Leeds United supporters have been given the top spot this season according to a new Premier League poll.
According to football website 1sports1, Leeds have the 'most passionate fans' out of all the Premier League teams and claim that fans share their loyalty from Elland Road to all corners of the UK and beyond.
The company stated that "Having passionate fans inside the stadium creates an incredible atmosphere that acts as the 12th man for the team. In this article, we have all the 20 clubs ranked according to the most passionate EPL fan bases."
Whilst it was no surprise to us Yorkshire folk that Leeds grabbed the top spot at number one, the top twenty was filled with surprises. The top three were all northern football clubs (with Newcastle in second and Liverpool third) and internationally recognised clubs like Manchester United and City placed a dismal 16th and 17th respectively.
The full list of the most to least passionate clubs is as followed:
Leeds
Newcastle
Liverpool
West Ham
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Crystal Palace
Wolves
Norwich
Southhampton
Chelsea
Leicester
Tottenham
Brighton
Everton
Manchester United
Manchester City
Burnley
Watford
Brentford
To us, it's pretty obvious why Leeds United got first place: you only need to take one look down Elland Road on match day to see the enthusiasm of the fans, but here's why 1sports1 felt our city deserved the title of 'most passionate fans in the Premier Leagues'.
"The lilywhites of West Yorkshire are simply one of the most famous clubs in the country. They’ve experienced great success in the past and have a great fanbase."
"Leeds is the largest English city with only one professional club and even during tough times their fans still come close to filling the 37,000 seat capacity at Elland Road while screaming, “We are Leeds!” Perhaps it’s the fiery northern mentality that is so deeply ingrained into the psyche of every Leeds fan that makes them collectively feel they’re capable of creating an atmosphere that changes score lines. An Elland Road in full voice not only spurs Leeds United on, but it also terrifies the opposition."
The list has caused quite a stir online, with many Leeds fans agreeing with their rightful first place, whilst others were quick to criticise the placement of larger clubs:
"My top three would be Leeds, Newcastle and Villa. All have proper fans, unlike Man Utd, City, and Chelsea who are glory chasing tourists."
Image: Leeds United, Instagram
"What a joke….Anyone who really goes to football matches would know this list is absolute tosh, Probably compiled by someone who watches games on Sky…."
"My top 3 would be Newcastle, Villa and Wolves not one of the big clubs whose grounds are always full of tourists ticking off another ground off their bucket list."
Leeds is set to become a giant board game this summer as Trivial Pursiot arrives in the city centre to celebrate a landmark moment in its history.
To mark 400 years since Leeds was granted its royal charter, LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District) is transforming the city into a live interactive version of Hasbro’s iconic Trivial Pursuit board game, inviting residents and visitors to test their knowledge of all things Leeds.
It follows the huge success of the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover back in summer 2024 and this year, LeedsBID is once again working with leading game, IP and toy company Hasbro to bring another of its iconic games to life.
This time, the focus is on the stories, achievements and surprising facts that have shaped Leeds over four centuries.
Running from 25 July to 30 August 2026, the free experience will see participants journey across the city centre answering questions and collecting wedges, just like the classic trivia game.
Key locations will represent the six traditional Trivial Pursuit categories: Entertainment, Geography, Sports & Leisure, Science and Nature, History, and Art & Literature.
Matt Proulx, Senior Vice President of Global Experiences, Partnerships and Music at Hasbro said: “After the incredible response to the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover in 2024, we’re proud to collaborate with LeedsBID once again to reimagine another iconic brand in a bold new way.
"This is exactly how we think about Global Experiences at Hasbro - taking our brands beyond the table and creating experiences that are social, shareable and deeply connected to the communities they celebrate."
Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive of LeedsBID, said: “TRIVIAL PURSUIT Leeds is about celebrating everything about this great city, from those headline facts and figures people know to the lesser-known surprising details and discoveries.
“LeedsBID’s raison d’etre is to put Leeds on the map and tell the stories and successes of the city. Trivial Pursuit Leeds is doing just that, providing a free, fun and entertaining activity for all ages while sharing new and interesting achievements of this amazing place.”
Iconic Leeds venue The Reliance to be brought back to life under new name ‘The Smithfield’
Clementine Hall
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Sophie Smith -
3rd February 2022 
