Every supporter likes to think their club has the best fans, the best ground and the best atmosphere, but if recent data is to be believed, Old Trafford has the best atmosphere in the Premier League.
Manchester United’s home has long been considered one of the most iconic stadiums in world football; the Theatre of Dreams is a place that almost every player in world football has literally dreamt of playing at, and while it might not be the most modern, a new study suggests it has what counts: the most buzz.
As per a survey conducted by sports and betting brand Midnite, Old Trafford was the highest-rated for best-home support in the Premier League, taking more than a fifth of the total share of votes with 20.46% of participants concluding it has the best atmosphere.
Furthermore, it wasn’t just Reds propping up the stats; breaking down the results into different groups, the Stretford End and co. also got lots of recognition from other fans, with some 39% of Newcastle fans even voting United as their favourite away day atmosphere. Here’s how the top five panned out:
🚨🔴 A study from @midnite shows Old Trafford has been voted as the Premier League stadium with the best home atmosphere:
1. Manchester United – 20.46% 2. Liverpool – 17.64% 3. Arsenal – 11.49% 4. Newcastle United – 7.56% 5. Chelsea – 7.06%#MUFCpic.twitter.com/prcnSRqLxx
While the votes have no doubt been boosted by the club’s upturn in results and performances since Erik ten Hag arrived, currently sat in third and having won their first trophy for six years, it’d be curious to see what people’s impressions of the 74,000 capacity venue have been in the decade since Sir Alex left.
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As you can see, Anfield came in second with 17.64% of the votes and also topped the list when it came to the atmosphere for travelling fans, with more than 34% of the 1,002 surveyed declaring Liverpool as the best away day. Perhaps not the biggest sample size but many would argue still aligns with the general consensus, historically.
League leaders Arsenalcame in third with over 11% of the votes — the way this current season’s going also helping no end — and equally resurgent Newcastle United’s St James’ Park seemed to live up to its reputation too, claiming fourth place.
On the other end of the spectrum, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Bournemouth all bottomed out the list, with just 1.31%, 0.71% and 0.60%, respectively; Wolves also recorded the lowest result for away atmosphere, only managing 4% of the votes.
Interestingly, despite being the most technologically and architecturally up-to-date in the English top flight, Spurs’ sparkly new stadium didn’t appear in the top five and neither did Man City‘s equally impressive Etihad, even despite its wider campus and fan facilities which are reportedly set to be developed ever further.
The designs will see the stadium capacity increased to over 60,000. 🏟️https://t.co/bHRoFveWTH
On the other hand, they didn’t find themselves in the relegation zone of the Premier League table for atmosphere either, so that’s something, I guess.
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So, Old Trafford apparently has the best atmosphere in the Prem, but what grounds up and down the EFL and wider football pyramid are the unsung heroes?
Sale Sharks have confirmed yet another new signing, and this one happens to come from a noteworthy sporting pedigree, as he’s actually the son of beloved British sports presenter and ex-athlete Gabby Logan.
And if you know your stuff, you’ll know that this also makes him the grandchild of Leeds footballer and Wales international Terry Yorath. Quite the professional little family tree, eh?
That’s right, the former rhythmic gymnast household name’s teenage son, Reuben Logan, is the latest acquisition by the local rubgy union side who have been busy lining things up for the next campaign.
Still just 19, he’ll join Sale Sharks at the start of next season.
𝙒𝙀𝙇𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀, 𝙍𝙀𝙐𝘽𝙀𝙉
We are delighted to announce Reuben Logan will be heading up North for the 25/26 season!
Confirmed on Tuesday, 8 April, Reuben Logan – still just 19 years old – joins from Northampton Saints after having already impressed as a union youngster and on the international front too.
While he has represented England at youth level, he has since switched allegiances and is currently considered one of the hottest prospects in the Scotland U20s.
Coming through the ranks of Midlands Central Academy, he enjoyed his junior minutes at Wasps RFC before they ultimately fell into administration back in 2022.
Now heading for Greater Manchester ahead of the 2025/26 Gallagher Premiership, he’s the latest to join the squad following the arrival of other talents like Raffi Quirke and more, including one rather large figure indeed.
His mum, Gabby – a recognisable face on BBC Sport for nearly two decades now – did kind of get ahead of herself and let the news slip in a recent interview.
We’ll let her off, though, as she had some lovely things to say about our region and spends plenty of time over in MediaCity already.
“Sale have a young squad and I know a lot of the lads from playing international rugby. I know they’re all getting chances to play in the first team and that’s really exciting for me.
“I’m a physical ball carrier with the ability to create space and get the team on the front foot, and I think my style suits the team really well.”
As for gaffer Alex Sanderson, he went on to recognise his undeniable physical attributes, adding: “He’s 120kg and he’s a physical specimen, but he used to be a winger so he’s got wicked feet too. He can add to our game in terms of our power, and we can help him develop his skills and his game.”
LegendaryBritish and Manc boxer Ricky Hatton is hosting an exclusive ‘Evening With’ event for fans in his hometown later this year.
Born in Stockport but famously raised in a pub and the boxing gyms of Hattersley in Hyde, Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton is one of Greater Manchester’s most famous sporting sons – most certainly in the realm of combat sports – and while he may be long retired, he’s still decades of stories to tell.
With that in mind, the 46-year-old has decided to host ‘An Evening with Ricky Hatton‘ in partnership with Heroes and Legends Events, who specialise in bringing icons from various sports into a public forum for fans to hear from, meet and more.
His following is still strong, so he no doubt could have picked from many different venues, but just like with his local énergie Fitness gym, a.k.a. Ricky Hatton’s Health and Fitness Club, there’s nothing like the strength of home crowd and so he’ll rather fittingly be speaking at Hyde Town Hall.
The former WBA (Super), IBF, IBO; The Ring Light Welterweight Champion, and WBA Welterweight Champ’s event will see him discuss well over a decade in the discipline as a professional, as well his career since retiring, i.e. as a gym owner, promoter and trainer for other talents like his son, Campbell.
It also coincides with the 20th anniversary of his watershed win over Kostya Tszyu in June 2005, a moment that changed his trajectory and British boxing for years to come.
‘The Pride of Hyde’ went from a pale teenage prospect to an internationally recognised name, winning multiple titles in his class, spending a good chunk of his career undefeated, and even going on to fight one of the greatest of all time, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
We still have faint memories of how big a deal it was back then, and they certainly made a spectacle of the night at the Arena.
You can see a retro Sky Sports clip of the night down below:
RICKY ROCKED THE WORLD👑
Here's how @HitmanHatton announced himself on the world scene on a memorable night in Manchester fifteen years ago today
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) June 4, 2020
With just a trio of losses and 32 knockouts from 45 wins to his name, he is one of the best to ever come out of the country, let alone Greater Manchester and having seen him run drills during an interview we did with him back in 2023, he’s still plenty handy now.
Having been given an MBE for her services to sport and charity work back in 2013 and inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame just a couple of years later, his reputation doesn’t need any more explanation – it’ll be a fascinating talk to be sat in on.
There are a total of three evenings with Ricky Hatton this year but only one in his home county, with the Hyde Town Hall date set for Wednesday, 4 June – in line with the 20th anniversary of the seminal Kostya Tszyu fight.
Danny Jones -
23rd March 2023 
