There may be just one Asian footballer in the Premier League (take a bow, Sunderland's Michael Chopra) and only two per cent of the fans attending the matches are from ethnic minorities, - but our football clubs just cannot get enough of Asia.

Chelsea football club have announced that they are to be the official partner of a new Malaysian TV reality contest 'Super Soccer Star', in which the club will help hunt for the next big star amongst thousands of hopefuls in Kuala Lumpur.

It's a savvy commercial move by chief executive Peter Kenyon as it gives Chelsea a strong presence right in the heart of Asia where the appetite of all things Premiership seems to be growing by the day.

In countries like Malaysia, Singapore, India and China, English football is no longer a sport followed by small groups of ex-pats.

Thousands of fans cram into bars and restaurants every weekend to watch the live games.

The growing importance of the region to the Premier League was made all too apparent this year with the controversial 'Game 39' proposal, which would involve an international round of fixtures.

Chelsea's foray into Malaysian TV, comes after David Gill, the Manchester United Chief Executive suggested that the club could open football schools in India.

But while our biggest football clubs are chasing a diverse and lucrative fan base abroad, many of them have failed to do this on their own doorstep.

In 2004 a report by the Independent Football Commission found that the football top flight had failed Black and Asian communities in several ways, noting a lack a lack of ethnic minorities amongst coaching staff, governing bodies and on the terraces.

It also criticised the game for failing to produce more British Asian footballers and found that just two per cent of fans at the grounds described themselves as from an ethnic minority.

Four years on there is little to suggest that the situation has improved, and with so many football clubs (apart from Manchester City) facing challenging financial conditions in the coming months there is a strong business case for getting more ethnic fans through their turnstiles.

There are some clubs which have done well in reaching out to ethnic fans.

Wolverhampton Wanderers for example have a well known supporters club called the Punjabi Wolves, who have been embraced by the club and hold associated events such as charity galas throughout the year.
Liverpool recently supported and endorsed the publication of a book by the journalist Mo Bhana called the Asian Liverbird, which delves into why the club has such a large British Asian fan base.
The book has been warmly received by everyone associated with the club.

Whilst some clubs, like Arsenal benefit from a very diverse fan base without really having to try, others struggle.

Take West Ham FC for example.

On the one hand the club has made strides in grass roots initiatives working with a diverse group of local youngsters yet on matchdays it attracts a relatively tiny number of black and Asian fans.

An interesting thing happened at Blackburn Rovers FC this Summer. Faced with swathes of empty seats at Ewood Park, the club has moved to bring in more Asian fans by opening a multi-faith prayer room,. This was hailed as a 'fantastic gesture' by the local mosque.

Nearby clubs such as Bolton and Burnley will be watching closely to see whether the move will get more coming through the turnstiles.

The Premier League is a big global brand, of that there is no doubt, but the football clubs which want to tap into the Asian market need to start closer to home than Asia.

Imagine how many shirts David Gill or Peter Kenyon could sell in South Asia, if one of the star players of Chelsea or Manchester United was a Singh, Khan or Patel.