Traditionally, the excitement and quality of top-flight football are unparalleled and to a certain extent, that is true in the homeland of the Premier League. That said, season-after-season, England's second tier, the Championship, is proving one of the most exhilarating divisions in Europe. Every campaign new teams are putting their names forward for promotion (just look at Brighton and Huddersfield last term) whilst bigger sides are getting sucked into the relegation plunge (Blackburn are another prime example).
It is this tone of unpredictability which renders the league so invigorating and throughout the season, some players especially demand attention. Ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, here's a shortlist of five key players to keep an eye on as the new season unfolds...
#1 Chris Wood
Despite Chris Wood's best efforts (eventually finish Championship top scorer with 27 league goals), Leeds couldn't secure a play-off place last term, meaning the clinical Kiwi is destined for another season in England's second tier. That is providing rumoured transfers to West Ham, Stoke City or Huddersfield don't materialise. Wood also assisted four goals and took his overall goal tally for the Yorkshire club to forty, outlining the potency of the forward.
Having finished seventh in the division last campaign, Leeds will undoubtedly be among the favourites to finish in the playoffs this upcoming season and their success will be heavily dependent on the services of Wood. The prolific frontman will be keen to prove he's not a one-season wonder and will be looking to further his stellar reputation if a move to the Premier League is on the cards.
The 25-year-old is quick, strong in the air and adept in one-on-one situations. The most prolific frontman in the Championship is approaching the peak stage of his career and is consequently going to lead from the front for United this term.
#2 Conor Hourihane
A severely underrated talent in an Aston Villa side comprised of the likes of Kodjia and Jedinak, Irishman Conor Hourihane was selected in the Championship Team of the Year last term for his efforts at both Barnsley and Villa. It was well-deserved recognition for an individual who impressed with the most assists in the division (14) across tenures with two different sides.
Villa required a creative outlet in midfield and when they signed Hourihane in January 2017 they not only got what they needed but also got a midfielder capable of playing in a deeper defensive role, rendering the 26-year-old a double threat for the Villains.
With most betting companies, Villa are the favourites to gain Premier League promotion this term and with Hourihane now settled into life in the Midlands, a lot will be expected of the Irishman in Bruce and co's pursuit of the title.
#3 Ruben Neves
In many respects the £15 million paid by Wolverhampton Wanderers for Ruben Neves underpins the extent to which football has changed; a second division side is now forking out a sum which significantly eclipses the £12 million Cristiano Ronaldo cost Man United in 2003. The 20-year-old becomes the most expensive Championship player of all time and is heavily backed to catalyse Wolves' transformation from a mid-table club to serious promotion candidates.
Wolves beat off big competition for Neves namely due to the fact new manager Nuno Esperito Santo coached the midfielder at FC Porto. Neves has earned the reputation of a relentless record-breaker, also holding the title for the youngest ever captain in a UEFA Champions League game after he led Porto out against Maccabi Tel-Aviv at the age of 18.
Porto's lingering financial headaches were the primary reason they had to offload a special talent like Neves, who made 67 appearances for the Portuguese outfit and proved to be a vital part of his nation's U21 European Championship campaign this summer. Wolves have got themselves one of the most exciting talents in Europe and expectations have seldom been higher for a Championship player.
#4 Billy Sharp
The first three players on this list may have been snapped up by clubs in the hunt for promotion, but that's not to say that there aren't players to keep an eye on at the other end of the table. Sheffield United stormed League One last term, namely due to the services of fearsome frontman Billy Sharp, who finished top scorer in the division with 30 goals and 7 assists. Sharp helped catapult the Blades to the Championship by scoring a goal every 130 minutes.
For those knowledgeable of the English Football League, Sharp will be a recognisable name. The 31-year-old has recently emulated his past scintillating form with United, scoring 50 goals in 90 appearances in his second stint for the Blades, five years on from his impressive tenure with Doncaster.
Sharp, therefore, knows the Championship and Football League as a whole very well and it's the combination of his goal scoring prowess with his experience which renders him especially lethal for the season ahead. Who knows? If the Englishman hits the ground running upon his return to the Championship, we may see the Blades threaten back-to-back promotion after all.
#5 David Stockdale
When Harry Redknapp signed a one-year contract extension with Birmingham City earlier this May, the Brummy faithful knew they were getting an adept manager on and off the pitch and one of his first pieces of business has proven to be an absolute masterstroke. Birmingham's acquisition of goalkeeper David Stockdale could prove to be one of the buys of the season. I
n the 2016/17 campaign, Stockdale was pivotal to Brighton's Premier League promotion, keeping an impressive 20 clean sheets across 45 league games.
Stockdale, named as the goalkeeper in last term's 'Team of the Season', is sorely needed by a Birmingham City side which finished just two points off relegation last season and which is now eyeing potential promotion. The 31-year-old from Leeds has been around in both the Premier League and Championship and knows what it takes to push for promotion so could prove just as lethal between the sticks as a multi-million pound forward.
