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The highest opening weekend crowds since 1963 have
welcomed the start of the new Coca-Cola Football League
season.
More than 450,000 people attended the 36 matches played in the
Coca-Cola Championship, League 1 and League 2. The average
attendance for the opening weekend was 12,694, up by 14 percent on
last season.
The largest crowd of the weekend was at Pride Park, where 33,010
fans saw Derby County’s 2-1 victory against Peterborough
United.
The Yorkshire derby between Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley at
Hillsborough also attracted more than 30,000 supporters, with the
matches at Cardiff City, Leicester City, Middlesbrough and West
Bromwich Albion attracting more than 20,000.
Attendances across the Championship averaged 21,007, a 4 percent
increase on 12 months ago.
In Coca-Cola League 1 there were three crowds in excess of
20,000, with Leeds United, Norwich City and Southampton all packing
them in on the opening day.
Consequently, crowds averaged an impressive 12,109 a rise of 45
percent on last season.
In Coca-Cola League 2 10,254 saw Rotherham beat Accrington
Stanley at the Don Valley Stadium and 9,396 watched Notts County’s
5-0 win over Bradford City at Meadow Lane.
Attendances across League 2 averaged 4,967, up 4 percent on last
season.
2009/10 Coca-Cola Football League opening weekend
attendances (2008/09 figures in brackets)
Coca-Cola Football League
Games: 36 (36)
Total attendance: 456,997 (399,439)
Average attendance: 12,694 (11,096)
Difference: +14%
Coca-Cola Championship
Games: 12 (12)
Total attendance: 252,083 (242,342)
Average attendance: 21,007 (20,195)
Difference: +4 percent
Coca-Cola League 1
Games: 12 (12)
Total attendance: 145,312 (99,885)
Average attendance: 12,109 (8,324)
Difference: +45 percent
Coca-Cola League 2
Games: 12 (12)
Total attendance: 59,602 (57,212)
Average attendance: 4,967 (4,768)
Difference: +4 percent