According to the latest research overseas football fans going to Premier League matches is now a booming industry worth £684 million to the UK economy.

According to Visit Britain which has a partnership with the Premier League, over 800,000 overseas football fans flocked to Britain in 2014 to watch Premier League football and that was worth a staggering £684 million to the economy.

Most fans came from the Republic of Ireland (121,000), then Norway (93,000), Sweden (58,000) and the United States (53,000) next. Following up comes the Netherlands were indeed Saints saw an influx of visitors from last season after Ronald Koeman's arrival and then Spain France & Germany.

Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium were the most popular venues, both receiving 109,000 visits each.

Indeed the Norwegian Branch of the Liverpool supporters club estimates that for the big games at Anfield as many as 1,500 Norwegians are in attendance.

Tore Hansen is the chief executive of the official Norway branch of the Liverpool Supporters' Club and has been visiting Anfield for the past three decades.

He told BBC Sport

"The love affair started in the 1960s when many Norwegians adopted English teams as a result of games being screened on TV. Also the numerous flight routes to Britain have made it easier for fans to travel."

"It's been building for many years," one of the reasons was because the standard of football in Norway wasn't that great. British football has always been popular in Norway and it's also a nice country to visit."

"Some Norwegian fans end up buying from season ticket holders, with some choosing to sell their seats every week. He also says there are many examples of fans paying for tickets on the internet, never to see them in person.

The demand is massive and it's a shame it's gone that way, especially for local people in Liverpool,"

But it isn't all good news, many football supporters groups are saying that the figures have underlined concerns they have about the make-up of fans in stadiums, ticket prices and club identity.

Certainly some of the big club's have actively courted a "tourist" fan base and for the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal & Liverpool who sell out week in week out there is a feeling that financially they are better off selling tickets individually every match for a Premium rate to supporters who due to coming from abroad and on a rare perhaps only visit to their club's ground are likely to spend more on merchandise etc than a season ticket holder or regular local supporter.

Photo: Action Images

SaintBrock added 19:59 - Sep 10 You've really got to love football to fly to a foreign country to watch a game of football that doesn't involve local teams. These people are true football fans and far from condemning their presence let's praise them for their sheer enterprise in being there. I hear so much moaning and groaning about how difficult it was to get in from Bitterne or Hedge End yet these guys cross oceans to watch a game and are always there on time. Long may they continue to come, all are welcome.

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ericofarabia added 20:50 - Sep 10 I get my tickets sent to my UK address so they aren't aware that I'm an overseas visitor!!
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nysaint added 02:58 - Sep 11 I think there are quite a few English expats who fly in for games.. I myself am flying in from NY for my annual trip tomorrow night .. getting off the plane Saturday morning and driving to the Baggies game :-) hoping my 3 games in the UK = 3 wins..
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Bettwsresident added 08:02 - Sep 11 nysaaint, love it! I had the same feeling coming from Wales for many years. Had a season ticket twice 1993-94 (the peak of Le Gods powers) and in 10-11 (the great league 1 promotion season). Now I get to 1-2 games a year as a Welsh Saint. From 2011 to Swansea last year I only ever saw Saints win..then came that horrible game against Swansea..bossed it, couldn't score and the Shelvey goal felt inevitable. It was the start of the slide for which I feel kind off responsible!

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