but also crowds fell away dramatically in the 80s

You cannot underestimate the effect of hooliganism and the demonisation of football and all supporters under Thatcher.

I think the absolute nadir was around 1987? Villa getting 13,000 crowds I recall, no-one apart from Liverpool and Man Utd ever getting much over 35,000.

Football grounds were toilets, the experience was (for families, women) utterly dreadful.

IThe Taylor Report in 89, followed by the creation of the Premier League, utterly transformed everything.

Posted By: norway, Oct 17, 20:01:14