The English Championship has long been referred to as one of the most exciting leagues in the world, despite not always being in the public eye globally.

This season in particular has been no different with the race for promotion around the top two places as close as ever, while at the foot of the table there is a real scrap developing between three or four teams as to who is going to go down.

Add in to the mix that there is the all important top six to play for, and it makes for pretty good viewing.

Plenty of players of high quality ply their trade in the second tier of English football, with many saying it is actually harder to play in than the Premier League due to the intensity of the games.

Here at FLW, we have taken a look at FIVE reasons why the Championship could be considered the best league in the world.....

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE REASONS!

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Anyone can beat anyone on their day

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Like any league, there's always the clubs who excel nearer the top, and then teams who you would expect to see nearer the bottom of the table.

But the special thing about the Championship, is that literally anyone can beat any other team. There have been plenty of upsets over the years, and as recent as Tuesday night, little Rotherham beat big spending and high flying Middlesbrough.

It really is one of the hardest leagues in the world to predict the results in, and is renowned for late goals flying in and teams mounting surging comebacks to snatch late results.

It is what makes it so exciting, as you can never count someone out of getting a result. It is very rare you see five and six nil score lines, which seem to be frequent over in places like Spain.

The fans

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Not many leagues can boast fans as passionate as the Championship, where they flock in their thousands home and away to follow their team week in week out.

Teams such as Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and Sheffield Wednesday regularly sell out away allocations, while home attendances at the likes of Derby and Ipswich are always high.

It really is a league full of passion on the terraces, and there are many grounds which plenty of clubs do not fancy an away trip to.

Last season, eight clubs in the league averaged over 20,000 fans, with three clubs averaging over the 25,000 mark. Just shy of 10m fans attended games last year, a really impressive stat.

This is something the league can and should be proud of.

The Play Off's

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The end of season play off games remain one of the most exciting spectacles to witness in football, with four teams battling it out to win that all important final place in the Premier League.

The final itself, played at Wembley stadium to regularly sold out crowds, is billed as the richest game in world football, with the winner's gaining promotion to the Premier League and riches to the tune of over £100m.

There has been heartbreak and joy in abundance over the years. Who can forget Crystal Palace's last minute winner over Sheffield United in 97, or Blackpool and Cardiff slugging it out in what turned out to be a 3-2 win for the Tangerines in 2010.

It really is brilliant viewing, and for fans of the clubs involved, is one of the most nerve racking experiences you can go through as a football fan.

The quality of player and number of internationals

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The Championship these days is an attractive proposition to many players, including those in the Premier League and those from abroad.

Players like Gaston Ramirez and Bradley Johnson have chosen to drop down to the league this season alone, while there continues to be an influx of talent from the continent and beyond, such as players like Sheffield Wednesday's Lucas Joao.

Add these to the mix of regular and consistent Championship performers like Ross McCormack and Grant Leadbitter, and you get the picture that it is league of high quality.

More and more players are willing to play in the Championship, as clubs continue to chuck the money at it to try and secure Premier League football for their club.

The quality of the stadiums

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There is some real quality in terms of stadia when it comes to the Championship.

Modern grounds like the iPro in Derby, the Riverside up in Middlesbrough, and on a small scale the New York Stadium in Rotherham are held in high regard and really look the part.

There are old school stadiums like that of the City Ground in Nottingham, and Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium - the biggest in the league - and these grounds are a joy to behold when full.

As time progresses and technology advances, more and more Championship clubs are investing in their grounds and making year on year improvements.

Having quality stadiums like the Championship does, makes it a more attractive product for buyers and sponsors, and the league will surely continue to grow and improve, just like its stadiums have.

Championship fans, do you agree with this? What other reasons do you think makes the league so great? Let us know in the comments!