| DAFTS "best value"
survey
 www.dafts.co.uk
have done our third"best value" ticket price survey to find out what the
old Third Division clubs are offering this season. We primarily take into
account match-day admission prices for away fans - regardless of sitting
or standing.
 But to be fair to those with new
all-stadiums, we also gave clubs a mark out of 10 for facilties and overall
rating. So the cheapest clubs usually also have the worst grounds and
facilities. Somewhere in the middle lies the best - affordable admission
with improved or improving facilities. Given this criteria, our "midtable" clubs like Grimsby, Darlington, Rushden and Northampton could be seen to be leading the way overall.
Our strictly "unofficial" good value league table for 2004/2005,
based on prices is:
|
|
Team (Last two seasons' ranking in brackets, 2003-2004, followed by
2002-2003) |
All-seater? |
Match-day
prices |
Stadium
rating |
1. Macclesfield
Town (2, 7) |
No |
£11 (£6) terrace or £15 (£10)
seats |
4/10 Needs improving, ramshackle |
2. Shrewsbury
Town (-) |
No |
£12(£7); seated £14 (£9),
prices pegged |
5/10 Quaint setting, looking to new ground |
| 3 Boston United (8/3)
|
No |
£12.50(OAP £9/Under 16s £5) |
5/10 Non-league ground |
4. Bristol Rovers
(14, 12) |
No |
£13 (£7 concession) on day, £11
(£5) advance (prices pegged to last season); |
5/10 Still feels like a rugby ground, higgledy-piggledy |
| 5. Swansea City
(1, 1) |
No |
£13 (£8) (+ £11/ £6 terrace
if available) |
4/10 On its way out, won't be missed, poor
facilities |
6. Kidderminster
Harriers (13, 10) |
No |
£13 (£8) terrace + £16 (£11)
seats RISE |
6/10 Improving - new away stand neat, choice of terrace restored; |
7. Bury (11,
18) |
Yes |
£13 (RISE £1) concessions inc OAPs
£6, juniors £5 |
6/10 Average, pillars in way in away end |
8. Chester City
(-) |
Yes |
£13 (£8 concession or £5 under
16) |
5/10 Basic stadium, location is the big drawback |
| 9. Yeovil (8) |
No |
£14 - RISE £3 (£9 U16) or £12/£7
in advance |
6/10 Tidy enough newish-stadium, catering and transport links poor |
10 Grimsby Town (-)
|
Yes |
£14, (U16 £6 juniors). |
6/10 Sea air |
11. Rushden
& Diamonds (-) |
Yes |
£14, (£9 and £4 U12) |
9/10 Model example of how to build a lower
league ground |
12. Darlington
(4, 2) |
Yes |
£15 (£7 concession) or £13 in
advance (£7 concession). £1 RISE |
8.5/10 Great facilities, improving all the time, OK atmosphere despite the size |
13. Northampton Town
(22/-) |
Yes |
£14 (£9.50 - prices pegged) |
7.5/10 Good, basic Div 3 ground, if no charm |
14. Mansfield
(9/-) |
Yes |
£15 (£7 concession) RISE |
7/10 A good job of turning this odd looking ground into a decent stadium |
15. Lincoln
City (16/14) |
Yes |
£15 (U16 £5, category matches) RISE |
6.5/10 Good view for away fans, can't complain |
| 16. Rochdale
(10, 5) |
Yes |
£15 (£9 concession) - RISE £1
on last season. |
6/10 Not a bad stadium these days, nothing more, nothing less |
17. Leyton Orient
(17/24) |
Yes |
£16 (£10 - prices pegged for 3rd season) |
5/10 Excuse us, we have the builders around |
18. Cheltenham
Town (19/-) |
No |
£16 matchday (RISE £1), £15
in advance;( £7 U16 - price pegged for the third season running) |
7/10 Good away stand at least, much improved if expensive since the terrace was closed |
19. Cambridge
United (6/8) |
Yes |
£16 (up £1 on last season). |
6/10 Recently installed seating for away fans, south east prices kick in |
20 Scunthorpe
United (21) |
Yes |
£16 |
7/10 Bog-standard new stadium build, no awards |
21. Notts County
(-) |
Yes |
£16 (U16s £4). |
7/10 Good away stand, plenty of room |
22. Wycombe
Wanderers (-) |
No |
£16, (U16 £12). Advance - £15
(£11). |
6/10 Not rated yet, but doesn't look special |
23. Southend
United (18/17) |
Yes |
£16.50 (£1.50 RISE) (£7 U16) |
6/10 Cosy ground, a bit on the pricey side |
24. Oxford United
(24/22) |
Yes |
£18.50 (£15.50 in advance, £7
U16 concession - £1 advance for Darlington game only) |
7.5/10 Decent stadium - even with only three sides, but pricey tickets and catering |