Size matters (From York Press)

Size matters

10:32am Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Letters

YORK City have just had more than 6,000 people attend a non-league match. Although it was a play-off semi-final, it wasn’t against a glamorous club (Mansfield) and it wasn’t a Yorkshire derby.

This means that if York were in their proposed new 6,000-capacity stadium, then many supporters couldn’t fit in and would leave disappointed and the club would lose income.

Figures show that clubs gaining promotion see about a 25 per cent average increase in attendances the following season. Also, in York’s last football league season (2003-2004) their top attendance was 7,923.

In 1993, York had more than 9,000 for the play-off home leg in what is now League Two. And in their 1980s memorable cup runs, City had attendances of up to 15,000 against top clubs.

When Doncaster was in the Conference they sometimes had fewer than 1,000 at home matches. They got a new 15,000-capacity stadium, climbed three divisions to the Championship and now often get more than 10,000 for home matches. Imagine if their Keep Moat stadium only held 6,000.

Due to safety issues a stadium is never allowed to be full capacity and taking account of away supporters, York’s proposed new stadium perhaps would only hold 4,000 home supporters or thereabouts.

Robert Wilson, Topcliffe Road, Sowerby, York