Power Ranking Each English Premier League Team's Fan Base

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The English Premier League boasts some of the world's greatest and most historic football clubs.

But with that tradition of club greatness also comes one of great fans and supporters.

With some of the biggest followings in the world and in their home country, the EPL has fans who are without a doubt some of the world's best, if not greatest, fans.

However, just who are the greatest fans in the English Premier League?

All attendance statistics taken from ESPNsoccernet.

Wigan Athletic

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Venue: DW Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: 18,366

Venue Capacity: 25,138

Wigan Athletic had the worst gap in attendance between their full capacity and their average in all of the English Premier League.

They may be a proud club, but their fans have not been the most supportive in recent seasons as the continued involvement with relegation battles looks to be having a lasting effect.

Queens Park Rangers

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Venue: Loftus Road

Average attendance 2011/2012: 17,295

Venue Capacity: 19,100

Queens Park Rangers have one of the smaller fan bases in London and also one of the least involved in many ways, unfortunately. The club were strong in the past, but have not been a true force for quite sometime, and their support has fallen away over the years despite the recent influx of investment from new owners.

Reading

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Venue: Madejski Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: N/A

Venue Capacity: 24,161

Reading FC are making their return to the English Premier League this season after several seasons in the English Championship.

A return to the top flight is sure to bring back some of their support from years past, but they need a few years back in the first division to truly regain their larger following.

As a club with a short history in the top flight, having first played in the EPL in 2006 and never before been in the first division, their fan base has much room to only get better over time.

West Bromwich Albion

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Venue: The Hawthorns

Average attendance 2011/2012: 24,798

Venue Capacity: 26,500

West Bromwich Albion continue to build on a positive past few seasons in the top flight, and their fans continue to improve season after season.

The Hawthorns is becoming a stadium with a good atmosphere week after week and looks to be pushing the club's fan base higher up the ranks.

Fulham

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Venue: Craven Cottage

Average attendance 2011/2012: 25,293

Venue Capacity: 25,700

Fulham continue to keep a packed house in the English Premier League with their never-say-die underdog attitude that has seen them become a much more respected middle to top half club.

However, their location in the western reaches of London and close proximity to Chelsea have limited the growth of their fan base.

Norwich City

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Venue: Carrow Road

Average attendance 2011/2012: 26,605

Venue Capacity: 27,033

Norwich City have been a proud top-flight English side for the majority of the existence of the English Premier League and their fans have a strong tradition of great support in the EPL.

Since their return to the top flight last season, they are once again building their strong following.

Swansea City

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Venue: Liberty Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: 19,946

Venue Capacity: 20,532

The only Welsh club ever to reach the English Premier League, Swansea City have a beautiful venue in Liberty Stadium and have started their EPL life off on the right foot.

The future looks bright for the fans of the club as they adapt to life in the world's most followed league.

Southampton

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Venue: St. Mary's Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: N/A

Venue Capacity: 32,689

It is great to see Southampton in the English Premier League once more. Although the days of Matthew Le Tissier are gone, a new era of stars hope to build careers in the top flight.

The Saints fans are some of the best in the south, and the leagues furthest-reaching club in the lower end of the country is hoping to make a push up the table to ensure their history in the top flight once again begins to flourish.

Aston Villa

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Venue: Villa Park

Average attendance 2011/2012: 33,879

Venue Capacity: 42,788

Aston Villa have a proud tradition. One of the most dominant clubs in the early 1980s, the Villans built a significant fan base throughout the country.

Now several years of poor results have seen their fans dwindle out of the seats, leaving Villa Park as one of the least attended sides as far as capacity goes in the last few years.

However, that strong fan tradition still exists, and the Villans' supporters are a well-respected group.

Stoke City

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Venue: Britannia Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: 27,225

Venue Capacity: 28,383

If there is a group of fans that have taken to life in the Premier League in rapid fashion, it is those of Stoke City.

The Potter's fans have turned the Britannia Stadium into one of the toughest venues in all of the EPL and continue to impress season after season.

Sunderland

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Venue: Stadium of Light

Average attendance 2011/2012: 52,387

Venue Capacity: 39,095

When it is full, the Stadium of Life is one of the toughest grounds to play in in the English Premier League.

The Black Cat supporters are a prime example of some of the best fans in football, and they continue to back their squad as they hope to once again achieve a top half finish under Martin O'Neill.

Manchester City

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Venue: Etihad Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: 47,044

Venue Capacity: 47,826

Manchester City are doing their best to build a fresh, new winning tradition of excellent supporters and title-challenging teams every season.

Their days at Main Road saw the supporters grow to be some of the best in the league, but their home at the Etihad continues to be a quiet caldron for the club as their home record in the last three seasons has been phenomenal.

Tottenham

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Venue: White Hart Lane

Average attendance 2011/2012: 36,026

Venue Capacity: 36,310

One of the proudest old grounds in London, England, Tottenham's White Hart Lane plays host to a club looking to rise to the paramount of the league for the first time since their only title half a century ago.

Spurs have a great following, and their great rivalries throughout the city have helped to create an excellent following over their storied past.

Everton

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Venue: Goodison Park

Average attendance 2011/2012: 33,228

Venue Capacity: 40,157

The Toffees fans are some of the most resilient and honorable in all of England. The Blues side of Merseyside battled throughout the 1980s to prove they were as good as their close rivals Liverpool, which they succeeded in doing.

Their fan base has always been, in many ways, the second ranked throughout the city, but their fans' reputation as fierce followers of their club is legendary, and a traditional blue collar background has always seen them have a solid and long-lasting foundation.

Newcastle United

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Venue: St. James' Park

Average attendance 2011/2012: 49,935

Venue Capacity: 52,387

If there were ever a comparison between American NFL fan bases and EPL fan bases, the Newcastle United fans would be the English equivalent of the Oakland Raiders.

Fiercely loyal and dedicated, with a level of passion that few people may even understand, the Geordie faithful are the greatest fans of the far-northern reaches of the EPL.

Chelsea

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Venue: Stamford Bridge

Average attendance 2011/2012: 41,478

Venue Capacity: 42,055

Chelsea had long been a proud club in England, but their rise to the top of England, and most recently Europe, have helped them over the life of the English Premier League to build one of the best fan bases in all of England and Europe.

The fans continue to fill Stamford Bridge week after week as their love for the club is also represented in their ownership of the stadium.

West Ham United

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Venue: Upton Park

Average attendance 2011/2012: N/A

Venue Capacity: 35,303

West Ham United have perhaps the most involved fan base in London aside from those of Arsenal, and they back their club no matter their status in the top flight or the Championship.

If there is anything that the Upton Park fans want, it is for their club to have a hard tackling match that sees their Hammers come out on top.

Manchester United

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Venue: Old Trafford

Average attendance 2011/2012: 75,387

Venue Capacity: 76,212

Manchester United boast the largest stadium in all of the English Premier League, and Old Trafford's fanatics back the most successful club of the EPL era through all their ups and downs.

There are few more threatening stands in the league over that of Stretford End terraces.

Arsenal

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Venue: Emirates Stadium

Average attendance 2011/2012: 60,000

Venue Capacity: 60,355

There are London club supporters, and then there are Arsenal supporters. It is hard to say that there are truly fans who are that much better from club to club, but the Gunner's faithful are some of the most involved fans in all of the game.

From their support on the pitch to their support in other ways around the club, the fans, with the spirit of the great final days of Highbury in their hearts, continue in the hope of turning their beautiful Emirates Stadium into a new cathedral of success.

Liverpool

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Venue: Anfield Road

Average attendance 2011/2012: 44,253

Venue Capacity: 45,362

If any of you watched the most recent edition of the North West Derby between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield, you got a glimpse and an earful of what Anfield's and Liverpool's fans are all about.

The first half of the match proved that the Reds fans still could make Anfield the most intimidating caldron in the league if they raise their voice in support of the club.

A fan base that has suffered much tragedy, not to say other clubs' fans have not, but have always grown together rather than apart.

Liverpool truly have the greatest fans in the English Premier League.