All 24 EFL Championship fanbases ranked by AI on how much they live in the past | OneFootball

AI chatbot ChatGPT has ranked all 24 EFL Championship fanbases on how much they live in the past

The EFL Championship is packed with 24 unique teams; with that comes 24 unique fanbases, each of which shares a common love for their respective side, with those choosing to live in the present during the good times, and live in the past during the bad.

Just over a third of the way into the 2025/26 EFL Championship season, the division is beginning to take shape.

Fans, critics, and pundits will all start to be considering hazarding some guesses as to where teams may finish, with some making bolder claims than others.

When the good times are good, fans will lap it up and live in the present, but when the bad times are bad, fans will tend to recall back to the good times.

With that being said, Football League World has asked AI chatbot ChatGPT to rank each current Championship fanbase on how much they live in the past, from least to most.

24 ? ? Sheffield United

ChatGPT said: United’s own recent ups/downs and identity are much more present-oriented — not a “living in the past” fanbase.

Sheffield United's recent struggles in the Championship may mean that some fans are recalling back to better times, e.g. last season, so historically, they are not a fanbase that thinks too much back to the past.

23 ? ? Leicester City

ChatGPT said: The 2016 title is recent enough to be a living badge of modern pride rather than wistful nostalgia — very forward-looking now.

The 2016 Premier League victory and the 2021 FA Cup triumph were so recent for Leicester that, naturally, fans will not look too far back into the past.

In fact, their current position in the Championship is the worst position they have found themselves in over a decade, so Foxes fans have not needed to look into the past.

22 ? ? Wrexham

ChatGPT said: Very interesting modern story (media, actors, promotion) — the recent revival means fans are mostly focused on the present/future, not the distant past.

When it comes to historical achievements, Wrexham has the least 'past-living' fanbase in the entire division, with the recent takeover, documentary, and everything else that has come with it drowning out the past.

Back-to-back-to-back promotions have taken place in North Wales in the past few seasons, with fans having little time and no reason to reminisce.

21 ? ? Oxford United

ChatGPT said: Smaller recent history; fan identity is local and practical rather than steeped in national golden-age nostalgia.

The 1986 League Cup win for Oxford is the main achievement in the club's history that fans will call back on, but with many fans either not being alive or old enough to remember it, it's not frequently looked back upon.

Having earned promotion in 2024 from League One and remaining in the second tier last season despite their small budget, this is as good a time to be an Oxford fan for a long while.

20 ? ? Birmingham City

ChatGPT said: Loyal and proud, yes — but more critical of present failings than caught up in glorious pasts.

Birmingham City's 2011 League Cup triumph will frequently be recalled in arguments with rival supporters, but having smashed the EFL points record last season, under new, exciting ownership, and plans for a new 60,000-seater stadium, fans will have had little time to recall the past and instead enjoy the present.

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ChatGPT said: Some old-school London club nostalgia, but the fan culture is more concerned with current cycles and survival.

The 1967 League Cup triumph may be called upon by elderly Queens Park Rangers supporters in arguments, but it was that long ago that many will have no recollection of the memory, with some younger fans potentially not knowing about it at all.

The R's have dwelled in the Championship in recent years, and some may look back to their days in the Premier League, though many will be looking towards the future in the hope that they can achieve promotion once again.

18 ? ? Southampton

ChatGPT said: Strong academy identity and recent Premier League history keep fans fairly future-facing — less time for wistful nostalgia.

Some Southampton fans may recall back to the period between 2013 and 2017, when they never finished lower than eighth in the Premier League, with players such as Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, and Dusan Tadic donning the red and white colours on the South Coast.

With the Saints now back in the Championship once again, many will also be looking to the future in the hopes that those good times can come back, instead of spending too much time reminiscing.

ChatGPT said: Recent Premier League flashes and ownership changes make the fan conversation more current-centred than wistful.

In the modern era, Troy Deeney's strike against Leicester City in the play-off semi-final is undoubtedly Watford's most famous moment, with most Hornets fans revisiting the moment regularly.

But their recent history, including frequent spells in the Premier League, will have most Watford supporters dreaming of the future instead of the past.

16 ? ? Middlesbrough

ChatGPT said: Occasional reference to 2000s cup runs / European nights, but plenty of present-day focus.

Middlesbrough's 2004 League Cup and their 2006 UEFA Cup run will always be fondly remembered by the Boro faithful as one of the greatest times to be a fan of the club during the modern era.

However, whilst some may choose to remember their success in the past, Boro's booming fanbase will largely be dreaming of the future.

15 ? ? Bristol City

ChatGPT said: A proud but relatively modern fan culture — respects history but is not defined by one big bygone era.

Bristol City have not had too much to shout about in their history, nor in their most recent history, with their play-off finish last campaign being the first time they had reached that position in 17 years.

The Robins are still dreaming of days in the Premier League, having never reached those heights, and with it looking more likely than ever that they can achieve that feat, most fans won't have time to think back, but only look forward.