Fans flock to Plamerston

Oct 15 2008 by Craig Robertson, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

Queens

QUEEN of the South’s average gate at Palmerston has swelled by 1,000 fans since last year.

New figures revealed by the club show attendance currently sits at a healthy average of 3,000 fans.

This time last year it was 2,000.

The increase is testament to the remarkable journey the Doonhamers have been on over the past 12 months.

A year ago they were languishing near the bottom of the First Division after Gordon Chisholm’s squad was ravaged by injuries.

But what followed was an incredible recovery in the league, that sensational Scottish Cup run, and then those European dates.

Queens have made history more than once in the last year and that’s bringing fans new and old into the Palmerston stands.

No-one is more delighted than chairman Davie Rae who knows increased crowds means increased investment in the club and the team.

He told the Standard: “That is a massive rise and its great for the team and the board to see it.

“When you look at last season we did not have a very good start and I think we were bottom of the table at one point.

“But since January of this year, the players seem to have had this self-belief and this confidence which has got us to the Scottish Cup final and into Europe.

“That has given a tremendous boost to the fans and the club and we are now in a great position in the league.”

Queens’ emphatic 6-1 victory against Livingston last Saturday saw the Doonhamers soar into top spot, watched by 3,266 supporters.

The chairman added: “I hope we can stay around that first, second or third place spot in the coming weeks as we’ve got a couple of away games and then we return to Palmerston at the end of the month.

“The fans have been great for us and I hope they keep coming along as the winter sets in.”