The final day of the regular season in the English Football League (EFL) was a reminder of why the competition needs to be cherished.
Plenty of fans think football started when the Premier League was launched in 1992. They’re daft.
The English top flight delivers plenty of excitement. Big clubs and top-class players. What’s not to like?
For starters, it is a money-fuelled behemoth. Many Premier League fans may disagree, but it lacks the passion generated by the EFL.
While clubs across the pyramid dream of reaching the top flight, the fun ends once they get there.
The last six clubs promoted to the Premier League have all immediately returned to the Championship. The promised land is not all it’s cracked up to be.
That statistic should be a cautionary tale for Leeds United, who have deservedly claimed top spot after a thrilling final day in the Championship.
Winning the title with 100 points is a fantastic achievement. They’ll be keen to stay in the top flight, but that will be easier said than done.
As an aside, finishing ahead of Burnley, who also racked up 100 points, is the type of banter you don’t generally get in the Premier League.
Storylines abound further down the EFL pyramid. Wrexham’s third consecutive promotion into the Championship is a great example.
They are a club that nearly went out of business, was saved by its fans, and ended up with Hollywood owners.
You’d have to be the world’s grumpiest soul not to acknowledge this is a great story.
League Two has also generated plenty of drama, including Bradford City’s promotion on the final day.
A stoppage-time goal sent them into the third tier and triggered wild celebrations at Valley Parade.
The fact that it happened just a few days before the 40th anniversary of the Bradford fire disaster made the achievement far more poignant.
With the EFL play-offs still to come, there will still be more thrilling storylines to be written.
The next time Premier League fans tell you that football below the top tier is meaningless, give them a knowing smile and tell them to get stuffed.
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What to watch
ITV4 – 9.00 pm. EFL highlights. Don’t miss it!
