Fans hit hard by petrol price increase

As if things weren't bad enough for Tottenham fans at the moment, they today face a gruelling 570-mile round trip to Newcastle for the Carling Cup game, just as new research shows that the costs for supporters have increased 21% in the past three months alone. The trip to Tyneside and back is likely to take more than 10 hours and cost roughly £65 in petrol. Then there is the price of the match ticket, food, drink and a match programme to consider.

Virgin Money's Football Fans' Inflation Index, tracking the costs for supporters since January 2006, shows that the cost of a match day for a supporter is now an eye-watering £106.21 - breaking the £100 barrier for the first time. Football fans will travel on average 2,031 miles to follow their teams this season but Virgin Money's Scott Mowbray said: "The question is, with rising costs, rising ticket prices, programme costs, food expenses, merchandising and now increased fuel bills, how much more can the average punter take? This could be the season when many fans stop following their teams away from home."

And there are those who are even worse off than Spurs supporters. Spare a thought for fans of Carlisle and Brighton, whose 736-mile round trip for games against each other is the longest in the League.

  • I Am The Secret Footballer Small Graphic


Today's best video

Today in pictures