Championship Top Scorers: A Look at the Top Goal Scorers Past and Present

As the leading division in the English Football League, or EFL, the Championship has long been a proving ground for some of the most talented goal scorers in English football. Known for its intense competition, unpredictable outcomes, and high-stakes battle for promotion, having a striker capable of scoring goals consistently can be the difference between gaining promotion to the Premier League and staying in the second tier.

All-Time Top Scorers in the Championship

The Championship has been home to some excellent goal scorers over the years, with many of them firing the teams they’ve played for to promotion. Here are the best to ever do it in the second tier.

1. Billy Sharp – 130 goals

Billy Sharp is the top goal scorer in Championship history, having played for Sheffield United, Leeds United, and Doncaster Rovers. It was long seen as a battle between Sharp and Rhodes for the leading goal-getter.

2. Jordan Rhodes – 123 goals

Jordan Rhodes, like Billy Sharp, was all about goals in the Championship. He was always in the right place at the right time when playing for the likes of Huddersfield Town, Blackburn Rovers, and Middlesbrough.

3. David Nugent – 121 goals

David Nugent was a dependable goal scorer for teams like Preston North End, Leicester City, and Middlesbrough in the second tier. His goal scoring exploits also earned him a call-up for England.

4. Ross McCormack – 120 goals

While others on this list are all about goals, Ross McCormack, while a prolific goal scorer, had a lot more to his game. He could play in a variety of positions but was always a goal threat.

5. Chris Martin – 106 goals

Chris Martin is a well-known striker in Championship circles, having starred for Norwich City, Derby County, and Fulham. He was an old-school target man who could get among the goals.

6. Troy Deeney – 95 goals

Troy Deeney is one of the strikers on this list that fired a team to the Premier League. During his time with Watford, who he also captained, he scored the goals to secure promotion to the top flight. He also represented Birmingham City.

7. Lukas Jutkiewicz – 95 goals

Talking of Birmingham City, Lukas Jutkiewicz, who also played for Coventry City, starred for the Blues. Like Martin, Jutkiewicz is a target man who is a capable goal scorer.

8. Daryl Murphy – 93 goals

Daryl Murphy happened to be a striker who was a part of several successful Championship outfits in the form of Ipswich Town, Sunderland, and Newcastle United. He was reliable when it came to putting the ball in the back of the net.

9. Tom Ince – 93 goals

Tom Ince is a player who really played as a wide player rather than a central striker. However, that hasn’t stopped him from getting amongst the goals for the likes of Blackpool, Derby County, and Stoke City.

10. Glenn Murray – 91 goals

Glenn Murray finishes off the top ten list, and he made his name scoring for bitter rivals Crystal Palace and Brighton. He was another striker who scored goals in promotion races.

Top Scorers in the Championship in the 2023/24 Season

There were a handful of players who were prolific last season in the Championship, with one in particular standing out from the crowd. A couple of the goal-getters were involved in firing their respective teams to promotion.

1. Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers) – 27 goals

While Sammie Szmodics had played and scored goals in the Championship previously, his 27 for Blackburn last season saw him far exceed expectations. His goal scoring exploits earned him a move to Ipswich Town, who were promoted from the second tier in 2023/24.

2. Adam Armstrong (Southampton) – 21 goals

Adam Armstrong has previously been prolific at Championship level during his time with Blackburn Rovers, and after Southampton were relegated to the second tier, his 21 goals saw them promoted back to the top level last term.

3. Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) – 19 goals

From his wide position, Crysencio Summerville was able to wreak havoc for Leeds United in the Championship in 2023/24. His goals and creativity saw him named the Championship’s Player of the Season.

4. Morgan Whittaker (Plymouth Argyle) – 19 goals

While last season was a struggle for Plymouth Argyle, Morgan Whittaker was a bright spark for them. His goals kept Argyle in the league, and they often came from wide positions.

5. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) – 18 goals

Jamie Vardy needs no introduction when it comes to goal scoring. Despite being in the latter stages of his career, his goals last season helped Leicester gain promotion back to the Premier League.

Championship Top Scorers of 2024/25 So Far

It’s often said that teams that want to gain promotion to the Premier League need a player they can rely on for goals. And, Championship top scorer betting is an indication of who those players are, as is the current top goal scorer chart.

1. Joel Piroe (Leeds United) – 15 goals

Leeds United are looking good for automatic promotion this season, and Joe Piroe’s goals have been integral to their likely return to the Premier League.

2. Borja Sainz (Norwich City) – 15 goals

Norwich City were missing Josh Sargent for a large portion of the season, but Borja Sainz stepped up and delivered goals to keep Norwich in the playoff race.

3. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) – 12 goals

Wilson Isidor has been a revelation for Sunderland this season. He’s one of the reasons why the Black Cats are in the hunt for promotion this season.

4. Callum Robinson (Cardiff City) – 12 goals

Cardiff City are just about keeping their head above water in the second tier, with Callum Robinson’s goals crucial in their likely survival this term.

5. Josh Maja (West Bromwich Albion) – 12 goals

West Bromwich Albion’s season was disrupted when Carlos Corberan left as manager. He’s been replaced by Tony Mowbray, and Josh Maja’s goals have the Baggies in the playoff race.

The Championship is the stage for forwards to score goals that can make the difference, especially in promotion pushes, with the bright lights of the Premier League in view. The likes of Billy Sharp and Jordan Rhodes have been there and done it. Now, strikers like Joel Piroe and Wilson Isidor are looking to do the same. And, as seen previously, a good goal scoring campaign in the Championship can also lead to a money-spinning move to the top flight for strikers whose teams fail to gain promotion. This happened to Sammie Szmodics last season.

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