Gab Sutton's EFL League Two 1-24 Season Predictions 2025/26
Gab Sutton 
It's time for the most exciting week on social media of the off-season, Gab Sutton's 1-24 predictions are finally revealed!
All week, here on Free Bets, we'll exclusively showcase Gab's 1-24. We begin with League Two today, and follow with League One tomorrow, then the Championship on Wednesday.
For the past three seasons, Gab Sutton's EFL Tips have been a mainstay of our football content, and we're excited to bring his 1-24 predictions on board this summer.
As one of many experts on the site, we combine the best insight and tips with the best offers from the biggest UK betting sites.
First up, League Two....let's go!
1. Chesterfield
After winning the National League title in 2023-24, and securing a Play-Off spot in their first season back in League Two, Chesterfield supporters feel their club is only going in one direction.
Chairman Mike Goodwin has the full trust of fanbase, having brought a transparency and integrity that was absent during the club’s darker hours, and it’s the same with owners Phil and Ashley Kirk – the former is very sadly setting his affairs in order.
Manager Paul Cook, meanwhile, is adored for his passion, nous, and man management qualities, but has also surrounded himself with excellent coaches like assistant Danny Webb.
Cook’s side will have to improve if they want automatic promotion, but they’ll feel many of those desired strides can be made simply through better luck with injuries – and maybe a rethink in the sports science department.
The Derbyshire outfit’s top three bid was undermined by a winter slump of eight defeats in 12, and they began that period with 13 players injured for Boxing Day’s 2-0 defeat at Fleetwood, so keeping the list in single-figures might help - just a smidge…
If they can do that, Chesterfield have top-end performers in seasoned centre-backs Chey Dunkley and Kyle McFadzean, intelligent left-back Lewis Gordon, agile Albanian Armando Dobra and, to their delight, Dilan Markanday.
The left-footed winger brought flair and guile on loan from Blackburn, in the first half of last season, before being recalled but, after a lukewarm loan in Leyton, the 23-year-old has penned a three-year contract with the Spireites.
Devan Tanton also returns, on loan from Fulham, to show the talent that earnt him a game for Columbia in 2023, and provide strong competition at right-back for Ryheem Sheckleford, who was part of the title-winning squad.
Quality has been added, meanwhile, in goalkeeper Zach Hemming, who thrived at St Mirren last season in the Scottish Premiership, on-loan Fulham playmaker Matt Dibley-Dias, midfielder Ryan Stirk from Walsall, and striker Lee Bonis from ADO Den Haag.
Stirk and Bonis bring obvious technical qualities, with the former being able to dictate play, and the latter having scored 39 goals in 85 NIFL games with Larne.
Plus, both offer fresh energy and much-needed athleticism to an old squad, of which some witnessed the construction of the Crooked Spire in 1362!
That wisdom and experience, though, both on the pitch and in the dugout, should help Cook’s Spireites stay at the steeple, without too many twists along the way.
*With love and thoughts to Phil Kirk, his friends, family and all connected with Chesterfield FC
*Chesterfield don't lead the football betting market for League Two, but are Gab Sutton's tip to win the league this season.
2. Grimsby Town
It didn’t take Grimsby fans too long, last season, to process the disappointment of missing out on the top seven.
Within half an hour of the final whistle of the final day’s 1-0 defeat to Wimbledon, in which a win would have got them into the Play-Offs, supporters were applauding the team on their lap of honour, showing their appreciation for a season of seismic stylistic and developmental progress, culminating in a whopping 12-place jump from the previous campaign.
Now, the task is simple: to continue that improvement, which probably means finishing in the top seven.
It should pan out that way, too, after a summer far more stable than the last, even with the loss of assist-machine left-back Denver Hume.
Whereas the Mariners had a large turnover 12 months ago, releasing 12 players, this year they’ve only released six, and will go into 2025-26 with 17 players from last season’s squad, including a talented crop of youth prospects in goalkeeper Seb Auton, midfielder Henry Brown and forward Cam Gardner, one or two of which may go out on loan.
And, while they might be behind other promotion aspirants in terms of budget and individual star quality, there’s also less immediately obvious ways in which they’re actually miles ahead.
Town have a clear tactical template in place, a stable squad with a synergy between them, and a manager in David Artell who has developed players exponentially throughout his career.
Take the midfield, for instance: rewind 12 months and Kieran Green could easily have been released to little surprise, Evan Khouri had stalled on early promise, while recruit George McEachran was struggling to translate his esteemed youth reputation into senior football.
Fast forward to today and Green has brought an infectious energy to Town as their most improved player, Khouri was entrusted with featuring in every game, while McEachran won Player of the Year: they’ve all come on leaps and bounds.
An extra sprinkling of creativity has been added to that dependable midfield, too, with Jamie Walker and Zak Gilsenan joining from Bradford and Blackburn respectively; the former created on average two chances per 90 last season, while the latter, when fit, is a stunning talent.
In terms of other additions, skilful left-back Jayden Sweeney, goalscoring winger Jaze Kabia and left-sided defender Reece Staunton all arrive with some senior football experience under their belt, but also with plenty of growth potential.
Players don’t have to be young to learn under Artell, though: even a senior figure like striker Danny Rose is acquiring new dimensions.
No longer able to press with quite the same intensity at 31, though still to a highly competitive standard, the former Mansfield striker is now adding better link-up play to his game, and has just scored as many goals in a season, 14, as he’s managed in his whole career.
Meanwhile, Harvey Rodgers and Doug Tharme are acclimatising nicely to the ball-playing demands: both centre-backs got better as last season went on.
So, with fellow defender Cameron McJannet hoping to build on an excellent debut campaign at Blundell Park, and winger Darragh Burns and playmaker Géza Dávid Turi intending to find form after half a season to adjust, things are looking rosy.
It’s not all plain sailing, of course: technician McEachran is yet to sign a new deal at the time of writing, amid inevitable interest, and key wide man Jason Daði Svanþórsson will miss the start of the season through injury.
While Artell’s manager, though, you have to add an extra 30-40% onto the quality of the squad – and then another 30-40% on top of that the year after - because players just grow like hydrangeas under his management.
Applying that 30-40% improvement theory to this season, after a 68-point haul, would project approximately 88-95 points for the Mariners; although, accounting for the loss of Hume and maybe McEachran, plus the possibility a stronger league, we’ll scale that down to the 80-85 range.
Our facetiously simplistic theory won’t be for everyone – you can take it or leave it.
Either way, this is the most exciting Town team in the post-Buckley era, and things are trending upwards…
3. Colchester United
Colchester United supporters might not have had the change off-the-field that they wanted and expected this summer, after a US takeover fell through, but they do have enormous cause for positivity on it.
Danny and Nicky Cowley galvanized the club, re-energised the fanbase, and delivered a top-10 berth last season, giving fresh optimism to a fanbase that haven’t had much of it, since the halcyon Championship era of the mid-noughties.
In goalkeeper Matt Macey, technical left-back Ellis Iandolo, intelligent defender Tom Flanagan, his centre-back partner Jack Tucker, dependable full-back Rob Hunt, and progressive midfielders Teddy Bishop and Arthur Read, the U’s have the defensive foundations of a side that can launch a promotion challenge.
They’ve enhanced those foundations, too, by signing Ben Perry, on a permanent deal from Nottingham Forest, after the midfielder impressed on loan in League One with Northampton in the second half of last season, to soften the blow of losing loanee Jamie McDonnell.
Elsewhere, Will Goodwin’s arrival means, even if star striker Samson Tovide gets poached by Barnsley, that ColU can rotate a four-man attack with a multitude of threats.
They’ll have Goodwin’s industrious target man presence, the searing pace of Owura Edwards, Kyreece Lisbie, JK Gordon and recruit Jaden Williams, plus Oscar Thorn’s crossing ability.
Most crucial of all, however, is the advanced creativity of Jack Payne; the 30-year-old has starred in League One before with Southend, Oxford, Blackburn and Bradford, and has the audacity of vision and cuteness of execution to pick out runners, even in congested areas.
So, the thought of Payne slipping through one of those quick forwards, with Goodwin facilitating the individual footraces by occupying one or two defenders himself, is an utterly gorgeous prospect that could be extremely exciting to see come to fruition.
So, it’s a fantastic group that’s already been assembled, which entitles the Cowleys to be selective about the calibre of loans they bring in to give the squad those extra finishing touches.
Plus, they may have started last season with two wins in 16, often falling on the wrong side of fine margins, but November’s injury-time levellers against Barrow and Bradford proved the turning points, catalysing their ascent from 21st to 10th.
And, had 2024-25 began with the subsequent 1-0 victory at Grimsby, the U’s would have finished third.
Extrapolate that form over the extra 16 games and they’ll be there or thereabouts…
4. Milton Keynes Dons
MK Dons have gone from being one of the most process-driven clubs in the EFL, to the one making the most outcome-driven managerial appointment.
New boss Paul Warne has won promotions in each of his four full seasons as a manager below the Championship and, if he continues that record, then perhaps the ends justify the means.
Whereas previously, however, the Buckinghamshire outfit have centred their entire strategy around being a good footballing side and maximising data, they’ve appointed a manager who likes to play the percentages on the pitch, rather than use them at his desk.
It’s fair to presume, therefore, that were MK making an appointment three years ago, Warne wouldn’t have made the longlist.
Logically, it then follows that he’s only in the building because of subsequent mistakes that led to 2022-23’s relegation, and 2024-25’s 19th-place finish, whilst Pete Winkelman’s sale of the club to Kuwaiti businessman Fahad Al Ghanim may also have altered the club’s internal operational power dynamics.
That, then, begs a pertinent question: is this radical change of tack really worth it?
On the one hand, Warne has enormous strengths in terms of fitness and culture-setting, bringing to the table his experience as a coach in the former category, and uniquely disarming methods in the latter, as somebody who leads with vulnerability, empathy and humour.
MK Dons have been found wanting in both areas, in recent years, so we can expect the former Rotherham boss to improve those facets significantly, which represents two massive ticks in the boxes.
On the other hand, of the 22 senior players remaining from last season, it’s difficult to pinpoint loads of players who’d actively benefit from this change in style – based on the technical and tactical side alone.
There’s goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, who’s a great shot-stopper but not amazing with his feet, and then there’s stalwart Alex Gilbey, with the team possibly playing more now into his aggressive, energetic style - but not many others.
Conversely, there’s 10-12 remaining players who would likely suffer in a long ball style, especially the more diminutive and/or less athletic players in the squad like creator Dan Crowley, playmaker Liam Kelly and poacher Scott Hogan.
Therefore, for Warne to be able to implement his style successfully, he needed to be backed comprehensively in the window - so, the good news is that he absolutely has been, and then some.
Versatile defender Gethin Jones, midfield presser Will Collar, energetic forward Aaron Collins, direct wide forward Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and speedy striker Rushian Hepburn-Murphy are real physical specimen, perfectly suited to Warneball.
All fantastic additions, many of whom boasting outstanding CVs for this level, those recruits drastically improve MK Dons’ chances of making Warne’s style work.
Even with those brilliant signings, there will still be teething problems, especially early on, and MK may lean on the individual quality of Collins and Mendez-Laing during the adjustment period.
So, the risk is that you have a fanbase used to seeing smooth football, who’ll have to get used to seeing their team give the ball away – tolerable if the results are there, less so if they’re not.
On top of that, you have an Al Ghanim ownership regime that have spent enormous sums of money with the intention of winning promotion, and might not have the high-resolution understanding of football to recognise the more nuanced challenges that Warne faces, if things don’t start well.
And, having compromised elements of their strategic conviction with this appointment, it’s hard to see quite where MK Dons go if it doesn’t work out with Warne.
All that said, it’s still possible that the risks are outweighed by the rewards, especially given that it takes less time to implement a direct style with possession-happy players, than it does the other way around.
So, MK Dons might be a more cohesive proposition by the second half of the season, but look slightly disjointed, perhaps, as an in-possession entity, up to January.
Then again, they’ll also be fit and well-organised with a great team spirit, and a ruthless edge at the sharp end that should be strong enough to keep them in the mix.
*MK Dons head the betting market to win League Two this season, available at 7/2 with a number of firms, including bet365 and you can read more about this brand by looking at our bet365 review page.
5. Bristol Rovers
Born out of their darkest hour, Darrell Clarke delivered the most successful era in Bristol Rovers’ modern history, a decade ago – and now he’s back to finish what he started.
The Gas responded to the anguish of losing their 94-year Football League status with back-to-back promotions, followed by a top half League One finish in 2016-17, and Clarke hasn’t since had to buy a Bristolian drink – at least, not north of the Avon…
Now, he returns with a nod to old memories at the Mem, and the intention of creating new ones.
Just like Clarke’s first permanent tenure with the Gas, though, this one follows relegation, and in similar fashion: a talented, supposedly capable squad looks safe for much of the season, only to drop with a run of defeats at the business end.
There’s enough ability in this group for the 47-year-old to be successful but, in his first stint, he established a core of players he could trust – the Lee Browns and Stuart Sinclairs, to name a couple – and that’s not something he’s inherited.
The Gas had numerous leakages last season, with the men not turning up on numerous occasions; the team had some half-decent isolated moments in-possession under Iñigo Calderón, but could never sustain them because, out-of-possession, they were so passive and flakey.
Much of the blame can be laid at rookie Calderón’s door, and some of the group will pull themselves together under stronger leadership, though it’s also possible for Clarke that discovering the equivalent, present-day leadership group might be a work-in-progress.
If the former Barnsley boss can get the intangibles in place, however, which he’s done throughout his managerial career, then Rovers should challenge, because the natural talent and ability in this squad is undeniable.
Driven right-back Macaulay Southam-Hales knows what success looks like, having contributed significantly to Stockport’s rise over the last half-decade, and technical left-back Jack Sparkes won the League One title with Portsmouth in 2023-24.
Elsewhere, 28-year-old Taylor Moore has fantastic pedigree for this level, while fellow defender Connor Taylor was one of the few from last season who could hold his head high.
In midfield, Isaac Hutchinson got double-figures for both goals and assists with Walsall in 2023-24, while Kamil Conteh is a supremely talented pivot who’s made his way up the leagues with Gateshead and Grimsby.
Conversely, 32-year-old Josh McEachran hitches up to bring remnants of the ability he had as a highly-rated youngster at Chelsea, but maybe also some extra maturity and wisdom.
Then, in attack, there’s forwards like Promise Omochere, Ruel Sotiriou and Shaq Forde who have shown flashes of potential in their careers so far, the latter more so at Leyton Orient, and may just need that firmer hand to find the consistency that’s eluded them.
So, most of the individual ingredients are there for a top three tilt: a great League Two manager, and a gifted squad that’s the right 3-4 players away from being, potentially, as good as anyone.
It’s just a question of how quickly things amalgamate, and whether those leaders can emerge.
6. Barnet
After winning the National League title with 102 points last season, to return to the Football League after seven years away, there’s a real buzz about the Bees.
Head coach Dean Brennan has reinvigorated the club, including even owner Tony Kleanthous, with the Irishman’s authentic passion, people skills and egalitarian leadership style creating a clear alignment throughout the building.
Not only that, but Brennan’s recruitment has also proved inspired in his four years at the Hive.
Defender Danny Collinge was relegated with a poor Dover side, while midfielder Mark Shelton’s face didn’t fit at Oldham, yet both have been profoundly successful in North London, thanks to the 45-year-old’s capacity to see ability where not everyone does.
Strategic clarity has been key to that, and Barnet deploy a cavalier, high-tempo 3-4-2-1, which looks like a 3-2-5 in-possession, with flying wing-backs Idris Kanu and Ryan Glover stationed well inside the final third – both can be a joy to watch.
As one of two number 10s, Callum Stead can also bring the fun factor, with the ability to switch from a powerful gallop one second to a cute turn the next, and bring moments of quality to boot – his strike at Oldham last season was quite something.
When the attackers can’t work their magic in the first phases, they also have playmakers in Anthony Hartigan and Zak Brunt who can create in the seconds; the former from deep, the latter often in a more advanced role, and both are of an excellent technical standard.
While their brave approach carries some risk, that they may become vulnerable on turnovers against better-quality opposition, but that wasn’t an area of concern in the National League, even against the strongest sides.
The Bees swarm over their opponents relentlessly, and their excellent counter-pressing can often limit opportunities to break. That will of course be harder at the higher level, but they’ve done enough to suggest that, despite their style, defensive transitions aren’t going to be a major problem.
Brennan’s side have retained their first-team regulars, too: the aforementioned, plus top shot-stopper Owen Evans, who returns permanently from Cheltenham, cultured middle centre-back Nik Tavares, attacking midfielder Rhys Browne and selfless target man Lee Ndlovu.
They look to have added wisely again, too, adding more up-and-comers to the back-line in Adam Senior, Ollie Kensdale and Ryan Galvin.
The North Londoners have also added some EFL knowhow to the group, in the likes of aggressive, ball-playing defender Romoney Crichlow, all-action midfielder Scott High (Barnet) and Oli Hawkins, another target man to compete with Ndlovu.
So, Dean Brennan’s Barnet: nicely gelled, dynamic at the back and stunning at the front – his football team aren’t bad either.
Back-to-back promotions or not, they’ll leave pundits waxing lyrical.
7. Fleetwood Town
Rebalancing the squad has been the name of the game for Fleetwood this summer.
The Fylde coast outfit have a highly talented, capable group, especially in midfield, where ball-winner Harrison Neal, Matty Virue and Elliot Bonds threatens to be one of the best trios in the division.
Plus, they have depth in that area in Mark Helm, who also has significant creative potential, and recent Scotland youth prospect George Morrison, fresh from an excellent loan at Tamworth, where he won boss Andy Peaks’ Player of the Year award.
The Lancashire outfit boast two excellent goalkeepers in David Harrington and Jay Lynch, plus talented defenders like the athletic Zech Medley and Finley Potter, who has a lovely ping on him.
Then, there’s the left wing-back spot, where Phoenix Patterson departs for Stevenage but is nicely replaced by Denver Hume, League Two’s joint-top assister last season with Grimsby, who will bring intelligent link-up play and quality deliveries – if he can displace Mackenzie Hunt.
And, even in an attack that’s yet to fire reliably, Ryan Graydon and Ronan Coughlan showed signs of forging a deadly pairing last season, prior to the latter’s injury. Will Davies comes into that equation, now, after top scoring for Sutton in the National League, while physical front-man James Norwood arrives to bring some knowhow.
Put simply, the potential is sky high.
And yet, last season, that potential was somewhat undermined by inconsistency – both under Charlie Adam and his successor, Pete Wild.
After the latter was appointed manager on Christmas Eve, their form remained slap-bang midtable: they won back-to-back games twice, lost successive matches once, and otherwise each match yielded a different outcome to the last.
So, to find that elusive consistency, they need more ‘yellow ball players’, as Wild puts it, referring, not to Xavi, Scholes and Pirlo drawn as Simpsons characters, but rather experienced campaigners who adapt well to winter conditions, when the football doesn’t flow.
Suffice to say, if the Codheads recruited one or two older heads, between now and the end of the window, in the Norwood mould, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise.
If they can identify those profiles, then Fleetwood have what it takes to launch a serious Play-Off bid, under a manager who’s only ever delivered top 10 finishes in full seasons, always with lower budgets and smaller squads than this one.
8. Gillingham
One of the biggest surprises in League Two, over the last two seasons, has been Gillingham’s difficulty in converting resources into results.
With one of the division’s largest budgets, the Gills have only managed 12th and 17th-placed finishes: far from what owners Brad and Shannon Galinson had in mind, when they took over the club in 2022.
The American property magnates, it seems, are still learning what it takes, beyond investment, to be successful in the English game, and it’s been questioned whether the club has been building towards a clear playing identity.
They’ve gone from the direct play of Neil Harris to the possession football of Stephen Clemence, to Mark Bonner’s balanced approach, John Coleman’s attacking intentions, and now back to more of a long ball merchant in Gareth Ainsworth.
All have been successful elsewhere, Clemence in coaching rather than management, yet none of the previous incumbents have had much time to implement their ideas: the perceived lack of direction has contributed to poor recruitment, muddled performances, and possibly some cultural issues.
To their credit, though, the Galinsons have been very open and honest about the challenges they’ve encountered and, having learnt plenty of lessons, are looking to scale down short-term expectation this summer, while the club gets it’s ducks in a row.
As such, cautious optimism can be taken from both March’s appointment of Ainsworth, pound-for-pound one of the most successful managers in English football of the last decade, and the 12-game unbeaten run with which they finished last season.
The big question, though, is whether that run was a sign of things to come, or a red herring that the club have half-fallen for.
For much of 2024-25, the Gills were weak, passive and flaky, losing 13 in 20 between October and February; they found themselves on the right side of fine margins in a lot of games before that run, and then after it, even the aforementioned 12-match unbeaten streak comprised of just four wins.
So, all in all it was a dismal season, relative to expectation, and yet the club have only released four senior players who featured in it; Oli Hawkins, Timothee Dieng, Max Ehmer and Jayden Clarke, with another four loans returning on top of that.
Part of that is out of the club’s hands, in that there were only so many players out of contract, and therefore Ainsworth might have to work with players he may have otherwise wanted to offload.
At the same time, the 52-year-old has been keen to push forward a positive message of continuity, and trust in the players who delivered that unbeaten run – which could be a double-edged sword.
As much as that’s understandable, and has always been in his nature, there carries an acute degree of risk of not fully confronting the issues that predated his appointment.
Without underestimating Ainsworth and Richard Dobson’s vast experience and instinct for figuring out the ones they can trust, there remains a remote possibility that any remaining bad apples have been enabled to show the ‘first day’ version of themselves until 2025-26 plans are cemented, and now slowly revert to type across the season.
As much as that’s a minor danger, the stronger likelihood is probably the more optimistic one.
Namely, once you take out one or two of the supposedly more disruptive influences, which has been done, the environment should be improved under an incredible motivator and man manager, who has built one of the best cultures in modern sport at Wycombe Wanderers.
Furthermore, if Ainsworth can foster that culture quickly, then even if there is one or two who don’t comply initially, they’ll either be forced to do so eventually, based on the prevailing vibe, and/or their negative influence would simply be drowned out.
So, some form of progress is likely, especially from a cultural perspective, which should help build a team that does the basics far more consistently and reliably than we saw last season.
This promotion project feels like a two-year job: the first is about re-establishing the basics, and building a platform from which their quality can shine.
9. Walsall
The manner in which Walsall missed out on promotion last season - enjoying a 15-point lead in January only to lose the Play-Off Final - felt almost as painful for fans as being relegated from League One in 2018-19.
And so, naturally, as the figurehead, head coach Mat Sadler has taken criticism of a weight that feels comparable to that aimed at Dean Keates six years ago.
As such, it’s hard to distinguish how much of the backlash was based on the ultimate experience for supporters, which was undeniably horrendous, and how much of it was based on objective managerial performance across the season overall.
Rightly or wrongly, but understandably, there is a section of supporters who find it hard to forgive the enormous drop-off in the second half of last season, so it’s imperative that Sadler and the team give the fanbase something to grab a hold of right from the get-go.
And that means that, internally, they’ve been very intentional about drawing a line under what’s gone before, putting all their energy into creating something new.
In that sense, it’s probably a good thing that they have a young squad with a positive energy, an exuberance, and a tendency to simply attack the challenges in front of them rather than overthink things.
That’s what the Saddlers will get from outside centre halves David Okagbue and Evan Weir, hoping to replace Taylor Allen, flying wing-back Connor Barrett, energetic midfielders Jamie Jellis and Charlie Lakin, plus athletic forward Levi Amantchi, who remain from last season.
Joining that exuberant group are left-sided defender Dan Cox, on loan from Derby, Harrison Burke, who arrives highly-rated from Chester to likely replace Harry Williams, plus Mason Hancock and Vincent Harper, who will compete to replace Liam Gordon at left wing-back.
Meanwhile, poacher Jonny Stuttle joins on loan from Bournemouth, seeking to strike an effective pairing with target man Aaron Pressley, and both have an insatiable work ethic.
Fellow target man Jamille Matt, utility man Albert Adomah, and midfielder Brandon Comley, on the other hand, remain to provide experience.
So, if Sadler can channel his innovative ideas from the first half of last season, infused with lessons from the second, and continue to develop an exciting, up-and-coming young group, then Walsall have the potential to put together another really promising team that could be at the summit once again.
At the same time, there is a tension around the place, based primarily on the discrepancy between how the club, internally, view last season, and how much of the fanbase do.
Mat Sadler probably feels - having been approached a certain way by fans, after the penultimate weekend’s defeat to Accrington Stanley - that there’s not much he could say about it that would appease supporters, and that he may as well only speak about what’s ahead.
That, though, leaves the fanbase feeling not only bruised, but also as though their hurt hasn’t been fully, directly addressed by Sadler, and that they wanted a more open recognition of what they saw as a massive let-down.
Both stances are perfectly valid and reasonable in isolation, yet between them, they’ve combined to create a frosty dynamic that nobody’s quite benefiting from.
That frosty dynamic might move to the back-burner for the start of the campaign, with both sides promoting new season positivity, but it wouldn’t take much for those tensions to return to the surface.
10. Cambridge United
Unusually, perhaps, for a club that’s just been relegated, Cambridge come into League Two with highly reliable figures in place in senior leadership roles.
CEO Alex Tunbridge has done some great work off the field, Director of Football Mark Bonner is a fantastic person to oversee operations with a big-picture focus, while head coach Neil Harris has an excellent track record.
The trio have a great synergy between them, and with that network in place, it’s hard to see the U’s going too far off course, given that last season’s damage had been done both in spite of the former’s good work, and before the latter two returned.
On the pitch, meanwhile, Cambridge take down with them a solid, workmanlike core, in attacking full-back Liam Bennett, defensive organiser Michael Morrison, left centre-back Kelland Watts, versatile left-sider James Brophy, destroyer Korey Smith, industrious wide man Elias Kachunga and, when fit, persistent forward Shayne Lavery.
They’ve since strengthened that group, too, by adding higher level nous in anchor man Dom Ball and steady left-back Ben Purrington; experienced EFL campaigners, who have both played in the Championship before, without looking wildly out of place.
So, the bricks and mortar are there to ensure a high floor for this Cambridge chapel, so much will now depend on whether the builders can raise and decorate a ceiling that’s still in construction.
Sullay Kaikai has endured chronic inconsistency in League One for much of his career, but might relish a step down, while former Manchester City prospect Ben Knight joins, in hope of finding the form and fitness to kick-start his senior career at 23.
Both have question marks, though, and with doubts over Lavery’s fitness and Ryan Loft’s credentials, it’s hard to be convinced by the attack, so it’s down to the remaining additions, most likely in the loan market, to offer those final pieces of quality.
Depending on the identity of those signings, it looks as if Cambridge might struggle to put teams to the sword, or string wins together, due to a lack of attacking fluency, and possibly quality, so it’s unlikely that they’ll take the league by storm.
Conversely, Harris’ teams don’t get outfought or outplayed very often, so it also looks as if they’ll accumulate points with high regularity, typically only losing once in four or five games, and not suffer any major dips in form.
With that in mind, a tally around the 65-75 point range looks likely: how far that takes them may depend on the lay of the land.
11. Salford City
Salford have changed their recruitment policy this summer, after narrowly missing out on the Play-Offs in 2024-25.
Last summer, the Ammies went for gifted and skilful footballers who aren’t playing higher because of attitude issues, like Hakeeb Adelakun, Ben Woodburn and Cole Stockton, in a bid to add some top-end quality.
That approach wasn’t without merit, given that Adelakun and Stockton did score 29 league goals between them, but it also fostered an imbalanced, streaky, enigmatic side that didn’t have the chutzpah and discipline to grind out points in difficult moments.
So, since after a summer that’s seen David Beckham’s renewed involvement, under a new ownership group with US businessmen Declan Kelly and Mervyn Davies, they’ve pivoted to up-and-comers.
Right-back Kallum Cesay and centre-back Adebola Oluwo sign from Wealdstone and Barnet respectively, after starring in the National League last season, while technician Jorge Grant joins from Hearts.
Meanwhile, aggressive defender Loick Ayina and athletic forward Jay Bird join from Huddersfield and Exeter respectively, giving this mercurial squad a slightly more rugged feel.
As much as there can be optimism taken from this change of tack, Salford are also likely to lose star wide man Kelly N’Mai, who’s been linked with Hertha Berlin, as well as influential loanees like goalkeeper Matty Young and defender Stephan Negru.
So, in terms of known quantities, they only have three reliable performers: anaerobic wing-back Haji Mnoga, left-footed delivery specialist Luke Garbutt, and destructive midfielder Ossama Ashley; players who you know what you’re getting from, one week to the next.
The club hope they’ve added more dependable operators to their ranks, with the way they’ve recruited, and there may be some cause for that optimism, although four of the incomers are also largely unproven.
If the reliables maintain their form and the newbies acclimatize well, building a culture that even influences some of the enigmas, then a promotion challenge is possible under a manager in Karl Robinson, who’s sides tend to challenge towards the top.
For now, though, Salford have one or two more question marks than their fellow top seven aspirants.
12. Bromley
By almost anyone’s standards, Bromley achieved a fantastic maiden season in the Football League by securing a top half finish.
Almost: not Andy Woodman’s.
As the Ravens soar to new heights, the boss isn’t getting any altitude sickness just yet, content with a respectable debut campaign but keen to scale League Two’s summit this time around.
Whether they can come close to that will tell us a lot about the club’s infrastructure, because whereas it’s common for modestly-financed, newly-promoted outfits to thrive in the novelty of their first season as an EFL club, it takes a fantastic set-up to sustain competitive results.
The Hayes Lane outfit feel they have a great internal operation, though, led by owner Robin Stanton-Greaves, vice-chair Jon Plassard, Chief Executive Mark Hammond and Head of Football Operations Matt Hall, among others.
And, helped by geography, the South (of) London club can attract players of a greater calibre than their stature might suggest, poaching Mitch Pinnock, who starred in Northampton’s recent journey to a midtable League One finish in 2023-24.
Pinnock loves to float in attacking areas, picking up prime crossing positions late on in moves to produce exquisite deliveries, while Ben Krauhaus will also bring the creativity, after the attacking midfielder, instrumental in the 2023-24 promotion-winning campaign in the National League, returns on loan from Brentford.
It may not be top goalscorer Michael Cheek that those two are picking out, though, with the talisman having reportedly handed in a transfer request in June.
So, much of Bromley’s prospects could be defined by whether Marcus Dinanga can step up to Cheek’s mantle, if that’s needed, and translate a profilic record in non-league into the EFL: he did net four against Tottenham U21s in pre-season.
Flying wing-back Danny Imray and talented defender Kamarl Grant, back at parent clubs Crystal Palace and Millwall, could also be missed, leaving top shot-stopper Grant Smith, towering centre-back Omar Sowunmi, tireless midfielder Jude Arthurs and high-pedigree creator Ben Thompson in the remaining core.
The Ravens, though, can hope for more development from colossal defender Deji Elerewe, and homegrown winger Nathan Paul-Lavaly, who looks ready to break through, while Woodman can be trusted to use his extensive contacts book for quality loans later in the window.
But, with key players departing, getting another 66 points might take a while, leaving little time to accumulate those extra points that Woodman seeks.
13. Notts County
Notts County have taken two big risks this summer.
The first was appointing Martin Paterson, with the new head coach having a mixed reputation in the game, and the second was introducing a new ‘technical board’ concept.
The group, comprising of him, coaches Andy Edwards and Sam Slocombe, DoF Roberto Gagliardi, Director of Performance David Rhodes – and sometimes even the owners, the Reedtz brothers - will meet pre- and post-match to discuss tactical decisions.
The board would argue that collaborative thinking is the way forward in the modern game, because the pooling of ideas can increase the quality of decision-making, whilst making the head coach feel supported, easing the burden on the individual.
There are numerous possibilities, however, in which the dynamic could become awkward and counter-productive (we’ll just highlight three here, but there are others).
Firstly, Paterson might often be confident in his selections, and see the meetings as a drain on his finite time and energy, but feel he must keep that to himself so as to look as though he has a growth mindset.
Secondly, he might second-guess himself with in-game decisions, because he may be conscious of how those choices will be challenged in the post-match analysis.
Thirdly, there may be a power imbalance at play if the owners, or even other influential figures, are present at the meetings: people who may have the authority to sack, or suggest sacking, the head coach, having an input on tactics, could create a pressure to align.
That’s just conjecture, of course, and the technical board meetings could end up being a tremendous help, but for now there are valid question marks.
Notts County do have a good squad though, despite losing goalkeeper Alex Bass to Peterborough, without a replacement recruited by the closing stages of their pre-season schedule.
The Magpies retain excellent defenders in Matty Platt and Jacob Bedeau, a capable midfielder in Matty Palmer, if he can recover his pre-injury form from 2023-24, a star attacking wing-back when fit in Jodi Jones, and last season’s top goalscorer, Alassana Jatta.
Plus, they’ve added to that group with aggressive centre-back Sonny Aljofree, energetic right wing-back Barry Cotter, forward-thinking midfielder Tom Iorpenda, highly-rated at parent club Huddersfield, the more streetwise Oli Norburn, plus speedy forward Matt Dennis.
So, on paper, the squad still has enough quality to challenge for the Play-Offs, but whether it’ll pan out that way is debateable, with leadership and strategic facets of the club feeling rather convoluted.
14. Barrow
Barrow begin 2025-26 as one of League Two’s underdogs, tasked with executing a sizeable rebuild on one of the division’s lowest budgets.
While Bluebirds may be small, though, they do have Whing: head coach Andy has earned a shot in EFL management off the back of excellent work in non-league with Banbury United and Solihull Moors.
Following the 40-year-old’s January appointment, he delivered borderline Play-Off form in the second half of last season, whilst building connections with the fanbase and making Holker Street a fortress.
With nine players released, if not all by choice, and six returning loans, it’s been close to a clean slate for Whing this summer, with nine additions by mid-July.
After forging a reliable trio in the last two seasons, Dean Campbell, Robbie Gotts and Kian Spence are all sizeable losses in midfield, but replacements are all of decent pedigree.
Rekeem Harper’s talent made him an England Under-19s prospect back in 2019, even if the 25-year-old is yet to translate that potential into senior football.
Jack Earing has shown to have a wand of a left foot at Walsall, and will be one of the best midfielders in the league if he can dodge the long-term injuries, while Scott Smith already has 71 Championship and (mainly) League One appearances to his name with Wigan.
Elsewhere, Charlie Raglan should solidify central defence after signing from Oldham, and Lewis Shipley will be a permanent asset for the club, if the 21-year-old can demonstrate the talent that saw him move up the youth ranks across 15 years and Norwich.
In attack, meanwhile, Innes Cameron has been signed to provide a workmanlike target man presence, but not necessarily firepower, which could be the remit of Tyler Walker.
The former Nottingham Forest forward demonstrated immense talent as a youngster, and enjoyed prolific seasons with Mansfield and Lincoln but, now 28, hasn’t scored more than two goals in a league season since 2020-21 with Coventry.
So, much depends on whether Walker can catch fire, and whether on-loan winger Michael Adu-Poku can demonstrate the potential that’s earnt him Championship minutes for Watford in two of the last three seasons.
Wyll Stanway, meanwhile, could be one to watch: highly-rated at Chester, the goalkeeper was recruited last summer to be an understudy to Paul Farman, perhaps with a view to becoming the number one this year – but even last season, he won Young Player of the Year.
Plus, there’s Ben Jackson, who managed 10 assists last season, and at 24 is at a great age to continue to develop – if he can master the oddity of being a left-footed wing-back on the right.
So, some form of improvement on last season’s 16th-place finish looks likely, although, with the midfield in rebuild, it might be of a modest scale.
15. Crewe Alexandra
Crewe’s position, heading into 2025-26, depends entirely on perspective.
Having spent the vast majority of the last two seasons in the top seven, reaching the Play-Off Final in 2023-24, there’s a great argument to say they’ve proven to be one of the better sides in the league over a prolonged period, and that the drop-off that saw them finish 13th can be shrugged off as simply a bad run.
And, with one of the best centre-backs in the league in Mickey Demetriou, as well as some decent midfielders like deep-lying Max Sanders, leader Conor Thomas, agile creator Matus Holicek and flair man Jack Lankester, that stance holds merit.
Conversely, others would argue that the bad run at the end of last season, a slump of three wins in 20, was a red flag on their corner spot, especially with murmurings of dressing room conflict.
The indications are that the issue was more about individual misbehaviour than a collective divide and that, crucially, one or two of the less constructive influences have been weeded out, so boss Lee Bell should now be able to bring things together.
And, while delivering another Play-Off bid on a bottom six budget is far from a given, Bell’s disadvantage is halved by having an excellent Technical Director in Josh Kennard, who has overseen some terrific recruitment in the last three years.
Kennard is hoping that trend will continue with the signings of goalkeeper Sam Waller, on loan from Burnley, up-and-coming centre-back Phil Croker, from Oxford City, attacking left-back Reece Hutchinson from Sligo Rovers, and energetic forward Josh March from Harrogate.
Perhaps the most exciting acquisition of the five so far is Tommi O’Reilly, on loan from Aston Villa.
Nicknamed ‘Philly’ at his parent club - in reference, we presume, to stylistic similarity to Phil Foden, rather than a love of the eastern US state - the diminutive, agile attacking midfielder loves to spin away from opponents and create.
And, while his first season of experiencing senior football hasn’t gone quite as he would have hoped, for various reasons, typically, highly-rated prospects from Premier League clubs do better in their second seasons, after getting that initial experience.
So, there’s optimism over the O’Reilly signing, and a remaining five or six good players for the level who could help the Alex challenge for the Play-Offs once again, meanwhile the youngsters are another year on.
Progress is hoped for, to different extents, from goalkeeper Tom Booth, versatile defender Lewis Billington, smooth-passing midfielder Owen Lunt, speedy wide forward Calum Agius, versatile attacker Luca Moore, who impressed in pre-season, and left-footed utility man Charlie Finney.
Moreover, that progress could also be needed: 26% of Crewe’s league minutes last season were played by permanently contracted academy graduates, most of them having already established themselves in previous campaigns.
That may have been because some of the players next on the conveyor belt weren’t quite ready, but the Railwaymen pride themselves on taking those kinds of risks, so the pathways need to be opened more last season.
So, a good team that just needs a minor refresh, through more positive recruitment and a few extra youngsters coming through? Or, a team that’s already peaked and will end up needing a major rebuild on a limited budget?
Both arguments have merit, making Crewe arguably the League Two team with the greatest variance, in terms of what’s realistically plausible.
16. Newport County
Newport’s preparation for this campaign looks better than the last.
In Huw Jenkins’ first summer as owner, the club struggled to attract a head coach, with Nelson Jardim, who had initially been drafted in to be part of the backroom staff, getting the number one gig in mid-July, and the result was a 22nd-place finish.
This summer, by contrast, David Hughes has been made head coach by late May, meaning the planning should be smoother this time around.
As well as possessing valuable knowledge and contacts in that department, Hughes arrives with esteemed coaching pedigree, having most recently served as Professional Development Phase coach at Manchester United, entrusted with nurturing some of the most talented prospects in the world.
As County know, brilliant coaches aren’t always successful in EFL management, so the streetwise experience of returning Wayne Hatswell, previously assistant to Michael Flynn, should complement Hughes’ talents.
Hughes and Hatswell thus far retain most of last season’s top performers, bar goalkeeper Nick Townsend, so the duo will lean heavily on reliable defender Matt Baker, highly-rated midfielder Cameron Antwi and powerful wide forward Bobby Kamwa.
In terms of adding to the group, meanwhile, the greatest optimism is over the signing of playmaker Matt Smith.
A Wales international as recently as 2022, the 25-year-old came through at Manchester City, has featured in the Championship before, and played regularly in League One.
It’s a great example of how the Exiles’ location can work in their favour, with the Exiles also poaching powerful defender Lee Jenkins from Haverfordwest, for whom he’s scored in Europe, and loaning speedy forward Michael Reindorf from Cardiff.
They also have Hughes’ United contacts going for them, loaning quick right-back Habeeb Ogunneye from the Red Devils, with others possibly to follow, while second seasons for last year’s recruits could yield greater output.
Productive right-back Joe Thomas, ball-playing defenders Ciaran Brennan and Jaden Warner, attacking left-back Anthony Glennon and mercurial midfielder Kai Whitmore are all acclimatized to the level, and so is forward Oli Greaves, who scored 24 goals for step-3 Mickleover in 2023-24.
County have hot prospects coming through the academy, too, in defender Nelson Sanca, who won academy Player of the Year in 2023-24, and courageous midfielder Jac Norris; both could be stronger for their loans at Briton Ferry Llansawel.
So, a better structure, improved preparation, good recruitment and some pre-existing players set to develop: Newport look ready to make some modest progress, and elevate themselves into lower midtable.
*Gab thinks Newport will be fine, but with bookmakers, they're favourites for relegation. A best price on our grid with Betfred at 11/4, you can read more about this Northern bookmaker on our Betfred review page.
17. Swindon Town
Had Swindon’s season began when Ian Holloway was appointed, on 25th October, they would’ve finished two points off the Play-Offs.
The Wiltshire outfit scored a whopping 57 goals in that 33-game period, the most in the division, and optimists will argue that Holloway’s new three-year contract puts the club in a great position to challenge for promotion this season.
The more pessisistic view, however, recognises that the Bristolian boss has managed for less than a combined two years since leaving QPR in 2018, and one year has been spent at Grimsby, where most hold him responsible for their relegation in 2020-21.
And, without idly assuming too much based on stereotypes, ‘Ollie at 62 doesn’t carry the impression, at least, of a manager constantly absorbing super technical ideas.
He can do a bit of that, of course, but for him it may be more about galvanizing a group, getting into people, and motivating them to live each day like it’s their last.
That approach to management translates nicely to a strong in-season impact, especially off the back of somebody who didn’t do that side quite as well, but possibly less nicely to sustainable progress over the course of a full campaign.
The problem is that it can be quite repetitive for players, after a certain point. There have been examples, at this level, in recent seasons of experienced managers with similar skillsets to Holloway who lifted the players initially through sheer force of positivity, but then in their second year, they kept saying the same thing and the players stopped listening.
There may be an outside possibility of that happening at Swindon, if Holloway doesn’t have the level of technical detail to his work to back up his natural aura, passion and charisma.
Plus, while Clem Morfuni remains owner of Swindon, and Anthony Hall, chief executive, it feels as if the club could implode at any minute, for all sorts of reasons.
From those perspectives, it’s difficult to place too much faith in Town, but they do have a good squad, despite the loss of Tunmise Sobowale to St Mirren.
Progressive centre-back Will Wright, high-potential wing-back Joel McGregor, playmaker Gavin Kilkenny, creative forwards Paul Glatzel and Tom Nichols plus target man Harry Smith all have serious capabilities at this level, while seasoned forward Billy Bodin is set to sign.
Meanwhile, talented midfielder Joe Snowdon, from Leeds, and defender Finley Munroe, on loan from Aston Villa, both look exciting additions.
With that in mind, it might seem foolhardy to predict a season midway through the bottom half for Swindon, who you could also argue have a best XI not far off top seven standard.
So, there’s a high variance for Town, like Crewe mentioned above, yet even with a playing squad that looks compelling in certain areas, they remain a very difficult club to trust.
18. Tranmere Rovers
There can be a certain awkwardness to preparations for a season in which a change of ownership is due, especially when it’s likely accompanied with a change of direction.
It’s common for motivation levels to vary among players; some will be excited about new opportunities, but others, perhaps most, might be anxious about the uncertainty which, rightly or wrongly, may extend to the managerial position.
Andy Crosby did a good job at the back-end of last season, as caretaker, delivering 23 points from 13 games in charge of a team that had been hurtling towards the drop zone.
Sceptics might say certain aspects of his job represented low-hanging fruit - replacing a manager who’d grown unpopular towards the end, which may have characterized him as a knight in shining armour by default - but that’s not Crosby’s fault. He did the job that was asked of him very well.
Whether we give Crosby a bit of credit for that impact, though, or loads of it, doesn’t change the overriding question: would he have been the chosen one of the next ownership regime?
Let’s imagine the takeover happened in April, and the new owners were in the door by May: the chances of them choosing to give Crosby that permanent contract, at the expense of more glamorous alternatives, are rather slim.
Whereas, because the takeover won’t happen until much later, the new regime have had Crosby, as they might see it, imposed on them: they can’t fire him immediately, because it would reflect badly on them and destabilize things at the start of a season, but they might not really want him.
And, recent EFL situations at Birmingham, Wycombe, MK Dons and Newport shows managers – even those who are achieving or exceeding their initial targets - often struggle to survive takeovers.
So, the players will be doubting whether they’ll be there for the long haul, and they’ll be doubting whether Crosby will be there, which might make creating a unity, a focus and an alignment throughout the building in the meantime something of a challenge.
If Crosby is extremely good at creating that focused environment, and all the players are consummate professionals, then it’s still possible that Tranmere can start the season strongly.
Their squad does have some good foundations, with one of the best goalkeepers in the league in Luke McGee, and a strong set of defenders in powerful right wing-back Cameron Norman, intelligent utility man Lee O’Connor, and recruit Nathan Smith, a leader who Crosby worked with successfully at Port Vale.
They’ve also signed flying left wing-back Ethan Bristow, who thrived in his first stint at Prenton Park, and another left-sided defender Patrick Brough, who has outstanding stamina, and won promotion from this level with Northampton.
Then, the midfield is strengthened by the signing of the experienced Richie Smallwood, who has a bee in his bonnet after his release by Bradford – he certainly won’t struggle for motivation – and physical midfielder Nohan Kenneh, hoping to show the talent he demonstrated as a youngster at Leeds.
So, the goalkeeper, defence and midfield areas look strong for Tranmere, in terms of the best XI, but the attack looks very dry.
Omari Patrick can deliver the big numbers, as he proved last season, although he can also be somewhat enigmatic, while Sol Soloman, recruited from Marine last summer, may show promise given more opportunities, but remains a relative wildcard for now.
Meanwhile, they have two or three forwards who need to be offloaded but may not get takers, so there could be an element of working with what they’ve got.
With the right one or two forward additions, the best XI is comfortably top half standard, but there’s three problems that might hold them back from that outcome.
Firstly, new attacking signings will be expected to carry the attack, rather than slot into a pre-existing dynamic.
Secondly, injuries in certain areas would see a massive drop in quality, because 7-8 of their current 21-man squad aren’t up to this level.
And, thirdly, the aforementioned cultural challenges that tend to accompany the likelihood of impending radical change.
19. Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham have needed a change upstairs for a few years now, so perhaps the best news to come out of Whaddon Road this summer pertains to movement in that area.
The club are in advanced talks with former Burnley chairman, Mike Garlick, over a potential takeover, which is expected to be concluded within the next few weeks.
Garlick seems to have a realistic strategy for the club, too, with an increased playing budget and training ground improvements being the plan for 2025-26, and long-term initiatives to be addressed in future years.
The 61-year-old is likely to set higher internal standards, which should mean departure for Gary Johnson, preserving his legacy as the manager who got the club back into the Football League in 2015-16, as opposed to the more compromised reputation he now holds as Director of Football.
On the other hand, Garlick appears to be in favour of manager Michael Flynn, who navigated a tough first season in charge with some success.
After a post-relegation summer of 19 incomings and outgoings apiece, the aim was always likely to be consolidation: to enter the following summer with a core of players with whom to move forward, thus reducing the need for quantitative recruitment and allow greater focus on quality.
That’s been achieved, and in goalkeeper Joe Day, plus midfielders Luke Young and Liam Kinsella, the Robins have a go-to group to depend on.
Rampaging right-back Arkell Jude-Boyd, plus productive wide forwards Jordan Thomas and Ethon Archer will also be part of that group, if they don’t generate funds for the club through departure.
Meanwhile, the academy is thriving, and the likes of goalkeeper Mamadou Diallo, defender Cameron Walters, midfielder Freddy Willcox, technical forward Tom King and speedy forward Sopuruchukwu Obieri are vying for opportunity – the latter, after a half-season loan at historic rivals Gloucester.
Flynn has added physicality to the group, too, in aerially dominant centre half Robbie Cundy, who will be glad to be a regular after struggling for opportunity at bigger clubs, and Lee Angol, who battled gallantly for Morecambe last season and finished it in decent form.
Meanwhile, on-loan left-back Taine Anderson is hoping to show the talent that saw him help Bristol City to the Semi-Finals of the FA Youth Cup in 2023-24, and five or six further additions are expected in the coming weeks.
So, new ownership means it’s looking up for Cheltenham in the big picture but, in a strengthened league, things could get slightly worse before they get better.
20. Oldham Athletic
Oldham’s prospects, in their first year back in the Football League, depend on whether you focus on matters off the field, and the general buzz around the club, or how good their team actually is on a technical level.
Given what Latics fans went through, before Frank Rothwell’s takeover in 2021, it’s glorious to see the supporters now have an owner who cares passionately about the club - and about people above all else.
That connection is extremely precious, and with familiar surnames also in situ to strengthen that sense of identity, in CEO Darren Royle and club secretary Mark Sheridan, there’s an intimate, family vibe emanating from Boundary Park.
At the same time, the team that won the National League Play-Offs by beating Halifax, York and Southend, didn’t necessarily look amazing over the course of the 46-game league campaign.
It was an attritional style from Micky Mellon’s men, who enjoyed some great purple patches, but also served up a fair few performances that did little to set pulses racing.
And so, if they were slightly hit-and-miss in the National League, it’s hard to envisage them doing much in League Two, especially after key defender Charlie Raglan chose a move to Barrow.
Much of their squad are the profiles who would have been top half or above League Two standard five years ago, and have since declined, like defenders Manny Monthé and Donervon Daniels, right-back Jake Caprice, midfielder Tom Conlon, creative wide man Kieron Morris, withdrawn forward Billy Waters and veteran striker Joe Garner.
Conversely, there’s also a group of players, including goalkeeper Mat Hudson, left-back Jake Leake, midfielder Luke Hannant, forward Kane Drummond, and even target man Mike Fondop – as much as the latter was a key figure in the National League – that might not be quite right for this level in the first place.
And, with an average age of 27.4, albeit which may reduce to 27.2 if Lewis Richardson signs from Burnley, Oldham don’t have much growth potential in their squad, which means they may find it difficult to match the slight jump in quality by improving individually.
They’ve improved the squad, at least, with the signings of Ryan Woods, Josh Hawkes and Jack Stevens.
Woods brings playmaking class and higher-level nous to OL1, Hawkes can be a top-end wide forward at this level, or above, in the right circumstances, while winger Stevens arrives from Solihull Moors, extremely highly-rated by esteemed National League experts.
Nonetheless, en masse this is a squad that’s already achieved the full extent of what they will achieve at Oldham, and doesn’t have the quality or growth potential to do much more than survive.
21. Crawley Town
There have been two pieces of good news to come out of Crawley, either side of confirmation of their relegation from League One last season.
The first was that their promotion-winning manager, Scott Lindsey, returned to the club he left for MK Dons early on in the campaign, with many believing that the team would have had a better shot at survival, had he been in charge for the duration.
There’s merit to that, too, with his return galvanizing the club, and contributing to an accumulation of 15 points from nine games.
The second was that owner Preston Johnson is stepping down from his role as chairman and CEO, which could mean an end to some of the chaos the club has endured under WAGMI United.
The majority shareholders are in the process of transitioning to new lead investors, as or along with a new leadership team, which looks to comprise of Daniel Khalili, Ryan Gilbert and Maxwell Strowman.
The trio’s identity, though, has only been revealed on a remote page of the club’s website, at the time of writing, and not as an official news update – that’s not a major problem, but it does raise the question of how smoothly things are running behind the scenes.
Before any official update introducing who these people are, the club tweeted a statement, in response to Johnson’s one on his personal channels, which gently defended against his implicit criticism of the shift away from a data-led recruitment policy, arguing for the need for balance.
In isolation, that seems very sensible, yet the transition of power looks rather messy, the chronology of it all somewhat muddled – not least because Khalili, Gilbert and Strowman have had that impact on recruitment before fans even knew about their involvement.
So, was it a conscious decision not to reveal their identities openly, or was it an oversight? Neither reflect brilliantly on the club.
Plus, there’s the matter of whether Johnson, who hasn’t always come across as being particularly level-headed, can be trusted to have had sufficient judgment of character to find the right people to take the club forwards.
So, right now there’s more questions than answers: especially with the club being in debt, albeit to their outgoing owners, and how that’s going to be settled on either side.
On the pitch, meanwhile, Crawley have seven players remaining from last season, of a decent standard, in goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott, defenders Joy Mukena, Josh Flint, Charlie Barker and Dion Conroy, plus midfielder Max Anderson.
They’ve also recruited gifted players like midfielder Reece Brown and forward Harry McKirdy, who are very enigmatic, but who they think they can get the best out of due to their relationships with Lindsey, having worked with him previously at Forest Green and Swindon respectively.
Meanwhile, midfielder Jay Williams is also reunited with Lindsey, after starring for him in midfield in the 2023-24 Play-Off winning campaign, which the club aspire to replicate.
Coming close to matching that achievement won’t be easy, though, especially with 8-10 players in that squad who are 8-10 players who may be around National League standard, so the quality of the depth is somewhat in question.
Lose the big hitters, then either through departures to balance the books or through injuries, and Crawley could be in for a struggle.
So, as much as having Lindsey back is great, the Sussex outfit are a difficult club to believe in right now: much will be defined by whether Khalili, Gilbert and Strowman can bring the stable leadership it craves.
22. Harrogate Town
On one of League Two’s lowest budgets, that decreased last season, Harrogate haven’t managed to secure a 6th season in the Football League without a touch of resilience.
After starting 2025 with a 2-0 home loss to Salford that left them with one point from seven, Simon Weaver’s side were hovering anxiously, two points above the relegation zone in 22nd – but they found the response they needed.
Weaver dropped the wing-back system that had yielded five points from the seven games in which he’d started with it, switching to the more simplistic 4-4-2, and the response was a 2-0 victory at Barrow the following Wednesday.
With the same XI, Town then produced an extremely competitive display at Leeds, mustering a far better effort than many Championship sides managed at Elland Road, falling to an honourable 1-0 defeat, before completing successive league wins with victory over Cheltenham.
Crucially, though, that televised FA Cup game loosened owner Irving Weaver’s tightly-woven purse strings for the club to strengthen the midfield, with the acquisitions of Bryn Morris and Ben Fox.
The duo brought steel and solidity to the middle of the park, while Bryant Bilongo added literal and figurative strength at left-back, on loan from Bristol Rovers.
Then onwards, the North Yorkshire outfit suffered just seven defeats in 22 league games, thanks to the goalkeeping heroics of James Belshaw, and some defiant defending from right-back Toby Sims, and centre-backs Anthony O’Connor and on-loan Jasper Moon.
The latter has gone back to Burton, while Sims has moved back to America but, crucially, key men Belshaw and O’Connor have signed new deals.
Meanwhile, Sims has been replaced by Lewis Cass, who is no world beater but should slot into a solid defensive unit with minimal fuss, while Tom Bradbury and Bobby Faulker arrive from Cheltenham and on loan from Doncaster respectively, to compete to partner O’Connor.
Whoever gets the nod, though, the smart money is probably on Bradbury or Faulkner doing well, simply because Town have found a tight, compact system that seems to make centre-backs look good.
That same system can also make like harder for forwards, though and, without a huge amount of quality in depth in those attacking areas, they’ll need their big money investment, Mason Bennett from Burton, to show his higher-level class.
Meanwhile, they’ll be hoping that a return to full fitness for stalwart George Thomson will improve the quality of deliveries from the right, and maybe Shawn McCoulsky can step up, after netting 15 National League goals last season for Maidenhead.
Harrogate could still be the lowest goalscorers in the division, but the individual quality of Bennett, combined with some water-tight foundations and a thirst for defending, could nudge them just over the survival line.
23. Shrewsbury Town
After last season brought a decade’s worth of League One football to an end, Shrewsbury are a club needing a rethink on and off the pitch.
83-year-old owner Roland Wycherley has brought a quiet stability to the club in the past, but is no longer able to fund it to a competitive level, as local calls for him to sell intensify.
Meanwhile, Micky Moore has been unable to gain the popularity he enjoyed at Cheltenham and, as difficult as it must have been to shop on a minimal budget in League One, the Director of Football faces criticism for questionable recruitment over the last two years.
Suffice to say, then, that Salopians are on edge.
In these situations, it’s useful to have a manager who can galvanize a club, mend some of those divides and bring everyone together, yet Town have given the job to Michael Appleton, who will never quite be that guy.
In fact, the big downside of appointing Appleton is that he doesn’t engage with supporters, which is no problem when things are going well, but when they’re not it can add to a disconnected, fractured environment.
The upside, of course, is that, as he proved in his excellent work at Oxford and Lincoln, he’s a top developer of talent with a thirst for nurturing individual players, so the plan is for the Mancunian to help elevate the financial value of the squad.
There’s a flaw in that plan, however, because when Appleton was at the aforementioned two clubs, he was working with groups who had genuine growth potential.
His League Two promotion-winning Oxford side of 2015-16 used 14 players who were under 23, while his 2020-21 League One Play-Off Finalists, Lincoln, used 17; both had a couple of star individuals with prolonged youth backgrounds at Premier League academies.
This Shrewsbury side, on the other hand, played half their pre-season schedule with 18 first-team players under contract, not one of them being under 23, and almost all have very modest youth backgrounds.
For most managers, that’s fine – preferable, in some cases – yet for the way Appleton works, he needs super talented young players who absorb advanced technical and tactical details like sponges.
Whereas, if he’s teaching Tom Anderson, Will Boyle and Toto Nsiala to play out from the back instead of Lewis Montsma, for example, it probably becomes a bit more difficult.
So, on the more optimistic end of the spectrum, there’s a possibility, especially with the right loan additions, that the pure quality of Appleton’s coaching means Shrewsbury will enjoy positive early season performances that lift Salopians, rendering any fan engagement issues irrelevant.
And, at the more pessimistic end, there’s another possibility that Appleton will take time to get his ideas across to a group that might not be fully suited to performing them, leading to a poor start, leading to fans venting pre-existing frustrations at the 49-year-old, who would likely heighten tensions further by walking straight down the tunnel without a glance.
Appleton has every reason to argue we’ll see the former scenario play out, based on his glittering coaching CV, and reputation within the game’s internal circles.
If we apply more weight to the situational context over the objective capabilities of the head coach, however, then this could be the wrong fit for him and Shrewsbury.
To put it another way, we shouldn’t change our perceptions of what Appleton’s capable of in the right circumstances, if this gig goes badly.
24. Accrington Stanley
Retention of Football League status has to be classed as success, to some degree, for Accrington Stanley, while they continue to have one of the lowest budgets in League Two.
Whereas the Reds often thrived in a previous era, though, last season they merely survived, so a fanbase used to seeing their team consistently defy the odds is, naturally, left wanting that little bit more.
Yes, there were plus points: the rise of talented centre-back Devon Matthews, breakout midfield star Ben Woods and goalscoring winger Tyler Walton offered optimism, along with performances like the 3-0 victory at Chesterfield and the 5-0 thumping of Newport.
At the same time, the 21st-placed finish represents their worst Football League campaign in Stanley’s current incarnation, while the sense of spirit and togetherness that once defined ‘the club that wouldn’t die’, still exists only in a more compromised form.
Remaining from last season’s squad, they’ve got around 10-14 players who, in some cases at a push, are just about good enough for the EFL based on current ability – including some decent prospects like defender Benn Ward and midfielder Alex Henderson - but then there’s a massive drop-in quality.
The Reds have about five players in their senior squad who may not be of the required standard and, beyond that, it’s youngsters who could only be expected to play a peripheral role at best.
As such, it all hangs on the remaining additions, especially in the loan market, which tends to open up later in the window, although they have lent goalkeeper Ollie Wright from Southampton, where he won the PL2 Division Two title in 2022-23.
Stanley are hoping to use the loan market as well as they did last season, landing forward Dara Costelloe and left-back Jake Batty, from East Lancashire neighbours Burnley and Blackburn respectively, who elevated their squad that extra level.
Do likewise in 2025-26 and John Doolan’s side could beat the drop again, but get the loans wrong, whilst suffering injuries to the big-hitters, and it could be a long season ahead.
League Two Winner Odds
Here's a look at the full list of odds for the League Two title this season.
League Two Relegation Odds
At the other end of the table, relegation to the National League, and here's the market for the one no one wants.
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