This afternoon will see the 2023/24 Championship season come to an end as either Leeds United or Southampton will gain promotion back to the Premier League, but focussing on the campaign as a whole – who has made our Team of the Season.
Members of The Sports Deck’s writing and podcast team have come together to vote from an extended shortlist to decide who we believe has done enough to make our Team of the Season as a whole and who has just missed out.
Previously, we have voted for our National League, League One and League Two Team of the Season’s and now it’s time to dive into the English second tier…
Goalkeeper: Viktor Johansson
Between the sticks is Rotherham’s Viktor Johansson who has since completed a permanent move to Stoke City in order to maintain his place in the Championship ahead of the new season.
Johansson featured in 45 of Rotherham’s 46 Championship matches last season, but despite conceding 1.9 goals per game for the Millers, his presence helped to prevent an additional 3.19 extra goals per 90 minutes. He also featured for Sweden during the October internationals and averaged four saves per league appearance.
The 25-year-old earned 37.5% of the votes and takes his place in this XI ahead of West Bromwich Albion’s Alex Palmer and Leeds United’s Ilian Mesier.
Right-Back: Kyle Walker-Peters
Beginning the back four is Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters, a player that has a perfect opportunity to send his side back to the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
The 27-year-old managed six goal contributions in 43 league appearances for the Saints during the 2023/24 campaign as well as creating 12 big chances and averaging a pass success rate of 91%.
In total, Walker-Peters cruised to victory in this position earning 62.5% of the total votes, with his closest rival being Coventry’s Milan Van Ewijk with 20.8%.
Centre-Back: Jacob Greaves
Despite missing out on the play-offs, Hull City’s Jacob Greaves is the first of two centre-backs to make our squad for the Championship.
Similarly to Walker-Peters, the 23-year-old also contributed to six goals in 43 appearances. He also managed 7.3 duel wins per 90 minutes as well as 4.4 ball recoveries and 1.8 tackles per game.
Although Greaves faced strong competition, he picked up 37.5% of the votes and comfortably found a place in our squad.
Centre-Back: Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Joining Greaves is Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis who has the opportunity to make it two promotions in two seasons if Southampton beat Leeds at Wembley.
The Manchester City loanee featured 40 times for the Saints (prior to Sunday’s final) and contributed to five goals. He also managed a 92% passing success rate for Russell Martin’s side along with 11 clean sheets and 3.2 duel wins per 90 minutes.
Harwood-Bellis earned 29.2% of the votes, narrowly beating Leeds United’s Pascal Strujik and Leicester’s Woet Faes to take the final centre-back role.
Left-Back: Leif Davis
In what was almost the highest voted poll, our left-back slot has been awarded to Ipswich Town’s Leif Davis, a player that had earned calls to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships.
The full-back scored twice and provided 18 additional assists for Ipswich in just 43 league matches. Similarly, the 24-year-old averaged 2.3 successful crosses per 90 minutes as well as ten clean sheets and 4.7 ball recoveries.
Davis earned 87.5% of our votes, with Hull’s Ryan Giles and Leeds’ Junior Firpo being the only other left-backs that received a vote.
Central Midfield: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Moving into midfield, Leicester’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall makes our squad despite facing an uncertain future at the Foxes due to their ongoing financial situation.
The 25-year-old scored 12 goals for the Foxes as well as providing 14 assists and turned into one of the division’s standout players. He also managed a passing success rate of 84.5% as well as 5.1 ball recoveries and 1.3 successful dribbles, remaining at the heart of Leicester’s Championship title triumph.
He faced strong competition but Dewsbury-Hall earned 37.5% of our votes and takes his place in our eleven but we’re sure his Championship titles medal is more important… maybe!
Central Midfield: Ben Sheaf
Joining Dewsbury-Hall is Coventry’s Ben Sheaf who has had another outstanding campaign for Mark Robins’ side, helping them to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
The 26-year-old featured just 31 times for the Sky Blues but averaged a rating of 7.29 which was one of the highest in the division. He also averaged a passing success rate of 85% over the course of the season whilst also averaging 7.1 ball recoveries and 3.4 tackles per game.
Sheaf beat Norwich City’s Gabriel Sara by a couple of votes in order to earn the final central midfield spot in our squad.
Attacking Midfield: Sammie Szmodics
Beating Leif Davis as the most popular vote, Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics takes his place in our eleven following his triumph in the race for the golden boot in the Championship.
Despite featuring 44 times for a struggling Blackburn side, Szmodics scored 27 goals as well as providing four additional assists and is likely to be at the centre of a fierce transfer battle this summer.
Szmodics earned a whopping 91.7% of our votes and in-truth it was always going to be a one-horse race.
Right Winger: Morgan Whittaker
Kicking off the forward positions, Plymouth Argyle’s Morgan Whittaker played a starring role for the Pilgrims in what was arguably the signing of the season in the Championship.
Whittaker made 46 league appearances for Plymouth last season, scoring 19 goals whilst also providing eight additional assists. Similarly, Whittaker also managed 1.2 successful dribbles per 90 minutes as well as 3.8 duel wins and drew 1.3 fouls from opposing players.
The 23-year-old earned 29% of our votes, beating Leicester’s Stephy Mavididi to clinch a place in our squad.
Left Winger: Crysencio Summerville
On the opposite side, Leeds United star Crysencio Summerville has also made our squad after a thrilling campaign under Daniel Farke and could end the season with a promotion-winners medal.
The 22-year-old scored 19 league goals in 43 appearances as well as providing nine additional assists. Summerville also averaged 2.6 key passes per 90 minutes as well as 28.7 passes and 2.3 successful dribbles per game.
The Dutchman secured his place in our Team of the Season with 54.2% of our votes, comfortably ahead of Whittaker and Mavididi.
Striker: Adam Armstrong
The final place in our Championship Team of the Season squad is Southampton’s Adam Armstrong who narrowly secured his place despite a strong campaign for the Saints.
He featured 46 times for the Saints last season, scoring 21 times and providing 13 additional assists, which almost works out at a goal contribution per game. The 27-year-old also managed a goal every 179 minutes and could help to seal the club’s place back in the top flight.
Armstrong picked up 45.8% of the votes, narrowly beating Coventry’s Ellis Simms to the final place in our squad.
Manager: Kieran McKenna
The 2023/24 Championship season saw several impressive managerial stints from Danny Rohl securing Sheffield Wednesday’s safety to QPR’s Marti Cifuentes arriving from nowhere to mastermind a revival at Loftus Road.
However, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna earns our vote with 66.7% after guiding the Tractor-Boys to back-to-back promotions into the Premier League.