Who Are The Top 10 Biggest Clubs In The EFL?
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Who Are The Top 10 Biggest Clubs In The EFL?

Who Are The Top 10 Biggest Clubs In The EFL?

When talking about the biggest clubs in English football, it’s hard to pin down a concrete list that covers all bases. However I’ve done my best to consider factors such as trophies won, consistency and history amongst other elements to build my top 10.

10 - Coventry City

Coventry City have spent 34 seasons in the top tier of English football and were a founding member of the Premier League in 1992. The club have won one FA Cup, one Second tier title, two Third tier titles, and the Football League Trophy as some of their most notable honours. The Sky Blues have also competed in European competitions in the form of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Since playing in the Football League since 1919, the club fluctuated between the Second and Fourth tiers of English football until 1967. This is when Coventry spent 34 successive seasons in the First Division/Premier League, as they were relegated at the end of the 2000/01 campaign. During their stint in England's highest league, the club won the 1987 FA Cup.

9 - Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers are another team to be a founding member of the Football League in 1888, having been founded in 1884. The Wanderers have won the FA Cup four times (1923, 1926, 1929 and 1958) as well as the Football League Trophy twice (1989 and 2023). They have been runners-up of the FA Cup another three times and have lost the final of the League Cup on two occasions. In total, Bolton have played 73 seasons in the top-flight of English football, boasting a rich history in the sport.

Since the turn of the century the club has been on a rollercoaster ride, experiencing the highs of the Premier League to the lows of League Two. After Sam Allardyce secured the side’s promotion to the Premier League in the 2000/01 campaign, the club remained there until the 2011/12 season where they were relegated after finishing the campaign in 18th place. Four years in the Championship followed, until relegation to League One occurred in the 2015/16 season. After bouncing back and forth between the second and third tier of English football, the club were relegated to League Two at the end of the 2019/20 season. Bolton currently sit in League One, chasing promotion back to the Championship.

8 – Portsmouth

After joining the English Football League in the form of the third division in 1920, the club quickly made their way up to the First Division. With promotions in 1924 and 1927, Pompey became the first club south of London to reach England’s highest tier. Portsmouth won the First Division in two consecutive seasons in the 1948/49 and 1949/50 campaigns. The south coast side have won the FA Cup twice, alongside one Community Shield and one EFL Trophy.

After 32 successive seasons in England’s top-flight, Pompey were relegated to the Second Division in 1959. They spent most seasons up until the 2003/04 campaign in the Second tier but had a seven-season stint in the Premier League from 2003 to 2010. In this time they won their second FA Cup in 2008, but soon after entered two financial administrations and three relegations.

The club were purchased by the Pompey Supporters Trust in 2013, saving Portsmouth and allowing them to financially recover. Pompey are in a select group of only five teams to have won all four professional tiers of English football. Portsmouth have played at Fratton Park for 126 years, showing a deep-rooted connection with the club’s history. They gained promotions from League Two and League One in recent years, and the club currently play in the Championship.

7 – Leicester City

The club was founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse F.C before being renamed to Leicester City in 1919 as they merged with the city of Leicester. The Foxes joined the Football League in 1894 and have since picked up multiple titles. These include one Premier League title (2015/16), one FA Cup (2020/21), three League Cups (1963/64, 1996/97, 1999/2000) and two Community Shields (1971 and 2021) as the club’s most impressive achievements.

Leicester City are different compared to the rest of the teams on this list, as they have seen their success come in more recent years. It means that the Foxes are the sixth most successful team in English football since 2000 when it comes to trophies won. The club are also only in a select group of seven winners of the Premier League since its introduction in 1992. The club have also participated in Europe seven times, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in the 2016/17 season and Conference League semi-finals in the 2021/22 campaign.

After being relegated from the Premier League last season, Leicester will be looking to bounce back to the Premier League next season.

6 - Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town were founded in 1908 and joined the Football League in 1910. Since then, the club has won three First Division titles (all won consecutively), one FA cup and one Second Division title. The Terriers have also been FA Cup runners-up four times. The club have spent 32 seasons in the top-flight of English football, with most of these campaigns coming between the years of 1920 and 1956.

Huddersfield’s most successful stint in the sport came in the 1920s, where they won the FA Cup in 1922, as well as winning the 1924, 1925 and 1926 First Division titles. Only five teams in the history of English football have won the top-flight title three years in a row, putting Huddersfield in an illustrious group of clubs. After being in the highest league of English football since 1920, the Terriers were relegated in 1952 ending their 32-year streak in the First Division. The club’s most recent appearance in the Premier League was in the 2018/19 season, with the team currently playing in League One.

5 - West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion were also another founding member of the Football League in 1888 and have played 82 seasons in the top tier of English football. Their consistent presence within England’s highest division has contributed to their big-name status within English football. They have one top-flight title to their name, five FA Cups, one League Cup and two Charity Shields.

The Baggies won the First Division in the 1919/20 season and have finished runners-up twice. The club have reached an impressive 10 FA Cup finals, winning the competition five times. Their successful hunt for silverware has given West Brom a place amongst the biggest clubs in the EFL, as their presence ripples through the fabric of English football. They have also played at The Hawthorns since 1900, creating a connection with multiple generations of fans and players alike.

To find out about who West Brom are spending £4.7m on this summer, check out our article for a full breakdown of the striker.

4 - Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town were founded in 1878 and didn’t join the Football League until 1938 after only turning into a professional club in 1936. Despite this setback compared to other top EFL sides, the Tractor Boys have had their fair share of success since then. The club have one First Division title to their name, alongside one FA Cup, one UEFA Cup, three Second Tier titles amongst many other honours. On top of this, the Suffolk based team boast an incredible achievement of not losing a single home game at a European competition. This includes beating European powerhouses Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Lazio.

The club has a rich history too as they have played their football at Portman Road since 1884, creating an abundance of history that many generations of fans have enjoyed. Between the 1956/57 and 1961/62 seasons the Tractor Boys went from playing in the Third Tier of English football to the First Division. The team even won back-to-back league titles when winning the Second Tier and First Division in 1961 and 1962 respectively. Ipswich became a mainstay in the top-flight of English football under Sir Bobby Robson and even became a European powerhouse during the 1970s and 1980s. The club were also part of the inaugural 1992 Premier League campaign.

3 - Derby County

Derby County, like many of the other teams in this list, were a founding member of the Football League in 1888. Furthermore, the Rams are only one of six clubs to have participated in every single season of the English football league. The club have won two First Division titles, one FA Cup and four Second Tier titles. Derby have also competed in Europe to a competitive standard, reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup during the 1972/73 season.

The Rams have spent most of their seasons playing in the first tier of English football, being a mainstay over the decades compared to other teams. Their most successful period was under manager Brian Clough, achieving promotion to the First Division in 1969. Derby then went on to win their first top-flight title in the 1971/72 season and quickly followed that up with a second in the 1974/75 campaign.

2 - Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers were a founding member of the Football League in 1888 and have had a longstanding presence within English football. The Rovers are a team decorated in football history, having won multiple trophies over the years. These include three First Division/Premier League titles, six FA Cups and one League Cup. It’s for this reason that the Lancashire based side are ranked so high up this list, as they have had several successful spells at the top of English football.

At the end of the 19th century Blackburn enjoyed a period of trophy delight, as they won five FA Cups in eight years, even winning three in a row in 1884, 1885 and 1886. The Rovers won the First Division in the 1911/12 and 1913/14 seasons, stamping their authority in England’s highest league. The club experienced a downturn in performance after being relegated in 1936, fluctuating between England first, second and third tiers of football.

After gaining promotion back to England’s top-flight in the form of the Premier League in 1992, Blackburn went on to become champions of the 1994/95 campaign. The club has spent the last 13 years out of the Premier League, with 12 seasons in the Championship and a single season in League One.

1 - Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday were founded in 1867, making them one of the longest standing football clubs in England. Wednesday are one of the most successful EFL teams, as they have won multiple trophies and competed in European competitions. The Owls have won four top-flight titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup and one Community Shield. As well as these domestic successes, Wednesday have also participated in Europe in the form of the UEFA Cup, which they have played in four times. They also competed in the Inter-Cities Fairs in 1963, in which they reached the quarter-finals stage.

From 1892 until 2000, the club played many of their campaigns in the top-flight of English football and were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992. However Sheffield Wednesday haven’t featured in the Premier League since being relegated in the 1999/2000 season, spending most of their seasons in the second tier. The club have played at the Hillsborough Stadium since 1899, being another team on this list to have built a special connection with their ground.

Despite the club’s previous success, they face huge financial challenges at the moment. A sad state of affairs for a club who used to rule English football.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
Charlie Stevens

Content Writer

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