Top 10 Best EFL Championship Players of All Time
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Top 10 Best EFL Championship Players of All Time

Top 10 Best EFL Championship Players of All Time

In arguably the most competitive league in world football, there has been some special players to grace the Championship over the years. We're going to take a look at the top 10 best players to ever play in the second tier of English football.

10. Jude Bellingham

How could we not include Bellingham on this list? Despite only playing just the one championship season for Birmingham, it was clear the teenage sensation was destined to be a star. His athleticism at such a young age was frightening and his presence on the pitch was abnormal for a 16-year-old.

Deemed a future Ballon d'OR winner by many, the now Real Madrid star has become one of the main men at the Bernabeu. He recieved heaps of praise from Wayne Rooney who came up against the young midfielder for Derby in the 2019/20 season. When speaking about the young star a year ago, Rooney said he knew then that he was going to be a special player. He remembered thinking, "this kid's going all the way". Now brother Jobe hopes to follow in his footsteps as he joins Borussia Dortmund like his older brother did five years ago.

9. Kieran Trippier

Kieran Trippier's time in the championship is not to be forgotten about. Making 174 appearances in the division, the then young defender started out at Barnsley in the division before making the switch to Burnley initially on loan in 2011 and then made permanent. His ability to get quality balls into the box saw the man from Bury achieve back-to-back seasons where he managed 12 assists before Burnley's eventual promotion to the top flight in 2014.

The defender was such a reliable force during his time with The Clarets and was also a threat to the opposition with his delivery from set plays. Now at the age of 34, the right back is a senior member of a top Newcastle side and has made many appearances at several major tournaments for his country.

8. Kasper Schmeichel

Son of legendary goalkeeper Peter, Leicester cult-hero Kasper Schmeichel was always playing in the shadow of his father's legacy. After a short spell at Leeds United the Danish international played an integral part in the promotion for Leicester in 2014 to the Premier League. Winning nine consecutive league games under Nigel Pearson's leadership the man between the sticks sure played his part in a fairytale season for The Foxes and a feeling that the Leicester fans became accustomed to over the next years. Schmeichel was so reliable for Leicester, not missing a single league match for them across three full Championship seasons he had with the club and he is granted a very deserving spot on this list.

7. Kevin Phillips

Kevin Phillips is considered by many as a legend of the game and after racking up over 100 goal contributions in 189 appearances for five different clubs, we feel he deserves a spot in our top 10. The striker has won the division twice with West Brom and Leicester. He's also managed to achieve promotion on two occasions with Birmingham and Crystal Palace. Arguably his best season was his second at West Brom though. The striker scored 22 goals on route to being crowned winners of the league. Phillips retired at the age of 40 showing his sheer longevity and his dedication of being a true professional who went on to score many goals in the Premier League as well.

6. Wes Morgan

Wes Morgan was a rock at the back for Leicester City, along with Schmeichel he was part of the unbelievable Foxes side that notched over 100 points on their way to the Premier League in the 2013/14 season. The Jamaican managed over 300 appearances in the championship with a spell at Nottingham Forest before making the switch to The King Power Stadium where he became club captain.

He has experienced every emotion in football at almost every level after beginning his career with Forest in League One. His leadership for Leicester has been immense and his performances for the club have been exceptional, during which they were crowned champions in 2014 earning the central defender a first call-up to the Jamaican national side that season.

5. Billy Sharp

The all time leading goal-scorer in the division has to be included on this list. Billy Sharp managed 130 goals during his time in the Championship and played for six different clubs in the division. His poacher like instincts were ever-present during his time in the league, which has seem him play 397 times. He managed 23 goals as his best return during the promotion season with Sheffield United in 2018/19. His consistency in finding the back of the net throughout his career has to be recognised and considering his first championship season was over a decade ago, it clearly shows the Yorkshire born striker has looked after himself throughout his career.

4. Wes Hoolahan

Labelled the 'Irish' Messi, Wes Hoolahan enjoyed a year spanning a decade for Norwich City. The midfielder had a wand of a left foot and demonstrated throughout the years, the technical quality that he possessed. Part of two promotions with The Canaries, Hoolahan was central to everything the Norfolk side conjured up during his Championship tenor. His solo goal against Rotehrham opitimised the excellence of the midifielders play, as he sat down two defenders with a couple of feints as well as the goalkeeper, before cooling dispatching in to an empty net. His 11 assists in the 2014/15 season carried his team to a third place finish and they achieved promotion through the playoffs.

3. Adel Taarabt

One of the most skillful and exciting players to ever play the game, Adel Taarabt certainly got fans of his seats with his trickery at Loftus Road. Whilst being acussed of being lazy when first arriving to English football, those views soon faded when the Morrocan star began shining for QPR. The talented attacking midfielder had two full seasons in the Championship with the latter being one of the greatest we have ever seen. Tarrabt managed 19 goals and 16 assists in the 2010/11 season as QPR were crowned champions and promoted to the Premier League. The brillance of Taarabt made him a fan favourite in West London and he continued to show glimpses once in the top flight, but could never replicate the scintillating quality he possessed in the Championship that campaign.

2. Peter Whittingham

The late Cardiff legend Peter Whittingham was a fabulous midfielder who helped the Bluebirds achieve promotion in 2013. He holds the record for most assists in the championship with 72, a key provider for his teammates over his career. His ability to score important goals wasn't to be sniffed at either especially in the 2009/10 season as he won the golden boot from midfield scoring 20 goals, his best return during his career. The news of his passing in 2021 shocked the football world, as the 35-year-old had a freak accident in a local pub, falling down a flight of stairs and hitting his head. He died in hospital eleven days later after failing to regain conciousness. His legacy lives on around the Cardiff City stadium and he will go down as one of the greats in Championship folklore.

1. Aleksandr Mitrovic

After a promising second half to the season after signing on an initial loan from Newcastle in January 2018 Aleksandr Mitrovic made the move permanent to Craven Cottage the following summer. What was soon to come from the striker was nothing short of heroic. The Serbian striker had argubably the greatest season ever seen in the Championship in the 2020/21 campaign where he netted 43 times in 44 appearances as Fulham became eventual champions. His goal tally beat the previous record in a 46 game season set by Guy Whittingham for Porsmouth in 1992. However in the modern era nobody has even come close to the strikers figure, which makes it hard to argue why he doesn't deserve to take top spot as the league's greatest.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Theo Nicholson

Writer

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