Argyle's attendances rise for a fifth successive season

Argyle's attendances at Home Park for their promotion-winning League Two campaign increased by almost nine per cent compared to last term.

It is the fifth successive season that the figures have gone up and gates are now at the highest level since the Pilgrims were in the Championship.

The aggregate attendance for Argyle's 23 home league games this term was 222,001, which works out as an average of 9,652.

There were 10,000-plus gates for eight of the matches, with the highest being 14,671 for the Devon Derby against Exeter City in February.

Argyle won 3-0 that afternoon, with goals from Matt Kennedy, Ryan Taylor and Jake Jervis.

The second highest attendance was 13,971 for the promotion-clincing 6-1 demolition of Newport County on Easter Monday.

The lowest gate was 6,935 for the 2-0 win against Mansfield Town in August, which came after the Pilgrims lost their first three competitive matches of the campaign, without scoring a gaol in any of them.

Argyle's aggregate attendance last season was 202,288, at an average of 8,795.

Gates at Home Park reached a low in 2011/12, which was the Pilgrims' first campaign in League Two after back-to-back relegations.

The club were in administration at the start of that season and they almost ended up dropping out of the Football League.

The aggregate attendance was 159,940 at an average of 6,954.

ARGYLE'S HOME PARK ATTENDANCES
The Last 10 Seasons

2016/17: 222,001 at an average of 9,652 (L2)

2015/16: 202,288 at an average of 8,795 (L2)

2014/15: 170,479 at an average of 7,412 (L2)

2013/14: 168,007 at an average of 7,304 (L2)

2012/13: 163,202 at an average of 7,096 (L2)

2011/12: 159,940 at an average of 6,954 (L2)

2010/11: 198,104 at an average of 8,613 (L1)

2009/10: 237,242 at an average of 10,314 (C)

2008/09: 265,268 at an average of 11,533 (C)

2007/08: 299,000 at an average of 13,000 (C)

2006/07: 299,273 at an average of 13,012 (C)

Yet there are some idiots who claim Argyle dont need a decent size new stand capable of being upgraded.

Angry wrote:

Yet there are some idiots who claim Argyle dont need a decent size new stand capable of being upgraded.

Idiots being the majority of the Green (Jim) army.

akagreengull wrote:

Angry wrote:

Yet there are some idiots who claim Argyle dont need a decent size new stand capable of being upgraded.

Idiots being the majority of the Green (Jim) army.

FFS!!! Stop moaning put on yer Poncho, wipe the shit from yer twenty three quid seat, and cheer on our new Brent Budget Striker from Bognor!!

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

akagreengull wrote:

Angry wrote:

Yet there are some idiots who claim Argyle dont need a decent size new stand capable of being upgraded.

Idiots being the majority of the Green (Jim) army.

FFS!!! Stop moaning put on yer Poncho, wipe the shit from yer twenty three quid seat, and cheer on our new Brent Budget Striker from Bognor!!

Never hear me moaning, everything is good, the club is on the rise, getting a new stand, attendances are up, million plus pounds in the bank and we have an ambitious owner and board aiming for the championship.
Oh and improving facilities and tickets sales, and a worthy club president.
What's there not to like.

I wonder what the budget attendance figure was, and how much it was beaten by? In Jimmy's first season in charge he budgeted (notoriously) for an 8500 average. Even if we assume that was the budgeted figure for this season - and I expect the figure was lower - then the budget has been beaten by 1152 per game. That's an additional £529,920 if we calculate at £20 per ticket. Not a bad bit of bunce to add to the Liverpool money, the Nelson fee and all the other bits and pieces that have totted up during the season. And even if the estimate is half that, an additional £265,000 should make that pension fund look even healthier.

I've never understood why budgeting a club is so difficult or mysterious. I mean how hard can it be?

The first thing I'd do is look at last year's income. That's known for sure.

Once there make corrections for any one-off factors either in or out.

Then we know all the costs for rent, rates, policing, water, gas etc. in the previous season... They'll be more or less the same. Maybe add 10% to be safe.

Take one from the other.

From that point any increases in ticket sales due to either amount sold or unit price is to the good and any shortfall in units sold will be offset by annual price increase.

TV income is a variable but should be corrected as a one-off at the outset.

Sales of paraphernalia and shirts must be more or less constant and if the commercial side can't match and improve each season then get shot of them and hire people who can achieve that.

Job done.

Where it all goes wrong is by budgeting for crowds we were never going to get in the first place like that truly brain dead 8500 which made no sense then at all - unless it was a deliberate ploy to place the club in debt so that the whole folklore of benevolent owner, eeeesaveduz and lookathowmuchmoenthesputintotheclub could be developed as a narrative.

I understood the first season 8500 joke to be the admin legacy estimate of Peter Ridsdale. Probably pulling the wool over Brent's eyes, being the ponderous fellow he is.

The figure of 8500 was only 116 less than had been achieved the season before. A 'successful' season instead of the 'mire' the club found itself in, might have resulted in a figure not far short of the 8500 prediction.

You only need to look at the posted statistics to see how quickly the figures have risen once success or a hint of it came our way.

Rickler wrote:

The figure of 8500 was only 116 less than had been achieved the season before.  A 'successful' season instead of the 'mire' the club found itself in, might have resulted in a figure not far short of the 8500 prediction.  

You only need to look at the posted statistics to see how quickly the figures have risen once success or a hint of it came our way.

"... achieved the season before" in a higher division.

8500 was always fanciful.

Or, if you prefer, reckless/incompetent/negligent/deliberately too high.

Yep, about as accurate and worthwhile as your prediction on points needed for Argyle promotion...