Although last season ended in heartbreak as Leeds United failed to earn promotion to the Premier League, falling in the Championship play-off final to Southampton 1-0, that isn’t slowing down attendance at Elland Road this season.
Despite the disappointment of spending a second straight season in the Championship, Leeds supporters continue to attend matches in droves. Leeds have counted on a high number of fans heading to Elland Road as they attempt to make the stadium a hostile environment for any away side.
Burnley Express relayed the information regarding the average attendance of clubs in the Championship four matches into the season. Where does Leeds rank? No. 2 as the club have averaged 36,475 supporters for their home contests.
Average attendance in the Championship
Leeds are the second-best club in terms of average attendance in the Championship, but who is No. 1, and where do some of the other top clubs in the league rank? Here’s the entire list:
1. Sunderland – 40,059
2. Leeds United – 36,475
3. Derby County – 29,357
4. Sheffield Wednesday – 29,168
5. Coventry City – 27,702
6. Sheffield United – 27,221
7. Middlesbrough – 26,440
8. Norwich City – 26,387
9. West Brom – 25,152
10. Stoke City – 24,704
11. Bristol City – 21,139
12. Hull City – 20,510
13. Burnley – 20,401
14. Portsmouth – 20,262
15. Cardiff City – 19,701
16. Watford – 18,850
17. Swansea City – 17,106
18. Plymouth Argyle – 16,620
19. Preston North End – 16,597
20. Blackburn Rovers – 16,372
21. Queens Park Rangers – 15,936
22. Millwall – 15,681
23. Luton Town – 11,788
24. Oxford United – 11,368
Last season, Leeds only lost twice at home while winning 16 games and drawing five matches. Furthermore, the home crowd gave the team an offensive and defensive boost, as the squad scored 45 goals while only conceding 16. This is a stark contrast to when Leeds went out on the road.
The Whites’ away record was 11 wins, four draws, and eight losses, while they scored 36 goals and conceded 27 goals. If Daniel Farke and his team want to earn promotion this campaign, they’ll need to again take advantage of playing at home and the hostile environment the supporters create on matchday.