A red and white mate of mine tells me that rovers are expecting to have a 14000 average attendance within 5 years. Has anyone else heard this and do you think it's realistic?

What is your highest average in your history?

Not heard this one,and find it a tad optimistic.Rovers have done well in recent years building up the following from what it was.However I think it has just about topped out.Even in the Glory years 70's 80's they only avaraged around the 8000 mark,and last season even with the success they achieved they failed to sell the ground out.Remember to achieve a 14000 avarage you will have to be getting 14000 fans every game and to make up for the attendances against the lesser supported sides.This figure would have to be grately increased.
Unless they extend the ground again,this is not only unlikely,it would not be possible.

Thought the funding was in place for a new North stand for 2011

Not sure what the new East stand extension takes the capacity up to, is it about 12000 .However this includes the present Golf Stand at the North end which if it holds 1500 [not sure] even if they built a new 5000 seater north stand there would only be an increased capacity of 3500,taking the capacity to say 15500.This would have to be packed tp the rafters every week to achieve the 14000 avarage,Just cannot see this happening,Think all teams in the City now have all the fans they are going to get.[possible exeption of City ]only if ground is extended and the unlikely event that they stay up.

You FC fans debate amongst yourselves... we'll chime in when there's a need

Maybe Hudge has a plan to try and play Hull every week.

Can't see it. If we could be 10,000 consistently then that would be great imo.

Ergo... I do like Friends... Chandlers my fav

We can improve with better facilities, but 14k is a bit too much to hope for IMO. The attendance in the 80's cannot be a point of reference as some clubs who now get over 10k did not get anywhere near these figures back then, Wire and Bulls are two that spring to mind. I think we can build to a 10k average with highs of 12k for top games if we are in the top 4. If we can build a good standard, covered away stand, we should get better away numbers, even an increase of 500 would do.

It would be interesting to see what excuses some of yours will use for not coming once we have good facilities for away supporter.

I think the only reason people are refering to the late 70's and 80's are because thats when your club was at it's peak. Compare Bradford and Warringtons crowds when they were at their peak.

provide half decent facilities without charging us more than anybody else and we'll have no excuse for not coming to Craven Park. If Hudgell takes the pee then again,he'll get what he deserves.

I think that your friend is mistaken. Perhaps if all the planned work happens we might get 14000 for a derby match but an average of 14000 would rely too heavily on fans turning up from clubs that just don't travel.

In fact to get a 14000 average we would need some games at 18/19000 and there are no plans to increase capacity to anything like that amount.

Even a 10/11000 average in five years would be a challenge.

I remember going to Odsal hen Rovers and Bradford were battling it out at the top of the table, there was around 6,500 in there and a good third of them were from Rovers. Its a different scenario to the 80's, in fact its a totally different world we live in, so direct comparisons don't work.

We dont up the price for Hull, its not discounted, there is a big difference. You do the same for your games against clubs who don't travel, in fact you actually DID up the price for the derby.