Hartlepool United ranked bottom of latest Fan Engagement Index alongside Leeds United and Newcastle United

The football Fan Engagement Index rates clubs in the top four divisions of English football using publicly available data on their dialogue, governance and transparency in fan engagement - with clubs also asked for their comment on the data collected.

The Fan Engagement Index awards up to 240 points to clubs overall based on the quality of their fan engagement. It comprises three categories, each offering up to 80 points before generating a sum-total.

The first Fan Engagement Index was published for the 2018-19 season.

And this year, Hartlepool, included for the first time in the 2021-22 Index, were listed 92nd with the club receiving the first ‘zero’ score in the Index’s history.

Hartlepool are joined at the bottom of the Index by Rotherham United who scored a total of 25 and Premier League duo Newcastle United and Leeds United who scored a total of 25 and 30 respectively, with the majority of Premier League clubs continuing to struggle when it comes to fan engagement

The owner of Think Fan Engagement, Kevin Rye, said: “The Fan Engagement Index was created as a positive way to make clubs take fan engagement more seriously, with an ambition to place it at the centre of everything they do.

“I’m not convinced we’re there yet, as can be seen by too many clubs still not – publicly at least – meeting fairly basic standards of engagement with their fans.

“But we know huge change is possible. It’s not a matter of size, it’s a matter of willingness.”

League One side, and fan-led club, Exeter City topped the Index for the fourth straight season with an overall score of 210 (Dialogue 75, Governance 80, Transparency 55).

Meanwhile, Carlisle United were League Two’s current highest ranked team in second place with an overall score of 190 (Dialogue 75, Governance 65, Transparency 50).

Hartlepool, however, are the first team to score zero in all three categories as per the 2021-22 Index.

But there is hope the club will be able to improve in next season’s release with clubs such as Swindon Town, Bradford City and Bristol Rovers all showing significant improvement over the last 12 months having been towards the bottom of the 2020-21 Index - Swindon posting a huge 100-point, 72 place rise from 92nd and bottom, up to 20th place this year.

Hartlepool’s move to host a series of fan forums earlier in the season, the first of which included head of operations Rose Stoker, senior advisor Lee Rust, club financial director Jonathan Rook, chief operating officer Stephen Hobin, chairman Raj Singh and then manager Keith Curle, should help the club in next year’s Index.

Chairman Singh has also held discussions with a number of fan groups this season whilst the addition of the club’s new retail social media page could also improve their Fan Engagement Index score.