City were once the 5th best supported club in England/Wales

' Cardiff City were once the 5th best supported club in England/Wales '

Cardiff City once averaged 37.933 for our home crowds


So we have had the support and the support was once there and Cardiff was a much smaller place then and the areas around Cardiff were by far smaller, so the potential is there

Cardiff City were the 5th best supported club in the Football League(all 4 divisions) in their first season in the top flight football (1921/22 season) with an average gate of 33,340

And even when crowds dropped by an average of almost 6,000 the next season, Cardiff City's figure of 27.620 was still enough to get City the 8th best average support.

In 1923/24 our average gate again dropped, but only by a few hundred to 26,950 and this was enough for us to climb a place to 7th best averaged supported club in England/Wales.





In 1952/53 (our first season in Division One in almost a quarter of a century), our average crowd of 37,933 was our highest ever and it was enough to make us the eighth best supported club in England/Wales.


Plus when City were in the Premier League Four Years ago Cardiff virtually sold out the Cardiff City stadium for every home game 27,500 and could of sold thousands of tickets more for some games.




Dates and crowd figures thanks to Paul Evans aka The Other Bob Wilson

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Back in the days when the game was aimed at the ordinary working man, and fans were'nt being ripped off so that players and agents could earn more in a week than most of us can earn in a year.

Back in the days when the game was aimed at the ordinary working man, and fans were'nt being ripped off so that players and agents could earn more in a week than most of us can earn in a year.

Steve, I agree 100% with what you say there but thats the same for all clubs.







In 1952/53 (our first season in Division One in almost a quarter of a century), our average crowd of 37,933 was our highest ever and it was enough to make us the eighth best supported club in England/Wales.

Since the year 2000 Cardiff City

We have had 18 yrs of a very good standard of football, three promotions,Prem football, only one relegation,Wembley 4 times, top players playing for us,new ground etc.

It is the overall change in Cardiff that has caused the decline.

1920's saw a greater number heavy labour jobs due to the docks and the coal. Although the population has increased these sort of jobs and with it CCFC support have declined.

Add to that the emergence of Cardiff as a "European" Capital City it has been gifted with a massive diversity in leisure facilities, activities and sporting events. Football and rugby are no longer the only places to relax from work.

These sort of changes are not the same everywhere else. The docks and coal decline in South Wales far exceeded any decline up north where factories, production lines and dock work remained. Here the city diversified to technology, call centres and a bit of finance.

With that brought different types of people and our growth as a European Capital City gave them much more choice in the leisure activities. The choices in Cardiff have affected our support.

Saying that success will bring the office worker types through the turnstiles as they want to be affiliated with success and the Premier league epitomizes that sort of supporter

Back in the days when the game was aimed at the ordinary working man, and fans were'nt being ripped off so that players and agents could earn more in a week than most of us can earn in a year.

Steve, I agree 100% with what you say there but thats the same for all clubs.







In 1952/53 (our first season in Division One in almost a quarter of a century), our average crowd of 37,933 was our highest ever and it was enough to make us the eighth best supported club in England/Wales.

I think for most of my days (and probably yours), gates of anywhere between 15k and 25k in the second tier of football have been normal depending on whether or not we are challenging for promotion. If we could get back to the top division, and actually be competitive this time, I think we would get gates in excess of 30k for the majority of games. Our gates have always been linked to where we are in the various divisions, and how the club is being run. You will remember the time when we probably had a maximum of 1000 or so hardcore supporters, and I doubt if we have much more than 10000 now who will keep going wherever we are in the Championship. For most of my time supporting the club, we have always been an average sized club, and usually been poorly run. Success will bring the crowds in, but if we fail and were to be relegated we would be back to crowds of well under 10k as often happened in the past. I guess we are what we are, and will never be an Arsenal, Man U or Chelsea. As long as all our players give 100% and I see some entertaining football, I am not bothered if I am down there on my own. I'll keep complaining about things, but I'll carry on going down whatever.

Wayne and Steve,

When Cardiff City were in the Premier League Four Years ago Cardiff virtually sold out the Cardiff City stadium for every home game 27,500 and could of sold thousands of tickets more for some games.

We now hold 33,500 and I believe if we were prompted again to the Premier League,we would get 33,500, potentially the support is still there its keeping them is the hardest part?

we spent 18 years straight in the 2 lower divisions which happened to coincide with the formation of the EPL and a huge increase in live football on TV..thats bound to harm a fan base.{.dad takes little johnny to watch us lose to 5.0 to maidstone..then little johnny watches his man u heros win the lge.}
despite this our 1 and only season in the prem attracted crowds that were the 13th highest, would have been higher had the new stand been built ..no other club has managed anything close to this just 11 seasons after a generation in the lower leagues.
give our fans a sustained run in the prem and we would blow most clubs away...

Trouble is there is so much footie on the TV now that a lot of "locals" can pick teams from all over the country to follow. Back in the day if you liked football you would go and watch the local team without thinking of going to see another team play. Now it's all about glory hunters following teams that they have never seen play live! Wankers!

Wayne and Steve,

When Cardiff City were in the Premier League Four Years ago Cardiff virtually sold out the Cardiff City stadium for every home game 27,500 and could of sold thousands of tickets more for some games.

We now hold 33,500 and I believe if we were prompted again to the Premier League,we would get 33,500, potentially the support is still there its keeping them is the hardest part?

Keeping them is indeed the hardest part Annis. How is it that City could attract a crowd of over 35.000 for an old div 3 game v Hereford (75/76 promotion season) & then for the last home game, v Swindon, a few days later, only get 23412?
Another example is our famous win v the great Spurs team of the 1960/61 old first division season; 45463 at Ninian park came to watch the game on March 11, 1961. Yet just a few weeks later, we play West Ham in our last home game that season, and attract only 9549 fans???
There are many other examples of our fluctuating levels of support, over the decades, & the changes in the local demographics of South East Wales tell only part of the story.
Its the decades of under achievement, false dawns, & broken promises, that have made the real apathy with vast South Wales paying public!

Wayne and Steve,

When Cardiff City were in the Premier League Four Years ago Cardiff virtually sold out the Cardiff City stadium for every home game 27,500 and could of sold thousands of tickets more for some games.

We now hold 33,500 and I believe if we were prompted again to the Premier League,we would get 33,500, potentially the support is still there its keeping them is the hardest part?

Keeping them is indeed the hardest part Annis. How is it that City could attract a crowd of over 35.000 for an old div 3 game v Hereford (75/76 promotion season) & then for the last home game, v Swindon, a few days later, only get 23412?
Another example is our famous win v the great Spurs team of the 1960/61 old first division season; 45463 at Ninian park came to watch the game on March 11, 1961. Yet just a few weeks later, we play West Ham in our last home game that season, and attract only 9549 fans???
There are many other examples of our fluctuating levels of support, over the decades, & the changes in the local demographics of South East Wales tell only part of the story.
Its the decades of under achievement, false dawns, & broken promises, that have made the real apathy with vast South Wales paying public!

Rick, thats our big problem? ? ?


Also more recent time 21,500 v Man City we beat them in the FA CUP, next home game 5,000, We beat Leeds 21,500 in FACUP game, next game 11,000.

I rem the Hereford and Swindon home games well and crowds went even lower than 33,000,23,000 to as low as 11,500 even though we got promoted? ?

we spent 18 years straight in the 2 lower divisions which happened to coincide with the formation of the EPL and a huge increase in live football on TV..thats bound to harm a fan base.{.dad takes little johnny to watch us lose to 5.0 to maidstone..then little johnny watches his man u heros win the lge.}
despite this our 1 and only season in the prem attracted crowds that were the 13th highest, would have been higher had the new stand been built ..no other club has managed anything close to this just 11 seasons after a generation in the lower leagues.
give our fans a sustained run in the prem and we would blow most clubs away...

I think you might be right, we need about 10 consecutive years in the Premier League,to keep the floating/glory hunting fans.

Trouble is there is so much footie on the TV now that a lot of "locals" can pick teams from all over the country to follow. Back in the day if you liked football you would go and watch the local team without thinking of going to see another team play. Now it's all about glory hunters following teams that they have never seen play live! Wankers!

I agree with a lot of that and armchair fans are killing many clubs, I have seen many watching the games in the pub and never actually attended a game in person. But there are still many many clubs who still pack out home and away.

we spent 18 years straight in the 2 lower divisions which happened to coincide with the formation of the EPL and a huge increase in live football on TV..thats bound to harm a fan base.{.dad takes little johnny to watch us lose to 5.0 to maidstone..then little johnny watches his man u heros win the lge.}
despite this our 1 and only season in the prem attracted crowds that were the 13th highest, would have been higher had the new stand been built ..no other club has managed anything close to this just 11 seasons after a generation in the lower leagues.
give our fans a sustained run in the prem and we would blow most clubs away...

I think you might be right, we need about 10 consecutive years in the Premier League,to keep the floating/glory hunting fans.

i know lots of blokes who came a few times loved the buzz only the buzz games were sandwiched inbetween 25 games against rochdale and darlington and 3k watching so they drifted to suport the top clubs..i still believe we could be a biggish club but need a bit of luck.
30 years of non investement i dreamed of the millionaire that would transform us.
how unlucky can you be..we got the only one that thought changing the colour was ok.

we spent 18 years straight in the 2 lower divisions which happened to coincide with the formation of the EPL and a huge increase in live football on TV..thats bound to harm a fan base.{.dad takes little johnny to watch us lose to 5.0 to maidstone..then little johnny watches his man u heros win the lge.}
despite this our 1 and only season in the prem attracted crowds that were the 13th highest, would have been higher had the new stand been built ..no other club has managed anything close to this just 11 seasons after a generation in the lower leagues.
give our fans a sustained run in the prem and we would blow most clubs away...

Only got to look at the 5 or 6 yrs prior to 2014 when we had consistent success how our crowds were at highest levels, success over a sustained period does bring the fans back! next couple of seasons could decide if we keep up the progress that we appear to be making or just plod along mid table obscurity?

We are all forgetting the late 70's, 80's and the 90's when we lost at least two generations of football fans. The violence and pure aggression wasn't for a lot of people and we lost those fans and their offspring. We were an unsuccessful diminishing club only "famous" for one thing at it wasn't on the pitch.

I remember being shocked when my nan said to me she'd would go and watch the city every game home game after the war and most of the 50's. This was in 1983 when the hooligan culture was at its worse.

Any coincidence that the new stadium brought different fans ?

IMO opinion S Wales has a sport participation culture but not a sports spectator one. You only have to look at our "national games" (rugby) regions and club sides attendance. We'll turn out for an occasion but that's it.

We desperately needed another season or two in the premier league to capture the newbies into supporting Cardiff City not the premier league team based in Cardiff, but that season was toxic and it did the reverse.

Professional sport is expensive and this is not an affluent area. Lots of people ask me how the city are doing and they mean to come down and grab a game, but the pricing puts loads off. A minimum of £25 for a non important game plus all the extras is pretty rich for attending a mid table clash on a rainy Tuesday evening in November. £25 for a must win game if city are doing well or even trying to avoid relegation appears acceptable due to the anticipated drama.

We have fickle fans, we always have. I didn't bother with the 90's and played on Saturday afternoons, so I won't moan.

Clubs like Leeds and Wednesday grew up generation to generation Leeds or Wednesday fans because it was bred into them. Yes, they have great (recent) history but I doubt they'd have their current fan base if the previous 25 years were are sparse as ours.

We are all forgetting the late 70's, 80's and the 90's when we lost at least two generations of football fans. The violence and pure aggression wasn't for a lot of people and we lost those fans and their offspring. We were an unsuccessful diminishing club only "famous" for one thing at it wasn't on the pitch.

I remember being shocked when my nan said to me she'd would go and watch the city every game home game after the war and most of the 50's. This was in 1983 when the hooligan culture was at its worse.

Any coincidence that the new stadium brought different fans ?

IMO opinion S Wales has a sport participation culture but not a sports spectator one. You only have to look at our "national games" (rugby) regions and club sides attendance. We'll turn out for an occasion but that's it.

We desperately needed another season or two in the premier league to capture the newbies into supporting Cardiff City not the premier league team based in Cardiff, but that season was toxic and it did the reverse.

Professional sport is expensive and this is not an affluent area. Lots of people ask me how the city are doing and they mean to come down and grab a game, but the pricing puts loads off. A minimum of £25 for a non important game plus all the extras is pretty rich for attending a mid table clash on a rainy Tuesday evening in November. £25 for a must win game if city are doing well or even trying to avoid relegation appears acceptable due to the anticipated drama.

We have fickle fans, we always have. I didn't bother with the 90's and played on Saturday afternoons, so I won't moan.

Clubs like Leeds and Wednesday grew up generation to generation Leeds or Wednesday fans because it was bred into them. Yes, they have great (recent) history but I doubt they'd have their current fan base if the previous 25 years were are sparse as ours.

Some real home truths there and a lot of facts and your right it's not just a Cardiff City problem it's a South Wales problem that's been there for 40plus years .

I was kindly given a load of city programmes from the 1972, our crowds were so low I was surprised, average about 8k in division 2 or championship as it is now!

We are all forgetting the late 70's, 80's and the 90's when we lost at least two generations of football fans. The violence and pure aggression wasn't for a lot of people and we lost those fans and their offspring. We were an unsuccessful diminishing club only "famous" for one thing at it wasn't on the pitch.

I remember being shocked when my nan said to me she'd would go and watch the city every game home game after the war and most of the 50's. This was in 1983 when the hooligan culture was at its worse.

Any coincidence that the new stadium brought different fans ?

IMO opinion S Wales has a sport participation culture but not a sports spectator one. You only have to look at our "national games" (rugby) regions and club sides attendance. We'll turn out for an occasion but that's it.

We desperately needed another season or two in the premier league to capture the newbies into supporting Cardiff City not the premier league team based in Cardiff, but that season was toxic and it did the reverse.

Professional sport is expensive and this is not an affluent area. Lots of people ask me how the city are doing and they mean to come down and grab a game, but the pricing puts loads off. A minimum of £25 for a non important game plus all the extras is pretty rich for attending a mid table clash on a rainy Tuesday evening in November. £25 for a must win game if city are doing well or even trying to avoid relegation appears acceptable due to the anticipated drama.

We have fickle fans, we always have. I didn't bother with the 90's and played on Saturday afternoons, so I won't moan.

Clubs like Leeds and Wednesday grew up generation to generation Leeds or Wednesday fans because it was bred into them. Yes, they have great (recent) history but I doubt they'd have their current fan base if the previous 25 years were are sparse as ours.

Some real home truths there and a lot of facts and your right it's not just a Cardiff City problem it's a South Wales problem that's been there for 40plus years .

it really depends on how you look at it...should a club in a city this big be getting bigger crowds..probably yes....but a club this size should also have never had that 18 year lower leagues period that did so much harm.

wembley 5 times? i must have either been sleeping, or more than likely in the bin. i only been to wembley with ccfc 4 times. F.T.J. !!!