Skip to content

Who are the leading scorers across the four professional English football leagues?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Who are the leading scorers across the four professional English football leagues? We take a look at the players heading the charge this season

Who are the leading scorers across the four professional English football leagues? We take a look at the players heading the charge this season.

There have been a mind-boggling 3,135 goals scored across the Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two so far in the 2016-17 campaigns with plenty more still to come.

With teams from three leagues in action this week, we countdown the most prolific goalscorers you could see getting on the scoresheet once again...

1. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle) - 20 goals

Newcastle United's Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal
Image: Newcastle United's Dwight Gayle (R) has scored the most league goals so far this season

Dwight Gayle has been in storming form for Newcastle since his summer move, with the Magpies locked in a battle with Brighton at the summit of the Championship table for top spot.

He has netted 20 goals in 22 league appearances - giving him a goal on average every 88 minutes - with two hat-tricks under his belt against Norwich and Birmingham.

2. Omar Bogle (Grimsby) - 19 goals

Omar Bogle of Grimsby Town
Image: Omar Bogle has caught the eye for Grimsby Town this season

It is safe to say that Omar Bogle has taken to his first season in the professional leagues like a duck to water after Grimsby's promotion to League Two at the end of last season.

He has helped the Mariners to a spot in the play-off chasing pack - just six points currently separate Grimsby from fourth spot - and scoring his 19 goals in 26 appearances which has certainly attracted plenty of transfer attention.

Also See:

3= Billy Sharp (Sheff Utd) - 18 goals

Billy Sharp of Sheffield United in action during a pre season friendly at Grimsby. Pic Simon Bellis/Sportimage.
Image: Billy Sharp has led Sheffield United to the top of the League One table

Billy Sharp is certainly leading from the front at Sheffield United this year as the Blades target a return to the Championship after six years in the third tier of English football and a number of near misses.

The captain has netted 18 times in League One this term, including seven goals in five games in October and November to power Sheffield United into pole position.

3= John Akinde (Barnet) - 18 goals

John Akinde
Image: John Akinde has been in fine form for Barnet so far this season

Another play-off chasing side in League Two, John Akinde has been a consistent performer for Barnet over the last two-and-a-half seasons and is on his way to another stellar haul this term.

He has scored 18 goals in 27 league appearances and striking another similarity to Sharp, he also netted seven goals in five games over the same months - although he did pick up four yellow cards in the process.

4= Chris Wood (Leeds) - 17 goals

Chris Wood (C) celebrates giving Leeds the lead
Image: Chris Wood has netted 17 Championship goals for Leeds

Could we see Leeds back in the Premier League next season? It is a real possibility as they currently sit third in the Championship table and have a reliable front man in Chris Wood.

He has netted 17 times in 27 league appearances, including six goals in his last four games, with a strike coming every 124 minutes on average.

4= Josh Morris (Scunthorpe) - 17 goals

Josh Morris of Scunthorpe United celebrates
Image: Josh Morris joined Scunthorpe on a free transfer in the summer

A fantastic bit of business from Scunthorpe after signing Josh Morris on a free transfer in the summer with the midfielder emerging as their top scorer this season as they sit in the League One automatic promotion places.

He has also assisted his team-mates nine times, the joint-second highest in the league and on par with Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. Not bad for a player who made just 13 League One appearances for Bradford last term.

5= James Vaughan (Bury) - 16 goals

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29:  James Vaughan of Bury in action during the Sky Bet League One match between Northampton Town and Bury at Sixfields on O
Image: James Vaughan has netted 16 goals for Bury in the 2016/17 season

A decent goalscorer does not always mean a spot in the play-off chase and despite an impressive 16 goals for Bury this season from James Vaughan, they currently occupy the final relegation place.

He has scored his goals in 21 league appearances for the Shakers this term - including four of the five goals against Peterborough a few weeks ago - and averages a strike every 108 minutes which could be vital as the club look to pull themselves out of the drop zone.

5= Matty Taylor (Bristol Rovers) - 16 goals

Matty Taylor: On target for Bristol Rovers
Image: Matty Taylor has scored 16 times for Bristol Rovers so far this season

Matty Taylor was a key play as Bristol Rovers achieved back-to-back promotions from the then-Conference to League One, and was the Football League's overall top scorer last season with 27 goals.

He is already well on his way to matching that tally with 16 strikes in 26 appearances so far this term as Bristol Rovers eye another crack at promotion to the Championship in May.

6= Diego Costa (Chelsea) - 15 goals

Diego Costa celebrates scoring Chelsea's second goal during the Premier League match against Southampton
Image: Diego Costa is the joint-top scorer in the Premier League so far

Our first Premier League player comes in the form of Chelsea's star striker Diego Costa, who has netted 15 times this season as the Blues have powered to the top of the table.

He is well on the way to exceeding his best Premier League tally of 20 from his debut 2014-15 season - and already surpassing his 12 goals from last term - with a goal from Costa coming every 118 minutes on average.

6= Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - 15 goals

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22:  Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal converts the penalty to score his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsen
Image: Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez is level on 15 goals with Diego Costa

After waiting a while for a Premier League player, two come along in quick succession with Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez also tied with Costa with 15 goals so far this season.

The Chile international is also well on his way to his best ever tally for the Gunners - already surpassing his 13 from last season and one goal from the 16 he scored in the 2014-15 campaign - and has scored in the last three league games.

6= Glenn Murray (Brighton) - 15 goals

Glenn Murray of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Sky Bet Championship
Image: Glenn Murray is on loan at Brighton from Bournemouth

Glenn Murray has made a triumphant return to Brighton where he shone during a four year spell between 2007 and 2011 and is on his way to equalising his 22 goal record haul for the Seagulls during his final season.

He has made 26 Championship appearances since returning to the club with 25 goals so far as Brighton aim to go one better than last season and win promotion to the Premier League for the first time.

6= Tammy Abraham (Bristol City) - 15 goals

HIGH WYCOMBE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: Tammy Abraham of Bristol City celebrates after scoring to make it 0-1 during the EFL Cup match between Wycombe Wanderers
Image: Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham has been in fine form for Bristol City

Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham has burst onto the scene after coming through the youth ranks, and he has proved to be a shrewd acquisition for Lee Johnson.

Bristol City are currently hovering above the relegation zone but the 15 goals from Abraham are encouraging signs that they can beat a return to League One, with a goal coming every 152 minutes on average from the young forward.

6= John Marquis (Doncaster) - 15 goals

John Marquis: Bagged a brace for Doncaster
Image: John Marquis joined Doncaster on a permanent deal in the summer

John Marquis is a proven EFL goalscorer, having helped Northampton to League One promotion last season and he is up to the same tricks once again with Doncaster, where he signed on a permanent deal in the summer.

The former Millwall striker has netted 15 league goals this term as Darren Ferguson's Rovers sit top of the League Two table, and has netted four goals in his last three games.

Other notable mentions

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes United got their first-half tactics wrong
Image: Zlatan Ibrahimovic has netted 14 times since in the Premier League his summer move to Man Utd

It has been a stellar start to life in the Premier League for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has scored 14 times for Manchester United with six goals in his last eight league appearances as Jose Mourinho's men have gone 13 games unbeaten.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane is one goal behind his United counter-part even with an eight week injury lay-off earlier in the season, with team-mate Dele Alli having a storming season in front of goal, already notching up his best ever tally with 11 strikes.

Sunderland and Everton forwards Jermain Defoe and Romelu Lukaku have both scored 12 times in the Premier League so far this season, with Sergio Aguero netting 11 times for Manchester City after a stop-start season by his standards so far.

Lee Gregory celebrates after scoring for Millwall against Port Vale
Image: Lee Gregory has scored 11 times for Millwall in League One so far this season

Elsewhere in the Sky Bet EFL, Scott Hogan has netted 14 times for Brentford in the Championship - level with Ibrahimovic - while former Swansea and Sunderland striker Danny Graham has been on target 11 times for Blackburn this season.

Lee Gregory has continued his fine scoring form for Millwall with 11 goals in League One under his belt, while Sam Winnall also takes the same number of strikes to Sheffield Wednesday after moving from Barnsley, although he has yet to score for his new club.

Around Sky