The survey was carried out between August 2012 and February 2013 and was answered by just under 2,100 football fans.
Rivalry… English football’s hate stakes revealed
Headline statistics
- 17 clubs’ main rivals have changed since 2003.
- Leeds United have the most teams considering them as main rivals with four. Manchester United and Nottingham Forest are joint second with three each.
- Gillingham have the fewest rivals, appearing in no club’s top three rivalries.
- 52.2% of fans believe that geographical proximity is the cause of their main rivalry. 34.7% blame it on history whereas 8.2% think it’s down to league position.
- 73.9% of football fans claim they would miss their rivals if they ceased to exist.
Changing rivalries
Since 2003, 17 club’s main rivals have changed. They are as follows;
| Team | Old Rival | New Rival |
| AFC Bournemouth | Reading | Southampton |
| Arsenal | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Bolton Wanderers | Manchester United | Wigan Athletic |
| Brentford | Queens Park Rangers | Fulham |
| Carlisle United | Middlesbrough | Preston North End |
| Chelsea | Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Colchester United | Wycombe Wanderers | Southend United |
| Coventry City | Aston Villa | Leicester City |
| Crewe Alexandra | Stoke City | Port Vale |
| Doncaster Rovers | Rotherham United | Leeds United |
| Fulham | Chelsea | Queens Park Rangers |
| Huddersfield Town | Bradford City | Leeds United |
| Oldham Athletic | Manchester City | Rochdale |
| Reading | Swindon Town | Aldershot Town |
| Torquay United | Exeter City | Plymouth Argyle |
| Tranmere Rovers | Bolton Wanderers | Oldham Athletic |
Clubs with the most rivals
With 3 points allocated for having one main rival and two for having a secondary rival etc., here is a ranking of clubs with the most rivals in the Football League.
| Rank | Club | Points |
| 1 | Leeds | 25 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 15 |
| Manchester United | 15 | |
| 4 | Bolton | 14 |
| Swindon | 14 | |
| Wolves | 14 | |
| 7 | Burnley | 12 |
| Millwall | 12 | |
| Sheff Wed | 12 | |
| 10 | Crystal Palace | 11 |
| Leicester | 11 | |
| MK Dons | 11 | |
| 13 | Aston Villa | 10 |
| Blackburn | 10 | |
| Brighton | 10 | |
| 16 | Bristol Rovers | 9 |
| Liverpool | 9 | |
| Nott’m Forest | 9 | |
| Oxford | 9 | |
| Reading | 9 | |
| West Brom | 9 | |
| West Ham | 9 | |
| 23 | Arsenal | 8 |
| Preston | 8 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | |
| 26 | Birmingham | 7 |
| Bristol City | 7 | |
| Cardiff | 7 | |
| Colchester | 7 | |
| Derby | 7 | |
| Exeter | 7 | |
| Port Vale | 7 | |
| Sheff Utd | 7 | |
| Southampton | 7 | |
| 35 | Huddersfield | 6 |
| Hull | 6 | |
| Morecambe | 6 | |
| Newcastle | 6 | |
| Peterborough | 6 | |
| Plymouth | 6 | |
| Portsmouth | 6 | |
| QPR | 6 | |
| Southend | 6 | |
| Stoke | 6 | |
| 45 | Accrington | 5 |
| AFC Wimbledon | 5 | |
| Barnet | 5 | |
| Barnsley | 5 | |
| Chesterfield | 5 | |
| Dag & Red | 5 | |
| Fulham | 5 | |
| Middlesbrough | 5 | |
| Northampton | 5 | |
| Oldham | 5 | |
| Rochdale | 5 | |
| Sunderland | 5 | |
| Wigan | 5 | |
| 58 | Blackpool | 4 |
| Bradford | 4 | |
| Brentford | 4 | |
| Charlton | 4 | |
| Doncaster | 4 | |
| Everton | 4 | |
| Ipswich | 4 | |
| Leyton Orient | 4 | |
| Torquay | 4 | |
| 67 | Aldershot | 3 |
| Bury | 3 | |
| Carlisle | 3 | |
| Manchester City | 3 | |
| Norwich | 3 | |
| Rotherham | 3 | |
| Stevenage | 3 | |
| Swansea | 3 | |
| Walsall | 3 | |
| Wycombe | 3 | |
| 77 | Crewe | 2 |
| Hartlepool | 2 | |
| Shrewsbury | 2 | |
| 80 | Bournemouth | 1 |
| Coventry | 1 | |
| Crawley | 1 | |
| Notts County | 1 | |
| Scunthorpe | 1 | |
| Yeovil | 1 | |
| 86 | Burton | 0 |
| Cheltenham | 0 | |
| Fleetwood | 0 | |
| Gillingham | 0 | |
| Tranmere | 0 | |
| Watford | 0 | |
| York | 0 |
Rivalries – Who are they?
Here is a complete list of the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs’ top three rivalries;
| Team | Main rivals | Second rivals | Third rivals |
| Accrington Stanley | Morecambe | Blackburn Rovers | Burnley |
| AFC Bournemouth | Southampton | Reading | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| AFC Wimbledon | Milton Keynes Dons | Crystal Palace | Crawley Town |
| Aldershot Town | Reading | Woking | Swindon Town |
| Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur | Chelsea | Manchester United |
| Aston Villa | Birmingham City | West Bromwich Albion | Wolves |
| Barnet | Stevenage | Dagenham & Redbridge | Northampton Town / Carlisle United |
| Barnsley | Sheffield Wednesday | Sheffield United | Leeds United / Huddersfield Town |
| Birmingham City | Aston Villa | Wolves | West Bromwich Albion |
| Blackburn Rovers | Burnley | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester United |
| Blackpool | Preston North End | Bolton Wanderers | Burnley |
| Bolton Wanderers | Wigan Athletic | Burnley | Blackburn Rovers |
| Bradford City | Huddersfield Town | Leeds United | Rotherham United |
| Brentford | Fulham | Queens Park Rangers | Chelsea |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Crystal Palace | Portsmouth | Southampton |
| Bristol City | Bristol Rovers | Cardiff City | Swindon Town |
| Bristol Rovers | Bristol City | Swindon Town | Cardiff City |
| Burnley | Blackburn Rovers | Bolton Wanderers | Blackpool / Preston North End |
| Burton Albion | Chesterfield | Derby County | Notts County |
| Bury | Bolton Wanderers | Rochdale | Oldham Athletic |
| Cardiff City | Swansea City | Bristol City | Leeds United |
| Carlisle United | Preston North End | Hartlepool United | Middlesbrough |
| Charlton Athletic | Crystal Palace | Millwall | West Ham United |
| Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | Manchester United |
| Cheltenham Town | Swindon Town | Oxford United | Shrewsbury Town / Kidderminster Harriers |
| Chesterfield | Mansfield Town | Rotherham United | Sheffield Wednesday |
| Colchester United | Southend United | Wycombe Wanderers | Ipswich Town |
| Coventry City | Leicester City | Aston Villa | Birmingham City |
| Crawley Town | AFC Wimbledon | Brighton & Hove Albion | Swindon Town |
| Crewe Alexandra | Port Vale | Stoke City | |
| Crystal Palace | Brighton & Hove Albion | Millwall | Charlton Athletic |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | Barnet | Leyton Orient | Brentford |
| Derby County | Nottingham Forest | Leeds United | Leicester City |
| Doncaster Rovers | Leeds United | Barnsley | Sheffield United / Sheffield Wednesday |
| Everton | Liverpool | Manchester United | Manchester City |
| Exeter City | Plymouth Argyle | Torquay United | Bristol Rovers / Yeovil Town |
| Fleetwood Town | Morecambe | Accrington Stanley | Barrow |
| Fulham | Queens Park Rangers | Chelsea | Brentford |
| Gillingham | Millwall | Charlton Athletic | Swindon Town |
| Hartlepool United | Darlington | Carlisle United | Sheffield Wednesday |
| Huddersfield Town | Leeds United | Bradford City | Sheffield Wednesday |
| Hull City | Leeds United | Leicester City | Scunthorpe United / Grimsby Town |
| Ipswich Town | Norwich City | West Ham United | Colchester United |
| Leeds United | Manchester United | Chelsea | Huddersfield Town / Millwall |
| Leicester City | Nottingham Forest | Derby County | Coventry City |
| Leyton Orient | Southend United | Brentford | Dagenham & Redbridge / West Ham United |
| Liverpool | Manchester United | Everton | Chelsea |
| Manchester City | Manchester United | Liverpool | Everton |
| Manchester United | Liverpool | Manchester City | Chelsea |
| Middlesbrough | Newcastle United | Sunderland | Leeds United |
| Millwall | West Ham United | Crystal Palace | Charlton Athletic |
| Milton Keynes Dons | Peterborough United | AFC Wimbledon | Northampton Town |
| Morecambe | Accrington Stanley | Burnley | Bradford City |
| Newcastle United | Sunderland | Middlesbrough | Manchester United |
| Northampton Town | Peterborough United | Milton Keynes Dons | Leicester City / Oxford United |
| Norwich City | Ipswich Town | Wolves | Leeds United |
| Nottingham Forest | Derby County | Leicester City | Sheffield United |
| Notts County | Nottingham Forest | Mansfield Town | Chesterfield |
| Oldham Athletic | Rochdale | Wigan Athletic | Huddersfield Town |
| Oxford United | Swindon Town | Reading | Wycombe Wanderers |
| Peterborough United | Northampton Town | Cambridge United | Leicester City / Milton Keynes Dons |
| Plymouth Argyle | Exeter City | Torquay United | Portsmouth |
| Port Vale | Stoke City | Crewe Alexandra | Shrewsbury Town |
| Portsmouth | Southampton | Brighton & Hove Albion | Millwall / Leicester City |
| Preston North End | Blackpool | Blackburn Rovers | Burnley |
| Queens Park Rangers | Chelsea | Fulham | Cardiff City / Stoke City |
| Reading | Aldershot Town | Swindon Town | Oxford United |
| Rochdale | Bury | Burnley | Oldham Athletic |
| Rotherham United | Doncaster Rovers | Sheffield Wednesday | Chesterfield |
| Scunthorpe United | Hull City | Grimsby Town | Doncaster Rovers |
| Sheffield United | Sheffield Wednesday | Leeds United | Barnsley / West Ham United |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Sheffield United | Barnsley | Leeds United |
| Shrewsbury Town | Walsall | Wolves | Port Vale |
| Southampton | Portsmouth | Brighton & Hove Albion | Bournemouth |
| Southend United | Colchester United | Leyton Orient | Dagenham & Redbridge |
| Stevenage | Milton Keynes Dons | Barnet | Dagenham & Redbridge |
| Stoke City | Port Vale | West Bromwich Albion | Wolves |
| Sunderland | Newcastle United | Middlesbrough | Leeds United |
| Swansea City | Cardiff City | Reading | Bristol City |
| Swindon Town | Oxford United | Reading | Bristol City / Bristol Rovers |
| Torquay United | Plymouth Argyle | Exeter City | Bristol Rovers |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | Chelsea | West Ham United |
| Tranmere Rovers | Oldham Athletic | Bolton Wanderers | Everton / Liverpool |
| Walsall | Wolves | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion |
| Watford | Luton Town | Leeds United | Crystal Palace / Queens Park Rangers |
| West Bromwich Albion | Wolves | Aston Villa | Birmingham City |
| West Ham United | Millwall | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal / Chelsea |
| Wigan Athletic | Bolton Wanderers | Blackburn Rovers | Preston North End |
| Wolves | West Bromwich Albion | Birmingham City | Aston Villa |
| Wycombe Wanderers | Colchester United | Milton Keynes Dons | Oxford United |
| Yeovil Town | Bristol Rovers | Exeter City | |
| York City | Hull City | Leeds United | Bradford City |
Neutral opinion
The 20 most offensive clubs to the neutral football fan;
- Manchester United
Hated… Manchester United are the most disliked English football club
- Liverpool
- Leeds United
- Chelsea
- West Ham United
- Stoke City
- Millwall
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Cardiff City
- Queens Park Rangers
- Manchester City
- Arsenal
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Crawley Town
- Birmingham City
- Aston Villa
- Hull City
- Nottingham Forest
- Reading
- Portsmouth
The 20 least offensive clubs to the neutral football fan were;
- Brentford
Buzzing… The Bees are the Football League’s least offensive club
- Aldershot Town
- Burton Albion
- Bury
- Yeovil Town
- Cheltenham Town
- Dagenham & Redbridge
- Exeter City
- Torquay United
- Fulham
- Bournemouth
- Colchester United
- Leyton Orient
- Rochdale
- York City
- Carlisle United
- Crewe Alexandra
- Hartlepool United
- Tranmere Rovers
- Accrington Stanley
All stats compared with 2003 Football Fans Census : Rivalry Uncovered. However, this survey is not affiliated with the Football Fans Survey.
The Chris Whiting Show 
We hate Notts Forest.
Twat
*Nottingham Forest..
No, you dipshit, it’s Nottingham Forest. We are not Notts County. We are NOTTINGHAM.
Whatever. Like he said, we hate Notts Forest.
Notts Forest are shite!
Is that the cross between Forest and Notts County?
No, it’s what people who hate Florist call them cos we know it winds them up.
And the source for this information is where?
Who conducted it?
How was it conducted?
On what basis were non-league clubs excluded to avoid fraud?
What defines a neutral fan?
Without answers to those questions, this is merely a list without context, nor any value.
Read the earlier comment re fraud. You won’t be able to view my results without having my password, which I obviously won’t disclose.
Historically, Villa have been West Brom’s main rivals since the late 19th century. Wolves only became thought of as WBA’s main rivals due to the fact that we were at a similar levels in the league for much of the 1980’s, 90’s and 2000’s.
that couldn’t be more wrong…
Watford? Main rival of Leeds? What are you smoking?
It would likely have been Luton had I been able to include non-league clubs. But that’s what Watford fans voted.
i’m surprised Man Utd don’t see wednesday as their biggest rivals, a mistake surely?
Wigan bloody wish they were our main rivals. We couldn’t give two fucks about Wigan. United is the big one for us, but I’d put Burnley, Blackburn, Preston, Blackpool, Bury and Tranmere all before Wigan. I don;t know a single Bolton fan who would even rank Wigan in the top 5, let alone main rivals. Just bizarre
Well you probably should have voted then shouldn’t you?
haha! I like the irony in your post! You say Wigan wish to be Bolton’s rivals? Then pronounce Man United are your rivals as if you’d even be in their top 10, you’re a funny guy.
You still havent explained HOW including non league clubs would open it up to fraud? If anything the survey is “fraudulent” by not including them…hence some very odd results
I can’t explain that. The survey provider has to. It’s ‘Kwik Surveys’ if you want to enquire. Unfortunately, this was just a bit of fun and I think you’re taking it far too seriously.
Luton yes, wycombe no no no
Liverpool hated more than Leeds???? I,m surprised Leeds are not top of this list
Well done Chris a good piece of fun to get us all into a discussion. rlton still including us in thei Nice to see Palace who don’t care about Charlton including us in their top three
Hate Palace always have always will and the feeling is mutual —perfect . Brighton .
we are NOTTINGHAM FOREST jealous bunch of twats UUUUUUUUUUUU REDSSSSSSSSSSSS redrevolution
Some really strange results here. Seems to me that it was only male fans of a certain age group were asked the questions.
Think you would get a different result if more older or female fans were asked.
How the hell can Hull and Stoke say that Leicester are one of their traditional rivals??
Not being arsey mate, but where does it say Stoke consider Leicester? (Vale, West Brom and Wolves on the list above!)
The point on the age group is right though – if you went back to 2002 many Stokies would consider Cardiff as a rival, and back in the grim 90s even Stockport County – heady days in the lower leagues indeed!
As a 40 year old (well nearly), I’ve seen lots of new teams come and go as rivals due to league position, with a lot of acrimony etc
Based where we are, we have lots of local-ish games v Manchester clubs, East Midlands clubs, West Midlands clubs, all of which are big games (as you will know proportions of their fan base through work and social lives!)
But traditionally Stoke v Port Vale (Potteries derby), Stoke v Wolves (Staffs derby of old) and probably over the last 30 years Stoke v West Brom given vicinity and the two teams following each other up and down the leagues – I was at a Div 2 game in about 1991 when 30k turned up to watch a Baggies v Stoke game (inc 9000 Stoke) – was epic!
So the 3 listed are probably about right, Wolves prob a bigger/feistier event than WBA though. I kinda like West Brom! (and we generally win lol)
Stoke v Derby & Brum has always been a lively affair, Crewe/Shrewsbury only really relevant when in similar leagues, and for a lot of older Stokies they see Man Utd & City, and Arsenal as ‘rivals’ from the 70s. The Arsenal one nearly coming back under Pulis!
Good conversation points though!
just a bit concerned that sample size is on the small size, without getting out the calculator we’re talking approx 13 fans per club which is small enought to get a false result as clearly for some clubs you will have had even less responses….. sponsorship opportunity here for someone to help you do it in a bit more depth? 😉
Go for it!
I’m just surprised that Sheff Wed’s top 3 rivals aren’t Man Utd, Chelsea and Man City given their perceived “massiveness” and delusional support.
no mention of Bournemouth and Portsmouth!
Swansea v Reading – Lol !!!!!
Yeah but who wins and how? is it based on who can wave their scarves the hardest and is there a scarf off when it’s a draw. Taking the piss…
T.W.W.D
Blackpool hate wanky wanderers almost as much as PNE cause in the 70’s/80’s a bolton fan stabbed a Blackpool fan to death outside the stadium… bolton will be forever scummy murderers
I’m a Leeds United fan and in no particular order I would say our rivals are every team which isn’t Leeds United. Only Leeds United fans love Leeds United and I’m proud to say that’s millions all over the world, we are a 1 club city, we have been through hell and back both nationally and internationally but the fans still support the club. An awesome club we are despite our current time outside the PL.
But if I was to mention a few, basically any other Yorkshire team as they are local derbies, any Lancashire team due to Yorkshire vs Lancashire, then you look at history, some teams we have cup history with, and then just the clubs who we hate the fans of, I’d like to mention galatasary as their fans killed 2 of ours, someone mentioned how Bolton fans killed some of another, we know how you feel, football should be about the love of the club and the sport, not about which fans can kick the crap out of another clubs fans and in some cases killing them. A quick mention for the sick group from the millwall fans who love chanting horrible crap relating to the stabbings in Turkey, you ain’t proper football fans, back off and stay away, you’re lucky the Leeds United fans haven’t come looking for you, coz if they had, you would be appearing in dog meat tin cans!
I have to say I was a bit surprised with a few of the results in the above list but it’s not every fan in the country voting so there’s bound to be some inaccuracies, not to worry, just something to read about and comment on, it’s that simple, some on here have taken it really seriously! Lol
what a load of old tosh… everybody hates everybody….its just the way it is….the softest of football fan will get involved in violence given the right circumstances, its the game, its the fans. take away the rivalry and there is no football no point, no nothing.
What this list really brings out is just how delusional and despised Leeds are; Manchester United and Liverpool can always expect hate given their overwhelming and admittedly annoying levels of success, but Leeds are in the Nottingham Forest bracket of previously massive clubs that aren’t competing at the very top anymore, yet Leeds remain despised. Plus I don’t think the likes of Chelsea really give 2 figs about them. Or even Man Utd now they’ve got City to concentrate on.
Interesting, thank you.