The ball is in play longer at Bristol City games than for those involving all but one other Championship club.
The ball has been in play for 55.8% of the time during the average Robins league game this season, according to data from the CIES Football Observatory.
That works out at 50 minutes out of a 90 minute match.
That’s higher than the league’s average of 52.3%. Statistical quirk or does it mean anything? Arguably, it means that City's players must be fitter and get fewer breaks.
Only one other Championship club has seen the ball in play more often - Swansea City at 56.5%.
Derby have the next best record after Bristol City (55.6%) followed by Nottingham Forest (55.2%), Reading (55.1%) and Leeds (54.2%).
The fans of four clubs wait more than half the match for the ball to be in play.
Barnsley games see the ball in play an average of just 47.1% of the time.
For Wigan it’s 47.8% of the time, Middlesbrough 48.6%, Cardiff 48.9% and Preston 49.0%.
Average time in play
Club / Average
Swansea - 56.50%
Bristol City - 55.80%
Derby County - 55.60%
Nottingham Forest - 55.20%
Reading - 55.10%
Leeds - 54.20%
Brentford - 54.00%
Birmingham - 54.00%
Stoke City - 53.20%
WBA - 52.60%
Luton Town - 52.60%
Hull City - 52.10%
Huddersfield - 52.10%
Blackburn - 52.10%
QPR - 52.10%
Charlton Athletic - 52.00%
Fulham - 51.90%
Millwall - 51.50%
Sheffield Wednesday - 50.50%
Preston - 49.00%
Cardiff City - 48.90%
Middlesbrough - 48.60%
Wigan - 47.80%
Barnsley - 47.10%
AVERAGE - 52.3
