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Football is a game of opinions, which often sparks fierce rivalries. Many fans find ways to fuel this rivalry, such as refusing to wear their rival’s team colours, or betting on their biggest rivals to win with the best betting apps and the best betting exchange.
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You love your players and detest your rivals, and for a few football fans, seeing your rivals lose is as good as your team winning. However, for some supporters, the hate extends away from their rivals. So, which teams are the most disliked in the UK?
The UK’s Most Hated Premier League Teams
1. Manchester United - 15.85% of fans hate this team the most
Manchester United takes the top spot, with 15.9% of fans saying they hate this team the most. The Red Devils are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and naturally, this attracts a lot of hate from rival fans.
Between the 1990s and the late 2000s, Man United, under Sir Alex Ferguson, were one of the most dominant clubs in the world, winning 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. This dominance explains why people aged 45-54 despised United more than any other club.
2. Liverpool - 8.45% of fans hate this team the most
The second most hated Premier League team is Liverpool, with 8.5% of fans saying they dislike this team the most. In recent years, Liverpool has been one of the best teams in the world, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Super Cup, and the Club World Cup each on one occasion, and the League Cup twice. However, Liverpool’s dominance was during the 1980s, which is why the most common age group to dislike Liverpool was those aged 55-64. Between 1980 and 1990, Liverpool won two European Cups (now commonly known as the Champions League), seven league titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups to confirm an era of dominance.
However, since the 1990s, material success for Scousers has been few and far between to maintain the dominance of the 80s. The dropoff in trophies, particularly in the late 2000s/early 2010s, led many fans to despise Liverpool for focusing on its rich history to distract from disappointing seasons and results.
3. Manchester City - 7.70% of fans hate this team the most
Concluding our top three of the most hated teams in the UK is Manchester City, with 7.7% of fans choosing them. Manchester City have been the most dominant team in the Premier League for the last 10 years, winning the Treble in 2023 and four consecutive Premier League titles.
However, it’s not just their recent dominance attracting hate. Manchester City’s fortunes were propelled when the club was taken over by Sheik Mansour in 2008. This takeover made City one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, and since then, they have been attracting some of the best players for massive transfer fees and salaries. They epitomise the ‘cash is king’ hierarchy that modern-day football represents, which has attracted much hate.
Manchester City’s demographic of hate is younger than most clubs, receiving more hate from fans aged 25 and 44 than any other age group.
The UK’s Least Hated Premier League Teams
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers - 0.70% of fans hate this club the most
The least hated team in the UK is Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are disliked by just 0.7% of fans. Since being promoted in 2018, Wolves have established themselves as a solid Premier League side, even challenging some of the UK’s biggest clubs for European football between 2019 and 2021.
Wolves seemed to attract very little hate across the UK, receiving no votes from 10 out of the 15 cities surveyed. Despite such a low percentage of fans hating Wolves more than any other club, they did receive a lot of hate from Birmingham, where 4.6% of people said they despise their local rivals the most.
2. Brentford - 0.85% of fans hate this club the most
Brentford takes second place, with just 0.9% of fans hating this club the most. When they were promoted in 2021, the Bees made it to the top division for the first time in just over 70 years, establishing themselves as a mid-table Premier League team.
Brentford is a likeable team with a good manager in Thomas Frank and a selection of exciting players. Brentford received very little hate across England, but for some reason, 2.9% of people in Glasgow hated Brentford the most, the highest percentage of any other city from our survey.
3. Ipswich Town - 1.00% of fans hate this club the most
Finalising our top three is Ipswich Town, with 1% of fans hating the club the most. Ipswich Town’s return to the Premier League was nothing short of brilliant, earning back-to-back promotions from League One and the Championship. Kieran McKenna guided them back to England’s top division - he is a young and exciting manager who learnt his trade at Manchester United.
Music artist and lifelong Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran, who sponsors and owns 1.4% of the club, also helps Ipswich's likeability. Understandably, the Tractor Boys received more hate from Norwich than any other city, with 11.6% of people from the hometown of rivals, Norwich City.
The UK’s Most Hated Scottish Premiership Teams
1. Celtic - 3.85% of fans hated this team the most
The most disliked team in Scotland is Celtic, with 3.9% of fans hating this team the most. Celtic are the most dominant name in Scottish football, winning the Scottish League Championship 54 times, including three spells of nine consecutive titles between the 1960s, 1970s and 2010s.
Only Rangers have won more titles than Celtic as of 2024, with Rangers winning the league on 55 occasions. The Old Firm derby is considered one of the fiercest rivalries in world football, fueled by opposing political and religious beliefs and competition for silverware. Since the 1984/85 season, no team outside the Old Firm has won the Scottish League. Celtic also remain the only Scottish team to win the European Cup (Champions League), beating Inter Milan in Lisbon in the 1967 final.
2. Rangers - 2.45% of fans hated this team the most
In second place are Rangers, with 2.5% of fans hating this team the most. Rangers are the joint most successful team in Scotland, with 118 honours, including 55 league titles, 34 Scottish Cups, and 28 League Cups. Rangers have also won the domestic treble on seven occasions. Despite Celtic and Rangers being based in Glasgow, Rangers were more hated in the city, with over a quarter of Glaswegians hating Rangers, 10% higher than the hatred registered for Celtic.
3. Dundee/Kilmarnock - 0.45% of fans hated this team the most
Dundee and Kilmarnock share third place, with 0.5% of fans hating these teams the most. Both teams have won five major trophies, with Dundee winning one league title, one Scottish Cup, and three League Cups, and Kilmarnock winning one league title, three Scottish Cups, and one League Cup. However, Kilmarnock’s most recent trophy was far more recent, winning the 2011/12 Scottish League Cup. Dundee’s most recent trophy was over 40 years ago when they won the Scottish League Cup in the 1973/74 season.
Edinburgh disliked both teams equally, with 1.6% of people from the Scottish Capital hating Dundee and Kilmarnock. Kilmarnock received far more hate from Glasgow, at 5.7%, compared to just 2.9% for Dundee. Belfast was the city that hated Dundee the most, with 3.4% hating The Dark Blues the most.
The UK’s Least Hated Scottish Premiership Teams
1. Ross County - 0.05% of people hate this team the most
Ross County is first in, with just 0.05% of people hating this team the most. After winning the 2018/19 Scottish Championship, Ross County earned a place in the Scottish Premiership where they have remained ever since. Ross County’s history may not be littered with trophies, but The Staggies beat Hibernian 2-1 in the 2016 Scottish League Cup final. This remains Ross County’s only major trophy in their history, but they have won the Scottish First Division, Scottish Championship, Second Division, and Third Division each on one occasion.
2. Motherwell - 0.25% of people hate this team the most
Motherwell is second place, with 0.25% of people hating this team the most. Motherwell is the joint 10th most successful club in Scotland, with four major honours, including one league title, two Scottish Cups, and one League Cup. Their most recent trophy was over 30 years ago when Motherwell won the 1990/91 Scottish Cups. Motherwell has become part of the Scottish Professional Football League furniture, remaining in Scotland’s top division since 1985.
The Steelmen were loathed the most in Edinburgh, with 1.6% of people hating Motherwell the most. Interestingly, 1.3% of people from Norwich hated Motherwell the most, followed by 0.6% of people in Nottingham.
3. St. Johnstone - 0.25% of people hate this team the most
Sharing second place with Motherwell is St. Johnstone, which was most disliked by 0.25% of people. St. Johnstone was despised the most in Edinburgh, where 1.6% of people hated St. Johnstone the most, followed by 1.3% of people in Birmingham and 1% in Southampton saying they disliked St. Johnstone the most. The Saints have won three major trophies, two Scottish Cups and one League Cup. St. Johnstone’s most recent trophy was in 2021, beating Hibernian by a goal to nil.
| Which English or Scottish football team do you dislike the most? (Choose one) | Number of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 317 | 15.85% |
| Liverpool | 169 | 8.45% |
| Manchester City | 154 | 7.70% |
| Arsenal | 148 | 7.40% |
| Chelsea | 128 | 6.40% |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 80 | 4.00% |
| Celtic | 77 | 3.85% |
| Aston Villa | 63 | 3.15% |
| Rangers | 49 | 2.45% |
| Newcastle United | 46 | 2.30% |
| Everton | 43 | 2.15% |
| Leicester City | 35 | 1.75% |
| AFC Bournemouth | 28 | 1.40% |
| Crystal Palace | 26 | 1.30% |
| West Ham United | 26 | 1.30% |
| Nottingham Forest | 24 | 1.20% |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 23 | 1.15% |
| Fulham | 23 | 1.15% |
| Southampton | 22 | 1.10% |
| Ipswich Town | 20 | 1.00% |
| Brentford | 17 | 0.85% |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 14 | 0.70% |
| Dundee | 9 | 0.45% |
| Kilmarnock | 9 | 0.45% |
| Dundee United | 7 | 0.35% |
| Heart of Midlothian | 7 | 0.35% |
| Aberdeen | 6 | 0.30% |
| Hibernian | 6 | 0.30% |
| St. Mirren | 6 | 0.30% |
| Motherwell | 5 | 0.25% |
| St. Johnstone | 5 | 0.25% |
| Ross County | 1 | 0.05% |
| Other (please specify) | 104 | 5.20% |
| N/A | 303 | 15.15% |
| Total | 2,000 |
A Little Bit More
A few more highlights from the survey.
Almost 10% of fans want to see Liverpool do well despite supporting a different club
More fans wanted to see Liverpool do well than any other club they didn’t support, with 9.8% wanting to see this club do well. Arsenal followed behind in second place, with 9%, and Manchester United was the third most popular club outside of supported clubs, with 7.9%. The Premier League side with the lowest percentage was Fulham, with 1.1%.
Celtic was the Scottish Professional Football League’s most popular club outside of the fans’ supported clubs, with 3% of the votes, with Rangers and Aberdeen receiving 2.4% and 1% of the votes, respectively. Dundee received the lowest percentage in Scotland, with just 0.1% of fans wanting to see this club do well.
Almost one in five fans think that Manchester United fans are the most annoying in the UK
The club with the most annoying fan base is Manchester United, with 17.7% of the votes. Almost 40% of football fans in Belfast were most annoyed by United’s fan base, followed by a quarter of fans in Cardiff, Leeds, and Newcastle. Just 10% of people in Manchester believed United had the most annoying fans. Liverpool fans were the second most annoying, with 10%, followed by Chelsea and Arsenal, who were in third place with 7.5%. Wolverhampton Wanderers were the most tolerable fans in the Premier League, with just 0.7% of fans saying this club had the most annoying fan base.
The crown for the most annoying fans in Scotland went to Celtic, with 4.8% of people being irritated by this fan base. Rangers were the second most annoying with 3.4%, and the least annoying fans in Scotland were Ross County’s, with just 0.05% of the votes.
Just under a quarter of people think Manchester United are overhyped
Manchester United are the most overhyped team, with 23.1% of football fans feeling this way. There’s no denying that Manchester United has one of the richest histories in the UK. However, their current team isn’t entirely living up to the success of the past. That being said, United has a lot of young players with great potential. United’s rivals, Manchester City, follow closely, with 12.1% of fans feeling that the team’s prowess is exaggerated. In joint-third place are Chelsea and Arsenal, overhyped by 8.9% of fans. Southampton is the least overhyped team in the Premier League, overrated by just 0.5% of fans.
The most overhyped Scottish team is Celtic, overrated by 3.4% of fans. Celtic were overrated mainly by people from Edinburgh at 17.7%, followed by people from Glasgow and Belfast, with up to 10.3% of people from here feeling The Bhoys were overhyped. Rangers were overhyped by 1.2%, the second-highest percentage in Scotland.
The most hated team in different UK cities
Manchester United was the most hated team in 10 cities, including Leeds, Liverpool, London, and Manchester. In Scotland, Celtic was Edinburgh's most hated team, while Rangers was Glasgow's most hated team. Aston Villa was the most hated team in Birmingham, and Newcastle United was hated the most in Newcastle.
The city with the highest percentage of people declaring their hatred for one club was Liverpool, with almost a third of people here hating Manchester United the most. Leeds followed closely behind, with just over a quarter of people from Leeds hating Manchester United the most. Glasgow’s hatred for Rangers was the second-highest percentage, with 27% of people here hating Rangers more than any other club.
| City | Most Hated Team | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Aston Villa | 11.26% |
| Edinburgh | Celtic | 22.58% |
| Bristol | Liverpool | 15.52% |
| Belfast | Manchester United | 17.24% |
| Cardiff | Manchester United | 18.26% |
| Leeds | Manchester United | 26.77% |
| Liverpool | Manchester United | 28.81% |
| London | Manchester United | 11.90% |
| Manchester | Manchester United | 21.84% |
| Norwich | Manchester United | 16.67% |
| Nottingham | Manchester United | 15.73% |
| Sheffield | Manchester United | 19.67% |
| Southampton | Manchester United | 15.38% |
| Newcastle | Newcastle United | 22.11% |
| Glasgow | Rangers | 27.14% |
Which other teams from the football pyramid were mentioned the most? OLBG Experts have their say
“Although we only looked at top-flight football in England and Scotland, survey respondents also shared some of their opinions on lower league teams.
“We found that Leeds United was the most hated team outside of England’s top division, with 18 responses. West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland were also mentioned frequently, with nine people saying they hate West Brom and eight people saying they dislike Sunderland the most.
“Despite being the most hated team outside the top division, more people wanted to see Leeds United do well outside of the team they support, with 10 responses. Norwich City had seven responses, followed by West Bromwich Albion with six. We also found that Wrexham was another honourable mention, with three people wanting to see Ryan Reynolds’ team do well.
“The crown for the most annoying fan base outside of the first division goes to Millwall fans, with 16 people saying this, almost a quarter of the commented responses. Four people said Leeds United had the most irritating fans, making them the second most hated team outside of the UK’s top divisions.”
Methodology
We sent out a survey to 2,000 residents of the UK asking the following questions.
1. Which UK football team do you dislike the most?
2. Which UK football team aside from your own do you want to see do well?
3. Which UK football team do you think has the most annoying fan base?
4. Which UK football team do you feel is overhyped?
The survey was carried out in November 2024.
