Football fans show overwhelming VAR opposition ahead of Sheffield United’s Premier League return

Despite their side both suffering and benefitting from the Video Assistant Referee during their last stint in the Premier League it continues to attract criticism, with VAR given a massive thumbs-down in a new fans’ survey published today.

Almost two thirds (63.3 per cent) of supporters polled in the study said they oppose the use of VAR, with only 26.8 per cent saying they were absolutely or somewhat in favour of it. The National Supporters Survey was commissioned by the Football Supporters’ Association and covered 9,645 fans.

Only one in 20 (5.5 per cent) of fans who had experienced the technology being used in stadiums rated their experience of it as good or very good. The perception of VAR has certainly shifted since a 2017 survery, before it was introduced, which found that almost 75 per cent of supporters favoured the use of video referees to support on-field officials with game-changing decisions.

More than three quarters of match-goers (79.1 per cent) and two thirds of TV viewers (65.4 per cent) now rate their experience of VAR as either poor or very poor. Almost 92 per cent said decisions were taking too long to make, while 80 per cent said fans should be able to hear discussions between the VAR and the on-pitch referee.

Referees’ chief Howard Webb is determined to provide greater transparency around VAR in the English game, within the bounds of what is allowed by the laws of the sport - which, currently, prohibit conversations between referees and VARs from being broadcast live.

The survey also found overwhelming support for the introduction of an independent regulator for English football, with 88.2 per cent of those surveyed agreeing on the need for the regulator to ensure the game is run more sustainably. Only 37.8 per cent of fans said that they felt optimistic about the future of football.

FSA chairman Malcolm Clarke said: “Football has said for years that it can regulate itself. The findings from our survey show that it has become apparent to the overwhelming majority of fans that it cannot, and that independent regulation is required to safeguard the future of our clubs, and the game itself.

“Football clubs can’t continue to be allowed to mark their own homework, and so we will be pressing the Government to make sure what the regulator laid out in their White Paper becomes a reality.”

Fans are also concerned about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. One in five (21.7 per cent) fans said they were attending fewer games because of the rising cost of living, and almost a third - 31.9 per cent - had reduced their matchday spending on items such as food, drink and programmes.

The survey also found nine in 10 supporters favoured an away fan price-cap in the EFL following the announcement of its new record television deal with Sky Sports.