The Championship is known as one of the most unforgiving leagues in world football. It has 46 games, a relentless midweek schedule and a constant pull towards the Premier League.

In a division where the gap between a promotion push and a relegation scrap can be just a handful of results, the mood in the stands can shift overnight.

That makes patience one of the rarest qualities a fanbase can have. It’s easy to back your club when the wins keep coming. It’s much harder when the budget is modest, the manager is rebuilding, and a team that are above you are spending money you’ll never have.

So which supporters have the most perspective, give their managers the most time and refuse to voice their frustrations too vocally?

This ranking looks at the eight Championship fanbases that best represent the patience the league so often tests.

1 Preston North End

Preston North End have been in the Championship for just over a decade now, and have struggled to make any sort of serious push for promotion, which has underlined the fanbase's patience with the way things are.

At the same time, they've rarely been in danger of being relegated into League One, although their supporters might be fearing that trend could end this season.

North End find themselves in the relegation zone of the second-tier, and given their recent performances, the Deepdale faithful's patience will be severely tested this season, it seems.

2 Portsmouth

Portsmouth's inclusion in this list won't be at all surprising, as their off-field problems were well-documented in the past.

They were rescued from liquidation by their own supporters, who have dealt with some of the toughest situations when supporting a football club.

They've had plenty of high moments as well, with their FA Cup win in the 2007/08 campaign being top of the pile in the last 20 years.

They're in their third consecutive season in the Championship, and there isn't too much pressure from the club's fanbase to deliver a top-half finish this term.

3 Lincoln City

Lincoln City have endured a steady and impressive rise up the English football pyramid. The Imps were playing in the National League back in the 2016/17 season, and won the title with 99 points to their name.

That was their sixth consecutive season in the fifth-tier, but their fanbase didn't have to wait too long for another promotion, as they clinched promotion into League One in just their second season.

Not much would have been expected of Lincoln City in League One, as they don't have the biggest transfer budget compared to some of the teams at that level. However, they caught the eye for all the right reasons in the 2025/26 season, as they won promotion into the Championship for the first time in more than six decades.

There isn't any expectation on the Imps this season with a much smaller budget compared to teams in the second-tier, and even a run of losses wouldn't alarm the club's supporters, who have been patient for much of their history.

4 Bristol City

Bristol City have had plenty of promising signs over the years, which included a sixth-place finish in the 2024/25 season. That campaign ended in frustration though, as they were convincingly beaten by Sheffield United in their play-off semi-final.

In the last 20 seasons, Bristol City have been playing in the Championship for the last 18 years, which will be tough for the club's supporters.

Their owners haven't been shy in putting their hand in their pocket in recent years either, and so there will be some pressure for the manager and players to deliver positive results sooner rather than later.

Bristol City have in the past have been somewhat of a selling club though, with some of their bright young talents being sold to other clubs, and so there has been patience in the club's fanbase.

5 Charlton Athletic

Charlton have had some difficult years in the past when it comes to dealing with the club's owners, who they'll be pleased to have seen the back of nowadays.

The Addicks have been a solid League One club in the last decade, but have made the step-up to the Championship in the last couple of seasons, and their fanbase will be hoping they can consolidate themselves in the second-tier moving forward.

Nathan Jones is a passionate manager, and if he can find a run of positive results, then expectations could rise, which is a positive sign that the club are making good progress.

6 Derby County

Derby County supporters are another fanbase that have had to deal with off-field problems involving administrators. The Rams were deducted 21 points in 2021, which unsurprisingly saw them relegated into League One.

They didn't take too long to get back into the Championship though, winning promotion in their second season in the third-tier of English football.

The club's supporters have had some tough years, even in the Premier League, as they still hold the record for the lowest points tally in the top-flight.

Are there any other Championship clubs that you think should be included? Let us know in the comments!

7 Millwall

Millwall don't have the biggest transfer budget available to them, and so it's remarkable to see them competing at the right end of the Championship table.

The Lions finished third in the second-tier standings in the 2025/26 campaign, and missed out on a first-ever promotion into the Premier League after a defeat to Hull City in their play-off semi-final.

There hasn't been an expectation for the club to kick on from their League One days and achieve promotion into the top-flight, but it'll be interesting to see how they can follow up last season.

The club's fanbase aren't too demanding of results, and it would be fair to say that they're content with a hard-working team, as opposed to anything too flashy.

8 QPR

QPR's days of free-spending in the Premier League are long gone, and the club haven't played in the top-flight of English football since the 2014/15 season.

The Hoops are in their 12th consecutive season in the Championship, and haven't finished higher than ninth in the second-tier during that time, which isn't convincing at all.

They're a steady team at this level, and are capable of causing some of the so-called 'bigger' teams in the Championship problems, but they lack consistency.

It's easy to forget that QPR were under financial restrictions after their spending in the Premier League, and the club's supporters had to be patient, and still are, with the Hoops not exactly kicking on in terms of quicker progress that their fans might like to see.