10 Greatest Players in EFL Championship History

The 10 Greatest Players in EFL Championship History

The Championship has been a cauldron for some of the most exciting talents to have graced the Premier League, from Gareth Bale to Eberechi Eze, but there are some who stand out for their outstanding contributions during their time in the division.

Whether that be one or two incredible seasons, or a career of consistency in the most exciting league in the world, there are plenty of names in the conversation for the best Championship players of all time, so here is our attempt at ranking the best of the best.

Just to clarify, this list is only compiled of players who were at the peak of their powers after the division became officially called the Championship, which means 2004 and onwards.

10 - Pablo Hernández (Leeds United)

The Spanish winger arrived at Elland Road in 2016 and quickly established himself as one of the most threatening players in the Championship, providing so much quality from the wing that defenders simply couldn't handle him.

Hernández played under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds, a manager with decades of experience by this point, who is regarded as something of a legend in Argentinian football. Talking about the winger after a complete dismantling of the Norwich backline in a 3-0 win, the manager said:

“He’s a complete player from every point of view (...), Pablo reads the needs of the team and he gives solutions to all the problems of the team, in each sector of the field.”

Pablo Hernandez for Leeds:

175 Matches
36 Goals
39 Assists
1 Championship title 😍
3 Consecutive player of the season awards 🔥

Was one of the shining lights at, what turned out to be, the end of a dull period. Despite his age, his class has shown

Thank you Pablo#LUFC pic.twitter.com/urJnCFqHt0

— All Day LUFC (@AllDayLUFC) May 21, 2021

He was voted as the Player of the Year for Leeds for three seasons in a row, alongside an inclusion in the PFA Championship Team of the Year in the 2018/19 season.

As an integral part of the Leeds side that finally won promotion to the Premier League in 2019, Hernández has gone down as a legend in West Yorkshire for his continuous remarkable contributions, which saw him described as "the most creative player in the Championship".

9 - Rúben Neves (Wolves)

Neves is a prime example of a player who wasn't in the Championship for long but was so unbelievably influential that their time in the league is still discussed today.

Joining for a then-record second-tier fee of around £15.6 million, expectations around the ex-Porto midfielder were understandably very high, but he rose to the occasion with aplomb and completely exceeded what was anticipated of him.

His year in the Championship saw his side win the league while he scored six goals, all of which were from outside the box, including one of the best goals the division has ever seen, which he scored against Derby County.

Unsurprisingly, he was awarded the EFL Goal of the Year award, which was joined by a place in the Championship Team of the Season and a hat-trick of awards for Wolves, namely Player of the Season, Players' Player of the Season and Goal of the Season.

It's safe to say he had a memorable time at Molineux in the Championship, before becoming a key player for the side in the Premier League in the years that followed.

8 - Albert Adomah (Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Cardiff, QPR)

I'm getting the word... journeyman.

Adomah's time at an array of second-tier clubs, most recently being his boyhood club QPR, has seen him break the record for appearances in the Championship with a total of 526, overtaking goalkeeper Lee Camp in April 2024.

Renowned for his speed and tricky ability on the flank, he got his first taste of second-tier football at Bristol City in 2010, where he became a fan favourite and earned the club's Player of the Season award in his first year in the South-West.

Upon the Robins' relegation in 2013, he moved to the other side of England to Middlesbrough, where he earned promotion to the Premier League by finishing second, which saw him make his only two appearances in the top flight.

Next up was a three-year stint at Aston Villa, where he was part of the formidable side that beat Frank Lampard's Derby in the play-off final, earning his second promotion to the Premier League, before short runs at Nottingham Forest and Cardiff.

One of the #EFL’s great entertainers ⚽️🕺

Congratulations @uncs37 on an incredible 700 EFL appearances 👏 pic.twitter.com/sjbEA6fjfb

— EFL (@EFL) December 16, 2025

He joined QPR in 2020 and went on to spend four years at the London club, the longest amount of time he stayed at a single side. He now represents Walsall in League Two, but at 38 years old, it seems his illustrious career may well come to an end soon.

7 - Kevin Phillips (West Brom, Birmingham, Blackpool, Crystal Palace, Leicester)

'Super Kev' was a player that experienced tremendous success outside of the Championship, but is just as memorable for the impact he had on the league.

Having won the European Golden Boot award at Sunderland for scoring 30 goals in the Premier League, West Brom probably couldn't believe their luck to bring him into the club in 2006, especially considering he was leaving rivals Aston Villa to join them.

Happy birthday to #SkyBetChampionship legend, Kevin Phillips! 👑#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/FHs8yUkV3A

— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) July 25, 2024

He was a thoroughly emphatic striker at Championship level, which saw him earn four different promotions at four different clubs, having won the league with West Brom in his first season at this level and with Leicester in his last.

A second-place finish with Birmingham in 2009 and a play-off triumph with Palace five years later made up the rest of his promotions, on top of the individual honours he picked up whilst in the second tier, including a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year in 2007, which also saw him win the Championship Player of the Year award.

In 2008, famous football magazine FourFourTwo named Phillips as the best player in the Football League, and I can't say there was much of an argument against him.

6 - Jordan Rhodes (Ipswich, Huddersfield, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich)

Despite starting his career at Ipswich and becoming an excellent League One player at Huddersfield, Blackburn is where Rhodes really began his Championship dominance, as he had made only 12 appearances at that level prior to his signing for the Rovers.

His move cost Blackburn £8 million in 2012, before he went on to score 83 goals in 159 Championship games. Stints at Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday followed, though they weren't as goal-laden.

Rhodes played a role in Norwich's promotion in the 2018/19 season when he was loaned out, which he then followed by returning to West Yorkshire to offer plenty of Championship experience in the Huddersfield ranks.

His best goalscoring years were certainly spent at Blackburn, which contributed most of the goals to his final Championship tally of 123, taking him up to second in the league's all-time scorers list.

Jordan Rhodes has retired 🫡

244 goals in 664 appearances.

123 in 381 Championship appearances.

Absurdly consistent goalscorer, incredible player at Blackburn and one of the best at this level, ever. pic.twitter.com/h7dhb1oSRu

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) September 3, 2025

In fact, only two players have scored more goals in the top four tiers of English football since 2004, one of which is Harry Kane, and the other will come up in this list...

Having won promotions with Middlesbrough and Norwich, as well as being named Blackburn Player of the Year in 2013, the biggest achievement of Rhodes' career is definitely being included in the Football League Team of the Decade.

5 - Wes Hoolahan (Blackpool, Norwich, West Brom)

'Wessi' is remembered primarily for his 10 years of service for Norwich from 2008-2018, though he played Championship football at Blackpool before and at West Brom afterwards.

Hoolahan was such a good player for Norwich that he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame after only four seasons in 2012, before going on to spend another six years in East Anglia.

Who knew that a Wes Hoolahan comp would be the best thing you’d see today?pic.twitter.com/y5nQThckUC

— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) October 21, 2024

Though he played plenty of Premier League football, it was the Championship where he really proved his class and showed just how much better he was than most of the division year after year, racking up a tally of 222 games in the second tier, where he registered 73 goal contributions.

Earning two promotions to the Premier League with Norwich, one through the play-offs and one in second place, was on its own enough to give him legendary status, but throw into the mix a place in the 2011 PFA Championship Team of the Season, Norwich Player of the Season 2016 and a place in the Football League Team of the Decade, alongside Jordan Rhodes, and you've got one hell of a player on your hands.

4 - Billy Sharp (Sheffield United, Doncaster Rovers, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Leeds United, Hull)

Billy Sharp is a certified legend of English football, having scored in each of the top four tiers, with an unquenchable thirst for finding the back of the net that has meant he has scored more goals than any player in professional English football since 2004.

He loves returning to old clubs, as to this date he is in his fourth stint at Doncaster, which follows three separate stints at Sheffield United, whom he loves so much that he almost hung up his boots two years ago when they released him.

It's for the Blades that he enjoyed his richest goalscoring form, particularly between 2015 and 2023, which unsurprisingly saw him become the all-time highest Championship goalscorer.

On this day in 2022! 📆

Billy Sharp became the top goalscorer in Championship history! 🐐👏@billysharp10 👑 pic.twitter.com/UwNmcOK2t7

— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) January 29, 2024

Sharp earned three promotions to the Premier League, his first coming with Southampton and the next two with Sheffield United, as well as being named the Blades' Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons and two appearances in the EFL Team of the Season in 2016/17 and 2018/19.

In the latter season, he also earned a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Season.

3 - Adel Taarabt (QPR)

Similar to Rúben Neves, Taarabt didn't need long to display his ability in the Championship, only playing two full seasons in the second tier, but he may have dropped one of the single best campaigns ever witnessed at that level.

We all know of Taarabt for being the most prominent figure to feature in the 'Streets Won't Forget' lists, and I assure you, his trickery was just as remarkable in the Championship as the clips of him in the Premier League.

The Moroccan creator captained the West London outfit to the title in the 2010/11 season, earning QPR promotion after 15 years away from the top flight, but his individual performances stand out the most from that period.

😮‍💨🇲🇦 Adel Taarabt had PURE ability! 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/Yro8YQJcKf

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 1, 2025

He put up an unbelievable tally from midfield of 19 goals and 16 assists under Neil Warnock that season, which, unsurprisingly, earned him a plethora of individual awards, including Championship Player of the Year and Championship Top Assister provider, as well as a spot in the PFA Championship Team of the Season.

He continued to dazzle in the following years, but his career slowed and he never reached the level that he had achieved in the Championship and early Premier League seasons.

2 - Alexander Mitrovic (Newcastle, Fulham)

I don't think there's any doubting that Mitrovic is the best Championship striker of all time, given his ferocious goalscoring habits and physical dominance over opposition defences.

His first run in the second tier came with Newcastle, where he didn't exactly inspire, but he joined Fulham in 2018 and became part of their infamous yo-yo period, where they endured three promotions and two relegations in five seasons.

Mitrovic became an incredibly consistent goalscorer in the Championship, though he initially didn't seem to make the same impact at the top level, which certainly contributed to Fulham's habit of relegation.

He had already become a feared striker at this level, but the 2021/22 season saw Fulham unleash a Mitrovic the likes of which the Championship had never seen, as he enjoyed one of the single most emphatic goalscoring seasons ever in the second tier.

The Serbian striker registered a mind-blowing 43 goals in a single season, annihilating the record that Ivan Toney had established just the season prior of 30. This season alone probably would've been enough to have him in the upper echelons of this list.

All-time leading, single-season goalscorers since 2⃣0⃣0⃣4⃣:

Championship - Alexander Mitrovic, Fulham, 43 Goals, 2021-22.

League One - Jordan Rhodes, Huddersfield Town, 36 Goals, 2011-12.

League Two - Paul Mullin, Cambridge United, 32 Goals, 2020-21. #fulham #htafc #cufc pic.twitter.com/B93LUBgBiE

— Concourse 72 (@72Concourse) July 3, 2024

Simply, the Championship has never had a striker like Alexander Mitrovic, who toyed with every defence in the league and made sure nobody was safe from his wrath.

1 - Peter Whittingham (Burnley, Derby, Cardiff)

Frankly, we can ignore Burnley and Derby when discussing Whittingham in the Championship, as his impact came exclusively in his time at Cardiff, where he played the majority of his 399 games in the second tier.

Whittingham is regarded as one of the most important players to have played in the second tier, given his immense loyalty and dedication to Cardiff, whom he spent 11 years with and delivered some excellent performances for, usually from the centre of midfield, though he was known to dabble on the flanks from time to time.

He certainly enjoyed finding the net too, ending the 2009/10 season as the Championship's top scorer, an honour that goes alongside three appearances in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, two awards of Cardiff Player of the Year and a spot alongside Wes Hoolahan in the midfield of the Football League Team of the Decade.

Unfortunately, Peter Whittingham passed away in 2020 at just 35 years old, with his untimely death prompting memorials and tributes from across the footballing world, a real testament to how much of an impact Whittingham had.

There is no doubt that Whittingham is the best player in the history of the Championship, combining undeniable ability and sensational longevity.

What a player Peter Whittingham was.

Gone far too soon. RIP. 🙏pic.twitter.com/XZSSN2uRyA

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 19, 2020