The English second tier of football is a very high level of football and is considered by some to be higher than some first divisions in other European countries. Many players who operate in the Championship are on big salaries and are often touted to play for Premier League clubs.
There have been many examples of players moving from the Championship up to the Premier League and continuing to perform at an exceptional level. Ivan Toney is one of the most prominent examples of this. He dominated the second tier and is now one of the top strikers in the Premier League.
Many people consider the Championship a more exciting League than the Premier League. The reason is that the Championship often gets down to the last few weeks before the playoff and relegation positions are decided. It is a notoriously difficult league for bookmakers to predict. Football betting can look very different when it comes to outright Championship markets at the beginning and midpoint of the season.
Although one or two teams may look more robust than the rest, such as Burnley this year, the rest of the league is often a closely-knit and well-contended division. As well as players like Toney who establish themselves, it can often be a place where top professionals see out their twilight footballing years. Today, we will look at a few who could be on the verge of hanging up their boots.
Martyn Waghorn
Martyn Waghorn is a former England Under-21 international who plies his trade for Huddersfield Town on loan from Coventry City. Huddersfield Town is now looking to avoid the drop and they have recruited Waghorn to try and help them. With over 125 goals in nearly 500 games, Martyn Waghorn has had a varied and extensive career.
After turning professional in 2007 for Sunderland, he played for several different teams as a professional. Although he hasn’t announced any formal retirement plans, given his poor form this year and the struggle to truly find the back of the net, he might be looking to hang up his boots.
Billy Sharp
Club legends at Sheffield United aren’t much bigger than Billy Sharp. With over 250 career goals, he has often found the back of the net wherever he has played. He has played for many clubs over the years and this is his third stint at Sheffield United.
Billy Sharp has had multiple successful spells at other clubs, such as
- Leeds United
- Doncaster Rovers
- Nottingham Forest
- Scunthorpe
However, he recently turned 37, which is a ripe old age for a footballer. He may be looking to retire within the next 12 to 18 months to enjoy more time with friends and family. Given that Sharp is now 37, the time may soon come for him to hang his boots up on a successful career leading the line for many historic English clubs.
Phil Jagielka
Sticking to the theme of Sheffield United legends, Phil Jagielka is still playing in the Championship, despite the fact that he has recently turned 40. Jagielka has had an excellent career, involving playing for Everton over 300 times in the Premier League.
His career has spanned over 750 League games and Jagielka has now played more top-flight English professional games than any other active professional. Currently playing for Stoke City in the Championship, his proven longevity means that he may not retire as he has not made any formal announcements.
Shane Long
Irishman Shane Long has had a great career and has recently turned 36. He will likely be one of a few Championship players this season who have their eye on retirement. He has played over 150 games for both Reading and Southampton and many games for the Republic of Ireland internationally.
Usually, players with one eye on retirement will retire internationally before they retire from their club. Given that he still plays for his country, he may have a few more years left in England’s second tier.
Scott Dann
Scott Dann is a Reading player, much like Shane Long, who has recently joined the 36 club. The ex-Liverpool man has two England Under-21 caps and has enjoyed a solid career at a high level of English football. Although he didn’t turn the U21 caps into full England caps, there were calls over the years for him to be considered.
The ex-Crystal Palace captain played for the Southwest London club over 150 times. However, he has now stepped down a division and is heading towards his late thirties, so he might be looking to call time on an excellent career.
