Dave Ormerod has just posted this on the Hastings United Fans Facebook page...
The Club has had the following request, I've been looking at your website and wondered if you could tell me what Hastings United's 12 largest home attendance of all time were, Cup, League and friendly.
The person who has requested is putting together a table of the top 12 attendances for each football league and leading non league teams. Information required is Date of Match, Opponent, Competition, Score and Attendance. Any information you can supply I will email the person.
Thanks Phil I've contacted Dave Ormerod to say I'll help.
As a matter of interest the biggest attendance I can find for the club was 7,723 for a 3rd qualifying round tie in the FA Cup in 1932/33.This was the season that the Brighton secretary forgot to enter the club in the FA Cup so they had to play in the qualifying rounds hence the score of 9-0 to Brighton.
Phil will correct me if I am wrong but I have read that the attendance for the Norwich FA Cup game in 1953/4 was 12572. My late father would not allow me to go with him because he said it would be unsafe given a large crowd was expected. He always said that over 12000 were there. I do not know but there may have been more than 7000 at the Swindon game in the previous round
The question about highest attendance, is about the current Hastings United and not the original one, which folded in 1985.
The original one was certainly Norwich City in 1954, 12,727. The Swindon Town attendance was 9,918.
The current Hastings United were know as Hastings & St. Leonards at that time. Before changing name to Hastings Town in 1976, then to Hastings United in 2002.
I would agree with Phil, the highest attendance at the Pilot Field for the current Hasting United would be 7,723 in 1932-33.
I would love to know out of curiosity what the highest attendance was for Speedway in the 1940's. It was possibly even higher.
Also the "Kinks" and "The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown" performed at a one day musical in the 1960's. Would love to know what the attendance was for that. I remember reading a newspaper report saying it was packed.
Vernon, with reference to Speedway attendances it might be worth looking at Dave Shirley’s excellent Hastings Saxons website . Had a quick look and it appears they would get up to 8000 at a meeting although I have seen 13000 quoted.
As for Kinks and Arthur Brown there was a very large crowd, I was one of them.Don’t think a figure was ever given.
Vernon I understand what you are saying but if 1953/4 is excluded should that not apply to the 32/3 game. Also in the request for information it seemed to me that he would like to hear about the highest attendances for HUFC whenever they were. May be wrong but that is how I read it
It does say in the post current teams. Hastings United now and Hastings & St. Leonards in 1932 are the same team. Just under a name change. The original named Hastings United, 1948-1985 are long gone and not current.
When the current team changed its name and colours, of the original Hastings United in 2002. It was to jump on the nostalgic and better history of the old Hastings United. (Norwich, Swindon etc) Unfortunately, it has made the history quite muddled.
Go to Leon's fantastic website. "Hastings Football History" it will all become so much clearer, well hopefully. Football in Hastings has become quite complicated over the years, more often than not, even wrong in programmes, when other clubs are giving the history of the club.
Great info Vernon , I think the main stage was towards the far end but don’t quote me on that. Not sure anybody has ever described be as one of the beautiful people before. Some of the acts are still going , The Kinks , Geno Washington and Arthur Brown who was known as the ‘God of Hellfire’ . He recorded a song called ‘Fire ‘ and wore a sort of halo which he used to light ,pretty certain he burnt his hair on some occasions. Think he lives in Lewes.May have been over 6000 there. Biggest complaint was lack of toilet facilities , with those attending using gardens in Elphinstone Road to relieve themselves.
