Colourful, noisy and humorous, the Blue Army bought 77,117 tickets to away matches at home and abroad last season – an average of 3,213 per match – that’s the equivalent of a full Etihad Stadium away section plus 300 or so every away game.
Obviously certain matches and occasions attract bigger numbers and the season began with 18,169 Blues heading for the Community Shield – it goes without saying that Arsenal had perhaps twice that number, but then Wembley is only 11 miles from your home ground, it’s a little easier to travel.
The Premier League campaign kicked off at Newcastle’s St James’ Park where 3,156 Blues travelled to – around 500 more than the previous trip.
Then it was Arsenal again, this time at the Emirates with 2,928 making the journey south and it seems most Blues decided that with a trip to Bayern Munich just four days later, it was the Gunners that took priority. The figure travelling to the Allianz was more than 2,000 down on the 2013/14 group stage with 1,317 City fans in attendance.
Some of notable increases on the previous season included the early Saturday kick-off at West Ham where 700 more Blues were at Upton Park among a total of 2,929
...Away Blues...
And 600 more travelled to White Hart Lane for the Sunday afternoon clash with Spurs – the figure was 2,282 - this when the title had already slipped away from Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
At Stamford Bridge, 69 more City fans travelled than last season with 3,020 making the trip to West London and 870 more made the arduous journey to South Wales to face Swansea – though last season’s was a midday kick-off on New Year’s Day!
The biggest fall was around 1,000 less attending the early December midweek trip to Sunderland – the prospect of the Black Cats on a cold evening on Wearside or a trip to Rome a week later might have made a few minds up but it’s more likely that taking 2,488 on the the expensive journey to Southampton just three days before had more of an impact.
Other notable away days was the 3,965 Blues who made the short drive to Burnley – as you’d expect – and the similarity in numbers making their way to Goodison Park and Anfield with 2,895 at Everton just 71 more than Liverpool.
There were 3,216 travelling Blues at Leicester, 3,063 at Old Trafford and a more than impressive 2,281 making the Monday evening sojourn to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace and an early hours return home for work the next day.
Of course, City fans weren’t allowed to support their team in Moscow with CSKA played behind closed doors, but 4,869 did travel to Barcelona with the Blues already 2-1 down from the first leg.
Fantastic support, home and away… as ever.
