Fan Engagement Index 21/22 season: most Premier League clubs still lag behind

Think Fan Engagement

Press Release

22/03/2023

Fan Engagement Index 21/22 season: most Premier League clubs still lag behind

Exeter’s fourth title | Swindon biggest risers! | Bradford top-ten | Norwich highest in EPL 

The Fan Engagement Index for the 2021/2022 season has been released by Think Fan Engagement, and it’s showing most Premier League clubs still outside the top-thirty, with only Brentford, Everton and Norwich City from last season in the top-30. 

Watch Kevin Rye discussing this year’s Fan Engagement Index below:


Two Premier League clubs, Newcastle United and Leeds United, are now in the bottom four of the table, which measures Fan Engagement according to Dialogue, Governance and Transparency. The data collected is collected annually from publicly available sources, with all clubs sent a copy for comment. 

A number of EFL clubs, led by Swindon Town, have shown significant improvements, with Swindon posting a huge 100-point, 72 place rise from 92nd and bottom, up to 20th place. Bristol City, Bolton Mansfield & Preston have also shown big improvements. Bottom of the table are Hartlepool United, with the first zero score in the Index’s history.

Winners are once again Exeter City, with Carlisle in second place up from fourth, and AFC Wimbledon maintaining their third place. Cambridge United switch places with Carlisle. Bradford City have broken into the top-ten for the first time, posting a fifty point increase.

The owner of Think Fan Engagement Kevin Rye, said, “The Fan Engagement Index was created as a positive way to make clubs take Fan Engagement more seriously, with an ambition to place it at the centre of everything they do. I’m not convinced we’re there yet, as can be seen by too many clubs still not – publicly at least – meeting fairly basic standards of engagement with their fans.

“But we know huge change is possible. You only have to look at Swindon Town under Clem Morfuni and Rob Angus to see it can be done. It’s not a matter of size, it’s a matter of willingness. They chose to embrace Fan Engagement at the heart of their business model, and it’s paying off. The same can be said of clubs like Bradford City and Bristol Rovers. Both were languishing towards the bottom of the table in 2018/2019, but now they’re comfortably amongst the best twenty clubs in the country.”

Speaking about Exeter City (promoted last season from League Two), Kevin Rye said, “Once again, Exeter City have won, and I’m not surprised. The question is always: can they keep delivering, and the answer so far is yes.”

The first Fan Engagement Index was published for 2018/2019 season, and scores clubs in the top four divisions of English Football using publicly available data on their Dialogue, Governance and Transparency in Fan Engagement. Clubs were also asked for their comment on the data collected.

The full table for 2021/2022 season, including biggest risers and fallers, can be accessed at https://fanengagement.net and https://fanengagement.net/fan-engagement-hub

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