10 Greatest EFL Championship Seasons Of All Time

10 Greatest EFL Championship Seasons Of All Time

One of the most entertaining leagues in world football has hosted some incredible players and teams. Football Park have decided to rank the 10 best seasons ever seen in the Championship since it began in 2004.

10. (2015/16) - Winners Burnley

Spear-headed by the no nonsense Sean Dyche, Burnley were promoted to the Premier League after they beat Middlesborough and Brighton to the tite by four points. The Seagulls lost out on goal difference to Middlesborough and had to settle for a play-off place. Unfortunately they didn't make the final and it was Hull City who went on to the top flight through the play-offs that season.

9. (2014/15) - Winners: Bournemouth

After being in the fourth-tier just six years prior, Eddie Howe's Bournemouth achieved promotion to the English top flight by winning the title by a single point in the last game of the season against Watford. It was just the second season in the division for the Cherries with stars like Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie, Harry Artur and Steve Cook who went on to be key stars in the Premier League for Boruenmouth.

WELCOME Congratulations to @afcbournemouth on winning the Championship. They'll be the 47th team to play in the #BPL pic.twitter.com/4T8ttD9vpq

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 2, 2015

8. (2010/11) - Winners: Queens Park Rangers

This season is very memorable thanks to a certain Moroccan international. The trickster Adel Taarabt set the Championship a light for Neil Warnock's Queens Park Rangers side, scoring 19 goals and 16 assists. Not able to replicate his brilliance in the Premier League, but Taarabt cannot be forgotten for Championship fans. Norwich and Swansea joined Rangers promotion to top flight that season.

7. (2016/17) - Winners: Newcastle

It was joy for Spaniard Rafa Benitez during this season, as he helped Newcastle return to the Premier League after he was initially appointed the season prior to try and keep the Magpies in the top flight, but failed to do so. Brighton placed second gaining the other automatic promotion spot and Huddersfield against all odds won the play-off final against Reading, despite almost getting relegated to League One the season before.

Wishing our former manager @rafabenitezweb a very happy birthday! 🥳

⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/mg1dRrai9B

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) April 16, 2023

6. (2013/14) - Winners: Leicester

The Foxes were incredible in the 2013/14 campaign. Captained by the Jamaican Wes Morgan in a team that included Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, Riyad Mahrez and Danny Drinkwater, the East Midlands side reached 102 points and won the league. At the other end of the table, the relegation battle went right down to the wire. Doncaster and Birmingham both finished on 44 points, but Birmingham's 15 superior goal difference secured their safety.

5. (2017/18) - WInners: Wolves

One of the most incredible influx of signings that the league has ever seen, Wolves amassed 99 points upon their title winning campaign. The takeover of the Fosun Group saw Wolves shock the footballing world when they signed Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves for a league record £15.8M fee. Diogo Jota was the top scorer ,who was on an initial loan with Wolves from Atletico Madrid, before later signing the following season, where they would finish 7th in the Premier League.

🗓️ On this day in 2017, Wolves completed the signing of Ruben Neves.

✨ Wonderkid from Porto#WWFC | #Wolves pic.twitter.com/KIkwGRMcBU

— Talking Wolves (@TalkingWolves) July 7, 2023

4. (2024/25) - Winners: Leeds

The only time in Championship history that two teams achieved 100 points in a single season with Leeds and Burnley the two teams to do just that. In addition Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford broke the record for keeping the most cleans sheets (24) in a Championship campaign and has since gone to sign for Manchester City.

3. (2009/10) - Winners: Newcastle

In an excellent season for the Magpies, they topped the table with an impressive 102 points, losing just four games in the process. West Brom joined them back in the Premier League, but the play-off winners were most surprising as Blackpool beat Cardiff 3-2 with goals from Charlie Adam, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Brett Ormerod, gaining promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history.

On this day in 2010... 🗓

Blackpool beat Cardiff in the Play-off final!

Charlie Adam scoring THAT free kick 👏👏@Charlie26Adam #UTMP
pic.twitter.com/HgjK4JzF5x

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) May 22, 2023

2. (2022/23) Winners: Burnley

Vincent Kompany revolutionised the way that Burnely played football. After the sacking of Sean Dyche, a new era dawned for the Lancashire side and the Belgian did not disappoint. His side blitzed the league reaching 101 points, losing three games. Top scorer Nathan Tella would go on to sign for Bayer Leverkusen and win the Bundesliga the next campaign.

1. (2006/07) - Winners: Reading

It may be the best we will ever will see. Reading in 2006/07 were unstoppable, with the two Irishmen in Shane Long and Kevin Doyle with the latter scoring 18 league goals earning him top scorer for his side. Other crucial players included Steve Sidwell who scored 10 times from midfield and Leroy Lita who signed from Bristol City that summer. Acheiving 106 points is yet to be beaten for almost two decades, making football fans wonder if it will ever be surpassed.

Record points total from each of the 3 leagues since the Football League adapted in 2004:

Championship - Reading, 2005/06, 1⃣0⃣6⃣ pts.

League One - Wolves, 2013/14, 1⃣0⃣3⃣ pts.

League Two - Northampton Town, 2015/16, 9⃣9⃣ pts.#efl #ReadingFC #wolves #ntfc pic.twitter.com/yLzqZNsiyz

— Concourse 72 (@72Concourse) July 4, 2024