The series of features on the 1900s continues today with a simple look at the average attendances of league clubs. I’m publishing the statistics here for season 1900-1901 when Manchester City finished 11th in the First Division (top tier). There were 18 clubs in the division that season. Despite this relatively low position, City were the second best supported club – the highest position either Manchester team had enjoyed up to that point. League champions Liverpool were the 5th best supported club. Newton Heath (MUFC) were still a Second Division club and were 22nd best supported team.
All these figures are estimated based on newspaper reports of the period but are widely accepted as a good indication of support enjoyed at each club.

In the following table every team is in Division One unless (2) appears after their name. This indicates they were a Second Division club that season. Where two teams have the same average then these have been listed in alphabetic order.
1900-1901 Average Attendances
| Average | Team |
| 18700 | Aston Villa |
| 18300 | Manchester City |
| 16225 | Everton |
| 15800 | Newcastle |
| 15000 | Liverpool |
| 13600 | Sheff Utd |
| 11525 | Sunderland |
| 10575 | WBA |
| 10175 | Bolton |
| 9950 | Sheff Wed |
| 9450 | Notts County |
| 9350 | Nottm Forest |
| 8375 | Middlesbrough (2) |
| 8050 | Derby |
| 6950 | Bury |
| 6850 | Stoke |
| 6575 | Blackburn |
| 6325 | Preston |
| 5900 | Small Heath (2) |
| 5900 | Woolwich Arsenal (2) |
| 5850 | Wolves |
| 5475 | Newton Heath (2) |
| 4975 | Leicester Fosse (2) |
| 4625 | Grimsby (2) |
| 3725 | Stockport (2) |
| 3575 | Lincoln (2) |
| 3125 | Walsall (2) |
| 3100 | Burnley (2) |
| 2850 | Barnsley (2) |
| 2825 | Chesterfield (2) |
| 2800 | Glossop (2) |
| 2675 | New Brighton Tower (2) |
| 2375 | Burton Swifts (2) |
| 2075 | Burslem Port Vale (2) |
| 2050 | Gainsborough Trinity (2) |
| 1850 | Blackpool (2) |
This series of features covers the final years of Ardwick, the birth of Manchester City and the Club’s first national success. Why not subscribe and read every feature?
More on the 1900s tomorrow.



