Manchester United fans may have endured a miserable campaign this season but, according to a recent study, Red Devils supporters have had the most to cheer about in English football.
Manchester United fans may have endured a miserable campaign this season but, according to a recent study, Red Devils supporters have had the most to cheer about in English football.
The English National Football Archive (ENFA) undertook a study of 220,000 results since the Football League's inception in 1888 and compiled a 'Long-Suffering Fan Index' in which saw the Red Devils came bottom.
While United have had plenty to smile about over the years, supporters of another Manchester club, Rochdale, were named football's longest-suffering fans.
Reasons to be cheerful: Man United came bottom in a study to find the club with the longest-suffering fans
Year to forget: United have endured a miserable season but have had much to celebrate over the years
Struggles: Rochdale, managed by Keith Hill (pictured), have the longest-suffering fans according to the study
Doom and gloom? Scott Hogan's 17 goals have fired Rochdale into the League Two automatic promotion spots
Longest-suffering fans - Top 10
Top to bottom: League leaders Liverpool came second to last in the study focusing on results since 1888
Fans who have suffered the least - Top 10
Barren run: Arsenal, who came third bottom, haven't won a trophy since the FA Cup nine years ago
Champions of Europe: Chelsea's Champions League win in 2012 was not taken into account for the study
Statisticians measured the current 92 Football League clubs by their lack of success, and took into account extra factors including domestic honours, cup wins, promotions, relegations and average league position - European honours were not included.
Dale came out top of the table with a score of 66.12, ahead of League two rivals Hartlepool United on 64.72 and Exeter City who finished with 64.08.
Since the club was founded in 1907, the Spotland side have spent 78 seasons in the lowest tier of the Football League, while fans of rival clubs began referring to League Two as 'the Rochdale division'.
The club did end a 41-year wait for promotion to the third tier in 2009 but were back down again after just two seasons.
However, having lost 3-0 to Mansfield on Saturday, it's not all doom and gloom for Rochdale as Keith Hill's side currently sit second in the table and look set from promotion to League One with four games to go.
AFC Wimbledon, Leyton Orient and Colchester also made the top ten list for English football's long-suffering fans.
How the Fan-suffering Index was calculated
In formulating the index, ENSA's statisticians gave different weightings for victory in the following domestic competitions: League (or past equivalent) (10), Championship (6), League One (4), League Two (2), FA Cup (8), League Cup (6), Johnstone's Paint Trophy (2), Test match wins (used to decide promotion and relegation in the 1890s) (2), play-off wins (4).
All smiles: Mansfield players celebrate the club's 3-0 win over Rochdale in League Two on Saturday
Stuck: Rochdale, founded in 1907, have spent 78 seasons in the fourth tier of the Football League
Longest-suffering fans by division
Premier League: Stoke City (Fan Suffering Index: 54.72; national rank: 43
Championship: Bournemouth FC (Fan Suffering Index: 60.26; national rank: 23)
League One: Colchester FC (Fan Suffering Index: 63.39; national rank: 5)
League Two: Rochdale AFC (Fan Suffering Index: 66.12; national rank: 1)
While Manchester United came last with a score of 21.31, current Premier League leaders Liverpool were next on 21.97, followed by Arsenal and Chelsea on 30.22 and 31.46 respectively.
Leeds United were the one club outside of the Premier League to make the bottom ten.
Having not had much to cheer about over the last ten years following years of financial trouble and two relegations, the Yorkshire club have tasted plenty of success in the past - Leeds have won three First Division titles, one FA Cup and were certainly the team to beat in the early 70s under the stewardship of Don Revie.
Out of the current crop of top-flight sides, Stoke City fans are the longest-suffering and are ranked 43rd having spent six seasons in the Premier League having been promoted back in 2008.
Simon Nye, lead writer of new ITV sitcom Warren United, commissioned the study and said: 'Football is supposed to be the glory game.
'But for most fans it's more about grief, pain and chronic disappointment. Rochdale fans have followed their club through thin and thinner.'
Glory days: Leeds pair David Harvey and Billy Bremner hold aloft the FA Cup back in 1972
Top-flight: Stoke City fans, ranked 43rd, were named the longest-suffering in the Premier League
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