The 10 most 'toxic' EFL League Two fanbases named and ranked by AI | OneFootball

We asked ChatGPT to name and rank the top 10 most toxic League Two fanbases.

With the season now at the halfway point, it is shaping up to be an exciting second part of the campaign in League Two.

At the top of the table, Bromley, Swindon Town, Walsall, Salford City, MK Dons and Notts County are among those who will be hoping to secure promotion over the coming months, while at the other end, Harrogate Town, Newport County, Crawley Town and Shrewsbury Town are all fighting for their EFL lives.

As the business end of the season approaches, the passionate backing of supporters will be crucial to each team as they look to achieve their respective ambitions, but with so much on the line, there is also likely to be plenty of frustration and anxiety in the stands.

With that in mind, we asked ChatGPT to rank the top 10 most toxic fanbases in League Two.

It has been an outstanding campaign for Swindon Town so far, with Ian Holloway's side continuing their momentum from the second half of last season to emerge as serious automatic promotion contenders.

It was not too long ago that Robins owner Clem Morfuni was coming under serious pressure from supporters, but while his appointment of Holloway was questioned at the time, it has proven to be a masterstroke, with the mood at the County Ground improving significantly since the arrival of the former Blackpool and Crystal Palace boss.

With hopes of a potential return to League One for the first time since 2021 continuing to increase, the Swindon faithful have little to complain about at present, but ChatGPT believes they can turn on the team when results are not going quite as well.

Salford City were in the Northern Premier League Division One North when the Class of '92 took over the club in 2014, but over a decade later, they have firmly established themselves in the EFL.

However, with the Ammies now in their seventh consecutive season in League Two, it is fair to say that they have stagnated a little in recent years, and the takeover by a consortium including Gary Neville and David Beckham in the summer was designed to breathe new life into the club, as well as providing greater financial stability.

It certainly appears to have had the desired effect so far, with Karl Robinson's men joining Swindon in the automatic promotion race, but AI claims that the high-profile nature of Salford's ownership group has heightened expectations and brought increased scrutiny.

Like Salford, Barrow have also managed to cement their place in the EFL since winning promotion from the National League in 2020.

The Bluebirds even became regular play-off contenders in League Two during Pete Wild's tenure, but their fortunes have declined since his exit last summer, and new manager Paul Gallagher will be looking to lead the club away from relegation danger after replacing Andy Whing earlier this month.

While ChatGPT notes that Barrow's fanbase has grown since reaching the EFL, it believes this has resulted in added pressure on the team, particularly as supporters are often not afraid to express their frustration.

It has been a turbulent decade for Tranmere Rovers, with the club spending three years in the National League between 2015 and 2018 before back-to-back promotions resulted in a brief one-year spell in League One in the 2019-20 season.

While Rovers are now in their sixth consecutive season in League Two, their place in the EFL came under serious threat once again last term as they battled against relegation, but interim manager Andy Crosby managed to lead them to safety before being handed the permanent job in the summer.

Unfortunately for Tranmere, they have not quite been able to build on their survival under Crosby in the way they would have hoped so far, and with discontent towards owner Mark Palios increasing, it is easy to see why AI has included them on this list.

Despite having controversial owners WAGMI United at the helm, Crawley Town achieved a shock promotion to League One via the play-offs in 2024, but they were relegated from the third tier after just one year last season.

The Red Devils are now under the ownership of KB Sports and Leisure after their takeover in the summer, but the change in the boardroom has not inspired an upturn in results on the pitch, with Scott Lindsey's side currently in danger of a second consecutive relegation.

From the highs of their Wembley success to the lows of a League Two relegation battle, Crawley supporters have certainly experienced a lot over the past few years, and ChatGPT claims some have become disillusioned with recent events at the Broadfield Stadium.

5 ? ? Colchester United

Up until recently, Colchester United had been perennial strugglers in League Two, with a constant cycle of internal appointments doing little to halt the club's decline.

U's owner Robbie Cowling often came under fire from supporters for a perceived lack of ambition in his managerial choices, but after finally making an external appointment in Danny Cowley in January 2024, he has certainly reaped the rewards, with the club only narrowly missing out on the play-offs last season.

With Colchester now on an upward trajectory under Cowley, the mood at the JobServe Community Stadium is much more positive these days, but as some supporters still hold reservations about Cowling's ownership, AI believes there can sometimes be toxicity among the fanbase.

4 ? ? Walsall

Walsall looked to be in pole position to win promotion to League One last season when they sat 12 points clear at the top of the table in January, but a horror run of form in the second half of the season, including a 13-game winless run, saw them miss out on a place in the top three.

After the Saddlers were beaten by AFC Wimbledon in the play-off final, many supporters called for manager Mat Sadler to be sacked, but the hierarchy remained loyal to him, and after a big summer rebuild, he has led his side into automatic promotion contention once again this season.

With memories of last season's collapse still painfully fresh in their minds, there remains a slight sense of unease among Walsall supporters, but while ChatGPT has put them relatively high on this list, it does point out that their frustration is mostly expressed through minor protests and boos, rather than spilling over into bigger demonstrations.

3 ? ? Newport County

Newport County regularly challenged for the play-offs in League Two during Michael Flynn's tenure, as well as enjoying some memorable FA Cup runs, but recent years have been tougher for the Welsh outfit.

The Exiles would have been hoping for a fresh start after the appointment of David Hughes in the summer, but he was sacked in November after a poor start to the season, and former Leicester City defender Christian Fuchs has been tasked with preserving the club's EFL status.

While AI notes that Newport have a smaller fanbase than many of their fourth tier rivals, it believes this can often create a defensive attitude as they feel they are disrespected by supporters of other clubs, with further toxicity stemming from the disappointing results on the pitch.

2 ? ? Notts County

Notts County endured the lowest point in their history when they dropped out of the EFL in 2019, but with the club revitalised under the ownership of the Reedtz brothers, they have been hugely competitive since their return to League Two in 2023.

After last season's play-off semi-final defeat to AFC Wimbledon, the Magpies sacked head coach Stuart Maynard and replaced him with Martin Paterson, but his appointment was certainly not well-received by supporters given that his only previous managerial role was a brief and unsuccessful stint in charge of Burton Albion.

Paterson has proven many of his doubters wrong so far this season, but ChatGPT believes that the size of the Notts' fanbase can magnify negativity, particularly due to their high expectations, and it claims that they can sometimes be quick to turn on owners, managers and players.

Grimsby Town have been transformed since the arrival of manager David Artell, who has turned the club from regular relegation battlers into outside play-off contenders, while he also masterminded the memorable victory over Manchester United in the EFL Cup back in August.

After a frustrating period of bouncing between the National League and League Two, Mariners supporters have had much more to shout about in recent times, but despite that, AI believes they have the most toxic fanbase in the fourth tier.

According to ChatGPT, the intense rivalry with the likes of Lincoln City, Scunthorpe United and Hull City has contributed to this reputation, as well as supporters' vocal online presence, and although the siege mentality of the fanbase can help to create a strong atmosphere at Blundell Park, it claims this can sometimes become hostile.