Third Best Supported Club - Shouldn't We Have A TOP Manager?

Last updated : 21 May 2013 By Footy Mad - Editor

dPremier League attendances for 2012-13 have shown an increase of nearly 4% on the previous season.

The average attendance for a game in England's top flight was 35,975, up from 34,601 in 2011-12.

The official figures from the respective leagues show crowds have fluctuated across Europe, with Barcelona's average gate down by more than 9,000, an 11% drop.

Attendances at Inter Milan have fallen by more than 3,000, but new German champions Bayern Munich have seen an average increase of around 2,000.

Wigan featured as the away team in six of the lowest Premier League attendances this season. Reading were involved in four of the lowest

The Scottish Premier League's average attendance fell by 28%, from 13,855 to 10,020, although that figure was skewed by the liquidation of Rangers, who reformed in the Scottish Third Division.

Rangers saw only a slight dip in attendances, though, attracting average crowds of 45,750 - down from 46,324 - as they won the Division Three title.

PREMIERSHIP:

1) Manchester United  75387

2) Arsenal  60000

3) Newcastle United  49935

But, as a football supporters' group has warned that these increases could be lost if Premier League clubs do not reduce ticket prices, the figures do not suggest that at all.

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, believes that away supporters are particularly in danger of being priced out of grounds.

"We will be watching very closely what happens next season, when there will be a major increase in media revenue under the new television contracts.

"The Premier League clubs will be receiving so much from these contracts that they could let almost everybody in for free next season and still have the same amount of money coming in as they do now.

"Certainly if the match-going fan does not get the benefit of the clubs' extra media revenue, the reaction could be significant."