League One is, without a doubt, the greatest division in the world, and not just because Lincoln City are in it.
There are a lot of leagues around the world. But how do we prove which is the best? Well, as we know, England is the home of football, even if football never comes home. It’s the oldest league set up in the world featuring the biggest teams. Okay, Real Madrid and Barcelona might say they’re bigger than Liverpool and Man Utd, but Spurs, Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Man City have a claim as well.
Oldest, more big teams than anywhere, more thrills than anywhere, England is where it is at. So, why the third tier as the best in the world?
The Premier League? No.
Hailed by many as the greatest league on earth, the Premier League certainly has its admirers. But let’s be honest. Your club is likely owned by someone who could buy Greenland if they wanted, or if not, you’re getting thrashed every week by those who are. If your owner happens to be both ethical and competent, prepare to watch your best players and manager leave every summer for clubs with deeper pockets but zero creativity in recruitment. By ‘watch’ we mean at home, because who wants to hit the M1 and head north to Newcastle for a Sunday evening kick off, right?
That leads to the the “big club” fans who think football starts and ends with Sky Sports Super Sunday. Their understanding of the game outside the Premier League is non-existent. They burn TAA’s shirt because he leaves them after years of service – you didn’t see Wigan fans doing that when Thelo Aasgaard left.
Then you have those big club managers whining about fixture congestion after spending £150 million in the summer, cutting out FA Cup replays but playing meaningless friendlies in Asia all summer. And don’t even think about celebrating goals – VAR might rule it out because someone’s kneecap was offside 45 seconds earlier. It’s a circus, but not a good one. A circus with bad clowns where you pay through the nose and have to watch at home.
The Championship? No.
The so-called promised land for us down in League One, though to be fair, the Championship isn’t bad – it is just behind League One. But it’s not without its flaws. Your club is likely owned by a wannabe who thinks buying a struggling Championship side and getting them to the Premier League is easy. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Instead, you’re left with a club drowning in debt and no escape in sight.
Then there’s the financial imbalance. A few clubs enjoy a ludicrous advantage thanks to parachute payments handed out for being dreadful enough to get relegated. If your club isn’t one of them, you’ll either need a flawless season or risk financial ruin trying to compete. And if that doesn’t happen? Mid-table mediocrity at best, or a grim slide towards the drop zone at worst. The dream quickly turns into a nightmare.
League One? Absolutely
League One really is a cracking league. It’s a fascinating blend of clubs. You’ve got fallen giants who should probably be mixing it in the Championship, if not the Premier League. Then, there are the scrappy underdogs who were battling it out in the National League not too long ago. Where else can Birmingham City and Crawley Town go toe-to-toe on a level playing field? That’s the beauty of it. One week, supporters are in the opulent surroundings of St Andrews; the next, they’re trying to stay huddled together to keep warm at Stevenage, where it always rains.
Plus, there’s less deadwood here than in most other leagues – even Stevenage are hardened for the battle. With four relegation spots, if you’re not even semi-competent, you’re going down, making way for a team that might actually give it a go and have a chance of staying up. I think the all divisions should have four relegation spots.
Every match counts, and there’s proper jeopardy at both ends of the table, keeping things exciting right to the very last whistle.
League Two? No
I’m sorry, but any division that features an away trip to the soulless Stadium MK cannot be described as the best of anything.
Conclusion
So, after careful and balanced analysis, we can confidently conclude that League One is the greatest division in world football. It has everything – fallen giants, plucky underdogs, financial sanity (relatively speaking), and a competitive landscape where anything can happen. There’s some good owners, no VAR-induced heartbreak, and no parachute-payment-fuelled monopolies.
League One is where football still feels real. It’s a proper league, full of history, passion, and unpredictability. And that’s why, despite everything, it’s the best league in the world.
