The opening weeks of the EFL season have produced some notable early storylines, with Millwall, Charlton and West Brom emerging as surprise pace-setters in the Championship while Russell Martin's Leicester City have made a difficult start in League One.
The discussion, aired on BBC Radio 5 Live's EFL podcast featuring Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff alongside Tranmere Rovers manager Darrell Clarke, touched on several of the division's early talking points as the campaign begins to take shape.
Millwall have impressed in the Championship's opening rounds, establishing themselves among the division's front-runners despite not being widely tipped for a strong start. Charlton have also caught the eye, with suggestions they could prove to be one of the season's surprise packages given their form so far. West Brom, meanwhile, have been praised for adapting well following a summer of significant squad changes, translating that upheaval into positive results on the pitch.
At the other end of the spectrum, Leicester City's start to life in League One under Russell Martin has raised concerns. The Foxes, one of the higher-profile names in the third tier following relegation, have already found themselves struggling, prompting questions over how much patience the club's hierarchy will show as Martin looks to turn things around.
Elsewhere in the EFL, Tranmere Rovers boss Darrell Clarke discussed an eventful summer at the League Two club, including an unusual moment that saw defender Bobby Faulkner deployed in goal. Clarke used the podcast appearance to explain the circumstances behind the improvised goalkeeping switch, as well as reflecting on a busy transfer window at Prenton Park.
The podcast also highlighted a moment of individual quality from Bristol Rovers forward Bobby Kamwa, who produced a celebration reminiscent of Emmanuel Adebayor's infamous run down the touchline after scoring against his former club, Newport County. The moment added a dose of drama and history to what has otherwise been a competitive start to the League One season.
As part of the show's regular "72+ / 72-" segment, which highlights the best and most bizarre moments from across the 72 EFL clubs, the panel identified a contender for a Puskas Award-style goal in the Championship, underlining the quality on display in England's second tier, as well as a farcical, pantomime-esque incident in League Two that added some comic relief to proceedings.
The episode marks part of a new season format for the podcast, which now has its own dedicated feed on BBC Sounds, allowing listeners to access weekly episodes covering the biggest stories from across the EFL. The show has committed to continuing its mix of exclusive guest interviews, headline analysis and standout moments from the Championship, League One and League Two as the season progresses.
With Millwall, Charlton and West Brom setting an early benchmark in the Championship, and Leicester's struggles in League One drawing scrutiny on Russell Martin's start, the coming weeks are expected to offer further clarity on how these early trends might develop as the 2026-27 EFL campaign gathers momentum.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport (Radio 5 Live's EFL Podcast).