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Football can be a ruthless industry at times, with the turnover of players at all levels meaning it is increasingly rare to see one man remain at a club for a considerable period of time.
There are exceptions up and down the English pyramid, though, with several players in the division having represented their current sides for the best part of a decade, while some have even gone well beyond that.
From players who arrived as established signings to academy products, Football League World has ranked all 24 Championship clubs by the longest-serving member of their squad.
Considering this, loan spells away have not been counted as breaking a player's service if they have remained contracted to their parent club, while an initial loan that led into a permanent move has been treated as one continuous spell.
Showing just how much Birmingham's squad has changed in recent years, Ethan Laird is the longest-serving member, despite only arriving in June 2023, signing a three-year deal after spending the previous season on loan at QPR.
Laird would go on to experience relegation to League One and the Blues' immediate promotion back to the Championship, making him one of a small group of players present since the very start of the Knighthead era.
A product of Charlton's academy, Miles Leaburn signed his first professional deal with the Addicks in July 2022, and wasted little time making an impression, scoring on his senior debut later that month.
Leaburn joined the academy from Chelsea in 2019, while his father, Carl, made over 300 appearances for the South London club.
When he moved from Stoke City in January 2022, Adam Davies became Paul Heckingbottom's first signing, with the shotstopper operating as a back-up throughout his time at Bramall Lane.
His longevity, though, has made him the longest-serving member of the squad at 34, with 32 appearances for the Blades since his switch.
Just one day separates the longest-serving players at Sheffield United and Lincoln City, with Ben House completing his move to the Imps from Eastleigh on 24 January 2022.
In his first full campaign at the club, House finished as top scorer and picked up the Players' Player of the Year award, while his current deal continues until 2028, after signing the new contract in October 2025 before Lincoln's promotion to the Championship.
After completing a deadline-day move from Swansea in August 2021, Connor Roberts is Burnley's longest-serving player, with Burnley relegated or promoted in each year since his arrival.
He didn't feel the brunt of one of these, though, with the Welshman spending the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at Leeds before returning to the Clarets ahead of their second-tier return.
Jayson Molumby first arrived at The Hawthorns from Brighton in August 2021, joining on loan with a view to a permanent move.
That would go through a year later, with the midfielder now the Baggies' longest-serving player following the departure of Alex Mowatt, who arrived shortly before Molumby in July 2021.
In January 2025, Molumby put pen to paper on a new deal at the club, sealing his future in the Black Country until 2028.
Portsmouth defender Connor Ogilvie joined from Gillingham in the summer of 2021 and is now the longest-serving member of the squad after wholesale changes in recent years.
Ogilvie was part of the side that finally ended Pompey's lengthy stay in League One, when they won the league in 2023/24, before establishing himself at Championship level and signing a new deal in the summer of 2026.
For Stoke, Ben Wilmot is the longest-serving player, having made the switch on 24 June 2024, joining from Watford after spending the 2020/21 season as a regular starter during their promotion campaign.
In the subsequent years, there has been wholesale change at the Bet365 Stadium, while the centre-back has remained a permanent fixture who passed 150 Stoke appearances in 2025.
Josh Sheehan joined Bolton on a free transfer from Newport County on 7 June 2021, quickly after Wanderers sealed their promotion back to League One.
After George Johnston's departure in 2026, he is now the longest-serving member of Steven Schumacher's squad, and the Welshman has signed a deal until 2028 after being part of the Bolton squad that sealed their spot back in the Championship in the 2025/26 play-off final.
In January 2021, Cardiff made a move for Crew Alexandra defender Perry NG, who has been part of the furniture in South Wales ever since.
NG quickly established himself and became one of the most dependable players for the Bluebirds, winning the club's Player of the Year award in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
He also played 40 times as Cardiff were promoted back to the Championship in 2025/26, earning a fresh contract running to 2028 as a result.
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