Thetownend.com

Average Journey Distance to all away games in total this season

Crawley Town 142
Colchester United 139
Gillingham 134
Barrow AFC 129
Newport County 129
Sutton United 128
AFC Wimbledon 125
Morecambe 118
Grimsby Town 115
Swindon Town 112
Forest Green Rovers 111
Harrogate Town 106
Franchise 100
Tranmere Rovers 100
Accrington Stanley 98
Bradford City 96
Wrexham 96
Doncaster Rovers 91
Salford City 88
Stockport County 85
Crewe Alexandra 85
Walsall 85
Mansfield Town 83
Notts County 83

Average away attendance per team so far (number of away games in brackets) (average distance per game so far)

1736​ (5) Notts County   - (105 miles ave)
1562​ (4) Grimsby Town  - (113 miles ave)
1308​ (5) Mansfield Town - ( 84 miles ave) 
1256​ (4) Wrexham        - (109 miles ave)
1214​ (5) Bradford City   - (126 miles ave)
 993​ (5) Walsall             - ( 89 miles ave)
 913​ (4) Swindon Town  - (138 miles ave)
 903​ (4) Stockport Cty   - (124 miles ave)
 874​ (5) Gillingham       - (149 miles ave)
 684​ (5) Franchise         - (108 miles ave)
 680​ (5) AFCWimbledon - (115 miles ave)
 635​ (4) Doncaster R     - (147 miles ave)
 524​ (4) Tranmere R      - (193 miles ave)
 405​ (4) Newport C       - (111 miles ave)
 382​ (6) Barrow            - (123 miles ave)
 355​ (4) Crewe Alex      - (130 miles ave)
 305​ (4) Accrington       - (109 miles ave)
 270​ (4) Colchester U    - (162 miles ave)
 249​ (5) Harrogate T     - ( 87 miles ave)
 240​ (3) Morecambe     - (157 miles ave)
 215​ (4) Forest Green   - (140 miles ave)
 178​ (5) Salford City     - ( 83 miles ave)
 152​ (3) Sutton Utd      - (236 miles ave)
 149​ (4) Crawley Town  - (205 miles ave)

Average away attendance weighted by longest distance total vs average attendance

1736​ Notts County
1562​ Grimsby Town
1214​ Bradford C   
1256​ Wrexham     
 874​  Gillingham   
 913​  Swindon Town
 903​  Stockport C 
1308​ Mansfield T 
 524​  Tranmere R
 635​  Doncaster R
 993​  Walsall     
 680​  AFCWimbledon
 684​  Franchise     
 382​  Barrow       
 355​  Crewe Alex 
 405​  Newport C   
 270​  Colchester U
 240​  Morecambe   
 152​  Sutton Utd   
 305​  Accrington   
 149​  Crawley Town
 215​  Forest Green
 249​  Harrogate T 
 178​  Salford City

Play off spots only. Not good enough.

Get yer arses on the road people.

I take it the Colchester game isn't included?

Nope because the attendance wasn't officially released.

Interesting. I suppose you also have to factor in ticket allocations vs proximity too. Two of our away games so far were comfortably sold out, and our closest games this season are probably FGR, Newport, Walsall, Sutton and Wimbledon. Pretty sure we've old out all 5 of those in recent times.

Absolutely, but selling out is an issue for Wrexham who have sold out every away allocation so far at Stockport, Tranmere, Barrow and AFCW as have Notts County I believe at Stockport, Tranmere, Barrow, Morecambe, MKD Sutton and Doncaster.

Mansfield are probably skewing the figures at the moment having played Grimsby, Doncaster and Crewe all comfortably under 80 miles.

In the top 4 averages only 1 team (Wrexham) have played a game further than 150 miles, whereas we have had a 212 mile trip to Morecambe and a 170 mile trip to Doncaster already.

Good thread to keep updated as the season progresses if you can PV?

I guess we'll never know the average pint consumptions for away attendances.
Would like to think that we would be handily placed in that table.

The other thing that does often influence season long averages is who you get to play midweek.

A midweek games at FGR isn't going to impact our ability to sell out, but midweek at Colchester we probably won't sell the 700+ that we did on opening day

I am sure thats easily possible.

Absolutely, so far there has only been 1 week of midweek league games but yes it will hugely affect attendances but I guess over the season they will average out a bit.

Notts County away on a Saturday you'd like to think would have fetched between 1,500-2,000 but on a Tuesday night i'm guessing about 700 or so.

100%

A couple of days ago we’d sold 540

No surprise that the league returnees come away in numbers, wait until they have been stuck here a few years.

I hadn't noticed we have Accrington away on a Tuesday night at the end of November, can't see a big turn out for that one!  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Notts County is an interesting one before they went out of the football league they never used to take big numbers away and home attendances were never that good, it appears their fans are now more appreciative and thankful to Mr Garner for the resurgence!

Not being able to get into watch their neighbours might have something to do with it?

Yesterdays away figures from the games were.

1,901 Stockport at Accrington
1,043 Crewe at Wrexham
925 Notts Co at Colchester
554 Mansfield at Gillingham
456 Sutton at Crawley
444 Tranmere at Wimbledon
427 Walsall at Bradford
381 Grimsby at Swindon
371 Doncaster at Barrow
220 Newport at Salford
143 Morecambe at Forest Green
138 Harrogate at Franchise

1k Crewe at Wrexham must've had a great day.

TBF thats 110 less than we took there (1,153) and thats a distance of just 25 miles, they didnt even sell out, thats pretty poor going.

Only 153 less, surely.

110 to be precise.

Finger slipped typing it in.

Damn fingers!

Yeah, fair point.

Crewe are a small club tho😁

Curse these chubby digits!

I had a mate in the RAF whose nickname was Fingers.

He took a girl back to his room one night and a few of us followed them back and cocked our ears at his door.

‘Fingers, fingers, use your fingers!’ we heard through the door.

1484 Wrexham at Mansfield
872 Bradford at Tranmere
817 Swindon at Notts
320 Accrington at Morecambe
245 Franchise at Walsall
207 Gills at Crewe
143 Colchester at Newport
125 FGR at Stockport
103 Crawley at Doncaster
56 Salford at Sutton
51 Barrow at Grimsby

AFCW at Harrogate not announced yet.

245 MK for a 70 mile trip to Walsall is shite.

There were some shitty journey's for a Tuesday night there!

Fair play to Wrexham, that's a cracking turnout for a midweek game.

Passed a couple of their coaches on the A50. Considering I didn't get to Nottingham until almost 7pm they were cutting it pretty fine!

Current average away support, games played in brackets.

1600 (6) Notts County
1325​ (5) Grimsby Town
1256​ (5) Wrexham       
1238​ (6) Bradford City
1182​ (6) Mansfield Town
1102​ (5) Stockport Cty
 898​ (5) Walsall       
 893 (5) Swindon Town 
 762​ (6) Gillingham   
 680​ (5) AFCWimbledon
 610​ (5) Franchise     
 582​ (5) Doncaster R 
 508​ (5) Tranmere R   
 492​ (5) Crewe Alex   
 368 (5) Newport C   
 334​ (7) Barrow       
 308 (5) Accrington   
 244​ (5) Colchester U
 230 (5) Harrogate T 
 228​ (5) Sutton Utd   
 215​ (4) Morecambe   
 197​ (5) Forest Green
 157​ (6) Salford City
 139​ (5) Crawley Town

Id be interested to know what Notts County’s numbers were last time they were in this division.
Whether they’ve always been that well supported or whether dropping out the league and rebuilding has done wonders for them…

They have never travelled in those numbers before, yes the last visit they brought 2,248 but that was their goodbye to league 2 end of season fixture so hugely skewed.

The previous 3 games at the CG they brought 296, 246 and 248.

In fairness, we usually pummel them at the CG so not the most attractive fixture for them!

About half of what they manage now.

I thought the crowd was a little low for them last night considering league position and season ticket holders could take a friend for a £1

.

Exactly the figures as my post on the previous page says, no official figure given for AFCW still.

I see Bristol City took a measly 404 to Rotherham last night. That's less than half what we took to Nottingham mid week  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

There was a full on train strike yesterday don't forget.

True but it was only 30 miles further than Swindon to Nottingham, still piss poor for a massive (their words not mine) Championship side.

I think our away following average in L2 is roundabout the same as Millwall’s in the Championship.

L2 seems to be really vibrant this season.

1334 Wrexham at Crawley
1023 Crewe at Salford
903 Doncaster at Stockport
626 Notts C at Barrow
581 Grimsby at Tranmere
559 Swindon at Bradford
411 Wimbledon at Mansfield
323 MKD at Gillingham
275 Walsall at Sutton
136 FGR at Accrington
116 Morecambe at Colchester
65 Harrogate at Newport

Do we normally get 1334 tickets for Crawley🥺

No, because of previous issues with Town fans and segregation, we took 1,377 there 4 years ago tho but have had way limited allocations since then.

I thought that was the case. Cheers JJ

Our official Twitter account said it was 599 yesterday, the FL72 account said 515

Bradford announced 559!

Yeah, saw that later.
I’m assuming ours was a typo (albeit by WiltsPol as they were the ones that said 599).
Unless they were including the playing squad :)

Cant be as we dont have a big enough squad ;)

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

3880 Mansfield at Notts County
1193 Tranmere at Crewe
986 Bradford at Wimbledon
715 Newport at Swindon
674 Salford at Wrexham
600 Gillingham at Walsall
450 Stockport at Harrogate
278 Barrow at Franchise
278 Colchester at FGR
133 Sutton at Doncaster
116 Accrington at Grimsby

Current average away followings as of 16/10.

1567​ Mansfield Town
1462​ Notts County
1341​ Wrexham
1202​ Grimsby Town
1133​ Bradford City
994​ Stockport County
838​ Swindon Town
810​ Walsall
740​ Gillingham
636​ Doncaster Rovers
622​ Tranmere Rovers
581​ Crewe Alexandra
577​ AFC Wimbledon
570​ Franchise
426​ Newport County
327​ Barrow
276​ Accrington Stanley
250​ Colchester United
232​ Salford City
207​ Harrogate Town
200​ Sutton United
196​ Morecambe
187​ Forest Green Rovers
140​ Crawley Town

Why is Mansfield's so high? They don't get enormous numbers at home, but something like 30% of their home attendance travels every week?

Massively skewed by them taking nearly 4k to Notts County. They've also played at Doncaster (34 miles) and Grimsby (81 miles). Compare that to our local games, FGR (29 miles, sold out) and then the next nearest games were Notts County (128 miles) then Wrexham (147 miles, sold out)!

They seem to have played all their local away derbies already, Notts County, Grimsby, Doncaster, Accrington and Crewe, all under 85 miles with Saturdays game at County being just 15 miles. Add to that the unbeaten start and the glory hunters....

Yet Mansfield barely bring 500 here.

Clubs with larger away ends up Norf? The clubs down this end of the country in this league don't have the largest away capacities, except for us and Dongs.

Makes sense. It would be nice to be in a division with at least some local games!

I read somewhere that Plymouth are averaging around 2000 away which is crazy considering location and not classed as a big club.

Mansfield to us
131  2006/07
568  2017/18
320  2018/19
215  2019/20
396  2021/22
587  2022/23

Us to Mansfiled
276  2006/07 
523  2017/18 
486  2018/19 
___  2019/20 (No away game, Covid)
252  2021/22 
734  2022/23 

Can’t really grumble then😁

Is there much interest for Franchise in 2 weeks? It's my local game so I'm probably going to go. Given the relatively short distance and the huge away end it should be a pretty well subscribed fixture shouldn't it? Would 3k be overly ambitious?

If we can grab a win on Saturday at Salford and then beat Gills at home then maybe we could get about 1,500 I would think but 3k is ovelrly ambtious IMO.

Got my tickets

We're going too

I didn't realise we were playing Gills next week, I do now! :)

Are you driving or training it? what's the pub situation like there? I assume there is bugger all near the actual stadium? I think I read that Bletchley is closer than MK Central - I'll probably walk from the station either way, unless the wife does her Christmas Shopping in MK during the day and I can get a lift :)

The Stadium is in Bletchley, the walk would be quite a treck. There are places near the stadium to get a drink but they are all chain restaurants like TGI etc.

Nearest place near the train station for a drink would be Weatherspoon's.

Bletchley does have a train station, but the area around it like pubs etc can be a bit iffy.

#sorry just read its your local game!

I did fear that it would be one of those grounds surrounded by chain restaurant/pubs - nothing wrong with them per se, but doesn't appeal for me, although a pre-match couple of pints are a pre-match couple of pints after all! Same goes for 'spoons.

I actually live in Northants so since Northampton got promoted it's my closest away game, about 25 miles or so. 

You can get some meatballs at Ikea next door!

IIRC Bletchley railway station to MK Stadium is only about a mile walking but I dont remember there being many pubs locally to the ground though.

Can't really help you with a pub, but I have been there on a non match day and its like the Reebok.... but worse! It literally is just the ground and out of town shopping outlets (so your missus could do some Christmas shopping!) plus the usual fast food joints.

If you do go to Bletchley, don't make the mistake of going to Bletchley Park (which is dead near the station), I really thought it would be my cup of tea but I found it very boring!

Edit - This suggests that there are a couple of pubs by the station? https://www.awaygames.co.uk/away-day-guides/mk-dons-away/#1467742969613-f0cc0ba0-038b

Can't beat an Ikea meatball!

According to a famous maps website, it's about a 35 minute walk. Yeah looks like bugger all around the ground sadly.


cheers Horlock, the Park pub doesn't look terrible.

We're driving down.

Usually park in one of the industrial estates around the ground.
There's a bar/pub in the ground that we went in last time, but think there's a load of places around the ground now to eat, not so sure about pubs (i'm old & don't drink much nowadays)

The spoons in Bletchley is one of the better ones from what I remember.
Well named as well. About a half mile from the station.

Might try this one

https://www.ploughsimpsonvillage.co.uk/

Trip to Bletchley sold out.
Not sure if that's just the initial allocation of 812 or if more will be made available.

Another batch (of tickets) is on the way WB.

Good. DNA fancies a day out as I have never been there, driven by many times in my sales and courier career and he’s not being a pup so to speak.

If you are getting off at Bletchley, you could always pop a few stops up to Woburn Sands - pub right next to the station - Station Tavern.  And if you are getting off at Bletchley I would highly recommend getting there early and crossing the road and spending a couple of hours at the Bletchley Park Museum - Enigma Code Breakers etc

............although Horlock disagrees !

but Bedford Red agrees with you. Been there two or three times and really found it interesting.

They shouldn’t even exist!

1550 sold for Franchise so far.

Nice

Good turn out that, hopefully we can take a few more if we get a few more wins before then.

I still think 3k isn't unrealistic. Given some of the more local games have such a restriction, Franchise is probably the best 'local' option that has an almost unrestricted away section.

And home selection!

Absolute white elephant of a stadium in a town that does not really like football and has no history as a town or a football club.

A 6,000 average attendance from 6 games so far in a stadium that can seat 31,000 is pretty embaressing, thats under 20% occupancy of seats, or the equivalent of the CG averaging just 3,000.

Harrogate average 50% of their 4,100 capacity, Crawley 55% of their 6,100 and even Salford 52% of their 5,100 capacity.

MK Dongs must be losing so much money. We can hope.

It is pretty feeble. I assume the other income from the stadium doesn't go to the football club? I think they have gigs at the Marshall Arena which I think is next to the stadium - There is some drum and bass thing happening there the same time as our game with Franchise.

They have loads of gigs at the stadium during the off season.

The marshall arena is connected, have darts their in Jan, always good.

Oh and MK is not a town anymore, It got awarded city status last year or 2.

I used to live near bletchley park. Bletchley is a dive

490 sold for Salford so far. Not a great turnout, even if late sales boost it to 600 or so. BUT it's yet another long trip after we've already been to Morecambe, Nottingham, Doncaster and Bradford so not a huge surprise.

Yes so many long away trips, that said the last 2 visits there we have only taken just over 700 each time so we are probably still on for 650+ I would think, add to that the bad weather puts some fans off too.

I thought about it - for 30 seconds and dismissed it. Off to MK following week.

I would possibly have gone which would have made it 491 (or 492 I rarely travel solo) but we are away.

Its also possibly worth bearing in mind the Salford's ground is a bit of an arse to get to by public transport which may put some off, the idea of watching Swindon completely sober often terrifies me!

It's true, pokey little ground with very few places for a drink nearby. The area outside the away end is ok for a drink, but the forecast looks a bit grim and there's no cover.

MK tickets purchased and no dick for brains jobsworth steward to deal with either, oh and Gills tickets too.

Also giving Salford a miss. Been 3 times before, nowhere nearby to drink and eat pre-match, so not an attractive destination. With having done trips to Morecambe, Nottingham & Bradford recently, decided to take a weekend off. Still a fair few away matches to come this side of Christmas too.

Harrogate is a week too long for me. My two weeks induction in Bradford finishes a week early otherwise I’d have booked an extra night in the hotel and driven up from there then back home but alas noooo.

Update on average away followings.

1718​   Wrexham
1291​   Notts County
1181​   Mansfield Town
1169​   Stockport County
1163​   Bradford City
1076​   Grimsby Town
 821​   Swindon Town
 716​   Gillingham
 698​   Walsall
 672​   Doncaster Rovers
 652​   Tranmere Rovers
 576​   AFC Wimbledon
 469​   Franchise
 462​   Crewe Alexandra
 385​   Newport County
 339​   Morecambe
 311​   Barrow
 305​   Colchester United
 282​   Sutton United
 266​   Accrington Stanley
 219​   Forest Green Rovers
 202​   Salford City
 174​   Crawley Town
 169​   Harrogate Town

When comparing average distance travelled, then of the teams above us in the list, only Grimsby travel further and then not by much.
If there was a weighting to take err lets call it horse power into account then Gillingham might be at the top.
We might start dropping down the list as the fed up factor kicks in if things don't improve on the pitch.

https://www.thestatszone.com/football/english-league-2/travel-distances-2023-24-english-league-2

Yes, it needs to be fans per game per mile.  An away fan commitment index.

This tries to include mileage weighting

https://x.com/_the72/status/1740827986457461144?s=46&t=VudwFg7hk9aPtya-N7h6GA
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCipzrgWAAE-XgQ?format=jpg&name=medium)

Newport away now apparently moved to 12.45 kick off.

Down to the Rugby

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjciOn91MGDAxVy7bsIHUdEAgcQFnoECBwQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.southwalesargus.co.uk%2Fsport%2F24024897.kick-off-time-changed-newport-county-v-swindon%2F&usg=AOvVaw1P6Hk71sE0PG_sd6FIgu03&opi=89978449