Swansea City fans are officially some of the most “hard done by” in the country, according to a new fan suffering index published by SPORTbible and Sky Bet.
The Hardest Done By Report, backed by Opta data and five years’ worth of match stats across 92 league clubs, ranks Swansea 5th overall, behind only Southampton, Fleetwood, Reading and Carlisle United.
The result? A season’s worth of head-shaking vindication.
Fans of the South Wales Derby will note that Cardiff City placed 24th, proving both fanbases have endured plenty — but Swansea’s pain runs deeper.
Swansea’s suffering, by the numbers
Opta’s category breakdown highlights three major culprits behind the Swans’ high ranking:
- 📍 52.2 miles travelled per point earned – Only 13 clubs rack up more mileage.
- ⚽ 38 errors leading to goals – Trailing only Chelsea (42), Southampton (42), and Everton (39).
- 👻 18 goals conceded to ex-players – A stat fans know all too well.
They’ve also suffered 11 goals within three minutes of scoring themselves, another emotional gut-punch highlighted in the report.
To create this index, SPORTbible surveyed hundreds of match-going fans to determine which categories “sting the most.” The data was then weighted accordingly to produce an all-encompassing fan pain league.
Southampton tops the table
Southampton came out as the UK’s most suffering fanbase, having conceded nine 90th-minute winners, committed 42 errors leading to goals, and lost 55% of away games over the five-year period.
Everton ranked 9th overall, making them the most hard-done-by team in the top flight. At the other end of the spectrum, Arsenal fans enjoy the easiest ride, while Wrexham sits rock bottom with the lowest suffering score.
Top 10 “Hardest Done By” Clubs — 5-Year Fan Pain Index
| 🏆 Rank | ⚽ Club | 😬 Fan Pain Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton | 42 goal-costing errors, 55% away loss rate, 9 late concessions |
| 2 | Fleetwood Town | 15 last-minute goals conceded |
| 3 | Reading | Blew five 2-0 leads, 12 goals conceded right after scoring |
| 4 | Carlisle United | 73.6 miles travelled per point, relegated |
| 5 | Swansea City | 38 goal-costing errors, 18 goals from ex-players |
| 6 | Stoke City | Lowest chance conversion rate (32.4%) |
| 7 | Stevenage | 30 goalless draws, low entertainment |
| 8 | Shrewsbury Town | 25 goals from ex-players |
| 9 | Everton | Most top flight errors (39), 5th in missed chances |
| 10 | Chelsea | 42 goal-costing errors, 87 woodwork hits |
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