Fans are flocking back to St George’s Lane (From Worcester News)

Fans are flocking back to St George’s Lane

2:00pm Wednesday 31st October 2012 in Sport By Steve Carley, @stevecarleyWN

IF ever you needed proof that Worcester City are finally winning the crowds over, this season is providing it.

The last three matches at St George’s Lane — against Weston-super-Mare, Stalybridge Celtic and Brackley Town — have attracted gates of 1,000-plus and you have to go back to the 2005-06 season since that last happened.

Having seen attendances drop to as low as 500 during the Richard Dryden era, it is great to see the ground once again buzzing with supporters.

Gates have even risen significantly in the eight home matches this season, with only the first four failing to reach the 850-mark.

City’s core support is growing. There was a time when you’d get 750 home fans and anything the away team brought was a bonus. Now it’s nearly 1,000 as none of the recent visitors have been blessed with a large following.

So what has changed? Well, chiefly City are now a much better side and, generally speaking, play an entertaining brand of football.

It is widely acknowledged that the current crop of players are the best Worcester have had for many a year and the fact they are flirting with the Blue Square Bet North play-offs backs that up.

There is also the factor of this being the last season at the Lane, although I wonder how much sentiment there would be if the fare on offer didn’t cut it and results were poor.

Evidently, the fans like what they see and with Altrincham to come in the FA Trophy a week on Saturday, there is potential for another four-figure gate to swell the coffers.

There are also four home games scheduled for December, including the visits of Halifax Town and Gloucester City which should easily eclipse the numbers seen down the Lane of late.