Results of English Football Fans' survey into Rivalries

[RichardL]

For all those questions about who is whose rivals and why.

http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf

highlights from Page 1

Less than half (44) of the 92 league clubs were involved in a two-way rivalry (i.e. both sides agree about being each other’s main rival)

A table of clubs that have the most rivals is topped by Manchester United (the only club to be considered the main rival by 5 other clubs) followed by Burnley, Leeds, Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday

Gillingham, Macclesfield, Stockport, Torquay and York had the least number of other fans seeing them as their rivals

45% of fans see history / tradition as the reason why their main rivals are so – for 35% it’s because they’re the closest club geographically

22% of fans say their current main rival is not the same as their ‘traditional’ rival. This is particularly prevalent at the top of the Premiership where Liverpool and Arsenal have ‘dumped’ their traditional rivals – Everton and Spurs respectively – for Manchester Utd.
Chelsea have done the same - replacing Spurs and Fulham with Arsenal

Fans think the Celtic / Rangers is the fiercest rivalry in the UK and that Everton / Liverpool is the most amicable

Although 37% of fans feel that rivalry plays a significant part in leading to football violence, 71% feel on the whole the positives of rivalry outweigh the negatives

71% would support the opposition if their main rivals were playing in Europe but 59% of fans would miss their rivals if they weren’t there

[Eddie26]

For all those questions about who is whose rivals and why.

http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf

highlights from Page 1

Less than half (44) of the 92 league clubs were involved in a two-way rivalry (i.e. both sides agree about being each other’s main rival)

A table of clubs that have the most rivals is topped by Manchester United (the only club to be considered the main rival by 5 other clubs) followed by Burnley, Leeds, Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday

Gillingham, Macclesfield, Stockport, Torquay and York had the least number of other fans seeing them as their rivals

45% of fans see history / tradition as the reason why their main rivals are so – for 35% it’s because they’re the closest club geographically

22% of fans say their current main rival is not the same as their ‘traditional’ rival. This is particularly prevalent at the top of the Premiership where Liverpool and Arsenal have ‘dumped’ their traditional rivals – Everton and Spurs respectively – for Manchester Utd.
Chelsea have done the same - replacing Spurs and Fulham with Arsenal

Fans think the Celtic / Rangers is the fiercest rivalry in the UK and that Everton / Liverpool is the most amicable

Although 37% of fans feel that rivalry plays a significant part in leading to football violence, 71% feel on the whole the positives of rivalry outweigh the negatives

71% would support the opposition if their main rivals were playing in Europe but 59% of fans would miss their rivals if they weren’t there

Great find. I question some of the numbers but still surprising. I don't think that most Arsenal fans see Man U as their main rival though, I tend to think it is either us or Spurs. Same with Chelsea, I think most fans see their main rivals as Spurs or Fulham still to this day. Or maybe it's just newer fans that see it the other way. Some newer Chelsea fans probably don't even realize that Craven Cottage is only about a 10 min walk from Stamford Bridge.

[Peakite]

Congrats to Shrewsbury fans for nominating a team which doesn't exist ;)

Which does date it slightly, although this must be the most recent.

[leftwing]

Hmmm. I would've said that traditionally QPR are a bigger rival for Chelsea than Fulham. QPR used to be pretty much of a regular in the top flight. Surprised to see Leeds listing Chelsea as 2nd biggest rival. They must have had input from some of the older fans. Always interesting to see what's going on in the other guy's head.

[Captain Splarg]

It is a good read.

I'm not quite sure how Liverpool would be our 3rd rival (to Leeds), but oh well.

[Alan Reet]

It is a good read.

I'm not quite sure how Liverpool would be our 3rd rival (to Leeds), but oh well.
I've never seen Liverpool as one of our rivals. I know that we're hated by all the other yorkshire clubs.