Football: Premiership's record crowds

ATTENDANCES at Premier League matches passed the 11 million mark this season for the first time since the Premiership was reduced to 20 clubs as the game's popularity kept growing.

The biggest increase was at Derby (up 62.7 per cent). Promoted sides Barnsley (up 62.46), Bolton (up 53.88) and Crystal Palace (up 36.67) also had large rises despite being relegated.

Manchester United attracted more than a million spectators to a ground for the first time (up 0.61 per cent to 1,048,185).

Premiership attendances 1997/98

Total 97/8 Average 97/8 Average 96/7 % Change

Arsenal 722,959 38,050 37,821 0.61

Aston Villa 686,587 36,136 36,027 0.30

Barsnley 350,526 18,449 11,356 62.46

Blackburn 479,804 25,253 24,947 1.23

Bolton 462,693 24,352 15,826 53.88

Chelsea 625,125 32,901 27,001 21.85

Coventry 374,634 19,718 19,625 0.47

Crystal Palace 417,675 21,983 16,085 36.67

Derby 552,987 29,105 17,889 62.70

Everton 672,140 35,376 36,186 -2.24

Leeds 659,507 34,711 32,109 8.10

Leicester 391,689 20,615 20,184 2.14

Liverpool 771,937 40,628 39,777 2.14

Man United 1,048,185 55,168 55,081 0.61

Newcastle 696,928 36,680 36,466 0.59

Sheff Wed 545,466 28,709 25,693 11.74

Southampton 288,017 15,159 15,099 0.40

Tottenham 553,721 29,143 31,067 -6.19

West Ham 474,369 24,967 23,242 7.42

Wimbledon 316,824 16,675 15,156 10.02

11,091,773 29,189 28,434 2.65