Football: St Andrews United got great support in third tier

Robbie Raeside’s second division runners-up, who gained promotion to the first division after a fine campaign which saw them accumulate 77 points from 32 league games, pulled in a mean total of 150 spectators per match.

This was an average of 45 fans a game higher than those who came to Recreation Park for league fixtures during season 2021-22. On the same total of 150 for the season recently finished were top flight side Crossgates Primrose, who ended eighth in the East of Scotland League Premier Division last term.

Top of the EoS average attendance pile in Fife were Hill of Beath Hawthorn, who finished fourth bottom of the top flight last term to narrowly avoid relegation. They had the highest average gate with 155 fans – only five higher than Saints’ total – showing up at Keir’s Park.

The only other Fife outfit with more spectators than St Andrews turning out on average for home games last term was Dundonald Bluebell, who had a mean total of 153 diehards in attendance for their outings at Moorside Park.

Interestingly, both Hill of Beath and Dundonald (with figures of -20 and -15 respectively) had lower crowds in 2022-23 than the previous term.

The full list of Fife clubs’ respective attendances last season, with the increase or reduction of fans from the 2021-22 campaign in brackets, reads:

1 Hill of Beath Hawthorn 155 (-20), 2 Dundonald Bluebell 153 (-15), 3 St Andrews United 150 (+45), 4 Crossgates Primrose 150 (+16), 5 Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 141 (+1), 6 Glenrothes 141 (-12), 7 Oakley United 116 (+12), 8 Kirkcaldy & Dysart 111 (+23), 9 Burntisland Shipyard 108 (+2), 10 Lochore Welfare 91 (+23), 11 Thornton Hibs 83 (+11), 12 Rosyth 75 (+4), 13 Kennoway Star Hearts 63 (-2), 14 Lochgelly Albert 56 (-2), 15 Newburgh Juniors 50 (-6).

The figures recorded for the previous season, 2021-22, included Groundhop games in Fife – in which kick-off times were staggered allowed fans to obtain different games in succession – which boosted some average attendances as crowds were rounded up.