Just out of interest, and in case anyone else was wondering how both our success in 1984/85 and also the European ban affected things attendance-wise, this was a graphic that was in the final home game of the season's programme vs West Ham in May 1986: We had over 40000 for that West Ham match so the final average attendance would have topped 32k which was big for the era as there was some really poor
gates around that season on the back of Heysel and the Bradford fire the previous May.
This season, 85/86, we had the 3rd highest average attendance of 31,948 (up a relative small amount, 800 or so). Man Utd were 1st, with 46,322 (up over 3000), and Liverpool 2nd with 35,319 (up 900 or so). Arsenal fell well away this season, averaging only 23,812 (down nearly 8000). Newly promoted Man City actually overtook them and had the 4th highest average with 24,420.
We still had the 2nd highest attendance in the league all season though - 51,509 (up nearly 1000, for the Liverpool game in September 1985), behind only Man Utd (54,575 - down over 2000 from the previous season).
It's something of an unusual fact though, that immediately following the European ban, the three best supported clubs in the country, us, Liverpool and Man Utd all increased their average attendances, when you would perhaps be forgiven for thinking that all the doom and gloom and disappointment would affect the gates.
