22,268.

[Usher wide.]

The largest home attendance I have ever been at during my time supporting Rovers.

October 1968 on a Friday night at Belle Vue under the floodlights. The opponents were Darlington Town F.C., we were in 2nd spot as I recall & they were top by a point (2 points for a win 1 point for a draw back then).

I was on the Rosso side as I remember (?) (where had they put the Darlington fans?) & it was bloody crammed when the players took to the field for the warm up 2 minutes before kick off (no pre-match entertainment then…none needed on this occasion) I remember their number 3 getting one of the balls, flicking it up above his head & catching it on the back of his head……bloody hell!

We ultimately lost tough game 1-0.

Don’t remember much about the game apart from being lifted off my feet (I seem to recall…or do I?) for much of the game.

The memories play tricks but one thing for definite, I was one in the crowd of the largest home game seen in the last nigh on 50+years.

They can’t take that away.

[ForsolongaRover]

The largest home attendance I have ever been at during my time supporting Rovers.

October 1968 on a Friday night at Belle Vue under the floodlights. The opponents were Darlington Town F.C., we were in 2nd spot as I recall & they were top by a point (2 points for a win 1 point for a draw back then).

I was on the Rosso side as I remember (?) (where had they put the Darlington fans?) & it was bloody crammed when the players took to the field for the warm up 2 minutes before kick off (no pre-match entertainment then…none needed on this occasion) I remember their number 3 getting one of the balls, flicking it up above his head & catching it on the back of his head……bloody hell!

We ultimately lost tough game 1-0.

Don’t remember much about the game apart from being lifted off my feet (I seem to recall…or do I?) for much of the game.

The memories play tricks but one thing for definite, I was one in the crowd of the largest home game seen in the last nigh on 50+years.

They can’t take that away.

Dare I say Darlington, who those of us were around at that time were simply “Darlington”, never Darlington Town! Their ground at the time (Feethams) was in most beautiful setting at the end of a lovely park. Some memorable matches against them.

[drfchound]

I was also at that match.
I think the Darlo goal was scored by Harry Kirk.
Were  Darlo ever known as Darlington Town.
I can’t ever recall them being so.

Edit: I just did a google search and there is a club known as Darlington Town but they were formed in 2018.
They team we always played against was simply Darlington FC.

[bobbymax]

It was my first-ever game as a nine-year-old, my dad finally relenting as they were a north-east club and he was a Middlesbrough fan. Funnily enough, the only other Rovers game he attended was at Darlington's massive white elephant of a stadium in our first season back in the league. We lost that one as well!

[Hounslowrover]

I was there too, home from college and meeting my mates at the ground. 

[Usher wide.]

I was also at that match.
I think the Darlo goal was scored by Harry Kirk.
Were  Darlo ever known as Darlington Town.
I can’t ever recall them being so.

Edit: I just did a google search and there is a club known as Darlington Town but they were formed in 2018.
They team we always played against was simply Darlington FC.

You & Forsolong are absolutely right hound, they were of course ‘simply’ Darlington FC.

Will we ever see a home crowd of that magnitude again? We’d surely have to be in the Premiership to warrant & be able to afford to ‘bolt on’ another 10,000 seats into the stadium.

[Reg of the Rovers]

I'm not sure we will ever see that crowd again at home. If we were ever in the Prem the TV money would mean we wouldn't need any more fans. Capacity at Bournemouth is 11,307, at  Brentford it's 17,250.

We'll have to have another trip or two to Wembley to get a turnout of 20k plus now I think.

[ForsolongaRover]

I was also at that match.
I think the Darlo goal was scored by Harry Kirk.
Were  Darlo ever known as Darlington Town.
I can’t ever recall them being so.

Edit: I just did a google search and there is a club known as Darlington Town but they were formed in 2018.
They team we always played against was simply Darlington FC.

You & Forsolong are absolutely right hound, they were of course ‘simply’ Darlington FC.

Will we ever see a home crowd of that magnitude again? We’d surely have to be in the Premiership to warrant & be able to afford to ‘bolt on’ another 10,000 seats into the stadium.

We used to get great atmosphere and at least some 5-figure crowds for the Friday night matches in the late 60s when we got promoted to the 3rd tier - Div 3 then I think. Regan was our top striker and McMenemy the manager. The League put a stop to that because of objections from the football pools companies. Only clubs like Tranmere, with Liverpool and Everton of Div 1 on their doorsteps playing alternate Saturdays, were allowed to carry on. It served Tranmere well and it made for a great night out for us - even if the pubs did close at 10:30 in those days.

[idler]

The largest home attendance I have ever been at during my time supporting Rovers.

October 1968 on a Friday night at Belle Vue under the floodlights. The opponents were Darlington Town F.C., we were in 2nd spot as I recall & they were top by a point (2 points for a win 1 point for a draw back then).

I was on the Rosso side as I remember (?) (where had they put the Darlington fans?) & it was bloody crammed when the players took to the field for the warm up 2 minutes before kick off (no pre-match entertainment then…none needed on this occasion) I remember their number 3 getting one of the balls, flicking it up above his head & catching it on the back of his head……bloody hell!

We ultimately lost tough game 1-0.

Don’t remember much about the game apart from being lifted off my feet (I seem to recall…or do I?) for much of the game.

The memories play tricks but one thing for definite, I was one in the crowd of the largest home game seen in the last nigh on 50+years.

They can’t take that away

There was no segregation as such in those days so fans would just congregate usually behind a goal. We used to change ends at half time to be behind the goal we were attacking. It made for one or two interesting exchanges and scuffles near the half way line when opposing fans crossed paths.
It was far too crowded that night to change ends though.
As I remember their goal one of their players tried to hit a first time shot but mishit it and it went straight to their left winger who smashed it into the top far corner. There was some trouble in town after the game that night as well.

[drfchound]

I was also at that match.
I think the Darlo goal was scored by Harry Kirk.
Were  Darlo ever known as Darlington Town.
I can’t ever recall them being so.

Edit: I just did a google search and there is a club known as Darlington Town but they were formed in 2018.
They team we always played against was simply Darlington FC.

You & Forsolong are absolutely right hound, they were of course ‘simply’ Darlington FC.

Will we ever see a home crowd of that magnitude again? We’d surely have to be in the Premiership to warrant & be able to afford to ‘bolt on’ another 10,000 seats into the stadium.

We used to get great atmosphere and at least some 5-figure crowds for the Friday night matches in the late 60s when we got promoted to the 3rd tier - Div 3 then I think. Regan was our top striker and McMenemy the manager. The League put a stop to that because of objections from the football pools companies. Only clubs like Tranmere, with Liverpool and Everton of Div 1 on their doorsteps playing alternate Saturdays, were allowed to carry on. It served Tranmere well and it made for a great night out for us - even if the pubs did close at 10:30 in those days.

With regards to crowd sizes, we had a spell of regular 10k to 12k regular attendances building to an occasional 15k.
That Darlington attendance though was the peak and it is doubtful we will achieve it again in the future.

[Lifelong supporter]

I remember it well.
We'd just won five in a row and can recall being really disappointed at the finish.
Wasn't it Peverell who scored for them?
Might be wrong, but wasn't he a full back as well?
Anyway, we still won the league at the end of the season.

[Donnybob]

The final 5 home games of the 65/66 promotion season drew crowds in excess of 15,000 if memory serves correct. 17,000 for the final game against Notts County when Tony Coleman chinned the ref. The season average was approx 10,500. It may have been the season before when we drew Burnley at home in the League Cup. Nearly 25,000 turned out on a Tuesday night as I remember. Did not 20-odd thousand attend an FA Cup replay for an afternoon game in mid-week against Liverpool?

[ss1953]

I was there too. So crowded that night. Great atmosphere even though we lost. Got talking to the guys next to me. They were Rotherham and Barnsley fans who had come over to watch this top of the table clash.

[idler]

The final 5 home games of the 65/66 promotion season drew crowds in excess of 15,000 if memory serves correct. 17,000 for the final game against Notts County when Tony Coleman chinned the ref. The season average was approx 10,500. It may have been the season before when we drew Burnley at home in the League Cup. Nearly 25,000 turned out on a Tuesday night as I remember. Did not 20-odd thousand attend an FA Cup replay for an afternoon game in mid-week against Liverpool?

I’m sure that the club massaged the crowd numbers down for both the Burnley and Liverpool games. You could hardly move at all at either game. Those were the days when you just used to roll up on the day as well.

[scawsby steve]

I remember it well.
We'd just won five in a row and can recall being really disappointed at the finish.
Wasn't it Peverell who scored for them?
Might be wrong, but wasn't he a full back as well?
Anyway, we still won the league at the end of the season.

As Hound said, it was Harry Kirk who scored.

[BobG]

I was at the Liverpool replay in 1973 or 74. I think the crowd was published as a bit over 20,000 - but not as many as were at the Darlo game.

There was a pretty big crowd when we beat second division Hull City in the League Cup too. 1975 or 76 that would have been.

BobG

[Donnywolf]

I remember it well.
We'd just won five in a row and can recall being really disappointed at the finish.
Wasn't it Peverell who scored for them?
Might be wrong, but wasn't he a full back as well?
Anyway, we still won the league at the end of the season.

As Hound said, it was Harry Kirk who scored.

Correct and what a scorcher of a shot

Cut in from Pop Side and boom nearly broke net

What was attendance v Burnley in League Cup. I have that as around 25 k  in memory bank so probably wrong

[Bentley Bullet]

We'll always argue about that Wolfie, I thought it was a flukey cross that spectacularly floated into the net.

[idler]

I remember it well.
We'd just won five in a row and can recall being really disappointed at the finish.
Wasn't it Peverell who scored for them?
Might be wrong, but wasn't he a full back as well?
Anyway, we still won the league at the end of the season.

As Hound said, it was Harry Kirk who scored.

Correct and what a scorcher of a shot

Cut in from Pop Side and boom nearly broke net

What was attendance v Burnley in League Cup. I have that as around 25 k  in memory bank so probably wrong

I thought it was 24,000 and something. We were right behind the goal as we couldn’t get to our usual spot.

[idler]

We'll always argue about that Wolfie, I thought it was a flukey cross that spectacularly floated into the net.

The pass that found him was certainly a fluke.

[drfchound]

The final 5 home games of the 65/66 promotion season drew crowds in excess of 15,000 if memory serves correct. 17,000 for the final game against Notts County when Tony Coleman chinned the ref. The season average was approx 10,500. It may have been the season before when we drew Burnley at home in the League Cup. Nearly 25,000 turned out on a Tuesday night as I remember. Did not 20-odd thousand attend an FA Cup replay for an afternoon game in mid-week against Liverpool?

I’m sure that the club massaged the crowd numbers down for both the Burnley and Liverpool games. You could hardly move at all at either game. Those were the days when you just used to roll up on the day as well.

I was at the Liverpool and Burnley games and remember the big attendances.
After a bit of internet searching I found a figures of 22499 on the 11v11 website for the Liverpool replay.
If that is correct it just pips the Darlington attendance.
I haven’t been able to find any figures for the Burnley match.
I do remember Andy Lochhead scoring a hat trick that night though.

[idler]

 Just looked now. According to Tony Bluff and Barry Watson’s history of Donny the attendance was 24,988.
There were over 11,000 for the home game against Barnsley and over 14,000 for the replay at Barnsley in the previous round.
Those were the days.
Andy Lockhead was unplayable that night but Burnley had some great players at that time and had won the First Division a few years before.
Happy days.

[drfchound]

Good work idler, so it seems that the Burnley official attendance is the highest one of the three games we have mentioned (Darlington, Liverpool and Burnley).
I am pleased to be able to say I was there for all of them.

[Donnywolf]

I'll take a bow with " around 25k"

Idler mentioned in despatches for his 24000 and something as well lol

[idler]

If another 13 lazy oiks had turned up you would have been right Wolfy. Looking at how it was that night can you imagine another 12,000 odd in to match our record gate?
That is why I thought that they might have under estimated, so to speak and kept a bit back for Hubert Bates.

[BobG]

That was the rumour for years Idler. I do remember being regularly surprised by the lowness of the official gates when they were announced.

BobG

[Lesonthewest]

Wasn't the famous 7 goal mauling of Aldershot up there in the 20 odd thousand.

[Goole Rover]

I'll take a bow with " around 25k"

Idler mentioned in despatches for his 24000 and something as well lol

Burnley 24,999 my old pal. My Dad thought it was some kind of fiddle being one under 25,000

[idler]

I think a lot of regulars thought the same on a few occasions.

[drfchound]

Wasn't the famous 7 goal mauling of Aldershot up there in the 20 odd thousand.

No Les, it was not.
Official attendance was 9312.