Norwich City are already top of the Championship when it comes to their impressive season ticket base. Only Derby County come anywhere close to rivalling the massive show of support in Paul Lambert's squad ahead of City's return to the second tier after this week's announcement of a club record 20,550 take up.

Norwich City are already top of the Championship when it comes to their impressive season ticket base.

Only Derby County come anywhere close to rivalling the massive show of support in Paul Lambert's squad ahead of City's return to the second tier after this week's announcement of a club record 20,550 take up.

The Rams had sold 17,357 by their first renewal deadline and, with no fresh figures available over the summer, Nigel Clough's men can confidently expect another large following with Pride Park gates averaging 29,230 last season.

Derby's Championship neighbours Leicester and Nottingham Forest had both sold less than 15,000 by early July with Yorkshire powerhouses Leeds and Sheffield United also reporting sales in the mid teens.

City's new season ticket figure alone gives them a bigger average attendance than 14 of their Championship rivals based on last year's statistics with Cardiff (20,717), relegated Premiership club Burnley (20,653) and East Anglian rivals Ipswich (20,840) only slightly above Norwich's season ticket threshold.

Crisis club Portsmouth averaged 18,249 in the top flight last season while Hull are unlikely to maintain an average attendance of 24,390 at the KC Stadium following their demotion back to the Football League.

With Norwich undertaking close season rebuilding work to raise the Carrow Road capacity to 27,000 and a guaranteed increase in away support plus demand for casual home tickets, City look sure to feature in the top three average Championship attendances for the 2010/11 campaign.

“Our fan base is phenomenal, it really is,” said City boss Paul Lambert.

“I've said it before, that people from other parts of the country probably don't appreciate it but when you come here you really do. It's massive and the supporters are such a huge part of everything we do here.

“Now we must aim to reward their loyalty by performing well on the pitch. It means everything to myself, the staff and the players, who really appreciate the backing the fans give the club home and away, across mile after mile.”

City's head of customer services, Richard Gough, praised the loyalty of the club's sizeable support.

“Season tickets have continued to sell well throughout the summer,” he said. “This means we start next season with a record number of season tickets at Carrow Road and shows once again what incredible support we have at this club.”

Supporters can buy super memberships for �17.50, which entitle fans unable to commit to a season ticket first option during the season to purchase any available home league match tickets.