It’s Richard Scudamore’s worst nightmare, the 2016/17 second tier could consist of bigger clubs than the Premier League.

Last season in Scotland nobody was watching Celtic defeating the likes of Ross County and Hamilton Academical to stroll to a fourth successive title, it was all about the mighty Rangers, Hibernian and Hearts vying for promotion from the second tier. Thought such a thing could only happen north of the border? You might be mistaken.

If the league table stays the same we will see Aston Villa and Newcastle join the likes of Wolves, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday to create a line-up of cult clubs that would strike fear into the heart of 1970s and 80s Europe.

While the Premier League will be unable to believe its luck in receiving over £5billion to broadcast yet another season of clashes like Stoke v Swansea, the Football League will be hoping that the surprising influx of teams who easily attract over 30,000 fans to home games will allow them to significantly increase their £195million tv deal that expires this summer.

‘But won’t the competition be ruined when Newcastle and Villa just run away with it?’ some may ask. Well, Newcastle did storm the Championship after they were last relegated in 2009, but that was after one freak poor season in the top flight. This time they, like Villa, have spent years struggling in the Premier League, almost waiting to go down. And when their players don’t look like they have the ability or the stomach for the fight in the top tier, how are they going to fancy a 46-game season and a possible Tuesday night in Burton?

Then there’s the other teams in the league who won’t give them anything on a plate. In the past four years only West Ham, QPR and Norwich have been promoted at the first attempt after relegation, and all three had to do it through the playoffs after being outclassed by the likes of Reading, Burnley and Bournemouth for the automatic spots.

And if either club doesn’t make it back to the Premier League at the first attempt, they face the daunting prospect of a second season taking on three relegated teams who will have benefited from the £5billion Premier League bonanza which they missed out on. Suddenly another Leeds spending years outside the top flight doesn’t seem unthinkable.

The Championship was already the most competitive league in the world but now it could be on the verge of a new golden age.