League One has been around for almost two decades now and there have been many stellar highlights. It is the third tier of the English football system and it is home to many underrated clubs and players. There are many top-tier goal-scorers in League One’s history which is why we need to dive further.
When you look at League One, many strikers stand out because they post some amazing tallies during a season. In this list, we will take note of the best goal-scorers in League One history not only based on their tally but the overall quality of their play as strikers.
By looking at this list, you can see that certain styles work out in League One or any other league in England. If you want to win your English outrights, you should identify if the striker fits the bill because you will thrive with your wagers if you know what to look for in the future.
League One Best Goal-scorers
Billy Sharp
While he is mostly known as a Sheffield United player, Sharp had solid stints all over England. Two seasons stick out in Sharp’s non-Blades career because his time with Scunthorpe United should be commended.
He played for Scunthorpe from 2005 to 2007 and in two seasons he scored 23 and 30 goals respectively. He was one of the promising players in League One at the time and he has continued to be one of the best strikers England has to offer.
Some might say he peaked early but that is not the case because Sharp is still going strong at 36 years of age in 2022. He managed to win another Top Scorer nod in League One in the 2016-17 season during the second season of his second stint at Sheffield United.
During the early years, Sharp was an athletic player who knew how to run properly off the ball.
As the years passed, Sharp knew how to balance his athleticism with his technical skills like dribbling and accuracy. As he aged, Sharp became more of a cerebral player because he wanted to keep playing as a smart striker. This has worked out for him because even if he is a wily veteran, you can expect him to score double-digit goals every season.
Rickie Lambert
After Sharp, Lambert is the only player who earned the top scorer nod in League One. Lambert did so by scoring 29 and 30 goals respectively in two seasons. That is an amazing achievement because he did that across two teams as well.
He played for Bristol Rovers in the 2008-09 season and he moved to Southampton FC in the following year.
During his playing years, Lambert used his superior size to score goals. He knew how to withstand physical contact with his balance. He can keep up with any big defender which is a huge plus, especially if he’s tasked with scoring a bunch of goals.
Apart from his play in the open field, Lambert was also a monster when it comes to penalty kicks. He only missed once during his career which further proves that he deserves to be called one of the most accurate and talented strikers in League One history.
Lambert was not the fastest player on the pitch but you could tell that he was a stellar goal-scorer. He is a hard-working striker who deserves to be spotlighted and thankfully, more people will learn of his time in League One.
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Ivan Toney
Initially starting out as a Newcastle United player, Toney is more linked to Brentford nowadays. After he left the Magpies’ system, he moved to League One to play for Peterborough United.
This was one of the best decisions he could make because Toney would thrive with the club as he won the Top Scorer nod in the 2019-20 season. He used this momentum well as he joined Brentford in the Championship and he led them to the win and promotion to the Premier League.
During his time with Peterborough, you can tell that Toney was a stellar player. He knew how to position himself on the pitch and he used his athleticism and strength to beat his defenders.
It’s not a surprise that this has transitioned well into the two upper leagues because he thrived in his situation in League One after his failed Newcastle stint.
Jordan Rhodes
As the striker with the highest goal tally on this list, Rhodes is a can’t-miss striker. Rhodes set the League One record for most goals in a season with his performance in the 2011-12 season with Huddersfield Town with 36 goals.
That has been the record for a long time because 36 is pretty hard to catch up. It also involved six hat tricks which proved he was solid all season long.
These are just some of the best goal-scorers to have played in League One. The third tier of English football deserves a spotlight. Thankfully, there are many bettors out there who want to look into betting on top scorers before the season even starts with English outrights. It will be a fun bet to make because League One is filled with awesome scorers.
