Sky Bet have settled one of social media’s biggest football debates: which fans are the hardest done by.
Backed by data experts Opta, they have analysed 13 main categories of data from the last five seasons for all 92 league clubs. From last-minute losses to ex-players coming back to haunt you, these are 13 different ways football can ruin your weekend.
The report then surveyed hundreds of match-going fans to find out which stats carried the most sting. It’s science – five seasons worth of data, multiplied by emotion – how awful that category is. The result? A never-before-seen league table ranking every fanbase in England – from the ones who’ve had it worst, to those who’ve had it best.
SPORTbible and Sky Bet reveal the most hard done by football fans in England
Arsenal fans have had the easiest ride of all Premier League supporters according to the report
The research reveals:
• Arsenal fans have had the easiest ride of all Premier League supporters, ranking 88th. Across the country, only Chesterfield and Wrexham fans have had it easier.
• Spurs fans are 60 positions worse off than Arsenal, coming 28th
• Man City and Liverpool fans are also placed to be enjoying a smooth journey in the bottom 10, aka least hard done by.
• Southampton supporters top the chart as the most suffering fanbase in England’s top four divisions
• Manchester United land mid-table at 44th, but they were the hardest done by in one category – the most-rained on supporters
Kevin Brain, Head of Social and Content at Sky Betting and Gaming said, “With our Start of Season campaign, ‘Not for Everyone. For the Fans,’ Sky Bet is celebrating the true spirit of football fandom. Partnering with SPORTbible’s Hardest Done By Report lets us reward the passion, loyalty and resilience that make being a fan so special.”
The data also threw out some interesting quirks that can be found below:
• Due to having the ball in play for almost 15 minutes more per game, Man City fans watch 2 hours, 26 minutes, and 34 seconds more football than Accrington Stanley fans – despite playing eight games less!
• The Premier League dominates the “errors leading to goals” stat, with 11 of the 18 worst offenders coming from the English top-flight, including Chelsea and Liverpool
• Based on average motorway speeds, Plymouth fans have to drive for 80 minutes to see their team earn a single point. Arsenal fans travel for less than 30 minutes per point
