The 10 most boring EFL Championship clubs named and ranked by AI | OneFootball

AI names and ranks the 10 most boring clubs in the EFL Championship.

The Championship is one of the most exciting leagues in world football, packed full of chaos, drama and storylines every single season.

However, with all the chaos that surrounds certain clubs at the thick end of the promotion race, relegation battle and play-off fight, it is easy to blend into the background outside these parameters.

Football League World asked ChatGPT to rank the 10 most boring clubs in the 2025/26 Championship, the ones that neutrals easily forget until they show up on our screens or at the ground of our respective club.

Here is what AI had to say.

10 Oxford United

Oxford were able to avoid relegation back to League One under Gary Rowett last term following their promotion, and are now looking to settle down further in the second tier.

With a relatively small stadium and an average attendance of 11,352, which was the lowest in the Championship last term, Oxford are a low-profile side at this level.

With no fierce rivalry, Oxford can easily slip under the radar in the Championship.

Being among a plethora of London clubs with varying levels of success, AI thinks QPR can often be one of the most forgettable, especially with fellow West London clubs Chelsea, Fulham and Brentford all sitting in the top flight.

While there is excitement moving forward under new manager Julien Stephan, the R's have been unable to sustain a promotion challenge since their relegation back to the Championship in 2015.

In the words of ChatGPT: "They just float around mid-table each year."

After being involved in the promotion race for multiple years following their relegation to the second tier in 2018, Swansea have somewhat lost their sparkle in recent campaigns.

The 2013 Capital One Cup winners have been stuck in a mid-table pattern for several years now, and their average attendance last term was just over 15,000 in their 21,088-seater Swansea.com Stadium.

While the Lions will always carry their reputation of being tough to play against, they are rarely entertaining.

The club have come close to multiple play-off finishes. However, they have been unable to break through the glass ceiling and throw themselves into the potential promotion hat.

Since ascending back to the Championship in 2017, Millwall have finished 8th, 21st, 8th, 11th, 9th, 8th, 13th and 8th.

The Hornets' managerial merry-go-round grabs headlines almost every single season; however, beyond that, it is hard to pin down just what Watford's identity as a club actually is.

Once one of the clubs bouncing between the first and second tiers, Watford have since let their standards slip, and have failed to put together a promotion charge since their latest relegation in 2022.

Stoke were red-hot favourites to bounce straight back to the Premier League following their relegation in 2018; however, the Potters have just not quite been able to fire on all cylinders.

With their most recent 10-year spell in the Premier League, Stoke are always looked upon fondly by those in the top flight. However, their Championship seasons have all passed by without incident.

ChatGPT was brutally honest with its verdict, saying: "Neither thrilling neutrals nor terrifying opponents, Stoke just... exist."

4 Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn are one of English football's historic names. However, they have not seen the top flight since their relegation to the Championship in 2012.

Supporters often find themselves fighting through ownership struggles, and Rovers have seen their best players leave the club year in and year out across their 13-year EFL stay.

Blackburn finished just outside the play-offs under Valerien Ismael last term, and have been one of the division's 'nearly men' in regard to putting together a promotion challenge. They have had moments, but just haven't been able to break the barrier just yet.

The Lilywhites were promoted to the Championship in 2015, and have been the very definition of a mid-table side since.

In a similar fashion to neighbours Blackburn, North End have had moments in which a play-off push has looked close. However, they just haven't been able to throw themselves into the hat.

Preston suffered their lowest finish in the Championship since promotion last term, finishing 20th under Paul Heckingbottom. And the losses of both Emil Riis and Sam Greenwood over the summer have done nothing to ease any worries ahead of 2025/26.

2 Bristol City

The Robins have often been grouped with Preston as yet another of the league's 'nearly men'. Their play-off finish under Liam Manning last term was their first since promotion to the Championship alongside North End in 2015.

City have not faced their fierce rivals Bristol Rovers since their 2-1 EFL Trophy win in 2013, and have often found themselves drifting around midtable since their ascent to the second tier.

Before last term under Manning, the last time the Robins were promotion contenders was in 2018 under Lee Johnson, riding the wave of their fantastic Carabao Cup quarter-final victory against Manchester United. That year, though, they slipped out of the play-offs entirely.

There is excitement about Gerhard Struber heading into next term. However, City have to avoid slipping back to what has been their usual standard over the last decade.

Albion were relegated back to the Championship in 2021 after a year in the Premier League. And after once being tipped as one of the promotion favourites heading into every term, West Brom's recent 2024/25 campaign was one full of little excitement.

Possibly a controversial choice at the top of this list, ChatGPT said: "West Brom's recent campaigns have been painfully predictable. Little drama, little excitement - they top this list."

The Baggies are heading into 2025/26 in a new direction with Ryan Mason at the helm. And the hope is that they can throw themselves back into the promotion race after a disappointing 9th-place finish last season.