England Fans Left Debt Riddled And Disappointed

England fans out in South Africa will be returning home riddled with debt as well as disappointment, according to new research by money transfer provider, Western Union. A poll of England supporters in South Africa reveals fans forked out an average of £4-5K each to follow the Group stages of the World Cup; equivalent to more than two months’ wages.

Michael Brunskill, a spokesman for the Football Supporters Federation (FSF), whose members out in South Africa were surveyed for the poll, said:

"Being a football fan is a costly business and the FSF always advises fans to plan in advance so we hope that most won’t be returning to the UK too out of pocket. However, with England squad members on an average wage of £125,000 per week, their World Cup performance is bound to raise the question of whether players offered value for money for fans."

Every cloud… Disappointed fans may have scored a saving

Fans’ current debts are likely to have doubled had England progressed beyond Sunday’s game according to the poll – and fewer than half of fans had budgeted for this (44%).

The poll, commissioned by Western Union, reveals most fans would have turned to emergency measures (including friends and family) to get their hands on the extra cash:

·  Nearly one in three (30%) fans would have put the extra expense on credit cards 

·  One in six (18%) would have dipped into their 

·  Nearly one in ten (9%) would have looked for hand-outs from friends and family