Darragh MacAnthony has praised the club's supporters after a report by the Football League revealed that the Peterborough United football club has seen the biggest rise in attendance.
Peterborough United chairman, Darragh MacAnthony has praised the club's supporters after a report by the Football League revealed that the Peterborough United football club has seen the biggest rise in attendances at London Road in the Coca-Cola Championship.
Attendances have risen by more than a quarter since last season - the biggest percentage increase in The Football League Championship. Average crowds at London Road between August and December have been 9,044, compared to 7,097 over the same period last season - an increase of 27.4 per cent.
Darragh MacAnthony said: 'This just demonstrates the fantastic support we have received from the Posh fans this season. We had record season ticket sales and have an average of over 9,000, which is magnificent considering we still have big games against Newcastle United and Leicester City to come.'
The increase is part of a positive trend across the Coca-Cola Football League, with crowds rising by more than 3% on the first half of last season. More than 8.6m fans have attended Football League matches during the first five months of the 2009/10 league season at an average of 10,441 fans per match.
Football League crowds are currently at their highest levels for 50 years and have topped the 16 million mark in each of the last five seasons. Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said: 'It is very encouraging to see more and more supporters going through the turnstiles at Football League grounds.
The dedication they have shown towards their clubs during a challenging economic period further underlines the strength of the domestic game.
The League's two showpiece cup competitions - the Carling Cup and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy - have also witnessed growing popularity this season. In the Carling Cup, crowds have increased by more than 3% during the competition's 50th year, whilst the Johnstone's Paint Trophy has seen attendances rocket by a massive 37%.
