Good god this is hard work.

Wigan, as I stated, have regular supporters who turn up from Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford, but you don't count these places as Wigan. Wigan also draw from Standish, Pemberton, Hindley which people would tend to bracket as Wigan.

Now try again, are the places you mention where teams draw support from considered geographicaly part of those towns or not.

I do, it undermines Wigan's argument.

It is pathetic that Wigan with a population of 4.6 million* attract such small crowds. Throw them out of Super League!

*Yes, that does include the metropolitan area of Birmingham, Alabama. What of it?

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What do you call geographically? Geographically, Ledston, Ledsham, Kippax, Allerton Bywater, and Methley are very adjacent to Cas. Some almost within walking distance of Cas town centre, but politically they are in Leeds. Standish is in Wigan, Coppull is in Lancashire. Does Copull count as Wigan's area?

Oh just forget it Geof. I can't be @rsed with yer. :rolleyes:

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Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007

Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king"

 

This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits.

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Oh just forget it Geof. I can't be @rsed with yer. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry to seem thick Dave but I don't understand what you mean.

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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people moan about the size of crowds nowadays, but rugby league crowds in 80/81 look very bad!

That's true, but whilst the top tier Super League crowds have more or less doubled, the crowds lower down the ladder seem to be worse.

I know that was a record year for second division crowds (Fulham's first year, Wigan having been relegated), but still only three clubs were averaging less than a thousand. Attendances at the smaller clubs really nose-dived just after that and never seemed to recover.

The difference in average attendance between the divisions is much higher these days.

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