Sunderland fans to travel nearly 600 miles and spend £250 following club over Christmas

The findings, released by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), analysed ticket, travel and food costs, plus journey times for fixtures between Boxing Day and January 4,

The research found that Plymouth Argyle fans face the highest cost (£468.43) while Morecambe FC fans will pay the least (£42.89).

Bosses say the findings support Virgin Media and FSF’s ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ campaign, which calls on clubs to cap the cost of away tickets at £20.

Chris Coleman's team travel to Sheffield United on Boxing Day, before playing Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, December 30.

They then face Barnsley at the Stadium of Light on New Year's Day.

It is calculated that Sunderland fans will travel 586 miles to get to and from the games.

It places the club's fans as 20th, having to spend an average of £240.51.

Overall, the average fan will spend £171.37 to watch their team this Christmas, where supporters of 46 clubs will travel twice to support their teams away.

In total, Premier League fans will pay the most (£182.08) to watch top-flight football over the Christmas break.

On top of costs, some fans will have to travel huge distances to attend games across the country.

Total distances that will be travelled range from 20 miles (Chelsea away at Arsenal) to 1,096 miles (Plymouth Argyle at MK Dons and Blackpool) taking between 1hr 41mins and 26hrs 47mins respectively.

The findings underpin the FSF’s ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ campaign, backed by Virgin Media, which calls on clubs to cap the cost of an away ticket to £20.

Kevin Miles, Chief Executive, FSF said:

"Despite money being tight around this time of year, supporters will be travelling up and down the country over Christmas and New Year to back their teams in remarkable numbers once again.

"Away fans are a huge part of our match-going tradition and that shouldn't be taken for granted, so clubs and sponsors can and should do more in making football as affordable as possible."

As the official shirt sponsor of Southampton FC, Virgin Media is on the side of fans this Christmas by subsiding Southampton supporters’ coach travel and match-day tickets for the Saints’ game against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.

Crystal Palace fans visiting St Mary’s on January 2 will also have their tickets subsidised to £20 as part of Virgin Media’s ongoing cap on away ticket prices at the stadium.