Top 5: Championship Players of the 2016-17 Season

Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United)

Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle has been one of, if not the, main reason for the club’s success in the division during this campaign and the forward has been somewhat revitalised under boss Rafa Benitez.

His 22 goals in 30 league appearances have meant that he averages a goal every 96 minutes for The Magpies, which makes him the Championship’s most prolific striker this season.

The forward is another player to have a fairly meteoric rise in recent years having made the jump from League Two to this league with Peterborough United back in 2012-13, before moving onto the top-flight just six months later with newly promoted Crystal Palace.

The 26-year-old has certainly fared better in the Championship so far than what he has done in the Premier League having scored 35 goals in 60 appearances compared to just 15 in 64 when playing in the top-flight.

Now that Newcastle have secured their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, Gayle will be presented with another chance to prove his worth at the highest level of the game.