Carlisle United might have finished bottom of League One last season but they virtually lead the country on fan engagement.
The Blues have been ranked second in English football in the latest independent rankings by Think Fan Engagement.
The club was also ranked last year so to hold that position out of the 92 League clubs is a notable achievement.
The annual Fan Engagement Index is valuable in terms of raising standards across the game and putting what clubs do under the microscope.
Critically, it is independent which allows fans to assess their own club and clubs to benchmark themselves each year. It also highlights the fantastic work that goes on at many clubs across the game.
For the wider game, it was highlighted in the Fan Led Review that Fan Engagement was an area that clubs must do far better on. That has flowed into the Football Governance bill which is moving towards law with a new Football Regulator.
New regulations are being brought into the EFL to drive improvements across the game, like the requirement for an annual Fan Engagement Plan. This means for all clubs, fan engagement will only increase in importance.
Carlisle chairman Tom Piatak said: “We believe that our fans are at the heart of everything we do and their unwavering support is what drives us to succeed both on and off the pitch.
“Our overarching vision is to create a truly inclusive and interactive fan experience that fosters a strong sense of community and belonging among our supporters.
“I am confident that by working together with our fans, we can continue to build our already very strong fan engagement activities to not only meet their expectations, but exceed them.”
Chief executive Nigel Clibbens added: “We have consistently seen engagement with supporters and working with fans as hugely important for our club. It’s massively beneficial. In my view it makes the club better – it’s that simple. It’s the right thing to do.
“It’s very pleasing to be near the top of this table again, as we have been every year of the index. It shows the work we do to engage with our fans and the processes we have in place continue to improve, and are keeping up with best practice.
“To be recognised by an independent review for the work being carried out by so many people shows we continue to be on the right track. Most clubs are also raising the bar, so to remain at the forefront is something to be proud of, as it shows us to be still ‘up with the best’ in what we do, and in how we tailor our approach.
“There is no sense of complacency, and we are continuously looking to improve.”
Exeter City topped the table with 240 points followed by Carlisle Utd on 225 and Lincoln City on 215.
They were the only clubs over 200 points and worthy of gold award status.
Rotherham were 92nd and bottom of the pile with only 25 points.
Highest ranked Premier League club were Brentford in 12th and they earned a bronze award.
