Top 100 Average Attendances in Non League of 2022/23

In this article we take a look at the top 100 average attendances in Non League of 2022/23 with the 2023/24 campaign about to get started.

Football fans watching the lower levels of English football is thankfully on the up due to a numbers of reasons at this incredibly tough time.

No only are we seeing more and more bigger clubs dropping down into the National League system, but supporters of Premier League or EFL teams being priced out, while the love for non league level is increasing and more affordable.

Last season saw Notts County smash the attendance record for a regular-season non league match.

 They played host to Yeovil Town with Meadow Lane seeing 16,511 supporters through the turnstiles, taking advantage of vastly discounted ticket prices to show their support.

Notts County smashed the attendance record they set in November 2021, when 12,843 people watched them beat Solihull Moors.

And before that, the record had been 11,085, set by Bristol Rovers against Alfreton in 2015.

Top 100 Average Attendances in Non League of 2022/23
(according to Non League Matters)

1 Wrexham NAT – 9973
2 Notts County NAT – 8303
3 Chesterfield NAT – 6912
4 Oldham Athletic NAT – 6660
5 Southend United NAT – 6057
6 York City NAT – 4827
7 Macclesfield NPL1W – 3674
8 Scunthorpe United NAT – 3259
10 Woking NAT – 2734
11 Yeovil Town NAT – 2730
12 Bromley NAT – 2585
13 Dulwich Hamlet NATS – 2464
14 Torquay United NAT – 2422
15 Eastleigh NAT – 2372
16 Chester NATN – 2287
17 Kidderminster Harriers NATN – 2280
28 FC Halifax Town NAT – 2192
19 South Shields NPL – 2146
20 Maidstone United NAT – 2142
21 Altrincham NAT – 2115
22 Aldershot Town NAT – 2052
23 Barnet NAT – 1977
24 Dorking Wanderers NAT – 1962
25 Hereford NATN – 1864
26 Dagenham & Redbridge NAT – 1752
27 FC United of Manchester NPL – 1731
28 Solihull Moors NAT – 1693
29 Scarborough Athletic NATN – 1688
30 Wealdstone NAT – 1564
31 Darlington NATN – 1548
32 Boston United NATN – 1547
33 Maidenhead United NAT – 1505
34 Ebbsfleet United NATS – 1496
35 St Albans City NATS – 1403
36 Spennymoor Town NATN – 1323
37 Marine NPL – 1243
38 Bury AFC NWC – 1233
39 King’s Lynn Town NATN – 1219
40 Gateshead NAT – 1218
41 Boreham Wood NAT – 1185
42 Dartford NATS – 1178
43 AFC Telford United NATN – 1177
44 Worthing NATS – 1174
45 Bath City NATS – 1122
46 AFC Totton SL4S – 1107
47 Halesowen Town NPL1M – 1087
48 AFC Fylde NATN – 1054
49 Eastbourne Borough NATS – 1053
50 Chorley NATN – 1051
51 Tonbridge Angels NATS – 1047
52 Southport NATN – 1007
53 Havant and Waterlooville NATS – 988
54 Gloucester City NATN – 945
55 Chatham Town IL1SE – 931
56 Horsham IL – 923
57 Hastings United IL – 908
58 Weston-super-Mare SL3S – 878
59 Banbury United NATN – 877
60 Chelmsford City NATS – 868
61 Weymouth NATS – 835
62 Lewes IL – 803
63 Welling United NATS – 792
64 Billericay Town IL – 791
65 Taunton Town NATS – 785
66 Blyth Spartans NATN – 783
67 Warrington Town NPL – 773
68 Tamworth SL3C – 767
69 Matlock Town NPL – 765
70 FC Isle of Man NWC – 758
71 Ramsgate IL1SE – 744
72 Stafford Rangers NPL – 738
73 Workington AFC NPL1W – 738
74 Ilkeston Town SL3C – 735
75 Folkestone Invicta IL – 732
76 Radcliffe NPL – 730
77 Buxton NATN – 717
78 Gainsborough Trinity NPL – 714
79 Hyde United NPL – 698
80 Kettering Town NATN – 696
81 Brackley Town NATN – 692
82 Gosport Borough SL3S – 684
83 West Didsbury & Chorlton NWC – 683
84 Dover Athletic NATS – 683
85 Prescot Cables NPL1W – 667
86 Slough Town NATS – 665
87 Coalville Town SL3C – 663
88 Runcorn Linnets NPL1W – 640
89 Stockton Town NPL1E – 638
90 Nuneaton Borough SL3C – 637
91 Bromsgrove Sporting SL3C – 633
92 Basingstoke Town IL1SC – 632
93 Leamington NATN – 631
94 Braintree Town NATS – 631
95 Worksop Town NPL1E – 628
96 Guernsey IL1SC – 627
97 Hampton & Richmond Borough NATS – 624
98 Guiseley NPL – 624
99 Chippenham Town NATS – 616
100 Jersey Bulls COCOPS – 615

SEE MORE: 13 non league clubs listed by writer as the ‘perfect’ grounds to visit

FSA Survey: Cost of living crisis to hit attendances at non league

Fans at non-league are already feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis, with over half (57.7%) saying it had already impacted on how much money they had available to spend on football, according to the results of a joint survey between the FSA and the Non-League Paper.

In news that will concern non league clubs, around one in four fans (23.9%) say they expect to attend fewer fixtures over the winter period, and half (49.9%) say they expect to attend fewer away fixtures as a result of rising prices.

While fans at all levels will be feeling the effects of inflation, rising mortgage rates and energy prices, the effect is likely to be more keenly felt in non-league where the margins for financial sustainability are at their tightest, and even small drops in attendances can have very real impacts on clubs’ financial futures.

More than half of our respondents (56.2%) said they expected to reduce their matchday spend on items including food and drink, programmes, raffle tickets and other donations.

Fans were also polled on potential measures that clubs might take in order to combat their own rising costs.

Further findings

When looking at the measures that clubs might take to ameliorate their own rising costs, there was broad support from supporters for moving kick-offs earlier to save on floodlight costs, with three in four (74.8%) in favour.

A significant minority, however (12.3%), said they would likely attend fewer games if kick-offs were to be moved, and so clubs will need to bear this in mind when considering any potential energy savings.

762 fans from across non-league completed the survey, with some of the further findings below

– More than half (58.1%) of respondents were season ticket holders/attended more than 16 games per season

– A further 28% attended at least six games per season

– Less than one in five (17.4%) would be in favour of clubs raising ticket prices to help clubs run more sustainably

– Almost two thirds (61.4%) were opposed to ticket price rises

Fans were split on whether they supported part-closures of stadiums, or concession areas – 36.9% were supportive, while 30.4% opposed the measures

Andy Walsh, head of national game at the FSA, said: “The economic uncertainty and increases in the cost of living are having an impact on where football supporters spend their disposable income. Our survey of non-league fans shows the financial squeeze of inflation and the rising cost of energy and housing is already causing supporters to rein in their spending on football.

“Clubs face some difficult questions on what to do for the best. Our data shows attendances would be marginally impacted if kick off times were brought forward to reduce the need for floodlights, but as the nights draw in this measure will have less impact.

“Fans are broadly supportive of clubs’ attempts to address the impact of rising costs, and the FSA encourages clubs to communicate regularly with their fans and consult on any proposed changes to the usual matchday arrangements.”