In January, we uploaded a page that spoke about the top 5 biggest clubs in League One and listed their trophies and other successes. Now, eight months later we think it’s a good idea to make a sequel to that page and speak about the biggest Championship clubs that belong in the Premier League.
Luckily for us, there are a host of teams in the second division that are huge in England and deserve to be in the Premier League. However, times have changed since the 2000s and clubs that were once massive have fallen down the pecking order.
A recent Twitter (or X) trend has reignited my interest in this page and the ‘Barclaysmen’ trend brought back a wave of nostalgia and made me want to talk about old English giants that should be in the top division.
Leeds
Over the last few years, we have seen Leeds back to their old selves, having a couple of years in the Premier League and being near the top of the Championship for most of the season. After having eras of being below average, last season felt like Leeds’ best shot to bounce back up on the first time of asking. This didn’t happen and in the resulting transfer window, they lost a lot of their best players which is a worry for fans.
Of all the times I will mention today, Leeds feel like they have the best chance of going up and staying up. With the betting odds, we saw them as favourites for Championship promotion last year as well as favourites again this. If they get promoted we think Boylesports Premier League betting odds will have them as favourites which could make for a good bet at the start of the season.
Blackburn
When I think of Premier League nostalgia, Blackburn are one of the first teams I think of. They embody the early 2000s, Premier League and it isn’t hard to see why. With players like Roque Santa Cruz, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Tugay, they are the old-school Barclays teams and were one of my favourites to watch.
In the Championship this season, Blackburn are third and doing really well despite selling their best player. With this form, we might see them fly up to the Premier League.
Sunderland
After their double relegation from the Premier League all the way down to League One, Sunderland have been on a fairly consistent upward trajectory since then. They spent 4 years in League One and were constantly in the fight for promotion. In their first season back in the Championship they nearly did the reverse and got promoted again, losing to Luton in the playoffs.
Sunderland are iconic in the Premier League and spent 9 years in it until they fell off a cliff. The Newcastle and Sunderland rivalry is one the prem needs and similarly to Blackburn they have started the season strong so fingers crossed they can come back up.
West Brom
West Brom have been consistent in their English League successes. Either fighting for promotion or mid-table in the Premier League, with some exceptions, having them back in the Premier League just makes sense.
Having 11 seasons in the Premier League makes them regulars and with them currently sitting top of the league and playing good football, fingers crossed we see the baggies return soon.
Stoke City
Last but not least we have Stoke City. This is a special one as not only do Stoke have a proper Premier League stadium in the Brittania (we refuse to say its new name), they also have lots of years in the top division and a range of Premier League ballers who are now considered full on Barclaysmen.
They have Charlie Adam, Rory Delap, Peter Crouch (more of a legend to be honest), Steven Ireland and even newer ones like Shaqiri. They are icons and needed in the Premier League to bring back that feeling of the early 2000s.
