The top two divisions in England are both very exciting in their own ways. The Premier League has the glitz and glamour while the Coca-Cola Championship is a more grinding-out-results kind of league. I guess it all depends on the team you support as to which one you like the most. As a Blackburn fan I love my team being part of the elite clubs that make up the Premier League, but I also know how it feels to have a team in promotion contention in the lower leagues and there's nothing to beat seeing play-off glory at Wembley.

The Premier League is all about money. The richest clubs are very much the best as they have transfer budgets beyond most teams' scope. Just look at Liverpool paying a fortune for Fernando Torres while Roman Abramovich gives plenty of money to his Chelsea managers to spend on the most expensive players in the world. Some say money has spoiled the game of football and that the Premier League, in particular, has been dominated by the Big Four teams over the last decade or so.

Since its inception in the early '90s, Blackburn are the only team other than Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal to have won the Premier League title. Many neutral fans are getting bored at seeing the same teams in the same positions, year in year out, and it is difficult to see that changing. However, anyone that thought the Chelsea/United battle was boring this season should get their eyes tested.

‘The Championship comes a poor second, both in money terms and quality of players. Foreign stars come from more exotic places, such as Hungary, but the division fails to attract real quality’


Meanwhile, the newly promoted teams find it increasingly difficult to cope with life in the top league and often find themselves in relegation battles early in the season, fighting for survival. Money certainly is widening the gap between the Premier League clubs and although many feel the English leagues are the best in the world, some fans are getting fed up with demanding players, off the pitch antics, not to mention the poor state of the national side due to all the foreign players blocking the chances of homegrown talent.

On the other hand, the Premier League can be fantastic and very exciting. Just look at the quality players it attracts ... Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Didier Drogba, Cesc Fabregas. The finest players in Europe are attracted to our league, not to mention the best English players such as Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and John Terry. These players pull in the crowds to watch the games. They can play brilliant football and that's what sets the Premier League alight compared to the Championship.

Although a quality league in its own right, the Championship is full of 'has been' players who are either too old or cannot keep up with the skills of the Premier League. The likes of Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank move down divisions in search of first-team football, but the problem is they cannot create the same pace, same skill and same enthusiasm as they did when in the top league.

The Championship comes a poor second, both in money terms and quality of players. Foreign stars come from more exotic places, such as Hungary, but the division fails to attract real quality. Just look at the media revenue for both divisions – the Premier League will receive approx £1.7billion in TV rights revenue from Sky Sports and Setanta Sports over the next three seasons while the Championship gets a mere £264million approximately over the same time. There is simply no comparison and this gap is likely to grow.

On the other hand the Championship does has a certain type of appeal to footballing fans. The games are often very gritty and hard-fought as the prize of promotion is absolutely huge to each and every club, all eager to reach the Premier League.

The passion of the 'not quite Premier class' players is terrific to see and can make games very exciting. The play-off matches involving Hull City, Bristol City, Crystal Palace and Watford were terrific and signalled what the league is all about. 

One thing I love about the Championship is the great mixture of teams involved. You have the former Premier League sides, such as Sheffield United and Watford, against the seasoned campaigners of the league and then new boys such as Swansea City. You never quite know what to expect in any given match and the race for play-off positions is often very close between a whole host of teams. The league has suspense and excitement – who would have thought Hull and Stoke would have been promoted in the same season?

It's clear that both divisions have excitement in abundance throughout the season. For me, the Premier League is more exciting – probably due to the fact that my team plays there. I think what makes the Premier League really more exciting is the quality of players involved and also the media attention that TV, newspapers and the internet place upon this league. Fans are almost forced to find the Premier League more interesting and exciting by being bombared with coverage. The Premier League is simply the PREMIER league for excitement and entertainment, not just in England but in the world.