Workington Reds may be struggling bottom of the NPL Premier Division, but they are one of the best supported in the league.
At the half-way point of the season only league leaders Hednesford and FC United of Manchester have better average crowd figures.
So far Workington have been watched by an average crowd of 756 at Borough Park, a figure topped only by Hednesford (1,692) and FC United (1,618).
It is a remarkable contrast to their league position, especially as the top six average home crowds includes four teams in the NPL’s top six – and Workington.
It was a fact acknowledged by both the Reds chairman Phil Norman and manager Billy Barr.
Norman said: “Our gates have held up remarkably well despite us having one and a half seasons in which we have struggled to climb the table.
“We have tried, as a club, to bring in new initiatives to try and attract younger fans and that has helped because we now get parents coming along as well.
“The fans have been magnificent and I thought the support they gave the team when we were down to ten men on Saturday, and pushing strongly for an equaliser, was superb.”
Barr added: “As far as I’m concerned the fans have been magnificent and when they get behind the team as they did on Saturday it really does help. I think everybody felt we deserved something out of that game.
“I just hope they will stick with us and help us climb that table, starting with New Year’s Day with an attractive game against Lancaster City.”
Just for the record, the lowest average attendances have been at Stockbridge Park Steels (257) and they are the team immediately above Reds in the table.
Workington visit Cleethorpes on Saturday and the newcomers to the league have an average attendance so far of 468.
