An Analysis of Home Advantage in the English Football Premiership

Abstract

Home advantage has been examined across different sports. Pollard provided evidence of this phenomenon in association football (soccer). This present study further considers the prevalence in the English Football Premiership, a division created from the former Football Association First Division in 1992. Archived data were obtained for the First Division seasons 1984--5 to 1991--2 from the Football Statistics Archive and for the English Football Premiership (1992--3 to 2002--3). Chi square analysis confirmed home advantage from season to season since 1984 (p<.05). Analysis of variance compared Pollard's findings and data for the English Football Premiership (1992--2003), as well as the intervening period (1984--92). Home advantage was significantly lower in these more recent periods. Possible factors contributing to the apparent decline in home advantage were highlighted.