Posted on 11th June 2014
UEFA must implement minimum standards across its club competitions say campaigners after the results of a Europe-wide survey of away fans was published this week.
Posted on 11th June 2014
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
Despite having a torrid time on the pitch, Cardiff City has the best “away fans experience” in the Premier League last season, according to a survey of football fans by the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF).
More than 5,000 football supporters completed the FSF’s away fans survey, leaving feedback on hundreds of fixtures across all divisions, and rating their away day experience out of 10.
The club in the Welsh capital was the clear winner, with Swansea City second, Hull City third, and Southampton fourth.
Crystal Palace came bottom of last season’s Premier League teams and were joined by Liverpool and Everton in the bottom three.
Cardiff City scored 8.05, an average taken from fans who scored their away days on overall experience. Palace, Liverpool and Everton scored 4.79, 5.41 and 5.71 respectively – these compare poorly to the national average of 6.44 and the Premier League average of 6.56.
Malcolm Clarke, chair of the FSF, said:
“Away fans travel in huge numbers in this country compared to many others. They’re a driving force behind the noise and spectacle at many games, it simply wouldn’t be the same without them.
“However, in recent seasons there does seem to have been a decrease in travelling supporters and we know it’s something that the football authorities are keen to work with fans on.
“The Away Fans Survey gives fans the opportunity to share their experiences. Armed with these results the FSF can then present a really strong case to the clubs and leagues, outlining what fans love or loathe when it comes to away days.”
Football League
Elsewhere, Wigan Athletic were the highest scoring of the 2013-2014 Football League Championship teams with 7.92, followed closely by Reading (7.54) and Blackburn Rovers (7.37).
Leeds United were bottom of the Championship, scoring a miserable 4.12. QPR (4.67) and Burnley (4.67), promoted to the Premier League for the 2014-15 season, joined them in the relegation places.
Fans were asked to rate the clubs on various factors – such as safety and security, transport to the ground, access at the turnstiles, the concourse layout, food and drink and the view of the pitch.
From the feedback left by travelling supporters, the distance of travel (44%), the time and day of kick-off (42.6%) and ticket pricing (40.4%) are the main factors for determining whether or not they will attend an away game.
“Likelihood of victory” was the least quoted reason fans gave for attending away games – only 3.9% of respondents said this was a reason they would travel to an away fixture.
Similarly, in the previous year’s survey, fans were not concerned about whether or not they were travelling to see a “big club” with only 6.5% citing “Level of opposition” as an important factor.
This was the second year that the FSF have asked fans for feedback on their away match experience. The aim of the project is to ultimately improve the away fans’ experience and encourage more fans to travel to watch their team.
More facts and figures:
Notes:
UEFA must implement minimum standards across its club competitions say campaigners after the results of a Europe-wide survey of away fans was published this week.
The Away Fans Survey, the largest ongoing study of the away fan experience in England and Wales, is back again and we're after your help once more.
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