It's official: Latics' support is growing

OLLIE Banks fires in a shot against Bradford City, watched by 3,645 Athletic fans in a total crowd of 6,516.

ATHLETIC'S bid to attract increased support appears to have worked.

Following on from the free-entry game against Peterborough, the crowd in the home areas for the Bradford fixture four days later swelled as John Sheridan's side aimed to make it three wins in a row.

Out of a crowd of 7,224 for the midweek Posh game, there were 442 visiting fans. That makes 6,782 Athletic fans who took advantage of the rare chance to watch the team in action for nothing.

CHEERING ON

And against Bradford, there were 2,871 travelling fans from West Yorkshire. That means that from a crowd of 6,516 - easily the second-highest of the season - there were 3,645 Athletic supporters cheering on Sheridan's men.

Looking back compared to the final home game in charge for Stephen Robinson, a 0-0 draw with Port Vale, and the difference is marked. A total of 629 extra paying Athletic fans were in the ground on Saturday compared to the home support present for the Valiants game.

What's more, the Bradford contest was a full-price game. That made it £5 more expensive to attend than was the case in the five outings before it, when a promotion run by the club meant they had the joint-lowest admission prices in League One.

Athletic will hope that the upward trend does not tail off next month. Coventry, Charlton and Millwall are the visitors to SportsDirect.com Park in a month that will go a long way to defining the club's chances of avoiding relegation.