The West Midlands region has a rich history of first-division participation in English football. Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion have all been champions of England in the past.
At present, Aston Villa are the area’s highest-flying team as they are on course to finish in the Premier League’s top four which would secure UEFA Champions League qualification next season.
Wolves offer the other current West Midlands top-flight representation and they have been a comfortable mid-table outfit for more than half a decade straight now.
Next season the most competitive league in the world could play host to another club from the West Midlands, with two Championship teams seriously bidding for Premier League promotion in the ongoing campaign.
West Brom
West Brom is the most likely team from the West Midlands to earn one of the three Championship promotion slots this season. Carlos Corberan’s team are offered at 10/3 to achieve a Premier League spot for next season in sports betting here.
The team has fluctuated around the top half of the table throughout the season but after 35 games played they have worked their way into a strong position of fifth place with 59 points.
Any chances of automatic promotion seem long gone with second-placed Ipswich Town on 78 points after 36 games played. West Brom will realistically have to win the play-offs to return to the Premier League after a three-year absence.
Wishing Brandon Thomas-Asante a very happy 25th birthday! π
Have a great day, Brandon! π pic.twitter.com/1N7ipwAMhw
β West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) December 29, 2023
The Baggies have a prolific forward in Brandon Thomas-Asante who scored 10 times in his first 32 appearances of the season, pace out wide from the tricky Grady Diangana and an excellent midfield technician in John Swift.
They have the quality to score goals against any team in the end-of-season play-offs, even the likes of Southampton and Leeds United who boast several Premier League-calibre talents. West Brom will be up against it as they will likely face last year’s Premier League relegated sides, however in the play-offs truly anything can happen and the Baggies are the West Midlands’ strongest chance of a third team in the top flight next season.
Coventry City
Coventry City is the West Midlands only other team that are still in with a shout of earning promotion as Birmingham City are languishing at the other end of the table.
The Singers accumulated 54 points in the opening 36 games, leaving them on the brink of a top-six spot. A strong run of form over the remaining fixtures would likely secure them a play-off spot and they could even face off against West Brom in a West Midlands derby at that stage. The consistent goal-scoring form of club-record signing Haji Wright is what has truly spearheaded Coventry’s promotion charge. He scored 11 in his opening 34 fixtures which has made him comfortably the team’s top Championship goal scorer and he also added six assists in that period.
@sanbenito pic.twitter.com/KdB6dSiyS9
β Callum OβHare (@CalOhare) January 13, 2024
Callum O’Hare has also been a standout in midfield with six goals and three assists in his opening 22 appearances. Coventry has an abundance of offensive-focused talent, however, their defence will face a tough ask of keeping out Premier League-level attacks if they make the play-offs.
West Brom is ultimately the West Midlands’ greatest hope in regards to potentially winning the 2024 play-offs, but Coventry could be motivated to cause a huge surprise after losing in the final last year.
