Top 5 all-time goal scorers in the EFL Championship

Since the inaugural 2004-05 EFL Championship season, the league has turned into an intense, quick, drama-filled, action-packed event. Attracting some of the game's biggest rising stars and veteran players, there is an excellent mixture of young and old players.

With a number of foreign recruits joining different clubs in the English football system, the Championship has become a breeding ground for up and coming talent.

24 teams take part in the quest to be promoted to England's top flight, the Premier League. With the top two clubs, earning automatic promotion, clubs placed from third to sixth place, take part in the playoffs to determine the last and final entrant into the PL.

In 13 years, since the EFL Championship was formed, players from various backgrounds have notched goals although only a few have managed to do so consistently enough to earn a place in the league's all-time goal scoring charts.

Here we take a look at the top 5 all-time goal scorers in the EFL Championship

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#5 Darius Henderson - 87 goals

Henderson celebrates a goal

English-born striker, Darius Henderson made his professional debut in 1999 with Reading and played five seasons for the club, with a couple of loan spells at Brighton & Hove Albion and Swindon Town.

Gillingham signed the striker for the 04-05 season, where he played Championship football for the first time. A year later, in 2005, then Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd signed Henderson and went on to produce some phenomenal performances.

Post Watford, Henderson joined Sheffield United and Millwall for two years, after which he secured a deal with Nottingham Forest. With a decade of Championship experience under his belt, Henderson is fifth on the all-time EFL Championship top scorer list with 87 goals in 270 appearances across five clubs.

Eventually retiring from the game in 2017, the 36-year-old carried on playing for three more seasons, since his 2014 exit from Championship side, Nottingham Forest, after spells with lower division English clubs.

#4 Daryl Murphy - 89 goals

Murphy during his time at Newcastle

Republic of Ireland and Nottingham Forest striker, Daryl Murphy began his career in 2000 for Luton Town, before making a big move to Sunderland in 2005. With impressive performances at Sunderland, the striker moved to join Scottish giants Celtic.

Despite being a Celtic player, the Irishman was sent out on loan twice to Ipswich. He made the move permanent in 2013 and spent a total of five years at Ipswich.

Scoring numerous goals and putting in dominant displays, Murphy signed for Newcastle in 2016 and guided the club back into the PL.

However, the Irishman decided to leave the Toon and join Nottingham Forest in the Championship. Murphy is fourth on the list of highest EFL Championship goal scorers with 89 goals in 292 appearances. Forest sits in 11th place, just 7 points off the playoff spots.

#3 Jordan Rhodes - 97 goals

Rhodes during his time at Blackburn

English-born, Scottish footballer, Jordan Rhodes currently plies his trade for Sheffield Wednesday but began his career a decade earlier at Ipswich Town. A move to Huddersfield materialised in 2009 and the Scottish international striker made his mark during his three seasons at the club.

Blackburn Rovers signed the player in 2012 and Rhodes developed as a complete striker notching in a number of goals during his four seasons. Rhodes moved to Middlesbrough in 2016 and helped the club secure PL promotion in his first season but soon after moved to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship to improve and gain consistent playing time.

Rhodes is third on the list of top EFL Championship goal scorers with a good 97 goals in 225 appearances for five different clubs. He also has 14 caps for Scotland under his belt with three international goals. Sheffield Wednesday sits in 15th place, 11 points off the playoff places.

#2 David Nugent - 113 goals

Nugent taking a penalty for Leicester City

Veteran English striker, David Nugent began his career in 2002 with Bury for three years, before moving to Preston North End for two seasons. Portsmouth signed the Englishman in 2007 and stayed at the club till 2011, having spent a season on loan at Burnley during the 09-10 season.

Nugent currently plays for Derby County since his move from Middlesbrough before the start of this season. From 2011-15, Leicester City benefitted with the services of the English striker in the Championship and helped guide the club to Premier League promotion.

Having scored 113 goals in 341 appearances Nugent is second on the list of top goal scorers in the Championship. Nugent has made just one single appearance for England in 2007 and hasn't been part of the national team setup since. Derby sits in fourth place on the table and is in contention to gain promotion.

#1 Ross McCormack 120 goals

McCormack for Aston Villa

Scottish international and Aston Villa striker, Ross McCormack tops the list for the most number of goals in the EFL Championship with 120 goals in 333 appearances for five different clubs.

He began his career in 2004 in Scotland with the Rangers but was soon on the move to Motherwell and then Cardiff City, where he spent two seasons at all three clubs. In 2010, Leeds United signed the striker and the player made a significant impact during his four seasons at the club.

West London outfit Fulham moved to secure the services of the player in 2016 and spent two seasons at Craven Cottage. In 2016, McCormack joined Aston Villa although he has failed to make a massive impact at the club and is currently on loan to Melbourne City in Australia.