Albion v Rochdale in 1972 - the crowd was really only 24,766 not 34,766

[GoldWithFalmer]

Let me see mmmmm
Oooops wrong photo

Thats the Westham cup tie 1932....great photo

 

[AnotherArch]

Can remember pre 1960 games when the crowd figures were deliberately deflated to avoid paying the entertainment tax.

This. Even in the 60's and early 70's, the attendances for some evening games were way lower than how many appeared to be there. This is the opposite to today's 'pretendances'. With cash turnstiles, this was just a form of 'cash in hand'. Just a forerunner for the 'Cup Final money'!

 

[Hastings gull]

Something fishy here...... Poisson d'Avril?

I've heard of the supposed inflated crowd figure back in the Goldstone era, perhaps for lesser games - but not for the biggest home league game in years.

My recollection is of The Goldstone being absolutely rammed full that balmy evening. Some turnstiles were closed before kick off and many punters missed John Templeman's goal. If anything it felt as if too many tickets had been sold and still could not meet demand, with a good number of disappointed punters wandering around Newtown Road after KO.

Someone must have photographic evidence of a brimming Goldstone from that evening?

Is this April Fool? I remember the match quite clearly and there were certainly more than 24,000 there. They might have been planning what you mention, but it would not have been necessary, given the huge numbers present, though I suspect that this might be a joke?

 

[bobby baxter]

Is this April Fool? I remember the match quite clearly and there were certainly more than 24,000 there. They might have been planning what you mention, but it would not have been necessary, given the huge numbers present, though I suspect that this might be a joke?

I was in the chicken run that night, at that time I was a fairly heavy smoker, that night I couldn't get my hands out of my pockets to light my ciggie.
The ground was rammed that night

 

[World of Sport]

No one left after 80 minutes in those games.

 

[Winker]

This was my first ever Brighton game - I remember it well. Good pitch invasion afterwards!