AI names the two most loyal fanbases in the EFL Championship | OneFootball

Football League World has asked ChatGPT to give its opinion on the two clubs with the most loyal fans in the second tier

To put it simply, football fans make up the game. Clubs wouldn't exist without their fanbases, and the atmosphere and hype generated in the grounds comes from those who support their clubs.

Ultimately, though, it's not all smooth sailing for most football fans. Teams don't win every week; there can be seasons which end in relegation under a manager or a board that the fanbase doesn't connect with.

However, certain fans still travel far and wide to support their side, no matter the situation or league that their club is in - these fans are among the most loyal in the country.

But which clubs in the Championship have those fans? Football League World has asked popular AI-based service, ChatGPT, to name the two clubs in the English second tier who have the most loyal fanbases.

1 Derby County

ChatGPT believes that Derby County have the most loyal fans out of the current sides who play in the Championship.

The Rams have had their fair share of turmoil both on and off the pitch since the turn of the millennium, especially. Their 11-point haul in the 2007/08 Premier League season is still the lowest in the league's history, they've lost three times in play-off finals, and the club fell into administration in 2021.

Regardless of how tough it can be sometimes to be a Derby fan, though, the loyal fanbase still packs out Pride Park week in, week out, and they make a lot of noise on away days, too.

AI stated that Derby's attendance figures last season were "consistently top-tier," with their figures placing them fourth across the entire league. Their first home game of the current campaign saw 30,465 pile in to watch an eight-goal thriller against Coventry City.

ChatGPT also highlights that these figures aren't just because the Rams are back in the Championship once more, as they constantly brought in crowd numbers in the high 20,000s during their recent brief stint in League One between 2022 and 2024.

Therefore, Pride Park is recognised as one of the fortresses of the Championship, filled with plenty of vocal fans, and that atmosphere creates not only a difficult place for away sides to go to, but also a sense of loyalty which places them atop the second-tier charts.

2 Sheffield United

Just behind Derby in the loyalty ranks is Sheffield United, who, like Rams fans, have had to endure some tough seasons in the Premier League with more losses than wins, and some seasons in the third tier, recently.

Like Derby, the Blades rank near the top of the charts when it comes to attendance averages, and with the capacity of Bramall Lane sitting at 32,050, they're able to fill their home ground to about 90% for almost every game, which creates a formidable atmosphere.

ChatGPT also cited the attendance figures in last season's play-off final, as Sheffield United fans contributed to an official figure of 82,718 inside Wembley in a game which the Blades lost in heartbreaking fashion against Sunderland.

Sheffield United fans know that feeling, though, as it was their fifth defeat in a play-off final since the introduction of the playoffs in 1987. They've yet to taste promotion through the play-offs, and the fact that Blades fans can still support their team each week despite that frustration shows loyalty.

Blades fans are deeply connected to their club's heritage, and often make personal investments in the club, despite the various disappointments which may come their way. Ultimately, it makes the eventual triumphs even sweeter.