The 6000 that went to Withdean year in and year out were not the same 6000 people. There was a hard core of 4000 but some went a couple of times in 12 years, some a couple of times a season or only when it wasn't raining. That can easily amount to 20,000. We have 10,000 kids in Gully's Gang...
I doubt he thought he'd have to pay his own hotel bill, whilst looking for somewhere to live. I thought it was standard that a new club would accommodate a player for a couple of weeks.