Without fans, football would be nothing. An old cliché, of course, but an important one. For decades, supporters have travelled all over the country to watch their beloved team, and in the modern era, that has not changed.
Whether it’s a cold, rainy night at Stoke or a sunny trip down to Bournemouth on the south-coast, fans continuously stick behind their side and cheer them on – well, most of them do.
There is no denying that some fan bases are better than others. From decibel levels to undeniable passion, there are different levels in each club – but what determines who is the best?
Check out our ranking for the fans of each Premier League team from worst to best…
20. Burnley
The Clarets can generate an atmosphere at Turf Moor, but only on the rarest of occasions. Burnley fans often struggle to fill the 22,546 capacity it holds and the empty seats reflect the lack of ambience around the ground.
When travelling on the road, Burnley regularly fail to sell out the 3,000 allocation most Premier League teams grant for away fans which demonstrates the lack of support from the Clarets. The fans that do travel have often been spotted sitting down – perhaps the opera would be a better fit.
19. Brighton & Hove Albion
The Seagulls were fortunate to remain in the Premier League for the 2019/20 campaign following last season’s disappointing performances, but the performances from the fans were equally as disappointing.
Although they consistently sold over 30,000 tickets for each game at the Amex Stadium, the wind was the most off-putting component of the trip for away teams.
The lack of support on the road from Brighton was reflected in their dire away form last season, picking up just three wins on their travels in the Premier League.
18. Southampton
This may just be me, but I cannot recall the Southampton faithful reciting any rendition other than ‘Oh when the Saints’. The lack of home attendance is sub-par to say the least; over 2,000 fans (0n average) were missing from each match at St Mary’s last season, and empty seats were not hard to spot.
The travelling support can be good, but more often than not struggle to break silence once play is started – although there hasn’t been much to shout about for the Saints fans recently.
17. Norwich City
The Canaries will be chirping their way into the 2019/20 campaign, but sustainability remains an issue. The average attendance at Carrow Road last season was 26,014, but their success is unlikely to be replicated this time around. Clappers automatically bring their rating down.
Norwich will find success away from home hard to come by but their return to Premier League action should help in generating the numbers to travel, with attractions such as Old Trafford much more appealing to that of Rotherham’s New York Stadium.
16. Sheffield United
Despite their ability to generate an intimidating atmosphere at Bramall Lane, the lack of attendance last season means I simply cannot rank them highly. The Blades’ average home attendance last season was 26,175, a staggering 6,000 lower than the capacity of their ground.
Although those figures will inevitably rise following their promotion to the Premier League, the question remains by how much. Their away fans will have to prove their worth in the big league to convince me of a higher ranking than this.
15. Aston Villa
A similar story to the aforementioned Sheffield United. With Villa Park capable of holding 42,785 supporters, an average attendance of 36,029 last season was very disappointing. However, the Villa faithful are capable of generating an atmosphere, which we could see next season in the Premier League.
Away from home, the Villans travel in reasonable numbers, and should replicate that in the Premier League.
14. Leicester City
Another team who embraced the clappers lifestyle – something I strongly disagree with. If you need cardboard to generate an atmosphere, you cannot score highly in the rankings. Despite the magic of the King Power Stadium during the 2015/16 season where the Foxes were crowned champions, the fans have displayed little noise since.
The travelling support brings Leicester down in the rankings, also. Failure to sell out away tickets coupled with the majority of those who do travel opting to remain seated means the Foxes cannot score highly at all.
13. AFC Bournemouth
The Cherries obtain the lowest ground capacity in the league with the Vitality Stadium capable of holding 11,329 people. However, they can produce some excellent moments at home – wins against Chelsea and Spurs last season demonstrated the atmosphere they can create.
However, their away support is poor and fail to travel in numbers consistently. They can be vocal compared to the lower ranked sides in this article, but overall, disappointing.
12. Watford
The Hornets endured a successful 2018/19 campaign, reaching the F.A Cup Final and finishing a respectable 11th. However, they regularly failed to sell out their home matches at Vicarage Road, which reflected in the lack of atmosphere.
On the road, they sometimes find difficulties in selling the 3,000 allocation, and if they are not winning, the fans are often mute.
11. Arsenal
They may not have clappers for their home fans, but there aren’t many around to give them to in the first place. The Emirates is often rifled with empty seats and the lack of ambience is alarming for a top-six club. The ironic chant of ‘Is this the Emirates’ derives from the silence from the home fans, often compared to a library.
However, the travelling support is good, I must say. Despite not always being the most vocal, the Gunners consistently sell out their away allocation – if they could find a way to vocalise and spark life into their home matches, they would produce a higher ranking.
