The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word DEVOTEES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
D
E
V
O
T
E
E
S
More clues leading to the result DEVOTEES
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Fans" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case fans = devotees.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DEVOTEES mean?
DEVOTEES noun- An ardent enthusiast or admirer.
- A fanatical or zealous believer in a particular religion or god.
- Someone with an amputee fetish.