Loyal supporters

[JimLevack]

TOON ARMY HITS THE ROAD TO CLAIM TITLE OF

UK’S MOST COMMITTED FOOTBALL FANS

Chelsea and Arsenal fans fail to even make the playoffs in report by Continental Tyres

Proof to fans in the North East that they are football’s true faithful, Newcastle United’s Toon Army and Sunderland’s Mackems are named today the nation’s most committed football fans for miles covered per season.

The Toon Army claim number one spot, travelling a staggering 22.8 million miles, according to the results of the most comprehensive study into the travels of fans from 92 England and Wales’ clubs, published today by Continental Tyres.

As well as looking at how far fans travel each season to all away matches, the new report gives the average number that travel, creating a unique Fan Miles figure. In the 2005/6 season Newcastle United’s 3,000 travelling fans will cover a total of almost 23 million miles by attending all away matches in the Premiership. Rival fans from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United came in 9th, 13th and 21st respectively in the table, even being beaten by League One teams Oldham and Rotherham (full table below).

Sunderland come in second place with fans travelling 22.3 million miles during the football season. Right at the other end of the UK, Pompey fans come in third place, proving their commitment by clocking up 21.8 million miles following their team around the UK. Propping up the Fan Miles league are Macclesfield Town fans with just 913,600 Fan Miles. Only a die-hard group of 200 fans travel the 4,568 miles required to follow their team around the UK each year.

Continental Tyres, an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, carried out the research to find out about the lengths loyal football fans will go to, to support their teams each weekend around the UK. The data collected revealed that in total this season, football fans of teams in the top four divisions will travel an astonishing 830,363,404 miles.* That’s nine times the distance between the earth and the sun!

Robbie Earle, former Wimbledon and Jamaican captain and TV football pundit, commenting on the research said “We all know how dedicated football fans are when it comes to following their teams, but this research really proves their commitment by showing which teams have the best supporters. It’s amazing to see the figures like this and great that some of the smaller clubs have made it into the Top 10. It just goes to show that you don’t need to be in the top flight to have a devoted group of supporters.”

Guy Frobisher, Marketing Director of Continental Tyres said "As an official partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ we are well aware of the commitment of football fans. With supporters driving such a high number of miles each year following their teams around the country, they need to know that the tyres they fit on their car will perform and last the distance, just like their team. Continental tyres are of the highest German engineering quality to ensure that you'll never be let down, even if your team's performance proves a disappointment!”

NOTES TO EDITORS

Soccer Stories
Continental Tyres is looking for stories from football fans across the UK about their commitment to their teams and the travels they have made to support their clubs over the years. If you or anyone you know has an amazing story to tell about how far you have travelled or even how you got there, then please email [email protected]. The fan judged to be the most committed, by a panel including former England captain and Continental Tyres Brand Ambassador Alan Shearer, will win a set of exclusive ContiChampionContact tyres with a unique soccer design for the car or club coach of the ultimate football fan. Five runners-up will also win a FIFA World Cup™ merchandise goodie bag.

About the research
To calculate the Fan Miles total for each of the 92 different football clubs in the top four leagues, Continental Tyres worked out the distance between each of the football clubs in each of the divisions. This figure was then multiplied by two to show how far a fan would travel each season to and from all of his/her team’s away matches. Continental Tyres then contacted each of the clubs in the survey to find out, on average how many fans travelled to the watch away matches.


Fan Miles Table in Full

******* Team*** Division******* Fan Miles******
1****** Newcastle****** Premiership**** 22,782,000*****
2****** Sunderland***** Premiership**** 22,272,000*****
3****** Portsmouth***** Premiership**** 21,792,000*****
4****** Middlesbrough** Premiership**** 19,890,000*****
5****** Swansea Championship*** 19,388,000*****
6****** Luton** Championship*** 18,032,000*****
7****** Oldham* League One***** 17,838,000*****
8****** Rotherham****** League One***** 17,550,800*****
9****** Chelsea Premiership**** 17,268,000*****
10***** Tottenham****** Premiership**** 16,848,000*****
11***** Hull*** Championship*** 16,751,612*****
12***** Gillingham***** League One***** 16,712,000*****
13***** Arsenal Premiership**** 16,362,000*****
14***** Barnsley******* League One***** 15,840,000*****
15***** Nottingham Forest****** League One***** 15,636,400*****
16***** West Ham******* Premiership**** 15,589,944*****
17***** Liverpool****** Premiership**** 15,132,000*****
18***** Colchester***** League One***** 15,120,000*****
19***** Brentford****** League One***** 14,523,600*****
20***** Norwich Championship*** 14,303,864*****
21***** Man City******* Premiership**** 14,106,000*****
22***** Man United***** Premiership**** 13,644,000*****
23***** Blackpool****** League One***** 13,597,200*****
24***** Leeds** Championship*** 13,500,000*****
25***** Crystal Palace* Championship*** 13,293,180*****
26***** Bournemouth**** League One***** 13,081,900*****
27***** Aston Villa**** Premiership**** 12,918,000*****
28***** Burnley Championship*** 12,693,000*****
29***** Everton Premiership**** 12,670,000*****
30***** Bradford******* League One***** 12,656,000*****
31***** Ipswich Championship*** 12,494,340*****
32***** West Brom****** Premiership**** 12,083,500*****
33***** Southampton**** Championship*** 11,485,740*****
34***** Plymouth******* Championship*** 11,442,000*****
35***** Doncaster****** League One***** 10,848,000*****
36***** Brighton******* Championship*** 10,427,188*****
37***** Bristol City*** League One***** 10,161,200*****
38***** Preston Championship*** 9,773,478******
39***** Sheffield Utd** Championship*** 9,206,010******
40***** QPR**** Championship*** 8,915,200******
41***** Wolves* Championship*** 8,914,176******
42***** Sheffield Wed** Championship*** 8,850,000******
43***** Huddersfield*** League One***** 8,730,000******
44***** Stoke** Championship*** 7,907,328******
45***** Birmingham***** Premiership**** 7,833,600******
46***** Derby** Championship*** 7,548,072******
47***** Leicester****** Championship*** 7,245,000******
48***** Darlington***** League Two***** 7,185,600******
49***** Hartlepool***** League One***** 7,110,400******
50***** Charlton******* Premiership**** 6,479,000******
51***** Bolton* Premiership**** 6,398,600******
52***** Yeovil* League One***** 6,384,000******
53***** Carlisle******* League Two***** 6,123,000******
54***** Blackburn****** Premiership**** 6,067,200******
55***** Chesterfield*** League One***** 6,050,400******
56***** Reading Championship*** 5,822,388******
57***** Fulham* Premiership**** 5,742,000******
58***** Wigan** Premiership**** 5,727,800******
59***** Stockport****** League Two***** 5,704,600******
60***** Southend******* League One***** 5,692,400******
61***** Tranmere******* League One***** 5,527,668******
62***** Leyton Orient** League Two***** 5,365,500******
63***** Bury*** League Two***** 5,117,400******
64***** Swindon League One***** 4,920,000******
65***** Bristol Rovers* League Two***** 4,894,400******
66***** Cardiff Championship*** 4,870,800******
67***** Watford Championship*** 4,592,552******
68***** Northampton**** League Two***** 4,447,800******
69***** Scunthorpe***** League One***** 4,314,112******
70***** Peterborough*** League Two***** 4,230,400******
71***** Lincoln City*** League Two***** 4,198,594******
72***** Crewe** Championship*** 4,085,344******
73***** Chester League Two***** 3,971,230******
74***** Barnet* League Two***** 3,874,800******
75***** Coventry******* Championship*** 3,580,500******
76***** Grimsby League Two***** 3,313,000******
77***** Mansfield****** League Two***** 3,256,400******
78***** Walsall League One***** 3,047,888******
79***** Oxford United** League Two***** 2,950,000******
80***** Rochdale******* League Two***** 2,898,000******
81***** Millwall******* Championship*** 2,873,000******
82***** Shrewsbury***** League Two***** 2,732,100******
83***** Wycombe League Two***** 2,527,200******
84***** Wrexham League Two***** 2,041,900******
85***** Port Vale****** League One***** 1,883,000******
86***** Milton Keynes** League One***** 1,839,600******
87***** Cheltenham***** League Two***** 1,813,872******
88***** Torquay League Two***** 1,665,000******
89***** Notts County*** League Two***** 1,330,200******
90***** Boston Utd***** League Two***** 1,112,400******
91***** Rushden & Diamonds***** League Two***** 1,061,600******
92***** Macclesfield*** League Two***** 913,600

 

[nocoat]

Where were they in 92

Wrong forum

 

[Edmundo]

Guy Frobisher, Marketing Director of Continental Tyres said "As an official partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ we are well aware of the commitment of football fans. With supporters driving such a high number of miles each year following their teams around the country, they need to know that the tyres they fit on their car will perform and last the distance, just like their team. Continental tyres are of the highest German engineering quality to ensure that you'll never be let down, even if your team's performance proves a disappointment!”

Get the train!!! :beer:

 

[SmiffyBee]

.....hmm football pundit Robbie Earle....(anyone see him on ITV-he's clueless)

 

[eghambee]

Nice advert with no correct factual substance!

 

[LboroBee]

.....hmm football pundit Robbie Earle....(anyone see him on ITV-he's clueless)

ahhhh Robbie "Mr.Obvious" Earle, followed by Des "that's great, it's time for a break now" Lynam

 

[Jimbee]

We are more loyal than ManUre but we knew that already. :yes:

 

[Heston Bee]

It's an interesting way of looking at loyalty, but a superficial glance suggests it's potentially flawed. All of the top 4 are at relative extremes of the country, so even if a club based in, say, London, had the same amount of fans travelling to the same games it'd be less mileage simply because of the geographical position! Does it make them less loyal? Perhaps they should journey a little further just to prove their worth!

 

[Mr Tree]

yeah, bit silly, but interesting, especially to note that Swansea have been promoted without any of us noticing

 

[eghambee]

Surprised we are higher than Plymouth and Norwich, amongst others.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

Surprised we are higher than Plymouth and Norwich, amongst others.

Norwich would have played far fewer games.

Plymouth were in a division that was fairly Southern compared to ours.

We went to Hartlepool twice and took 900 on one ocassion which would have helped.

 

[Edmundo]

Don't think the Cup counts. And they use "average" away followings, which is obviously a flawed measure, even if the clubs supplied accurate data, since more fans go to nearer away games than distant ones. We are so high up because we are playing in Division 3 North. But there are some surprises, like Torquay being so low. I guess they don't take many away.

 

[The H]

Newcastle mate lives in London and his dad (ST holder) gets him tickets to the London games when he can.......
:shrug:

so we can take that off

 

[SmiffyBee]

and I went to the Huddersfield game from Reading...so that must add another 50 odd miles

 

[eghambee]

Nice advert with no correct factual substance!

I repeat!

 

[Idaho Bee]

Not surprisingly Fulham didn't show too well.

Brentford in the top 20 - hard to believe - but we will.

 

[eghambee]

And today of all days, Newcastle admit they can't selll all their season tickets!!!!

They are advertising on TV.

Brentford season ticket sales up , Newcastle's down- the tide is turning!!!!

 

[emel bee]

are these the same newcastle fans who let attendances slip below 10k when they were at the bottom of the old second division.glory hunting band wagon jumpers!

 

[Claire]

glad to see where we are in the table

 

[JANORAK]

But there are some surprises, like Torquay being so low. I guess they don't take many away.

Got to be dedicated down there. Noted in their programme last season that the pickup times for their away bus were 4 or 5am for some game 'oop North' ....Lord knows what time they get back the next day, so midweek awaydays must be less well-attended if 2 days off work are required for each...

 

[Streetboy]

My boss is a Middlesbrough fan and gets when the old chestnut about the toon army being the best fans in the world gets regurgitated, just because they're thick enough to stand there in the middle of winter with no shirts on.
He happily points out that before Wor Keegan came along, they were struggling to get much mroe than 10,000 through the turnstiles at St James Park.

 

[Gee Bee]

My boss is a Middlesbrough fan and gets when the old chestnut about the toon army being the best fans in the world gets regurgitated, just because they're thick enough to stand there in the middle of winter with no shirts on.
He happily points out that before Wor Keegan came along, they were struggling to get much mroe than 10,000 through the turnstiles at St James Park.

And how many were Middlesboro getting when they were in the 2nd tier under Lennie Lawrence!!

 

[Hungerford Bee]

Not surprisingly Fulham didn't show too well.

Brentford in the top 20 - hard to believe - but we will.

Fulhan took less fans to Blackburn today than we did to Chesterfield 10 days ago (according to Radio 5)

 

[The H]

Newcastle (home ends) didn't sell out today......

 

[emel bee]

Fulhan took less fans to Blackburn today than we did to Chesterfield 10 days ago (according to Radio 5)

it was only 200 according to talksport

 

[nocoat]

lol rofl lol :laugh:

 

[eghambee]

it was only 200 according to talksport

Lucky they reduced the price of travelling on supporters coaches all season!!

This season adult Season Ticket Holders and ClubFFC members can travel to ALL away Premiership fixtures for a flat rate fee of just £10 a game, be it to Charlton or Newcastle!

Junior Season Ticket Holders and Members, meanwhile, pay even less as they can follow the Whites around the country for just £5 per game on an Official FFC Coach.

A first in Premiership football these groundbreaking coach travel prices are cheaper than any other Club in the League and considerably cheaper than other forms of public transport.