Football: Absence makes the fan grow fonder of his club

The popular image of the armchair football supporter may be an outdated myth. These days, the average supporter is more likely to be on the edge of his or her computer seat, following their club on the smaller screen. Catherine Riley reports.

The start of a new football season always finds supporters, in a triumph of hope over experience, believing that this will be their year. How else could you account for 35 out of 37 Barnsley fans who responded to an Internet survey by Carling between 24 August and 5 October 1997 thinking that their team would win the Premiership?

Half the 9,000 respondents supported either Manchester United or Liverpool, which may well account for the fact that 45 per cent of those interviewed did not attend a single Premiership match all season, 27.6 per cent made between one and five trips, while less than seven per cent saw their side between 20 and 30 times.

This disparity in attendances may well have accounted for the fact that over 47 per cent did not know if the amount of singing at their team's ground had decreased since the introduction of all-seater stadiums.

Always a popular topic, whether referees should turn professional was agreed by almost 93 per cent of supporters, although, curiously, the lowest number of votes for this - as well as for the introduction of action replays - came from Leicester City supporters, despite the performance of referee Mike Reed in their match against Chelsea last season, in which a controversial penalty decision sent the Foxes out of the FA Cup.

While the BBC's John Motson was by far and away the most popular television commentator, the survey showed the growing influence of Sky, particularly overseas.

Martin Tyler was most popular with viewers abroad, and runner-up to Motty at home, although sadly for Mr Tyler, only one per cent of all those polled said he was their favourite footballing expert.

Andy Gray, Sky's master of technology, romped home in that category, and nearly three-quarters of supporters said the use of such statistical analysis had enhanced their enjoyment of the game.

BBC pundit Alan Hansen came a close second, although his Match of the Day sparring partner, Jimmy Hill, did not fare quite as well, getting slightly less votes than Ron Atkinson and Chris Waddle.

Around 5,800 people responded to the question of which club offers the best pies. Only 23 supporters from both Crystal Palace and Wimbledon, who groundshare at Selhurst Park, said their facilities were the best, proving consistency in the fare offered both on and off the pitch in south- east London. There were no Palace fans who thought their ground had the best atmosphere for travelling supporters, but four Dons fans voted for Selhurst, presumably given the fact that there are often more away fans than home supporters at Wimbledon games.

A church is still the most popular choice of venue for a wedding, although 35 per cent of supporters would like to get married at their favourite ground. The least popular place for a wedding was The Dell, but the figures did not show whether the 21 per cent of Southampton fans who fancied taking their vows there were male or female.

But the survey did throw up one fascinating result, which it then dismally failed to follow up. If football is not the most important thing in the life of 57.2 per cent of fans, what is?

Which team do you support?

Arsenal 8.3%

Aston Villa 3.1

Barnsley 0.5

Blackburn 2.3

Bolton 0.5

Chelsea 4.2

Coventry 1.1

C Palace 0.8

Derby 1.3

Everton 3.3

Leeds 3.1

Leicester 1.6

Liverpool 25.5

Man Utd 24.7

Newcastle 7.1

Sheff Wed 1.4

Southampton 1.3

Tottenham 6.3

West Ham 2.8

Wimbledon 0.8

Which ground has

best atmosphere?

***

Arsenal 7.2% 6.9

Aston Villa 1.7 1.7

Barnsley 1.3 1.3

Blackburn 1.1 1.2

Bolton 1.1 0.9

Chelsea 4.7 4.4

Coventry 0.5 0.5

C Palace 0.5 0.5

Derby 0.4 0.4

Everton 2.0 1.9

Leeds 1.4 1.3

Leicester 1.3 1.2

Liverpool 20.9 22.0

Man Utd 24.1 27.0

Newcastle 22.9 20.6

Sheff Wed 1.9 1.8

Southampton 0.9 0.8

Tottenham 2.2 2.2

West Ham 2.4 2.1

Wimbledon 1.5 1.3

***Not including those who voted for own team

Including fans who voted for own team

The best pies and

all-round catering

***

Arsenal 11.9% 9.9

Aston Villa 2.7 2.6

Barnsley 5.5 2.3

Blackburn 4.5 3.0

Bolton 3.5 1.7

Chelsea 7.9 4.5

Coventry 1.9 1.2

C Palace 1.4 0.9

Derby 2.5 1.6

Everton 3.4 3.6

Leeds 2.2 2.4

Leicester 3.6 2.2

Liverpool 10.3 20.6

Man Utd 14.6 23.1

Newcastle 9.9 8.3

Sheff Wed 2.9 2.1

Southampton 1.2 1.0

Tottenham 4.7 5.2

West Ham 3.0 2.6

Wimbledon 2.4 1.2

***Not including those who voted for their own team

Including fans who voted for their own team

You're not singing any more?

Has the amount decreased since all-seat stadiums were introduced?

Yes 31.3%

No 21.6

Don't know 47.1

Would you like to see the creation of all-singing sections at your club?

Yes 67.9%

No 32.1

The top 10 imports

E Cantona 26.8%

G Zola 17.2

D Bergkamp 16.6

P Schmeichel 9.1

Juninho 7.7

J Klinsmann 7.2

F Asprilla 4.0

O Solskjaer 2.2

A Kanchelskis 1.1

D Yorke 0.8

British fans' top

TV commentator

John Motson 38.7%

Martin Tyler 14.4

Barry Davies 8.6

Jonathan Pearce 7.9

Brian Moore 7.2

Alan Parry 5.0

Thirty-five per cent of fans, like Celtic's Beverley and Jim Cavanagh, want to marry at their team's ground

92.3 per cent of fans think referees should be professional

60 per cent think action replays should decide controversial incidents

More Liverpool supporters (25.5 per cent) took part than any other team's fans

Over 90 per cent think it important that their club finish above the local rival

Barnsley, Southampton and Coventry voted most likely to be relegated

Manchester United have the best PA announcer (Keith Fane)