New FFC columnist Craig Davies doesn't agree with the general consensus that the Premiership is the most exciting League in the World and feels if you want pure entertainment and competitiveness, then look no further than the Championship.

Whilst flicking through the newspaper the other day I cam across an article that hailed the Premiership as the greatest league in the world, ahead of Spain, Italy, France etc.  But aren't we overlooking another league here, the one with the second highest gates in Europe behind only the Premiership.  Yes, I'm talking about the second tier of English football, the championship.

The Premiership is widely regarded as the greatest league in the world, with the most excitement week in week out.  Is this true though? This is a league that has a so-called ‘big four', consisting of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool and these teams are expected to fill these top four positions each and every year.  Call that excitement?  True this couldn't happen in the championship due to promotion, but teams relegated from the premiership often struggle in the second tear of English football and find themselves precariously close to the foot of the table such is the desire of players in the lower tier.

The Premiership is also often quoted as to having pre-Madonnas filling up the dressing rooms, players that get paid ludicrous amounts of money to play for a team that they don't really care about.  These players can't put their heart into the game for these clubs, unlike the championship where every player plays with heart and desire for there team.  The wage difference from Premiership to Championship is immense, and also indicated another argument in football, but it shows the desire these players have.  To not get paid the huge sums of premiership footballers, but to go out and show total commitment and the desire to do anything to help your teams cause.

The Championship isn't lacking in excitement either, unlike in the Premiership any team is truly capable of beating another that only highlights the attraction.  This is shown when relegation strugglers Preston North End recently beat promotion chasers West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at Deepdale.  This is a weekly occurrence in the championship, with possible shocks occurring all over the place.  Could you really see Derby beating Aston Villa or Everton?  I don't think so.

It is true though, that there is often a huge gulf in talent between the two Leagues and that is the upper hand the Premiership has.  Featuring some of the world's best players, it is what you would expect though.  Plus the amount of money that is ploughed into the premiership week in week out is so much more than is received by Championship clubs.

Despite this though, the championship features players with grit and determination that is lacking in the Premiership, a true willing to do anything to help your teams cause.  Plus true excitement week in week out not the odd match like in the Premiership, seeing your team fight for the points is surely more exciting than seeing your team win 3,4,5-0 every outing.  If this is a view shared by many remains to be seen, I very much doubt it though. 

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