There was a time when all English football clubs were an extension of the communities they represent. Although this is still true for many teams outside the Premier League, English football’s commodification and international appeal have resulted in some owners wedging a gap between clubs and their communities.
The internet and the global appeal of the English game have resulted in a splurge of internet communities and ways to stay connected to your team. In 2025, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that most of these methods are online, and although the grassroots side of a club and their reach into the community can never be undervalued if you are a fan of your team, if you want to get involved, online is the way to go.
The power of online platforms
Many games and forms of entertainment have transitioned online over the last 20 years. Betting sites that have, in many ways, moved hand-in-hand with the profound changes we’ve seen in English football in the 21st century were some of the first subdivisions of the global football community to achieve great success online.
The best football betting sites for UK punters cater to all levels of the English game, from the might and visibility of Premier League betting to the lower echelons of fourth and fifth-tier teams. However, social media and online forums have meant that even teams with a much smaller fanbase than some of the titans in the EPL can cultivate communities and develop bonds with those who support the same club.
Social media hubs
Although the dynamic of social media has shifted in the last couple of years, many people use community hubs such as spaces on X and Facebook groups to keep updated with their team.
We know that not all Facebook groups are hubs of great news sources or the most informed fans, but they help to build a broader picture. While other social media sites have exploded onto the scene in the short term, most notably TikTok, Facebook is still the most used social media site on the planet, with nearly 40% of the world’s population operating a Facebook account.
So, if you want to engage with fellow supporters of your team, Facebook remains one of the most active sites – regardless of the size of the team you support.
Podcasting
Podcasts have exploded into every entertainment genre over the last 10 years. Although the market for football podcasts certainly doesn’t need any more additions, those podcasts that have been off the ground for a few years and have developed a following are great ways to connect authentically with fellow fans and gauge the current consensus on the team you support.
The Iron Bru podcast is a clear example of this. Still, other football podcasts focus more generally on the league or other elements of the game, such as global marketing and football history.
More podcasts are now exploring live shows, which can help listeners and fans come together in a community, engage with each other and share ideas about the direction of their football club.
The format of many traditional TV shows has now taken on this model, where more supporters and podcasters are elevated to TV shows to give their opinions, and fans are invited to watch the recording of the show or to chime in with their own insightful (and not so insightful) questions.
If you are introverted, this might not sound like the best way to engage. However, with so many clubs now prioritising digital communications and media, this is the route that fan engagement is taking in the modern era.
Join fan engagement groups
One of the most effective ways to engage with a team is to join a fan engagement group. These meetings were big news before the internet, but they are still one of the most effective ways to contact the club.
Depending on the club, they will send representatives. Sometimes, those in managerial positions in the club will attend fan engagement meetings to break down the usual communication barriers between a club’s board and fanbase, and address any questions or issues directly.
Granted, this is not a model that all clubs follow, especially Premier League clubs that couldn’t care less about what the local fans have to say when they have a multibillion-pound business to run, and market their team across multiple continents. Still, in the lower leagues, where many clubs have not lost this connection to their supporters, this remains one of the most effective ways to engage with what’s going on with the club and the team.
Conclusion
As you have probably gathered today, engaging with your team can take on many different forms, based on the size of the club you support. If you support a club in the fifth tier of English football, for example, speaking to those who deal with the day-to-day running of the club will be much easier than speaking to the chairman of Liverpool or Arsenal about the direction in which the club is heading.
Football, ultimately, is about community. Develop and harness these community bonds, whether through social media, fan engagement, focus groups or by becoming a shareholder and having your say in the club’s future direction and business model. Usually, the best way to go about it is to combine all of these aspects.
