How England’s top four divisions look based on all-time average attendance

How England’s top four divisions look based on all-time average attendance has been revealed and it’s got plenty of talking online.

Stoke Sentinel have settled arguments about what makes a big club or otherwise for as long as there has been football, going as far back at 1889, yes, we’re going back as far as around 131 years ago.

Back in the day, stands would be packed to the rafters, that was until the Hillsborough disaster which led to a change in how grounds across the country looked.

Ground, size, community spirit, ownership, promotions and relegations all play a part in a club’s fanbase.

Manchester United take top place for the Premier League, seeing 40,360 on all-time average coming through the turnstiles throughout their history.

They are followed by Liverpool who are around 6,000 out with 34,763 and then Arsenal are in third with 34,701. Tottenham are just under their London rivals with 34,101.

Teams currently not in the Premier League 2019/20 season but are in the top tier based on their all-time average attendance are Sunderland, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Middlesbrough, West Brom and Derby (numbers can be seen below).

Take a look at what league your team would in ranked as we continue to see how England’s top four divisions look based on all-time average attendance…

PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester United – 40,360
Liverpool – 34,763
Arsenal – 34,701
Tottenham – 34,101
Newcastle – 32,757
Chelsea – 32,473
Everton – 31,738
Man City – 30,394
Aston Villa – 28,594
Sunderland – 25,811
West Ham – 25,786
Leeds – 25,768
Sheffield Wednesday – 21,402
Wolves – 20,731
Birmingham – 20,094
Middlesbrough – 19,780
Leicester – 19,486
West Brom – 19,430
Sheffield United – 19,150
Derby County – 18,410

Nottingham Forest just miss out on being placed in the top tier based on their all-time average attendance (18,311), they are also pipped by rivals Derby County (18,410).

Southampton are in second with 18,271, they are then followed by newly relegated Norwich who on average have seen 17,886 on average come into their ground(s), their rivals Ipswich Town take third with 17,878 and then they are followed by newly promoted Coventry City whose figure stands at 17,222.

Southampton, Norwich, Crystal Palace and Watford are the 2019/20 Premier League clubs to be placed in the second division based on their average all time attendance.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Nottingham Forest – 18,311
Southampton – 18,271
Norwich – 17,886
Ipswich – 17,878
Coventry – 17,222
Bolton – 17,110
Stoke – 17,029
Portsmouth – 16,985
Crystal Palace – 16,215
Blackburn – 16,094
Fulham – 16,065
Charlton – 15,377
Cardiff – 15,374
Burnley – 14,295
Huddersfield – 13,465
Bristol City – 13,440
QPR – 13,396
Preston – 13,347
Brighton – 12,191
Millwall – 12,191
Plymouth – 12,103
Hull – 11,972
Watford – 11,385
Blackpool – 10,941

Swansea City top the third division if English football was based on their average all-time attendance – with 10,854, their a decrease of under 5,000 on rivals Cardiff.

Bradford City are second with 10,590, with Reading following them in third with 10,550, and then Luton come in at fourth with a figure of 10,514.

Bournemouth are the only current Premier League club that would be in the third division if based on all time average attendance. Swansea, Reading, Luton, Brentford and Barnsley are the only teams currently in the Championship that feature in the table below.

LEAGUE ONE
Swansea – 10,854
Bradford – 10,590
Reading – 10,550
Luton – 10,514
Bristol Rovers – 9,693
Brentford – 9,470
Barnsley – 9,254
Swindon – 9,213
Oldham – 8,871
MK Dons – 8,218
Wigan – 8,157
Leyton Orient – 8,155
Grimsby – 7,742
Rotherham – 7,412
Bury – 7,319
Bournemouth – 7,278
Oxford – 7,249
Port Vale – 7,195
Doncaster – 7,168
AFC Wimbledon – 6,936
Southend – 6,849
Northampton – 6,667
Tranmere – 6,434
Carlisle – 6,408

For the fourth division, Gillingham would sit top with 6,341, they are then followed by Peterborough United who have seen 6,240 on all time average come through the turnstiles of their stadium(s). Walsall are in a third with 6,110 and then Lincoln’s boost in average attendance recently helps them into fourth place at 5,899.

Gillingham, Peterborough, Lincoln, Shrewsbury, Wycombe, Accrington, Rochdale, Burton and Fleetwood are the only teams currently in League One that feature in the table below.

LEAGUE TWO
Gillingham – 6,341
Peterborough – 6,240
Walsall – 6,110
Lincoln – 5,899
Mansfield – 5,532
Newport – 5,382
Shrewsbury – 5,337
Exeter – 5,239
Wycombe – 4,984
Scunthorpe – 4,923
Colchester – 4,615
Crewe – 4,576
Accrington – 4,189
Cambridge – 4,154
Rochdale – 3,716
Cheltenham – 3,611
Burton – 3,510
Fleetwood – 3,154
Salford – 3,102
Stevenage – 3,039
Crawley – 2,789
Forest Green – 2,736
Macclesfield – 2,294
Morecambe – 2,059

Now that you’ve seen how England’s top four divisions look based on all-time average attendance, what do you make of it? Which surprised you? Are you happy at the figure given for your supported team?

Let us know your thoughts! Some of you already have on our social media pages…

Rob Brooksbank: Just 8 people separate Norwich and Ipswich- that’s what I call local rivalry

Chris Clarke: makes you realise just what a great job Bournemouth are doing

Michael Smith: We [Charlton] are lower than we should be because of the years we played at Palarse.

Peter Donely (Blackpool fan): Championship, only just. Surprised that Man United are only 40,000 average though.

Ed Howard: Look how close Ipswich and Norwich are together!

Jason Lee: Annoying that Swindon are above us [Oxford]. A rather interesting article though. So many new clubs like Salford, Fleetwood, Burton, Forest Green etc with the same type of attendance after flying up the leagues from very low down the non league pyramid

Paul Astill: Sheffield Wednesday above Sheffield United, says it all doesn’t it.

Tyrone Mitchell: Loving seeing how much bigger Villa are compared to Wolves, Birmingham and West Brom UTV!

Harry Chapman: Didn’t expect to see Nottingham Forest below Derby to be honest

Adam Blake: Look at Hull, much higher than I expected them to be

Reece Standen: Newcastle could have been so much higher if it weren’t for the prick Mike Ashley ruining our club. Should be playing in Europe the club of our size for god sake

Lewis Marshall: Leeds back where they belong and expect to see an increase that all time average attendance!

Dave Cape: Thought Bradford City would have been more than 10,000

Baz Waddle: Great to see how high Plymouth Argyle are placed, got themselves a proper loyal fanbase, same could be said for a few others in that