The Championship has seen some great strikers over the years.
Some of the top Premier League players of today, such as Viktor Gyökeres cut their teeth in the Championship. Some smashed the second tier to bits, such as Teemu Pukki, but struggled to step up a level.
Some, like current Lincoln City striker James Collins, have been prolific in the EFL, but never made the jump to the top flight.
Indeed, over the years, the list of players impressing in the second tier has become long, but there is a definite way to measure success: goals scored.
It’s plain and simple. These ten players have scored more Championship goals than any of the others we could care to list.
📂 Billy Sharp Scores Goals
└📁 2021/22
└🐐 Goal No.253.jpeg pic.twitter.com/vChNB7LHxZ— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) September 26, 2021
Billy Sharp – 130
A prolific Championship poacher, Sharp became the division’s all-time leading scorer, famed above all for multiple spells with Sheffield United and earlier impact at Doncaster Rovers.
Renowned for penalty-box instincts and leadership, he added chapters across the EFL before a late MLS stint with LA Galaxy in 2023. His longevity and consistency underpin a record few will touch.
Jordan Rhodes -123
Rhodes terrorised Championship defences for Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers, later featuring for Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and others.
A former Scotland international, he retired from playing and moved into a back-room role as Blackburn’s loans manager. Aerial prowess, movement and a ruthless finish defined a career that kept him among the division’s most reliable scorers for a decade.
On this day in 2019, David Nugent scores his final goal for PNE #pnefc pic.twitter.com/YPgCXZZtrA
— Calum (@calumgill24) December 10, 2024
David Nugent – 121
Nugent’s Championship years stretched across Preston North End, Portsmouth, Burnley, Leicester City and Middlesbrough, delivering double-figure seasons and big-game goals. He famously scored on his only England cap in 2007.
After the league career, he returned to the pitch locally as a player-coach with Anstey Nomads, underscoring a durable love for the game.
Ross McCormack – 120
A natural finisher and set-piece threat, McCormack starred for Cardiff City and Leeds United before a high-profile move to Fulham and later Aston Villa. His spell at Villa was not a success and he’s regarded as one of the biggest Championship flops of all time.
His best Championship returns came with Leeds and Fulham, where movement and dead-ball quality lifted his totals. He has since continued at semi-pro level with Doncaster City.
Chris Martin – 114
A traditional No 9 with subtle link play, Martin broke through at Norwich City and enjoyed his peak years at Derby County, posting multiple strong Championship campaigns.
A Scotland international, he later added spells at Bristol City and, from 2023, Bristol Rovers, where his penalty-box craft and experience kept him effective into his mid-thirties.
The @FA have charged Lewis Grabban with misconduct for shouting ‘KEEPERS!’ during the EFL Championship match between Norwich City and Ipswich Town on Saturday, August 23, 2015. pic.twitter.com/InBre9a17M
— matt lewendon (@matty_leww) December 17, 2024
Lewis Grabban -112
Grabban’s Championship haul was built across productive spells with Bournemouth, Norwich City and Nottingham Forest, where he captained and led the line with timing and composure.
A powerful runner and tidy finisher, he delivered consistent double-figure seasons, complementing promotion pushes and providing dressing-room leadership throughout an itinerant but rich EFL career.
He should perhaps be on 111, given the nature of his goal in the 2015 Old Farm derby.
Nahki Wells – 111
Bermuda’s leading modern export, Wells rose with Bradford City before stepping up to Huddersfield Town, Burnley and QPR, then embedding at Bristol City.
Quick across the ground with penalty-area craft and a reliable penalty record, he repeatedly reached double figures at Championship level and became a key senior figure at Ashton Gate.
Lukas Jutkiewicz – 98
A tireless target forward, Jutkiewicz’s Championship journey took him from Coventry City and Middlesbrough to Burnley, then Birmingham City, where he became a fixture and fan favourite. Aerial dominance, hold-up play and work rate defined his style.
He retired from football at the end of the 2024/25 season, with 126 career goals, 98 of those in the second tier.
On this day in 2012… 🗓️
Troy Deeney scored this beauty for Watford! 👌🐝#WatfordFCpic.twitter.com/xE8thzZta8
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) March 24, 2025
Troy Deeney – 95
Best known for a transformative decade at Watford, Deeney’s Championship legacy includes leadership, physical presence and clutch goals, notably in promotion campaigns.
Post-Watford, he joined Birmingham City and had a brief, turbulent managerial spell at Forest Green Rovers, but his Watford years cemented his status as a modern EFL icon.
Tom Ince – 94
A versatile wide forward and the son of Paul Ince, Tom Ince produced his best Championship work with Blackpool and Derby County, later appearing for Huddersfield Town, Stoke City, Reading and Watford.
Direct running, two-footed shooting and set-piece delivery kept him a consistent threat across multiple second-tier seasons.
