Attendances in EFL soar to a 60-year high

ATTENDANCES outside the Premier League rose to a 60-year high with the biggest crowd of last season recorded in the third tier at Sunderland. More than 18.3million supporters went through the turnstiles in the Championship, League One and League Two, at an average of over 11,000 a game, according to figures set to be released by the Football League (EFL). This is the highest total since the start of the Premier League in 1992 and the highest in those three tiers since 1958-59, when attendances topped 18.8m. The latest numbers are up by more than two million on the figures from 2015-16. It is further proof that football retains its incredible pulling power outside the top flight. Sunderland recorded the largest EFL crowd with 46,039 at their League One fixture against Bradford on Boxing Day. There were 41,129 at the Stadium of Light for Portsmouth’s visit last month. Aston Villa drew eight of the 10 biggest crowds across the three divisions, with an average in the Championship of 36,026 and a high at Villa Park of 41,696 for the final game of the campaign against champions Norwich. Leeds had an average of 37,004 and Derby were third in the second tier with 32,055. The biggest crowd in League Two came at Milton Keynes as they clinched promotion on the final day of the season against Mansfield, with the visitors contributing over 5,000 to an attendance of 20,718. Figures across the EFL represent a 1.5 per cent increase in match-going fans on the previous year and come at a time when there have never been more home-viewing options, including controversial live streams. The Checkatrade Trophy final between Sunderland and Portsmouth took place before a record crowd of 85,021 and the same clubs meet again in the League One play-offs, with the first leg on Wearside on Saturday.