17 years ago - pre premiership - Chelsea and spurs fans were paying a whopping £9 to watch their teams. Under 6 quid to go to Maine Road.....
At least Villa ended up at the top of one league though
Press Association
June 8, 1993, Tuesday
LONDON FANS ARE HIT THE HARDEST
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London soccer fans pay more for their soccer than anyone else in the country. According to Football Trust figures, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea top the admission league table, all with average turnstile charges in excess of £9. Manchester City (£5.48) offered the cheapest average top flight entrance fee, while near-neighbours Oldham hit their supporters with a 67% increase to an average £6.39, after winning promotion.
The statistics, based on the final season before the Premier League split, show an average turnstile increase of 17% - and reveal that ticket prices rocketed four fold since 1978-79 compared to a 2.6 rise in the general retail price index. Altogether clubs raked in more than £133million in gate receipts from domestic games during 1991-92 compared to the previous year's £114m.
Manchester United banked nearly £7m from all matches at Old Trafford, while Arsenal were the only other club to break the £5m barrier for League games alone. The Gunners were edged into third spot overall by Liverpool, whose £5.8m haul included £1.3m for their FA Cup final triumph. Wembley runners-up Sunderland were similarly rewarded and topped the second division income chart with £2.9m. They were followed by Kevin Keegan's Newcastle (£2.3m), whose championship-season figures should make phenomenal reading.
Clubs, however, are also paying out a lot more - and transfers surged to an all-time high of £75m, a staggering 63% increase on 90-91. Division one teams accounted for £46m of the business as they adopted a Premier League or bust approach - and clubs from the third and fourth made a net profit of more than £7m on dealings. That helped meet police costs that rose by 16%, to a record level of £9.28m, although the Trust did weigh in with a £2.24m contribution. The police earned their keep with arrests 20% up at 5,006, but figures highlighted a varying police approach. Liverpool topped the arrests league with 258 offenders followed by Preston's 223. But Anfield ejections (14) were well down a list headed by Arsenal and Aston Villa with 279 each. The annual Football Trust Digest of Football Statistics also focused on behaviour on the field.
There were 275 dismissals in first team games and 4,023 cautions, the highest level for six seasons. Also up: average attendances, which reached five figures for the first time in a decade.
However, FA Cup crowds (1.9m) were at their lowest level since 1986-87. The FA found a massive consolation through England internationals, which grossed almost £4m from four matches at Wembley.
Scotland collected only £184,000 from three home games, less than Wales, whose receipts totalled £366,000 from two games. Northern Ireland picked up £62,000, their lowest since Digest records began.
The publication also shows that £29.4m was offered by the Trust in grants towards Taylor-related projects in addition to £8.5m for CCTV and safety and improvement work.
