Crowds at matches in the Coca-Cola Football League have broken the 16 million barrier for the fourth consecutive season.

In total, more than 16.2m supporters attended the 1,656 matches played during 2007/08.

The Football League has enjoyed a sustained period of attendance growth since the mid-80s with crowds more than doubling in that time.

In recent seasons gates have reached their highest levels for nearly 50 years.

The Championship is now the 4th most watched league in Europe, with its total audience of 9.4m fans being bettered only by the Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga.

Audiences for matches in the Football League's top division averaged 17,022 during 2007/08 with 195 matches being watched by a crowd of more than 20,000 and six by more than 30,000.

This season also saw League One record its highest set of attendance figures for 36 years with nearly 4.5 million fans going through the turnstiles.

In total, crowds rose by 6.7 per cent, taking the average crowds up to just under the 8,000 mark.

There was similar good news in League Two, where a 5.1 per cent increase took average crowds beyond the 4,300 mark.

It was also another good season for the Football League's two showpiece cup competitions.

Crowds for matches in the Carling Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy rose by 21.2 per cent and 13.7 per cent respectively.

All Football League
Total: 16,204,795 (16,473,930)
Average: 9,786 (9,948)
% Change: -1.6%

Championship
Total: 9,396,316 (10,058,018)
Average: 17,022 (18,221)
% Change: -6.6%

League One
Total: 4,411,413 (4,135,690)
Average: 7,992 (7,492)
% Change: +6.7%

League Two
Total: 2,397,066 (2,280,222)
Average: 4,343 (4,131)
% Change: +5.1%

Carling Cup
Total: 1,333,889 (1,100,403)
Average: 14,343 (11,832)
% Change: +21.2%

Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Total: 240, 003 (211,047)
Average: 4,898 (4,307)
% Change: +13.7%

Season Aggregate Attendance
1985/86 7,450,652
1992/93 10,888,901
1997/98 13,600,502
2001/02 14,803,081
2002/03 14,871,981
2003/04 15,889,750
2004/05 16,364,419
2005/06 16,216,672
2006/07 16,473,930
2007/08 16,204,795

NB: Figures for 2006/07 in brackets. Figures are based on unofficial figures issued by clubs to the media. There may be a small variance with the final official figures, which only become a matter of record once all gate statements have been received and processed by the Football League. Historical analysis based on the transcription of the Football League ledgers by Brian Tabner. Figures for seasons prior to 1992/93 are based on Divisions Two, Three and Four of the Football League.