The 1,656 matches were watched by 16.4m people, which is the highest number since 1959-60 and a 3% rise from last season's figures.

The Championship saw crowds rise by 10% to 9.6m, the most since the 1952-53 season, with an average of 17,410.

"It is very encouraging that more and more people want to watch our clubs play," said chairman Brian Mawhinney.

"Particularly as this was one of the stated aims of the League's re-branding programme which began last summer."