Originally Posted by
The Lone Gunman
I've been through the record books this morning and City have indeed had lower crowds for games against top flight opposition on no less than three occasions - all in the League Cup and all in the the Eighties.
Incredibly, in a competition that has been running for more than 60 years, City have only faced top division opponents at home on 16 occasions, and only three times since the turn of the millennium. That says plenty about the club's feeble efforts in the League Cup over the years.
The crowds for each of the 16 home games against top flight opposition were as follows:
12,200 v Burnley (1960/61)
14,315 v West Ham (1965/66)
30,109 v West Ham (1971/72)
8,775 v Burnley (1973/74)
23,618 v QPR (1976/77)
9,698 v Everton (1979/80)
11,632 v Arsenal (1982/83)
4,425 v Norwich (1983/84)
4,607 v Watford (1984/85)
8,018 v Chelsea (1986/87)
2,629 v QPR (1988/89)
9,041 v Southampton (1995/96)
7,613 v Wimbledon (1999/00)
13,555 v Portsmouth (2004/05)
19,436 v Blackburn (2011/12)
6,013 v Brighton (2021/22)
In the Eighties, the League Cup was still a two-legged affair. In 1988/89, City went into the second leg against QPR already 0-3 down. Just 2,629 turned up to see another 1-4 defeat at Ninian Park. Alan Curtis scored the Cardiff goal.
It says plenty for the club's recent performances in the League Cup and the general perception of the competition that some apparently regard 6,013 as a 'good' crowd.....