The Nation Predicts: Premier League fans and Alan Shearer on football icks, best stadiums and more | OneFootball

Spitting and VAR among football fans' biggest icks

Betfair's annual Nation Predicts survey of more than 2,000 football fans has spilled the tea on what gives supporters the ick at matches, how happy they are with their club's ownership and which Premier League stadium has the best atmosphere.

The poll, conducted by YouGov Sport found that players spitting (24%), VAR stoppages (19%) and half and half scarves (9%) are the top three things that annoy supporters.

Just in behind on the ick list was adult fans wearing full kits (8%) and music played after a goal is scored (6%).

Alan Shearer's football icks

As well as talking to fans, we also put the survey to to Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer, starting with his football icks.

Alan said: "I'm not a lover of seeing short-sleeves and gloves, and the VAR stoppages too. The handball law really does my nut in to be honest because they've been around in circles trying to find the right formula whereas it's pretty simple to me.

"You don't have to change it much, it's just a deliberate handball or not. Forget about proximity or whether it's in a natural position and all that rubbish. Is it a handball or not? That's pretty simple."

Man Utd fans unhappy with INEOS

While fans of clubs like Morecambe FC and Sheffield Wednesday will be cursing their team's ownerships, on the whole the majority of fans (51%) are happy with those than run their club.

However, that can't be said for Manchester United fans, with 59% of Reds saying they are unhappy with the hierarchy at Old Trafford.

Fans even had their say on celebrity ownership, with a resounding 66% saying they wouldn't wish to see Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny own their club.

However, more than one in four (27%) Man Untied fans said they'd like to see the Hollywood duo take over at the Theatre of Dreams.

Shearer: Goverment must provide stronger tests for owners

Betfair Ambassador, Alan Shearer hopes football club ownership changes for the better with the government's introduction of an independent regulator.

He said: "Morecambe and Sheffield Wednesday are both on the brink. Sheffield Wednesday may not even have enough players to make their first game. What I will say is that any owner has to understand that they're part of the community. No matter how big or small.

"Football clubs are part of people's areas, lives and they've been brought up supporting football clubs, so to see clubs in trouble is not nice at all. We have to be very careful when talking about ownerships."

"The government are bringing the independent regulator which we hope will improve things and be a stronger test for new owners coming in to do the correct way. We all hope that it will stop what happened to Bury and what's happening to Morecambe and Sheffield Wednesday."

Anfield atmosphere best in the Premier League

When it comes to the Premier League stadium with the best atmosphere, nothing could knock Anfield off its perch, with more than six out of 10 football fans (64%) voting it as number one.

Meanwhile, there's been a new entry into the top four, with Leeds' Elland Road pushing Chelsea's Stamford Bridge down the list.

Shearer: I loved playing at Leeds because I usually scored

Betfair Ambassador, Alan Shearer has fond memories of the Leeds' atmosphere:

"I loved Elland Road. The Leeds fans won't appreciate me saying this, but I think I scored every time I went there. I loved the atmosphere there and everything that it was.

"I'm pleased that Leeds are back in the Premier League because they're a huge club and you gauge that by looking at who and what they are, the supporters and how they love their club, turning up week in, week out no matter what league they're in. I loved going to Elland Road."