League One Playoff Preview: Gab Sutton Predicts 25/26 Playoffs
EFL pundit Gab Sutton picks his best bets for the League One Play-Offs which get underway on Saturday.
Alongside picks from Gab in both semi finals, we've also got the latest League One playoff odds below from leading UK betting sites, to give you a flavour of the overall betting market.
League One Playoff Preview: Stevenage vs Stockport
- Prediction: Stevenage to Qualify - 5/4
Stockport County haven’t gone backwards according to the league table, this season, as Dave Challinor’s side manage another 3rd-placed finish in their first two campaigns at League One level.
Points and performances, though, tell a rather different story: the Hatters have dropped from 2024-25 tally of 87 to 77, and by the eye test, they haven’t got going all season.
Only a fraction of their signings, since Simon Walton moved from being Director of Football to CEO, have worked out, because defender Ethan Pye, playmaker Oli Norwood and target man Kyle Wootton are still their best players.
Of course, there’s a world where January returnees Isaac Olaofe and Louie Barry recapture their form from previous seasons in attack, but they’ve not offered much in current spells to suggest that will happen.
Meanwhile, County miss the aerial dominance of Fraser Horsfall in central defence, with a team that looks weaker.
Stevenage, on the other hand, are enjoying their best ever season, and have an unbelievable opportunity to bring the town second-tier football for the first time ever.
A rise built over the last four years on rock-solid defensive foundations, initiated by Steve Evans and built on by his internal successor Alex Revell, with an evolved playing style in a team that has created more chances, without changing their core fundamentals.
The Boro have built a fantastic culture, they have a great back-four of Luther Wildin, Charlie Goode, Carl Piergianni and Lewis Freestone, who have an excellent understanding with one another and star shot stopper Filip Marschall.
In midfield, meanwhile, the powerful Dan Phillips has forged an outstanding pairing with the creative Harvey White, but both have evolved their game; the former has improved his in-possession work this season, and the latter knows when to dig in.
With potential creators like Dan Kemp and Chem Campbell feeding a prolific goalscorer in Jamie Reid, Stevenage have all the ingredients to cause a major shock.
They might be the underdogs, but they’re also the competition’s form side: it’s one defeat in nine for Revell’s boys, who are an attractive 5/4 to qualify.
League One Playoff Preview: Bolton vs Bradford
- Prediction: Bolton to Win First Leg - 5/6
Bolton have been the better side in most games, consistently, all season, and will probably feel they could have ended up with more points than 75 to show for their efforts.
The Trotters might well have done, if the carrot of automatic promotion lingered closer, but Lincoln and Cardiff pulled so far clear as to make spring motivation a challenge.
As such, Steven Schumacher’s side finished with just two wins in 10, hamstrung by two key challenges: individual errors at the back, and a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.
In full-back areas, Schumacher has the challenge of balancing defensive responsibility with attacking freedom, playing a back-four with a squad that was initially built for a wing-back system.
For example, Max Conway at left-back is supremely creative, but can be a defensive liability, whereas George Johnston will let little get past him, but won’t cross the halfway line.
At the other end, meanwhile, Sam Dalby and Mason Burstow have goal returns that are respectable but not prolific at 12 apiece, and Amario Cozier-Duberry is arguably the only genuine match-winner.
With a midfield oozing with creativity, though, the Lancashire outfit should be able to get on top against a Bradford side that have dropped off slightly in the second half of the season.
After taking 43 points from their first 23 games (1.87 PPG), the Bantams have accrued just 34 points from the next 23 (1.48) – still a respectable return, but not to the same level.
After an excellent summer of recruitment, Graham Alexander’s side arguably didn’t recruit as well in January as they needed to, particularly in attacking areas.
Max Power, Jenson Metcalfe and Antoni Sarcevic have all had great seasons in midfield, but collectively the levels have dropped, some would say since October.
As such, Bolton are rightly favourites for the 1st leg, and should justify odds-on quotes.
Latest League One Playoff Odds
We've got playoff odds comparisons on site, not just football tips, here's a look at the current League One playoff market across a variety of bookmakers.
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