We are at least 18 games into each of the Football League standings, which means the tables are starting to take shape. Those at the top end of the leagues will now be believing they have a great chance of promotion this season.
Here is a look at the three divisions and which clubs appear to be over-performing the most when it comes to their projected finish.
Championship – Huddersfield Town
As expected at the start of the season, Fulham, Bournemouth and West Brom are vying for the title in the Championship in the 2021/2022 campaign and currently occupy the top three spots in the table. The team in the top seven, who’s arguably punching above their weight, is Huddersfield.
The Terries are now priced at 14/1 odds, according to Championship betting with Paddy Power for promotion this season. After a 15th place finish last year, many people will be surprised by the exhilarating start they have made to the new campaign.
What has helped Carlos Corberan’s team is their excellent defence. They are very strong at the back, as demonstrated when keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over promotion contenders West Brom. The Yorkshire club will now be keenly eyeing up a spot in the Premier League next season.
League One – Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle are the high-flyers in League One. They have won ten of their opening 18 games in the league and are now looking good for a promotion into the second tier of English football for the first time since 2010. Ryan Hardie has built upon the excellent campaign he had at Plymouth last season when on loan at the club. He is now a permanent player for Argyle, and he is their leading scorer with nine goals in the campaign.
In addition, manager Ryan Lowe used the loan market well over the summer. Both Ryan Broom (on loan from Peterborough United) and Jordan Garrick (on loan from Swansea City) have positively contributed to the team.
When Plymouth defeated Accrington 4-1, they extended their unbeaten run in the league to 16 matches. If they continue to pick up points at the rate they are doing, they will go up as champions.
League Two – Harrogate Town
Yorkshire club Harrogate Town are having only their second-ever season in the Football League this year. The Sulphurites finished 17th on their debut campaign in League Two and the early signs suggest they are going to better that this time around.
Although their form has taken a dip recently, Harrogate are still going along nicely in seventh place and, incredibly, only one team in League Two (Leyton Orient) have scored more goals than Simon Weaver’s side. Harrogate did not suffer defeat this season until their seventh game into their League Two campaign, losing 0-2 to Port Vale. They remain just three points behind a promotion spot and if they were to finish in seventh place, it would still be an overwhelmingly positive year for Town. There is still a lot of football to be played in all three divisions in the English Football League. It will be interesting to see if the above three sides can remain in a lofty high position at the end of it.
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