THEIR task was to make more noise than any other non-league supporters in the country - but with one big effort they made a louder noise than crowds at Old Trafford or Anfield.

Russell Claydon

THEIR task was to make more noise than any other non-league supporters in the country - but with one big effort they made a louder noise than crowds at Old Trafford or Anfield.

Unofficially at least, AFC Sudbury fans can call themselves the loudest in the land after eclipsing levels of decibels recorded at all of the Premier League grounds this season at their match with Marlow on Saturday.

Whilst the football may have not been up to the usual standard special guest Ossie Ardiles has become accustomed to, the former World Cup winner admitted he was blown away by the noise at Kings Marsh Stadium.

The former Tottenham and Argentina legend said: “Yes, it was very nice. They were very loud.”

And while Manchester United's stadium has the benefit of up to 77,000 voices to create a cauldron of noise, Sudbury's 481 fans smashed the recording taken by Sky TV at Old Trafford earlier this season.

The Red Devils created a noise that hit 86.5 decibels but with a little help from a Second World War siren and a fleet of air horns, the racket stirred up at Kings Marsh at the weekend topped 106 decibels - louder than any of the 20 Premier League clubs.

The “Yellow Bellow” challenge involved Waldingfield-based experts Sound Research Laboratories taking a 10-minute recording pitchside as the players ran out.

Averaging at 98 decibels and peaking at 106, it was enough to beat this season's Premiership record - 101.8 decibels - set at the Britannia Stadium at Stoke.

Richard Critchlow, from Sound Research Laboratories: “They pulled out all the stops here and it is a great effort.

“It was better than I ever thought. It helps with all the air horns but it was quite impressive.

“It was above the noise at work regulations! It is for a bit of fun and not an official record, as I don't know the exact distance Sky were recording from and things like that, but it was during games so they weren't in the centre of the pitch or anything.

“We will now draw up the figures and send them through to the club to give them the information and also about the distance it was measured from.”

Richard Instance, a member of the AFC Sudbury Supporter's Club, who organised the event, was delighted with the carnival atmosphere they were able to create for the last match, which also included a schools penalty shoot-out competition involving legendary midfielder Ardiles, who was part of the 1978 World Cup winning squad.

“It was fantastic,” he said. “We are louder than Old Trafford or Anfield!”

The BSB Southern League Division One Midlands match ended in a 2-1 defeat for AFC Sudbury, which meant they finished the 2008-9 campaign in mid-table.