Despite a modest showing in the cups, Hereford United had attracted an average attendance of almost 9,000 per game as they powered their way to promotion during their debut season in the football league. What did this mean on the club's balance sheet? The below is lifted out of the Halifax programme during the 1973-74 season (13th March 1974).
There are some some fascinating figures contained in the below article. They are especially impressive when you consider that they need to be increased approximately fifteen times, coupled with the fact that the cost of getting into games, programmes etc. being at most 50% of what we have grown accustomed to 50 years later. The article also includes a bonus sneak preview of the 1973-74 squad as it looked in March '74.
Apart from the relative cost of attending football going up, the way Hereford fans purchase their tickets has changed significantly, and not just the online QR code replacing the trusty physical ticket, the way we purchase season tickets has changed too. In 1973-74 by mid-September, it is revealed that the club had sold 1,779 season tickets, 1,242 for the two grandstands and 537 on the terracing. Whilst that figure is approximately 50% higher than the current take up, it is worth noting that average home crowds were approximately three times higher than today. At the time there were approximately 1,900 seats in the stadium, with only the central 700 in the main stand and 1,200 squeezed into the Len Weston upper. So, on a matchday there would be approximately 600 seats up for grabs, hence the need to extend the main stand, which the 1973-74 programmes will reveal came to fruition.
Click on image to enlarge.
