Every Midlands football club ranked by AI from biggest to smallest | OneFootball

The Midlands has always been a football-heavy region of England

Football is certainly a major part of life throughout the country, but one of the regions which epitomises this more than most is the Midlands.

Split into West and East, this particularly vast area of England is a hotbed of football clubs across all levels, with some of the country's all-time greats also hailing from the multitude of towns and cities within the region.

As a result, there are several local derbies and bragging rights at stake right through the pyramid, whether that be in the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two or even further down into non-league.

Such is the number of professional clubs within the West and East Midlands, the pendulum has so often swung when it comes to determining which clubs are enjoying the best or worst fortunes at any given moment.

At present, though, there are 15 clubs classified as 'Midlands' based within the 92 professional sides that make up the top four divisions.

With that being said, Football League World has put AI to the test on a topic that is so often brought up on social media, and one that is likely to bring some form of controversy as a result.

We have asked ChatGPT if it can definitively rank all those sides in terms of size from biggest to smallest, and here are the results.

1 ? ? Aston Villa

An obvious pick in AI's mind comes straight away, with Aston Villa sitting top of the pile.

The Villans are one of the founding members of the EFL and Premier League, and have always been one of the country's most historic clubs when it comes to status.

Having won 21 major trophies - including the 1981/82 European Cup - since 1874, Villa are on the hunt for their first since 1996, which came in the EFL Cup final against Leeds United, with Unai Emery recently restoring the club back to their position as European regulars.

2 ? ? Nottingham Forest

In second place, according to AI, is the first East Midlands side on this list in the form of fellow Premier League outfit, Nottingham Forest.

Much like Villa, the Tricky Trees have been acknowledged for their European pedigree above all else, having lifted the European Cup in successive years under Brian Clough OBE in 1979 and 1980 after winning the First Division in 1977/78.

The Trentside club's global reach as a result of their success under Clough has also been credited as a key factor, as well as the regular sell-outs seen at the City Ground.

Last season saw the Reds reach Europe for the first time in 30 years, but a chaotic season has seen them also fighting off a potential return to the Championship under several managers.

3 ? ? Leicester City

Taking home the 'bronze medal' in this particular ranking are Leicester City, who have enjoyed quite an emotional rollercoaster in recent times.

The Foxes' recent success, which peaked during their '5000/1' Premier League-winning season of 2015/16 alongside an FA Cup success in 2021 and regular European stints have been credited as the main reason behind such a selection.

However, the aforementioned glory days have come at a cost, with Leicester now staring back-to-back relegations back to League One for the first time since 2009 very much in the face, largely due to a six-point deduction imposed by the EFL for PSR breaches in February 2026.

4 ? ? Wolverhampton Wanderers

Just behind Leicester are the third and final current Premier League outfit, Wolverhampton Wanderers, although the Old Gold and Black are certainly Championship-bound at this moment in time.

AI has acknowledged the success enjoyed by the Black Country club across the 1950s in particular, during which they were crowned First Division champions three times whilst also lifting the FA Cup.

In recent times, Wanderers have been Premier League regulars since their first promotion back to the newly-formed top-flight in 2003, with an array of high-profile signings such as Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and the late Diogo Jota and a stint in the UEFA Europa League boosting their global recognition.

5 ? ? Derby County

In fifth place, according to AI, are Derby County.

The computer, again, has acknowledged the rich history the Rams are able to boast, which peaked during the early-to-mid 1970s under the aforementioned Clough with two First Division championships.

Derby's unwavering support at Pride Park has also received high plaudits, with the club still able to draw large crowds in DE24 despite a recently chaotic history, which saw them relegated down to League One in 2022 after entering administration and being docked 21 points.

Their lengthy absence from the top-flight, which has lasted since the breaking of the lowest-ever points record in 2007/08, lets them down big time on this list, says AI.

6 ? ? West Bromwich Albion

Next up are West Bromwich Albion, with AI, again, focusing on the Baggies' historical exploits rather than current fortunes when selecting this position.

AI believes Albion are one of the country's biggest 'sleeping giants', having not won a major trophy since the 1968 FA Cup final despite being regulars in the top-flight throughout their history.

However, the club's ability to attract consistently high gates to The Hawthorns in a recent period of mixed fortunes has also been praised by the computer.

7 ? ? Stoke City

Behind them are divisional rivals, Stoke City, who have stagnated in the Championship since their most-recent relegation from the Premier League in 2018.

AI has acknowledged that the Potters are amongst the 12 clubs which helped form the EFL back in 1888, and has also recognised the infamous recognition they generated throughout a decade-long spell in the Premier League, during which they also reached the 2011 FA Cup final.

Their infamous recognition largely came through the stereotype of 'wet Tuesday nights in Stoke', although such regularly poor weather conditions haven't had the worst of impacts on attendances at the Bet365 Stadium.

8 ? ? Birmingham City

A perhaps controversial pick is the inclusion of Birmingham City in eighth place.

Coming from the second-biggest city in England, AI has acknowledged the potential for Blues to grow as a club and brand, which is exactly what is set to come through the 62,000-seater Powerhouse stadium and Sports Quarter complex.

However, based off history and recent fortunes, Birmingham only have two EFL Cups to their name, and have been outside the Premier League since May 2011.

As such, AI believes they are, perhaps, the greatest underachievers on this list by a considerable distance.

9 ? ? Coventry City

Behind them are Coventry City, who could finally get a sense of what global appeal is like in the Premier League's modern age next season, having spent the past 25 years in the EFL.

Their recent struggles, which included two groundshares with Northampton Town and Birmingham City and a fall down to League Two have been forgotten about through a current resurgence under the management of Mark Robins and current boss, Frank Lampard, who brings his own focus due to his playing days with Chelsea, Manchester City and England.

As such, the Sky Blue Army will hope their club can eventually replicate their previous glory days, which included the dramatic 3-2 success over Tottenham Hotspur in the 1987 FA Cup final.

10 ? ? Notts County

Notts County are next up, with the Magpies steeped in history despite currently languishing in League Two.

Again, they helped form the EFL in 1888, and are said to be the oldest professional football club in the world, having been formed way back in 1862.

County's black-and-white strips are also historical in their own right, with Serie A giants, Juventus, playing in the same colours since 1903 when Nottingham-born Tom Savage arranged for a friend to supply a new set of kits to replace their previous pink numbers.

In the future, the club will also hope to climb back into the higher reaches of the pyramid, having been outside the top two divisions ever since the 1994/95 campaign.