Now that the championship season is well underway I thought it would be fitting to give you a list of the ten top players who have set alight the championship this season. The quality of the championship is phenomenal these days and has become a training ground for top up and comers, as well as one of the most entertaining leagues in the world. (In my opinion, anyway)

10.Victor Moses (Crystal Palace)

Since a young age Moses has always been on the radar of the UK’s top clubs (Arsenal and Chelsea) But Moses, once a striker, is now employed as a winger due to his lack of goals, so it has been debated wether he is will step up his game or end up disappointing. For now, mainly due to his fantastic England record, Moses just makes the list.

9. Matty Fryatt (Leicester City)

BBC Sport remarked on August 6 that Fryatt’s “progress in the Championship could also be key to City’s chances.” They where right as Fryatt is now 2nd top scorer behind Chopra and has helped propel Leicester City to an impressive 7th place. Fantastic considering he was a league one player last year. He has proved he can step up a division. Premiership next? At 23 who knows.

8. Peter Whittingham (Cardiff)

Once a Villa and England U21 regular, Peter seemed on the verge of taking it to the next level. Unfortunately it didn’t work out, and after two unsuccessful loan spells at Derby and Burnley, Peter finally settled at Cardiff. Since then Peter has slowly reinstated his reputation as a great player -  he’s scored 6 this season already and is one of the key contributors to Cardiff’s decent start to the season.

7. Matthew Kilgallon (Sheffield Utd)

Kilgallon was voted Sheffield United Player of the Season at the end of the 2008-2009 season, which goes a long way to show his importance at Shef Utd. The centre back is a wanted man at the moment, with interest from Bolton and Wigan. I reckon he could make the divisional jump.

6. Mark Beevers (Sheffield Wednesday)

At the tender age of 19 Mark has already established himself as a top quality centre back. He won the third annual Wickes Young Apprentice Trophy last year, was Sheffield Wednesday’s player of the year last season and has had some U 19 experience under his belt. The future looks bright.

5. Alan Smith (Newcastle United)

Poised for greatness while at Leeds, Alan Smith now finds himself jumping into challenges in the Championship. Some might say his career is in rapid decline, but I say he’s still a quality player far too good for the championship. 

4. David Wheater (Middlesbrough)

Do you remember when Wheater made the substitutes bench for a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago? I do, it came as a shock, but usually players don’t get called up for no reason. In fact Wheater had managed to to record a string of man of the match appearances in Boro’s 2007/2008 season. Injuries plagued him last season, but this season he looks like the quality defender he was in 2008.

3. Chris Brunt (West Brom)

For me Chris Brunt was the stand out player for West Brom last season. He ended up their top scorer despite being a winger and most of the time looked like he was at home  in the Premier division. This season Chris hasn’t showed a defeatist attitude, He has scored 3 goals already this season, with one against Peterborough, and two away to Middlesbrough, one being a quality 40 yard strike.

2. Michael Chopra (Cardiff)

Although Chopra never cut it in the Premiership, he has shown every time he plays in the championship that he is a lethal weapon in front of goal. I cannot tell you why this is, nor could Chopra probably, but he’s one of those players who sits is this mystical space between Champ and Prem quality.

1. Adam Johnson (Middlesbrough)

Stewart who?…at Boro there is a new Left Winger in town, and he goes by the name of Adam. Southgate was wise to off-load Downing for 10m because this boy is something special, I genuinely think he could be England’s future left winger and this season he has proved his quality. Next season, if Boro don’t get promotion I’m sure premiership sides will start knocking on Gareth’s door.

And the rest:(who could easily have made the list) Scott Carson (West Brom), Kevin Nolan (Newcaslte), Steve Harper (Newcastle), Ryan Taylor (Newcastle), Steven Taylor (Newcastle), Rodger Johnson (Cardiff), Joe Leadley (Cardiff), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), Lee Grant (Sheff Wed), Noel Hunt (Reading), Kris Commons (Derby), Marcel Seip (Plymouth), Elliott Ward (Coventry), Gary Monk (Swansea), Angel Rangel (Swansea), Nicky Maynard (Bristol City)

Please feel free to destroy my list.

Related posts:

1. Championship Weekend Review
2. Championship Review
3. The Championship… Our predictions
4. Top 10 of the week – Marmite players.
5. Top 10 of the Week – Underrated Premiership Players.

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