How accurate is the perception that fans of successful football clubs often lack strong connections to the areas where their teams play? We take a look at where football fans in Great Britain are based in relation to their favourite clubs.
According to YouGov, data shows that Manchester United fans are the least local in the Premier League. Roughly 23% of their fans are located in the North West, while the remaining 77% reside elsewhere.
The same trend applies to Liverpool and Manchester City, both having slightly more fans than United in the North-West. Although, similar to the Red Devils, their fanbases are more inclined to be located outside the North West than within it.
Data indicates that 38% of Manchester City supporters are based in the North West, while 62% are not. Likewise, just a quarter of Liverpool fans (27%) live in the North West, with the majority, 73%, residing elsewhere.
Among the ‘big six’ clubs, Arsenal boasts the highest percentage of local fans, with 58% residing in the same region as the club and 42% located elsewhere. In comparison, Tottenham Hotspur, their arch-rivals, have 52% of fans based in the club’s region, with 48% living outside of it.
Chelsea ranks second among the ‘big six’ clubs, with 57% of their fans residing in London or the Home Counties, while 43% live outside of this vicinity.
Top 10 Most Local Fans In The Premier League
10. Burnley – 63%
Burnley ranks 10th in the Premier League for the highest proportion of local fans. A significant 63% of their supporters are situated in the North West, surpassing all other clubs in the league based in this region.
37% of Burnley’s fans are located outside of the North West, with 9% originating from Scotland and 8% from Yorkshire.
9. Sheffield United – 64%
Sitting slightly ahead of Burnley, Sheffield United boasts 64% of their fanbase hailing from Yorkshire. Additionally, 17% of their supporters are located in the East Midlands, while 8% reside in the North West of England.
8. Crystal Palace – 66%
Crystal Palace ranks third among London clubs in terms of local fan base, with 66% residing in the same region as the club. Out of the remaining 34% who are based elsewhere, 10% come from South West England, and 5% are from the Midlands.
=5. West Ham United – 67%
West Ham, Brentford, and Wolves all share the same percentage of local fans, standing at 67%.
Among the remaining 33% of West Ham supporters, the majority, 9%, are situated in the South West, with 7% hailing from the Midlands.
=5. Brentford – 67%
As for Brentford, out of the remaining 33% of fans located elsewhere, 13% are situated in the South West, while 4% originate from the Midlands.
=5. Wolverhampton Wanderers – 67%
In the case of Wolves, of the 33% of fans located outside of the West Midlands, 6% are situated in the East of England, and notably, 5% are based in Wales.
4. Luton Town – 68%
Luton Town’s local fan base slightly surpasses that of West Ham, Wolves, and Brentford, standing at 68%. Among the remaining 32%, 8% consist of fans located in South-East England, and surprisingly, 4% are based in the South West of England and Gibraltar.
3. Newcastle United – 69%
Newcastle, renowned for its devoted fan base, ranks among the top three clubs in the Premier League, with 69% of its fans originating from the North East of England. Among the remaining 31%, 6% are situated in Scotland, while 5% are from Yorkshire.
2. Nottingham Forest – 70%
Forest secures second place for the most local fans, with an impressive 70% based in the East Midlands. Among the remaining 30%, 7% originate from Yorkshire, and 6% come from the South East of England.
1. Brighton & Hove Albion – 71%
Brighton leads the top flight in terms of local fan base, with an impressive 71% situated in the South East of England. Of the remaining 29%, 6% of Brighton’s fans are based in the South West, while surprisingly, 5% are located in Scotland.
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