The rest of team is made up of players from league winners Reading, Crystal Palace, Birmingham City, Burnley, Cardiff City and Blackpool.
So here is the PFA NPower Championship Team of the Year:
Position : Goalkeeper
Kelvin Davis (Southampton)
Experienced keeper' Davis has provided a reliable last line of defence. He has featured in nearly every game for the Saints, with his experience proving to be a vital tool in Nigel Adkins' plans for the season. Davis' quality has been proven by the fact that this is his fourth appearance in a PFA Team of the Year, and his third in successive seasons.
Position: Defender
Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace)
Clyne has been tipped to be a Premier League star of the future for so long that it is easy to forget that he is only 21 years old. His performances since breaking into the Crystal Palace team three-and-a-half years ago have defied his young age and it is easy to see why he is such a sought-after talent. He has been a regular for the Eagles again this season and is currently mulling over the offer of a new contract at Selhurst Park.
Position: Defender
James Tomkins (West Ham United)
A West Ham academy product, Tomkins is determined to ensure that the Hammers bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. The young centre-back has made over 40 appearances for the East London club this term and ended any uncertainty regarding his future in January when he agreed a deal that will keep him at Upton Park until 2016. West Ham could still struggle to retain him if they fail to achieve promotion.
Position: Defender
Curtis Davies (Birmingham City)
Davies' presence at the heart of their back four has played a big part in their success, with the commanding centre-half having made 50 appearances this season and looked every part the experienced top flight performer that he is. With Birmingham competing in Europe on top of the hectic Championship campaign, Davies' consistency has been invaluable.
Position: Defender
Ian Harte (Reading)
Harte seems to be getting better with age, the experienced Irishman is now 34 years old, but you would not know it to watch him in action. He has formed part of a back four that has conceded at a rate of less than a goal a game this term and is currently readying himself for another shot at the Premier League. Harte is also making his fourth appearance in a PFA Team of the Year, his third in a row and his second consecutive appearance in the Championship selection.
Position: Midfielder
Adam Lallana (Southampton)
Lallana was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year in 2010/11 and has made the step up into the Championship with ease and he is included once again. Another fine Southampton academy product, the 23-year-old has already broken into double figures for the season. He is considered to be ready for the Premier League and will be desperate to grace that stage in 2012/13.
Position: Midfielder
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City)
Whittingham was last featured in the PFA Championship Team of the Year back in 2009/10, the year in which Cardiff suffered play-off final heartache against Blackpool. He will be hoping history does not repeat itself two years on, with both sides in the promotion hunt once again. Whittingham continues to provide a regular source of goals and assists for the Bluebirds, with the target found on 11 occasions this season.
Position: Midfielder
Mark Noble (West Ham United)
Another of West Ham's home-grown stars hoping to avoid spending more than one season in the second tier, Noble is a player who has already proven himself as a player of Premier League quality. A former England U21 international and a man with over 150 Premier League appearances under his belt, the combative midfielder has done his best to lead the Hammers' promotion charge. Noble has scored eight goals and provided a handful of assists, but his experience and connection to the club makes him a vital part of the West Ham team.
Position: Midfielder
Matt Phillips (Blackpool)
Phillips spent a spell on loan at Sheffield United at the start of the 2011/12 campaign, but burst into life after returning to Bloomfield Road. He has netted two hat-tricks this season, helping him to break into double figures for the season, and has earned international recognition with Scotland. Having been overlooked by England at senior level, he moved quickly to secure a future at international level.
Position: Forward
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Lambert is a goal machine, proving once again that he is among the most prolific marksmen the Football League has to offer. He has already scored an incredible 27 goals this season, putting him top of the Championship scoring charts by some distance, and is on course to beat his personal best return of 36 in all competitions. Lambert makes the PFA team for a third time in his career, with his second club, and will be hoping to make an impression in the Premier League next season even if Southampton are not promoted.
Position: Forward
Jay Rodriguez (Burnley)
At jusy 22 years of age, Rodriguez appears to be destined for a bright future in the top flight. The local lad has been the leading light for Burnley this season and is in the process of forging a potentially devastating strike partnership with Charlie Austin. He has scored 21 goals in all competitions this season, his best return to date.
Source: DSG
