Follow, follow - the length fans go to

Supporters travel over nine billion miles each year following their teams, Virgin Money research shows.

Football fans are known for going to any lengths to follow their side, and new research from Virgin Money shows the nation’s travelling supporters clocked up as much as NINE billion miles last year in pursuit of footballing glory. That’s far enough for one lucky fan to travel to Jupiter and back twelve times.

According to Virgin Money, the total average mileage of a travelling fan in 2006 was 1,264 miles - around 63 miles per game assuming they took in 20 games over the past 12 months.

But a hardcore few – around 7 per cent of travelling supporters – clocked up over 5,000 miles each last year, or the equivalent of 12 journeys from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Portsmouth and Middlesbrough fans travelled furthest last year, with 45 per cent of fans saying they managed to clock up over 1,000 miles between grounds. About 41 per cent of Sheffield United fans said their trips following the Blades also amounted to over 1,000 miles, but over one in ten said they’d managed over 5,000 miles in 2006.

Most reluctant to travel far to follow their team were supporters of Everton, Blackburn and Charlton, with only 10, 11 and 13 per cent saying they hit the 1,000 mile mark respectively.

John Franklin of Virgin Money said: “English football fans’ loyalty is legendary and this demonstrates the extent to which some will go to follow their teams.

“Unfortunately the rising costs of following the game will no doubt affect how many supporters will be able to travel long distances in 2007. If all the associated costs of being a fan continue to rise, sadly many will have to stay at home and plump for the television highlights.”

Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Price Index shows that in the past year the cost of attending games has risen by 17.33 per cent. The index is aimed at helping supporters keep track of the rises and falls in the costs of supporting their team. The company identified the match-day essentials fans buy and keeps tabs on increases and decreases.

At the launch of the index last year the matchday basket of goods cost £77.95 and now it’s £91.46 – a rise of £13.51 or 17.33 per cent. An increase in the cost of replica shirts, match tickets and food are the main reasons behind the increase.

Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Prices Index runs every three months and looks at the cost of a typical basket of goods monitoring the ups and downs of prices.

The firm’s research team examines the cost of items such as a gallon of petrol; match tickets; food; alcohol; train tickets and replica shirts. Prices sourced on January 3rd 2007 show the typical cost of the football fans’ basket of goods is £91.46 compared with £77.95 at launch on January 31st 2006.