MATCHWATCH : Fleetwood Town (h)

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Lowest for Elm Park for a 1st team game in a senior competition I think was around 1830 in the league v Preston.

1713, 82/83

We averaged only 3459 that season.

We probably had league crowds lower than that at Elm Park over 100 times.

I was (sadly) there at the Preston game. It was gitting it down with rain. The Tilehurst and Town End were completely empty and typically for once in a blue moon the Southern TV (TVS?) cameras were there capturing a 3-2 home defeat, Kerry Dixon scored at least one of them.

I remember thinking things couldn’t get any worse than that and yet here we are (on a day when Bournemouth easily dink Man City in the Premier)…….God!

I was there too, in the south bank. I remember banners behind the Tilehurst End protesting against the then chairman Frank Waller, and in a parallel with today, Waller put the club up for sale the following week.

I'm pretty sure we were 2-0 up in the game and my memory is Dixon scoring both goals.....I've seen highlights somewhere of the game as it was on TV as above.

[Sutekh]

1713, 82/83

We averaged only 3459 that season.

We probably had league crowds lower than that at Elm Park over 100 times.

I was (sadly) there at the Preston game. It was gitting it down with rain. The Tilehurst and Town End were completely empty and typically for once in a blue moon the Southern TV (TVS?) cameras were there capturing a 3-2 home defeat, Kerry Dixon scored at least one of them.

I remember thinking things couldn’t get any worse than that and yet here we are (on a day when Bournemouth easily dink Man City in the Premier)…….God!

I was there too, in the south bank. I remember banners behind the Tilehurst End protesting against the then chairman Frank Waller, and in a parallel with today, Waller put the club up for sale the following week.

I'm pretty sure we were 2-0 up in the game and my memory is Dixon scoring both goals.....I've seen highlights somewhere of the game as it was on TV as above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_rWjndQljA

[RoyalBlue]

I was (sadly) there at the Preston game. It was gitting it down with rain. The Tilehurst and Town End were completely empty and typically for once in a blue moon the Southern TV (TVS?) cameras were there capturing a 3-2 home defeat, Kerry Dixon scored at least one of them.

I remember thinking things couldn’t get any worse than that and yet here we are (on a day when Bournemouth easily dink Man City in the Premier)…….God!

I was there too, in the south bank. I remember banners behind the Tilehurst End protesting against the then chairman Frank Waller, and in a parallel with today, Waller put the club up for sale the following week.

I'm pretty sure we were 2-0 up in the game and my memory is Dixon scoring both goals.....I've seen highlights somewhere of the game as it was on TV as above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_rWjndQljA

Is that Steve Death in goal or had he left by that point? Picture quality is so poor, I can't really tell.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I was there too, in the south bank. I remember banners behind the Tilehurst End protesting against the then chairman Frank Waller, and in a parallel with today, Waller put the club up for sale the following week.

I'm pretty sure we were 2-0 up in the game and my memory is Dixon scoring both goals.....I've seen highlights somewhere of the game as it was on TV as above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_rWjndQljA

Is that Steve Death in goal or had he left by that point? Picture quality is so poor, I can't really tell.

Death left at the end of the previous season, he had a dispute with the club who wanted to sell the flat they let to him and moved back to Suffolk where his family were.

It could be Ron Fearon?

[RoyalBlue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_rWjndQljA

Is that Steve Death in goal or had he left by that point? Picture quality is so poor, I can't really tell.

Death left at the end of the previous season, he had a dispute with the club who wanted to sell the flat they let to him and moved back to Suffolk where his family were.

It could be Ron Fearon?

I knew about the flat issue. Didn't he walk out once before over that and one of the directors (Jim Brooks maybe?) visited him and managed to persuade him to come back?

I think you might be right re Ron Fearon.

[Sutekh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_rWjndQljA

Is that Steve Death in goal or had he left by that point? Picture quality is so poor, I can't really tell.

Death left at the end of the previous season, he had a dispute with the club who wanted to sell the flat they let to him and moved back to Suffolk where his family were.

It could be Ron Fearon?

Yes it was, the team for the game was:

01 - Ron Fearon
02 - Jerry Williams
03 - Stewart Henderson
04 - Stuart Beavon
05 - Michael Barnes
06 - Mark White
07 - Kevin Dawtry (on loan from Crystal Palace)
08 - Pat Earles
09 - Kerry Dixon
10 - Lawrie Sanchez
11 - Martin Robinson (on loan from Charlton)

[Four Of Clubs]

I think you might be right re Ron Fearon.

+1

...found a pic on line of the prog for that game - and as per Sutekh's update - Ronnie F is listed as our keeper on the back cover team line-up.

Might try and post it if I can work the image url insert thingy from my other device.....



Our other no 1 that season was Alan Judge... but he was slightly shorter and had a tash?

Not sure how reputable a source it is but 11v11 had the crowd that PM as 1943 - I thought I'd read it was nearer 1700 from memory as well?

I think that was the only home game I missed that season.... and indeed was one of a bare handful thru' that decade.
I'd agree about the weather too .......most probably a 'Dodd' ....but was at MKBowl that PM, trying not to slide down into the mud filled centre ... waiting for P.Gabriel Rutherford Banks Collins etc
Recall being very pleasantly surprised by the standard of supports acts (J.Martyn/Talk Talk etc.)

[Clyde1998]

Just had a look and the lowest attendances at the Madejski Stadium are (not counting the three games during Covid where a maximum of 2,000 were allowed in the ground) - Saturday matches in bold:

1. 12 Aug 1999 - Leyton Orient (LT) - 1,561
2. 6 Dec 2023 - Charlton (LT) - 1,809
3. 30 Oct 2001 - Colchester (LT) - 2,725
4. 14 Nov 2023 - Arsenal U21 (LT) - 3,015
5. 20 Aug 2024 - West Ham U21 (LT) - 3,022
6. 2 Nov 2024 - Fleetwood (FA) - 3,685
7. 9 Aug 2022 - Stevenage (LC) - 4,230
8. 4 Nov 2023 - Milton Keynes (FA) - 4,325
9. 5 Sep 2000 - Leyton Orient (LC) - 4,337
10. 11 Aug 1999 - Peterborough (LC) - 4,651

Worth noting there were only 100 less home fans than the Milton Keynes game last season - 3,592 vs Fleetwood compared to 3,690 vs Milton Keynes. Milton Keynes brought just over 600, compared to just under 100 for Fleetwood.

I checked and tickets were also £15 last season for the Milton Keynes game, so clear the pricing structure is very wrong to get decent crowds in for these FA Cup matches.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Good work Clyde

Yeah 1561 ‘rang a bell’

[tidus_mi2]

Lmao we were last on the FA Cup Highlights show, but nice for them to chat about us for a bit.

[morganb]

The very last game on the BBC highlights programme (predictably)

[Clyde1998]

Harborough Town at home - level seven side.

[Royals and Racers]

Reading v Harborough

[Clyde1998]

Full draw:
Salford City  (4) v Cheltenham Town (4)
Walsall (4) v Charlton Athletic (3)
Exeter City (3) v Chesterfield (4)
Leyton Orient (3) v Oldham Athletic (5)
Barnsley (3) v Bristol Rovers (3)
AFC Wimbledon (4) v Dagenham & Redbridge (5)
Accrington Stanley (4) v Swindon Town (4)
Crawley Town (3) v Chesham United (6) or Lincoln City (3)
Burton Albion (3) v Tamworth (5)
Blackpool (3) v Birmingham City (3)
Stevenage (3) v Mansfield Town (3)
Peterborough United (3) v Notts County (4)
Stockport County (3) v Brackley Town (6)
Wealdstone (5) v Wycombe Wanderers (3)
Morecambe (4) v Bradford City (4)
Solihull Moors (5) v Bromley (4)
Kettering Town (7) v Doncaster Rovers (4)
Reading (3) v Harborough Town (7)
Harrogate Town (4) v Gainsborough Trinity (7)
Cambridge United (3) v Wigan Athletic (3)

[tidus_mi2]

Harborough Town at home - level seven side.

Another good chance for our reserve/young players to progress to round 3.

[windermereROYAL]

Nice one, where is Harborough?

[Royals and Racers]

Harborough Town at home - level seven side.

Another good chance for our reserve/young players to progress to round 3.

Every chance on TV

[Silver Fox]

As they're one of the lowest ranked teams left we must have an outside chance of telly

[stealthpapes]

kinda glad its at home

[AthleticoSpizz]

Nice one, where is Harborough?

Market Harborough, Leicestershire…know the place well

Doing well at their level