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This headline surprised me a bit, are Rovers a "big club" now? Maybe we have advanced a bit. Maybe TLOD is now just our construct! https://www.crewealex.net/news/2021/march/another-big-club-arriving-in-doncaster/
In terms of League One we are well established and are regularly fighting for the play off places. We're similar to Peterborough, were both nowadays bigger clubs at this level. If we go up there will be 20+ teams bigger than us though.
I'm with you on this, Campsall. TLO Wigan were traditionally no bigger than us until they had the Whelan millions that put them in a false position in the football pyramid. For me though club size isn't simply about how high in the pyramid a team is playing but is about the size of their following. Size of the club membership effectively.Admittedly, sustained success in terms of league position will increase the size of the following but by just how much will be determined by factors such as the size of the town they're from and how many (and how big) other clubs are in the locality... something the Rovers have always struggled to overcome.So, TLO Sheff' Wednesday are a bigger club than us because of the size of their following mostly due to the size of the town (City) they draw their following from and because of their historical success.
Always makes me cringe the TLOD thing.Kinda worked in the first season back in tier 2, but that's it. Calling ourselves TLOD is almost holding us back, and doing ourselves a disservice. we've moved on from all the "going for it" and "destination championship" nonsense. We are one of the big clubs below championship level.Lets recognise that!
I think I'm right in saying that back in the 60's Rovers' home attendances in the 4th division were highest in that division and higher than any club in the third division, and about half-way highest in the second division.
Quote from: Bentley Bullet on March 11, 2021, 10:25:00 amI think I'm right in saying that back in the 60's Rovers' home attendances in the 4th division were highest in that division and higher than any club in the third division, and about half-way highest in the second division.You are right in that compared with other clubs we were relatively well supported in those days, but not by quite as much as you say, BB.In our two title winning seasons of 1965-66 and 1968-69 we averaged about 10400 and 10200 (sources vary slightly) and these were our highest seasonal averages. I still have have the Playfair annuals from those seasons and in 1965-66 and according to average home attendances we were the best supported club in Division 4, there were only 4 higher averages in Division 3 (Hull best with nearly 23000), and we were higher than 3 in Division 2 (Rotherham, Bury and Leyton Orient).In 1968-69 it was nearly the same. We were second best supported team in Division 4 very closely behind Southend, there were 5 higher averages in Division 3 (Swindon best with nearly 18000) and again there were three lower averages in Division 2 (Huddersfiled, Carlisle, Bury).
It is certainly a different perspective from Crewe's point of view from 2002-03, when we were on our way to winning promotion via the Conference playoffs. In that season we went to Gresty Road in the AMC (maybe called DAF/Leyland Trophy in those days) and we lost 0-8 with a teen-aged Dean Ashton scoring a hattrick.
I havent stopped to think about it lately. To me Rovers natural position is firmly Div 4. Crumbling terraces, Satdi Santa singing 'The leagues the wrong way up! " Ken Avis reminding people not to smoke in the main stand. The main event after the black terrace humour, which was a joy to listen to, was the pie and peas which were very good.Nowadays though, all that is actually becoming a distant memory.
I'm with you River Don. During my lifetime, Rovers have been predominantly a Division 4 team with Div 4 attendances and Div 4 players. There has been the occasional exception of course but this current stay in Division 3 needs to go on longer yet before it overhadows what went before.CheersBobG