Bobby Zamora names the 3 EFL Championship clubs he'd like to see get promoted | OneFootball

Ex-Championship and Premier League frontman Bobby Zamora has revealed the three second-tier sides he'd love to see win promotion this season

As the 2026/27 Championship campaign begins to take shape heading into the upcoming three-week international break, former England international Bobby Zamora has revealed the THREE second-tier sides he would love to see achieve promotion by the time May rolls around.

Many teams will have their sights set on the grand prize of promotion to the Premier League, be it as champions, runners-up, or by winning the play-offs, in which the opportunity for success has become even more attainable following the new expansion to a top-eight format.

Middlesbrough, Southampton, West Ham and Wolves perhaps represent the strongest contenders for automatic promotion, although exactly who could end up finishing in the play-offs and gaining promotion to the Premier League that way remains anybody's guess as a typically-unpredictable campaign of second-tier football heads underway.

And Zamora, who is no stranger to the Championship and what it takes to achieve promotion through the play-offs, of course, has highlighted the three sides he wants to see head up to the Premier League once the season is up.

Bobby Zamora reveals West Ham, QPR and Charlton Athletic promotion wish

The former striker is among the most iconic figures in Championship play-off history, even if much of his career was instead spent at the highest level with the likes of West Ham, Fulham and later QPR.

Zamora would even earn two England caps under Fabio Capello, although he did grace the Championship on a few occasions and twice scored memorable play-off final-winning goals, firstly for West Ham against Preston North End in 2005 and later, perhaps more notably, crushing Derby County's hearts with a last-grasp strike to send QPR back to the big time at Wembley.

A bonafide play-off icon, Zamora is now watching the season unfold and holds out hope for two of his former sides to clinch promotion alongside a more plucky underdog in the form of Charlton Athletic.

When asked who he expects to get out of the division this term, the now-45-year-old highlighted West Ham as likely champions while describing his hopes to see QPR and Charlton mount less-probable promotion pushes.

Speaking to football betting, Zamora explained: "I think you have to say West Ham. They’ve got the experience, they’ve got great players and they’ll bounce back, they will be one of them."I’d like to see Charlton and one of my good friends Nathan Jones, he’s passionate and he’s building something over there. They’ve started the season quite well, so I’ve got my fingers crossed for them.

"I’m not sure whether Wolves will come good. They’ve obviously got a chance, but I’m not entirely sure about them."Look, it would be great to see another one of my old sides, QPR, up there too. They haven’t started badly this season so I’m hopeful for them and I’m hopeful for Charlton."But West Ham are my idea of the champions."

Bobby Zamora's West Ham title prediction is unsurprising

It's only right that Zamora still retains plenty of goodwill towards the Hammers, having spent four years in the claret-and-blue corners of East London before moving west to join Fulham.

He's not just speaking from the heart, either - West Ham's sudden return to the Championship following some 14 years in the promised land instantly marked them as title favourites among punters and pundits alike en-masse, and it's easy to see why when you consider the embarrassment of expertise that Nuno Espirito Santo boasts at his disposal.

With Jarrod Bowen and Taty Castellanos both staying put against the odds prior to the statement-sending double-arrival of Joel Piroe and Manor Solomon, who were devastating in tandem as Leeds United won the title two years ago, the Hammers have one of the most eye-watering frontlines we've ever seen at this level and their options further back in midfield and defence are still stronger than what almost all of their Championship counterparts can conjure up.

West Ham have, of course, shown what all the hype is all about, mounting some blitzing form with a couple of thrashings handed out in the run-up to the international break after a slow start, and Nuno's men will only be expected to continue going from strength to strength as they set the second-tier pace this season.

QPR could achieve Bobby Zamora wish on key condition - Charlton Athletic may struggle to

Zamora's promotion discussions involving two other London-based Championship clubs is likely to attract more debate, with his pining for hope for QPR and Charlton representing a higher amount of wishful thinking than predicting West Ham to win the title.

QPR shouldn't be discounted from promotion contention, though, as Julien Stephan has a richly-talented squad to call upon.

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Pierce Charles is one of the most promising young goalkeepers in the land, Dennis Cirkin and Ronnie Edwards are just about as solid as they come defensively at this level, electric full-back Tariq Lamptey is a class above when fit and then, further forward, attacking talents such as Rumarn Burrell, Ilias Chair, Richard Kone and Harvey Vale can all be huge difference-makers.

The Hoops' campaign is poised to be defined by fortune, though, and that's because many of Stephan's strongest performers have problematic injury records in recent years and the stiffest challenge at Loftus Road may just be keeping the big-hitters fit for as long as possible - but should they endure some better luck on that front, then it would be no surprise to see them finish inside the play-offs.

As for Charlton, a blistering start to the season has just petered away. The Addicks are still likely to defy the odds by finishing some way from a predicted relegation scrap, although it would be a great shock if the south Londoners wound up anywhere near promotion contention.

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That won't hurt many at the Valley, and simple season-on-season progression will suit Jones and co just fine, but that's one wish Zamora may just see go unfulfilled for this term at least.