Writer, analyst, podcaster, Spurs fan. Three out of four is not bad. If there is a data angle, I will find it.
The Happy Fan Index: Refreshed for 2023
It is estimated that around 32 million football fans attended matches across the top four English divisions during the 2022/23 season. While the beautiful game is enjoyed by many every year, this support is unevenly distributed between teams. However, as discovered in our original Happy Fan Index, [See the bottom section of this article] more established teams don’t necessarily equate to a happier fanbase.
Focusing on teams across the Premier League and English Football League, we have compiled a revised list of the most satisfied supporters based on a range of social media-related data. We have calculated individual tables for each of the top four divisions in English football to determine the happiest fans of each.
Newcastle United have the happiest supporters of any Premier League team - scoring 7.44 /10
The first list on our Happy Fan Index reveals which Premier League teams currently have the happiest fans.
| Rank | Football Team | Percentage of 'love' reactions on Facebook | Percentage of 'angry' reactions on Facebook | Average Number of Instagram Likes | Instagram Engagement Rate | Average Number of TikTok Likes | TikTok Engagement Rate | Average Number of X Likes | X Engagement Rate | Overall 'Happy' Score /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle United | 91% | 0% | 23,600 | 0.94% | 155,300 | 5.19% | 2,566 | 0.10% | 7.44 |
| 2 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 91% | 0% | 14,800 | 0.84% | 133,500 | 4.94% | 1,776 | 0.18% | 7.11 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 92% | 0% | 35,100 | 1.01% | 117,900 | 3.55% | 1,622 | 0.07% | 6.97 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 94% | 1% | 171,000 | 0.35% | 692,000 | 3.15% | 5,013 | 0.03% | 6.71 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 93% | 1% | 112,000 | 0.26% | 233,600 | 1.44% | 7,137 | 0.03% | 5.86 |
| 6 | Arsenal | 92% | 1% | 70,400 | 0.25% | 157,400 | 2.64% | 7,466 | 0.04% | 5.66 |
| 7 | Brentford | 81% | 1% | 2,870 | 0.60% | 170,800 | 10.35% | 518 | 0.16% | 5.59 |
| 7 | Luton Town | 81% | 1% | 3,360 | 1.01% | 34,500 | 8.91% | 673 | 0.37% | 5.59 |
| 9 | Fulham | 85% | 1% | 9,780 | 0.96% | 50,200 | 5.15% | 482 | 0.07% | 5.33 |
| 10 | Bournemouth | 84% | 1% | 9,910 | 1.24% | 39,700 | 3.51% | 536 | 0.08% | 5.26 |
| 11 | West Ham United | 92% | 2% | 16,300 | 0.41% | 74,100 | 1.41% | 4,014 | 0.15% | 5.00 |
| 12 | Chelsea | 77% | 3% | 106,000 | 0.26% | 264,500 | 1.77% | 16,019 | 0.06% | 4.67 |
| 13 | Tottenham Hotspur | 90% | 1% | 28,700 | 0.18% | 195,400 | 0.61% | 3,320 | 0.04% | 4.54 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 78% | 2% | 16,700 | 0.65% | 102,700 | 3.82% | 567 | 0.05% | 4.41 |
| 15 | Burnley | 95% | 0% | 2,340 | 0.35% | 28,300 | 3.70% | 352 | 0.05% | 4.34 |
| 15 | Manchester United | 89% | 2% | 136,000 | 0.22% | 318,400 | 1.34% | 4,720 | 0.02% | 4.34 |
| 17 | Nottingham Forest | 92% | 1% | 7,730 | 0.76% | 31,800 | 2.79% | 321 | 0.05% | 4.21 |
| 18 | Sheffield United | 90% | 1% | 3,510 | 0.54% | 71,800 | 4.16% | 176 | 0.04% | 4.08 |
| 19 | Everton | 77% | 3% | 13,700 | 0.46% | 40,700 | 1.85% | 1,124 | 0.04% | 2.70 |
| 20 | Crystal Palace | 87% | 2% | 6,870 | 0.39% | 26,100 | 3.13% | 411 | 0.03% | 2.30 |
1. Newcastle United - 7.44 /10
With a score of 7.44 /10, It is Newcastle United that features at the top of this Premier League table. Along with their meteoric rise on the pitch since 2022, the Magpies have also surged up the rankings from 11th to 1st compared to the last rendition of our Happy Fan Index. A major reason for this is the introduction of the club’s official TikTok account, which boasts an average of 155,300 likes per TikTok and 2,566 likes per post.
2. Brighton & Hove Albion - 7.11 /10
Next on our list, with a score of 7.11 /10, is Brighton & Hove Albion. This team has acquired almost two million followers on Facebook, making it all the more impressive that 'love' reactions make up 91% of their engagement on this platform. Their fans, also known as the Seagulls, have been enjoying watching Brighton play in the Premier League since their promotion back to England’s top division in 2017.
3. Aston Villa - 6.97 /10
Completing our top three list of the Premier League teams with the happiest fans is Aston Villa. Despite not winning a trophy since the late 1990s, Villa's fans have plenty to be excited about after qualifying for a European competition for the first time since 2010. Their loyalty across social media has earned them a score of 6.97 /10 - the third-highest of any Premier League team.
With a score of 8.92 /10, Ipswich Town fans are crowned the happiest in the Championship
With every team in the EFL Championship fighting for promotion to the top division of English football, fans can often get frustrated, but which team’s supporters are the happiest overall? Here’s what we found.
| Rank | Football Team | Percentage of 'love' reactions on Facebook | Percentage of 'angry' reactions on Facebook | Average Number of Instagram Likes | Instagram Engagement Rate | Average Number of TikTok Likes | TikTok Engagement Rate | Average Number of X Likes | X Engagement Rate | Overall 'Happy' Score /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ipswich Town | 93% | 1% | 5,140 | 2.46% | 17,500 | 13.29% | 540 | 0.24% | 8.92 |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 89% | 3% | 11,000 | 4.23% | 14,200 | 8.62% | 527 | 0.16% | 7.73 |
| 3 | Sunderland | 95% | 0% | 3,540 | 0.59% | 23,500 | 9.40% | 222 | 0.02% | 6.88 |
| 4 | Leeds United | 81% | 3% | 13,400 | 1.16% | 72,200 | 4.42% | 1,078 | 0.11% | 6.76 |
| 5 | Coventry City | 87% | 2% | 1,880 | 2.15% | 12,100 | 10.19% | 96 | 0.06% | 6.14 |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 88% | 1% | 1,980 | 1.47% | 8,300 | 5.86% | 180 | 0.05% | 6.08 |
| 7 | Plymouth Argyle | 89% | 1% | 2,930 | 3.50% | 4,100 | 4.65% | 58 | 0.04% | 5.40 |
| 8 | Norwich City | 78% | 4% | 2,009 | 0.44% | 83,100 | 7.49% | 458 | 0.06% | 5.23 |
| 9 | Stoke City | 88% | 2% | 1,570 | 0.40% | 13,700 | 23.95% | 157 | 0.02% | 5.11 |
| 10 | Blackburn Rovers | 82% | 3% | 1,330 | 0.73% | 6,000 | 5.97% | 219 | 0.08% | 5.00 |
| 10 | Watford | 90% | 1% | 1,620 | 0.14% | 86,700 | 6.24% | 78 | 0.01% | 5.00 |
| 12 | Leicester City | 79% | 2% | 12,200 | 0.16% | 78,900 | 2.81% | 400 | 0.02% | 4.72 |
| 13 | Preston North End | 86% | 2% | 1,030 | 1.29% | 5,100 | 11.58% | 65 | 0.05% | 4.66 |
| 14 | Southampton | 74% | 2% | 5,480 | 0.41% | 38,300 | 4.21% | 259 | 0.02% | 4.60 |
| 15 | Hull City | 89% | 1% | 1,280 | 0.24% | 20,200 | 4.98% | 133 | 0.02% | 4.38 |
| 16 | Cardiff City | 88% | 2% | 1,410 | 0.70% | 863 | 16.10% | 91 | 0.02% | 4.26 |
| 17 | Sheffield Wednesday | 78% | 4% | 2,420 | 1.80% | 3,800 | 3.27% | 186 | 0.07% | 4.03 |
| 18 | Queens Park Rangers | 82% | 5% | 2,840 | 1.46% | 5,000 | 3.94% | 139 | 0.03% | 3.81 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 86% | 3% | 2,240 | 0.54% | 4,400 | 5.24% | 155 | 0.01% | 3.69 |
| 20 | Swansea City | 80% | 4% | 1,260 | 0.32% | 35,900 | 9.14% | 126 | 0.02% | 3.30 |
| 21 | Bristol City | 79% | 3% | 1,100 | 0.72% | 9,400 | 3.38% | 98 | 0.05% | 3.24 |
| 21 | Huddersfield Town | 77% | 2% | 1,290 | 0.49% | 12,800 | 8.65% | 36 | 0.02% | 3.24 |
| 23 | Millwall | 78% | 3% | 1,280 | 1.05% | 5,400 | 4.81% | 58 | 0.04% | 2.95 |
1. Ipswich Town - 8.92 /10
Taking the title of the happiest Championship football fans, with a score of 8.92 /10, is Ipswich Town. It is no secret that this team has been in winning form over the last few years, most recently securing their promotion into the EFL Championship for the 2023/24 season. As a result, Ipswich Town’s social media has been booming, including an engagement rate of over 13% on TikTok and an average of 5,140 likes per Instagram post.
2. Birmingham City - 7.73 /10
Despite having the lowest ‘love’ reaction percentages of all our top three entries on this list, Birmingham City are revealed as having the second happiest fans in the EFL Championship. Some other factors which have contributed to this team’s position on our ranking include an 8.62% engagement rate on TikTok, accompanied by over 14,000 likes per post on this platform.
3. Sunderland - 6.88 /10
Completing our list of the happiest football fans in the Championship, with a score of 6.88 /10, is Sunderland. Although this team have been unable to secure a spot back in the top division since their relegation back in 2017, they have seen some recent silverware in the form of the 2020/21 EFL trophy, which was a delight for fans.
You won’t find happier football fans in League One than supporters of Derby County, with an overall happy score of 8.45 /10
The list below reveals which of the 24 teams in League One have the happiest football fans.
| Rank | Football Team | Percentage of 'love' reactions on Facebook | Percentage of 'angry' reactions on Facebook | Average Number of Instagram Likes | Instagram Engagement Rate | Average Number of TikTok Likes | TikTok Engagement Rate | Average Number of X Likes | X Engagement Rate | Overall 'Happy' Score /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Derby County | 88% | 2% | 3,320 | 0.74% | 24,900 | 95.91% | 321 | 0.08% | 8.45 |
| 2 | Charlton Athletic | 86% | 3% | 1,080 | 1.06% | 7,600 | 10.54% | 382 | 0.28% | 6.73 |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 86% | 1% | 1,210 | 1.17% | 9,100 | 11.51% | 50 | 0.02% | 6.67 |
| 4 | Leyton Orient | 86% | 1% | 791 | 1.13% | 11,600 | 11.08% | 29 | 0.04% | 6.49 |
| 5 | Portsmouth | 80% | 4% | 2,450 | 1.60% | 8,800 | 10.41% | 124 | 0.07% | 6.37 |
| 6 | Port Vale | 77% | 3% | 1,070 | 3.02% | 2,800 | 12.82% | 111 | 0.14% | 6.31 |
| 7 | Fleetwood Town | 73% | 1% | 367 | 0.70% | 15,800 | 21.55% | 119 | 0.13% | 6.19 |
| 8 | Bristol Rovers | 77% | 3% | 1,490 | 2.74% | 7,900 | 19.77% | 28 | 0.03% | 5.71 |
| 9 | Barnsley | 83% | 2% | 676 | 0.92% | 1,500 | 15.53% | 112 | 0.07% | 5.66 |
| 10 | Carlisle United | 88% | 2% | 553 | 1.39% | 3,700 | 17.43% | 19 | 0.02% | 5.24 |
| 11 | Cambridge United | 84% | 3% | 339 | 0.71% | 10,900 | 27.32% | 45 | 0.06% | 5.12 |
| 12 | Wycombe Wanderers | 76% | 2% | 659 | 0.51% | 22,200 | 7.97% | 74 | 0.07% | 5.00 |
| 13 | Exeter City | 77% | 2% | 726 | 1.42% | 14,600 | 4.65% | 21 | 0.03% | 4.64 |
| 14 | Peterborough United | 64% | 5% | 700 | 1.12% | 7,500 | 8.73% | 102 | 0.11% | 4.47 |
| 15 | Shrewsbury Town | 80% | 3% | 511 | 0.85% | 16,300 | 11.30% | 21 | 0.03% | 4.23 |
| 16 | Stevenage | 50% | 1% | 468 | 0.92% | 3,700 | 6.82% | 42 | 0.05% | 3.99 |
| 17 | Burton Albion | 76% | 1% | 729 | 1.18% | 3,100 | 6.67% | 16 | 0.02% | 3.93 |
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 84% | 2% | 1,030 | 0.59% | 1,100 | 5.14% | 44 | 0.01% | 3.69 |
| 19 | Cheltenham Town | 76% | 4% | 360 | 0.85% | 2,700 | 18.44% | 40 | 0.06% | 3.39 |
| 20 | Lincoln City | 82% | 2% | 434 | 0.55% | 2,600 | 7.09% | 24 | 0.03% | 3.27 |
| 21 | Reading | 68% | 6% | 1,230 | 1.11% | 7,900 | 6.88% | 21 | 0.01% | 3.10 |
| 22 | Northampton Town | 86% | 2% | 415 | 0.49% | 947 | 6.38% | 4 | 0.01% | 2.20 |
1. Derby County - 8.45 /10
Taking the title of the happiest fans in League One, with a score of 8.45 /10, is Derby County. Their supporters amass around 24,900 likes per TikTok, which is more than any other team on this ranking and just one of the factors contributing to this team’s first-place position on our list.
2. Charlton Athletic - 6.73 /10
The runner-up on our list of the happiest League One football fans is Charlton Athletic. Scoring consistently well across the board, it is clear that these supporters love to engage with their team across all social media platforms. A 1.06% engagement rate on Instagram and 7,600 average likes per TikTok are just some factors responsible for Charlton Athletic’s overall score of 6.73 /10.
3. Bolton Wanderers - 6.67 /10
Bolton Wanderers fans are revealed as the third happiest in League One. Falling just shy of the second spot, with a score of 6.67 /10, the Wanderers have accumulated the fewest percentage of 'angry' Facebook reactions of all the entries in our top three. In addition, these supporters are highly active on TikTok - clocking up an engagement rate of more than 11% and over 9,000 likes per post on average.
Notts County fans are the happiest of all the teams in League Two, with an overall score of 9.05 /10
Lastly, our final ranking shows which League Two football teams are home to the happiest fans. Here’s what we found.
| Rank | Football Team | Percentage of 'love' reactions on Facebook | Percentage of 'angry' reactions on Facebook | Average Number of Instagram Likes | Instagram Engagement Rate | Average Number of TikTok Likes | TikTok Engagement Rate | Average Number of X Likes | X Engagement Rate | Overall 'Happy' Score /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notts County | 94% | 1% | 2,200 | 2.79% | 2,900 | 28.19% | 412 | 0.44% | 9.05 |
| 2 | Stockport County | 87% | 1% | 704 | 1.45% | 5,000 | 10.45% | 48 | 0.10% | 7.50 |
| 3 | Wrexham | 91% | 0% | 10,700 | 0.95% | 5,200 | 3.51% | 358 | 0.07% | 7.32 |
| 4 | AFC Wimbledon | 91% | 2% | 729 | 1.10% | 498 | 11.56% | 117 | 0.15% | 6.85 |
| 5 | Grimsby Town | 89% | 2% | 863 | 1.42% | 2,100 | 7.97% | 58 | 0.09% | 6.43 |
| 6 | Salford City | 88% | 1% | 1,020 | 0.36% | 5,300 | 4.83% | 95 | 0.07% | 6.31 |
| 7 | Crewe Alexandra | 74% | 3% | 477 | 1.58% | 12,300 | 19.70% | 23 | 0.03% | 5.66 |
| 8 | Mansfield Town | 82% | 2% | 346 | 0.76% | 4,500 | 25.06% | 24 | 0.03% | 5.24 |
| 9 | Barrow | 76% | 3% | 269 | 1.43% | 2,600 | 10.67% | 31 | 0.09% | 5.12 |
| 10 | Accrington Stanley | 78% | 1% | 171 | 0.53% | 1,700 | 48.30% | 36 | 0.05% | 5.06 |
| 11 | Forest Green Rovers | 54% | 2% | 506 | 0.73% | 5,500 | 9.68% | 31 | 0.04% | 4.88 |
| 12 | Swindon Town | 79% | 3% | 569 | 1.40% | 832 | 8.34% | 29 | 0.03% | 4.46 |
| 13 | Crawley Town | 63% | 7% | 390 | 0.81% | 26,400 | 10.31% | 29 | 0.04% | 4.29 |
| 14 | Bradford City | 79% | 4% | 237 | 0.34% | 3,800 | 7.94% | 172 | 0.15% | 4.23 |
| 15 | Newport County | 78% | 1% | 317 | 0.86% | 4,700 | 8.04% | 12 | 0.02% | 4.11 |
| 15 | Sutton United | 74% | 3% | 745 | 1.76% | 684 | 3.29% | 17 | 0.05% | 4.11 |
| 17 | Tranmere Rovers | 69% | 5% | 293 | 0.46% | 5,200 | 8.04% | 66 | 0.11% | 3.99 |
| 18 | Doncaster Rovers | 66% | 9% | 348 | 0.93% | 4,100 | 46.86% | 21 | 0.02% | 3.57 |
| 19 | Colchester United | 73% | 4% | 307 | 0.69% | 8,700 | 10.18% | 16 | 0.02% | 3.33 |
| 20 | Morecambe | 82% | 2% | 301 | 0.94% | 967 | 7.48% | 12 | 0.02% | 3.28 |
| 21 | Milton Keynes Dons | 74% | 4% | 267 | 0.48% | 1,200 | 17.05% | 28 | 0.03% | 2.98 |
| 22 | Harrogate Town | 69% | 3% | 155 | 0.55% | 2,600 | 11.86% | 2 | 0.01% | 2.38 |
1. Notts County - 9.05 /10
With a ‘love’ reaction rate totalling 94% on Facebook, it is clear that Notts County fans like to show their support on this social media site. An engagement rate of 0.44% on X may sound low, but this score is much higher than any other team in this category, which is just one of the reasons why these supporters are the happiest in League Two.
2. Stockport County - 7.50 /10
Stockport County has to compete with local teams of a much higher calibre, including Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City. Despite this, they are revealed as the second happiest group of supporters in League Two, with an overall score of 7.50 /10.
3. Wrexham - 7.32 /10
Completing our top three happiest fans in League Two, with a score of 7.32 /10, is Wrexham. The number of likes across Instagram and TikTok is unmatched by any other entry in our top three, averaging 10,700 and 5,200, respectively. This rise in popularity may be unsurprising to many football fans as the Welsh side was bought by Hollywood actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds in 2021. Since their takeover, Wrexham has gained fans worldwide after Rob and Ryan’s journey with the club was profiled as part of an FX documentary.
Methodology
All data was collected in November 2023.
We used Buzzsumo to find the percentage of ‘love’ and ‘angry’ reactions on each team’s Facebook page.
We used Collabstr to find the average likes per post and engagement rate of each team’s TikTok page.
We used Phlanx to find the average likes per post and engagement rate of each team’s X page.
We used Inbeat to find the average likes per post and engagement rate of each team’s Instagram page.
Any teams we could not collect all the data for were removed from the list.
We used the factors (% of ‘love’ and ‘angry’ Facebook reactions, average Instagram likes, Instagram engagement rate, the average number of TikTok likes, TikTok engagement rate, the average number of X likes, and X engagement rate) and normalised each factor out of 10 before taking an average of those scores to get an overall ‘happy score’ for each team in the Premier League. This process was then repeated for the Championship, League One, and League Two divisions.
Which Premier League teams have the most supportive online fans in 2023
For many of us, the sports team we support is an integral part of our identity, often supported by our parents, family members, friends and loved ones. Sports teams create communities of people who come together to share their passion for the sport and the camaraderie of sharing the highs and lows of victory and defeat.
However, not all fandoms are created equal. While the largest and most successful teams often generate the most public interest, which in turn can translate into a larger community of fans, they aren’t necessarily the most enthusiastic or committed groups. Smaller teams often benefit from having close ties to their local community, hiring local talent and hosting community events.
We at OLBG decided to find out which Premier League teams from the 2022/23 season have the happiest fans based on their social media activity. So, which team will come out on top, and where will your favourite team place in our rankings?
The Premier League teams with the most loving fans
Here we can see the Premier League teams ranked by their overall social engagement score. This score was calculated using the average likes received per post by each club’s Twitter and Instagram account, as well as the ratio of “love” reactions to “angry” reactions on articles about the team. Unfortunately, we could not obtain complete data for Brighton & Hove Albion, so they have not been included in this ranking.
1. Liverpool FC Fan Happiness Score: 7.88
Liverpool has the happiest fans in the Premier League with an overall fan happiness score of 7.88. As one of the top teams in the league, Liverpool has a huge fan base with supporters all around the world, who also appear to be happy with their chosen team. Liverpool scored well across the board, with a very high average number of likes per post on both Instagram and Twitter, as well as receiving a high ratio of “love” reactions compared to “anger reactions” on articles that discuss them.
2. Aston Villa Fan Happiness Score: 7.14
Despite having far fewer average likes per post than any team in the top 6, Aston Villa managed to place second with a fan happiness score of 7.14. Villa performed particularly well on Twitter, which is known for its very low engagement rates, with the team receiving 0.25 likes per post on average. While this may sound low, it’s actually the highest score in the league by quite some distance.
3. Chelsea FC Fan Happiness Score: 6.53
In third place, with a fan happiness score of 6.53, is Chelsea FC. Chelsea had strong performances for the number of average likes on both Instagram and Twitter but was let down by one of the worst ratios of “love” to “angry” reactions on posts about the team.
Methodology
We wanted to find out which Premier League teams from the 2022/23 season have the happiest fans. To do this, we looked at the average likes received by the team on their Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as taking the ratio of “love” reactions to “angry” reactions on content published about them on Facebook from BuzzSumo.
We used Social Blade to assess each team’s account’s number of followers, the number of posts or videos, and the number of likes or views. We divided the number of likes by the number of posts to find out the average.
We then combined these three factors into a single score to allow us to compare the overall happiness of each team’s fans.
Other Articles You May Like
We have a whole range of statistical articles that may interest you, either browse the blog section or use one of the handy links below
- The most sought after free transfers in football
- How much does it cost to follow each EPL team?
- Which EPL team travels the most?
- What would the Premier League look like if games were only 60 minutes?
- Average age of teams in the Premier League
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