2023-24 League Two Predictions
24th - Crawley Town
WAGMI United got away with it last season. They have not learnt from their mistakes. This time last year, I wanted to have hope for Crawley Town under their American ownership group. Some intriguing signings, a new manager with a strong coaching CV, promise of revolutionising football ownership and taking Crawley towards promotion in the near future. The red flags were there though from the very first game. Crawley went up to Carlisle United on the opening day (the less said about that pre-weekend YouTube video the better) and were fortunate to lose by just a 1-0 margin. Carlisle battered them that game, and it set the tone for a terrible period under Kevin Betsy that was ended in early October. A period of recovery under interim Lewis Young followed, but it was instead another new face to senior management in Matthew Etherington who was given the nod. He lasted three games. Even before the managerial mess began, Crawley Town were making eye-brow raising transfer decisions. Veteran star goalkeeper Glenn Morris is loaned out to Gillingham in late July. Kwesi Appiah, top scorer from the previous season, is sent out on loan to Colchester United on deadline day. Those who come in don’t prove sufficient replacements. It gets even more baffling in the winter window, where Morris makes a permanent move to Gillingham and is joined there by star forward Tom Nichols. Utility man George Francomb ends up at Dorking Wanderers for nothing. Tenacious midfielder Jake Hessenthaler is sent down a level to the National League. The heart of a team is ripped away from the club in just a couple of windows. After just about getting away with it last season, I find it mind blowing that they are still doing the same thing ahead of 2023-24. Scott Lindsey is a good enough manager; an appointment Crawley Town eventually found last season and one that ultimately got them over the line. Expecting miracles again is a tough ask when working with limited, largely unproven players. Goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond makes his first EFL move after joining on loan from Fulham. I am hopeful that he can prove an upgrade on Corey Addai, last season’s main starter and a player I have yet to be sold on. Dion Conroy could prove a valuable player in defence. Joel Lynch and Harry Ransom are in turn centre-backs I do not dislike. Tobi Omole had minimal impact last season. Added into defence are Joy Mukena and Jay Williams, players signed from sixth tier sides who have very limited EFL experience between them (and all of it belonging to Williams). Will Wright at the very least should prove a decent addition to the team from Gillingham, a right-sided defender. Nick Tsaroulla and Kellan Gordon are decent enough at left-back and right-back respectively. Travis Johnson feels a player who still has a point to prove though. Ben Gladwin grows increasingly pivotal in midfield as other senior players at the club move on. Liam Kelly at least comes in as a figure with some seasons of EFL football under his belt. Anthony Grant rejoins on a short-term deal. Jack Roles has not proved a hit yet since joining from Woking last January. Rafiq Khaleel broke into the first team for a spell last season. A decent prospect, but one you want to ease in rather than potential hand a key role to. Ronan Darcy is an attack-minded midfielder who Lindsey at least has worked with previously. Fellow attacking midfielder Kamarai Swyer is getting a first taste of EFL football following a loan move from West Ham United. My saving grace with Crawley Town had been their frontline. Dom Telford, Ashley Nadesan and Aramide Oteh form a trio that all had their part to play in survival last season, but even that’s now been broken up. Oteh is over at Walsall, Nadesan has been sold to Gillingham. It is now purely Dom Telford. Last summer’s marquee signing was supposed to come in to take Crawley Town to the next level. He is instead needing to find the goals that will keep them at this level. Danilo Orsi is a striker who has yet to click at EFL level despite looking very capable in the division below. Winger Harry Forster has his first taste of the Football League after arriving from Bromley. Klaidi Lolos and Ade Adeyemo are inexperienced EFL names who have were last season playing in the sixth tier and eighth tier respectively. Say it isn’t so, but Crawley Town finishing 24th in League Two feels the easiest prediction in the entire 92 this season. WAGMI United’s methods in the transfer market confused us last year, they’re taking it to a whole new level this season. The core of what was a once a solid, competitive mid-table outfit has been completely ripped out and moved on, replaced by players of largely unknown quantities. Having just about managed to get over the line in 22nd last season, there’s no Hartlepool United and Rochdale safety net for the Red Devils this season. Good luck Scott, you will need it…
23rd - Accrington Stanley
Accrington’s spell as a high-achieving underdog in League One came partly through their gift to uncover gems; low reputation players from non-league who would develop into stars and progress to other clubs. Last season, a struggle to find those gems, coupled with persistent injury and suspension issues, cost Stanley their third-tier status. John Coleman is as close to the term legend as they come at the Crown Ground. Well over 20 years at the club over two spells. Any level of manager though would struggle to form a competitive side when handed the circumstances the 60-year-old was faced with last term. My worry for Accrington is that those circumstances haven’t greatly changed. There is a strong dependence on certain individuals to stay available throughout the season, and still a worrying lack of a dependable goalscorer. Toby Savin is the senior goalkeeper currently on Accrington’s books. He is a player who not long ago was regarded as one of the EFL’s brightest young talents, but his career hasn’t taken the hoped trajectory since. Largely second fiddle to Lukas Jensen last season, an emergency loan spell at Stevenage came and went with little fanfare. Understudy Liam Isherwood is only one year Savin’s junior, but a lot more inexperienced at EFL level. Jay-Rich Baghuelou is back on the grass after missing almost all of last season. His return is a big boost; a towering left-sided defender who I really like. The boost from his return becomes greater when the full defensive unit is assessed. I have yet to be fully sold on Baba Fernandes. The hope is that the Norwich City loan pair of Lewis Shipley and Brad Hills, who have been playing together since they were kids, show that chemistry in the EFL. Additional centre-back options come from natural midfielders Liam Coyle and Seamus Conneely. Rosaire Longelo is a wing-back option on either side, naturally the left. Kelvin Mellor should provide a decent asset at right-back or slightly more infield. Sebastian Quirk can play on the right and spent time in Accrington’s midfield last season. Sean McConville has long been one of my favourite EFL players, still a figure who I think is at his best when part of the frontline rather than operating as a wing-back like he did for parts of last term. Left-backs Bailey Sloane and Connor O’Brien are still very inexperienced, just two Football League appearances each at the time of writing. I don’t want to be completely negative about Accrington Stanley. Their midfield unit is definitely a good group when all available. Joe Pritchard is an excellent attack-minded midfielder who likes drifting into the left channel and a player who was really missed last season. Tommy Leigh remains at the time of writing, Stanley’s most recently emergent non-league gem who plays up the spine of the team from central midfield to centre forward. The aforementioned Liam Coyle and Seamus Conneely are more defensive-minded midfielders. Dan Martin spent last season breaking into the team. Injury greatly impacted Matt Lowe’s recent season at the Crown Ground, a player who is still yet to score a league goal for Accrington Stanley. Shaun Whalley can take up a variety of positions with versatility but isn’t the kind to be considered a key goalscorer. Korede Adedoyin made a small contribution to Accrington’s goal total from last season and may well need to up that output for the sake of his team in 2023-24. Tall striker Josh Andrews comes in on loan from Birmingham City, flashes of previous quality from him at a previous spell at Rochdale but little impact at Doncaster Rovers last season. Jack Nolan is a winger who has failed to make a major mark for a number of season now at Walsall and Accrington. Leslie Adekoya is an academy product on the first team periphery. It’s not easy for me to pick Accrington Stanley in this part of the table. It’s a club I have a lot of time and admiration for. It’s difficult not to though when I carry greater concerns for Accrington compared to other sides. There is undoubtedly a midfield capable of making Stanley a competitive outfit, but a dependence on newcomers to shine in defence and the same goal-shy frontline which finished as League One’s second-lowest scorers last season. One of these low output players really needs to step up and provide that regular source of threat and final product. I hope for Accrington’s sake that such a key man can emerge…
22nd - Morecambe
That retained list was hard viewing. A realisation that the Shrimps were going to have to enter a strong League Two line-up with a much-changed group of players. The squad relegated from League One last season would be a competitive outfit at this level. This isn’t going to be that squad. In the challenging summer build-up to the new season that Morecambe have had, Derek Adams is a man I would want in the Mazuma Stadium dugout. The 48-year-old has been here before with the Shrimps, first inheriting the team in 2019 when battling for survival right at the base of the Football League. Adam Smith and Simon Moore will battle it out for the starting goalkeeper position. Smith has been with Morecambe for 18 months; Moore is a summer arrival after being Blackpool’s backup. The pair haven’t been the established number one at a club since 2020-21 and 2017-18 respectively though. Despite their post-season losses, Morecambe have been able to retain what looks a decent defence. Jacob Bedeau and Farrend Rawson form a competent centre-back pairing. Chris Stokes comes in from Kilmarnock as a centre-back alternative and as a player with plenty of prior experience with clubs at League Two level. Max Melbourne is the standout left-back option at current. Donald Love’s versatility makes him an option to use up the right-hand-side or in midfield. I really like the signing of Joel Senior, a right-sided defender who without injury would have had a bigger part to play in Carlisle United’s promotion last season. Yann Songo’o reunites with Derek Adams once again. The 31-year-old’s versatility at centre-back and midfield, as well as his previous level of performance when under Adams at Morecambe, makes him a valuable asset to this current squad. Jake Taylor has the quality to be an excellent technical midfielder, but his found his recent career hampered by injuries that have sadly held his progress back. It is a similar story with Jacob Davenport, a new summer arrival. The left-footed deeper-lying midfielder impressed at Championship level with Burton Albion back in 2017-18, but has found his time at Blackburn Rovers, Lincoln City and Stockport County affected by fitness issues. Morecambe have a gem if they can get a string of games and performances from the 24-year-old. JJ McKiernan arrives after his summer release from Watford, a 20-year-old central midfielder praised for his recent loan spell at National League Eastleigh. Eli King is a really nice addition on loan from Cardiff City, a very competent ball-player in deeper midfield. In a squad with limited current options and a need for emergent stars, Morecambe should carry faith in the further growth of Adam Mayor. The 18-year-old had a breakout season in League One up top, at left-wing, or at left-wing-back, and remains a very bright prospect. That reassurance in Mayor’s ability is handy when assessing his fellow frontline teammates. Giant young forward Tom Bloxham, on loan from Shrewsbury Town, is backed to provide a telling contribution either up top or on the right. The rest have a point to prove. Charlie Brown can play at striker, right-wing or attacking midfield but made limited contribution last season at Cheltenham Town. Scottish forward Cammy Smith has had very little impact in his past two seasons at Ayr United. Michael Mellon returns for a second loan spell from Burnley and will want to make up for lost time after having his first spell affected by injury. It’s difficult to feel any real level of excitement with the return of Jordan Slew following two seasons at FC Halifax Town. Morecambe have a relatively small group at the time of writing, but it looks a dependable enough group in defence and midfield. It’s uncertainty around the Shrimps frontline that holds me back from having full confidence as the season starts. Mayor and Bloxham should contribute, but I still think a goalscoring star needs to emerge in order for Morecambe to have a confident, comfortable season. I fear that the hand dealt over the summer has forced what could be an uncomfortable 2023-24 onto the Shrimps…
21st - Harrogate Town
A fourth straight season at your highest ever level is perfectly fine for what I consider to be one of the EFL’s smallest outfits. In a division however where it is possible for any side to go from a relegation battler to promotion challenger with solid recruitment, I can’t help but think that Harrogate Town could and probably should do more than just record bottom third finishes. Simon Weaver’s position as manager is as secure as they come in the Football League, in the Wetherby Road dugout since May 2009 with his dad, Irving Weaver, operating as chairman of the club since 2011. The father and son duo have created new history by taking the Sulphurites from life as a sixth tier regular to a life as an established fourth tier competitor. Progress on the pitch does seem to have stagnated these last few years, however. With Pate Jameson loaned out to National League Hartlepool United, Mark Oxley’s position as established number one goalkeeper will come from a new face. 21-year-old Lewis Thomas is a summer arrival from Burnley, taking his first steps into men’s senior football. Rod McDonald has signed from Crewe Alexandra and the left-sided defender could prove a key figure in central defence, striking a decent-looking partnership with right-sided defender Anthony O’Connor. Joe Mattock is a fellow left-sided defender who didn’t feature that regularly in the last campaign. Will Smith was deemed surplus to requirements and out on loan at Scunthorpe United during the second half of last season. Warren Burrell is Harrogate’s longest-serving active player, originally joining the Sulphurites whilst a sixth tier side back in January 2016. Burrell’s versatility across the backline and in midfield has made him a valuable asset in previous seasons, but the added competition in those positions makes the now-33-year-old feel like a player coming towards the end of his time as a regular. Liam Gibson is a really good signing from Morecambe. The 26-year-old is primarily a left-sided defender but can also operate as a competent midfielder. Harrogate can in turn welcome back Matty Foulds who joins permanently from Bradford City after a positive loan last season. Toby Sims, a natural winger, found a home as Town’s starting right-back after arriving last January. Kayne Ramsay is his primary competition in that position. Harrogate can still call upon the services of Josh Falkingham and George Thomson, two further players who were with the Sulphurites in their National League North days. Club captain Falkingham is a tenacious midfielder and a long-underappreciated player. Thomson is a technical midfielder who can still carry influence on this team from deeper midfield. The return of Matty Daly on a permanent deal from Huddersfield Town is a huge positive. The 22-year-old had a productive loan spell last season playing primarily as an attacking midfielder or on the left flank. Scottish midfielder Dean Cornelius is a new face after playing 32 times in the Scottish Premiership for Motherwell last term. Stephen Dooley, Levi Sutton and academy product George Horbury are additional midfield options. There should be a desire from Harrogate to replace the output of Kazeem Olaigbe following his impressive loan from Southampton. Sam Folarin should be a regular primarily on the right. Jack Muldoon, another long-serving player, had his first season at Wetherby Road without double figures last term, but is still someone that can be called upon either up top or on the left. Abraham Odoh has signed from recently relegated Rochdale, a very raw winger but a potential gem if Simon Weaver can unlock consistent end product from him. Right up top, Luke Armstrong remains the key to Harrogate Town having another season away from relegation. The 27-year-old is one of the best strikers at the level, a complete all-round game and double figure seasons in both years that he has been in North Yorkshire. Forward James Daly arrives from Woking looking to reignite his career in the EFL after a decent showing down in the National League. If Harrogate Town revert to type, we already know what’s coming. This is a team whose games can be very chaotic, the Sulphurites capable goalscorers themselves but also guilty of gifting opportunities at the other end. It’s fun to experience, enough to keep heads above water, but doesn’t feel sustainable. Sides who spend a string of seasons battling relegation eventually find that it is their turn to drop. The father-son bond in the hierarchy leaves Harrogate Town as the last kind of club that you would expect to see change manager in order to rescue a season. If the Wetherby Road outfit do find themselves struggling this campaign, it’s going to be down to additional recruitment to save them…
20th - Newport County
When the season ended back in May, I was hopeful that Newport County could show progression in 2023-24. As this new season starts, there are a few question marks in defence that need to be answered, but a group that looks capable of being competitive in a tough League Two line-up. Graham Coughlan succeeded James Rowberry as manager back in October 2022, and the job he did went very under the radar. The Exiles at the time were hovering in an uncomfortable position not far above the relegation zone, and Coughlan would go on to steer them clear of trouble in 15th place whilst losing less than a third of his total matches. Whilst I may hold concerns about the current state of the Newport County squad, having Coughlan in the dugout is reassurance. The Irishman is a good quality manager. It wasn’t too long ago that he had Bristol Rovers in the League One play-off places before departing to Mansfield Town. Newport’s previously high quality goalkeeper pair has been broken up as last season’s higher appearance maker Joe Day heads out on loan to Woking (he shouldn’t be anywhere near the National League in my eyes). It leaves Antigua and Barbuda international Nick Townsend back at Rodney Parade, with former Northampton Town man Jonny Maxted providing his competition. The most major change at Newport County has come in defence. The likes of Mickey Demetriou, Priestley Farquharson, Aaron Lewis and Cameron Norman were among some of the division’s strongest and most underrated defenders. All four have now left Rodney Parade. Right-sided defender James Clarke and central defender Declan Drysdale remain, both capable enough players. A previous concern I had about the need for Kyle Jameson to be a hit has been calmed by the arrival of left-sided defender Ryan Delaney from Morecambe. Teenage Irish defender Josh Seberry joins from Shelbourne and has the versatility to play out on the right as well as at the back. Newport still have the option to drop Scot Bennett into the heart of defence. The 32-year-old is a long-serving player at Rodney Parade and is comfortable both as a midfielder and defender. Wing-back Adam Lewis returns for another loan spell at Liverpool. The 23-year-old has a positive time of things at the Exiles, playing primarily as a left-wing-back but also as an auxiliary midfielder. An injury in mid-February ultimately brought his spell to an abrupt end and it is pleasing to see him back in South Wales. 21-year-old Matthew Bondswell is a Newcastle United loanee making his first major steps into senior football, similar playing out on the left like Lewis. Natural striker Will Evans can also operate in an auxiliary left-wing-back role. On the right, Shane McLoughlin looks first choice. The 26-year-old is naturally a midfielder and right winger, but his limited number of appearances for Salford City last season were often as a right-back or right-wing-back. I would expect him to feature there again for Newport in 23-24. Newport’s defensive unit may raise some concerns, but their midfield unit is a decent group. The aforementioned Scot Bennett can play in a primarily defensive role there. Harry Charsley, Sam Bowen and Aaron Wildig are comfortable central players. James Waite is a more attack-minded midfielder who I was very keen during periods of last season. Added into that group is Bryn Morris. The 27-year-old spent last season at this level with Grimsby Town and is a decent if unspectacular option in central areas. My most confidence with Newport County comes up top. Omar Bogle is a very capable striker who finished last season as League Two’s fourth highest scorer with 17 goals. Congolese striker Offrande Zanzala will hope that 23-24 doesn’t see the injury problems that plagued him last term. I would back the 26-year-old to form a good strike partnership with Bogle if both are available throughout the campaign. The aforementioned Will Evans is a striker alternative who can play in auxiliary roles up the left-hand-side. Nathan Wood is a new arrival from Cymru Premier side Penybont. I am intrigued to see how he ends up faring as a natural winger in a team that never really made use of wide forwards last season. 19-year-old Seb Palmer-Houlden arrives on a season-long loan from Bristol City, a player looking to bring his impressive performances in the Professional Development League up into senior EFL football. Kiban Rai is a name to keep an eye on, an 18-year-old Welsh/Nepalese forward out of the Newport academy who made his first appearances for the Exiles in the backend of 22-23. Just as I start to believe that Newport County are on the up, they are hit by a number of damaging departures in defence. Graham Coughlan is a manager I carry faith in, but the question will be whether he can get the best out of new backline additions who have doubts hanging over some of them. If he can, Newport should be a competitive outfit, and include a frontline capable of being a real problem to other League Two sides. I’m 80% of the way to believing that this is a perfectly fine fourth tier outfit. Hopefully the first few months can provide the additional 20% that I want…
19th - Sutton United
After having a fine debut EFL season in 2021-22, 2022-23 was a tamer campaign for Sutton United. Faint play-off hopes in the final months were dashed by a poor run of form right at the end. The Amber and Chocolates have been a fine competitive outfit these last two seasons but have faced a rebuild task this summer after a number of popular key figures moved on. It would have only been worthwhile to hit the panic button however if the man in the dugout had left the club with them. I have become a massive fan of Matt Gray. The 41-year-old can do no wrong at Gander Green Lane, taking over the reins at the start of May 2019 and seeing through Sutton’s historic promotion to the Football League whilst still a semi-professional side. Gray’s direct, front-footed style has translated wonderfully into this team and translated very well into League Two life. Faced with a strong fourth tier line-up this season, Sutton United should be trusted as a team who will stay away from any serious trouble. Jack Rose may still retain his place as Sutton’s starting goalkeeper but could face competition from 33-year-old Steve Arnold who jumps up a level from Southend United. 24-year-old Brad House remains the inexperienced understudy to the pair. At the back, Sutton can still call upon the central pairing of Ben Goodliffe and Louis John. 24 and 29 respectively, the duo both have long associations with the club and form an excellent partnership. Both had their 2022-23 campaigns impacted by injury, however. Omar Sowunmi comes in from Bromley and should provide a decent-enough alternative at centre-back. Sutton may still though deploy natural right-back Joe Kizzi in the centre, a position the giant 30-year-old has always looked comfortable in. If Kizzi and his long throw is preferred in the centre, expect Ryan Jackson to be near ever-present at right-back. The 32-year-old feels an excellent summer addition, a regular for the last three seasons in League One with Gillingham and then Cheltenham Town, and another player who possesses a long throw that Sutton will look to utilise. Jonathan Barden can be an option at both right-back and central midfield. He has sadly however been out of action for a long time. Out on the left, Sam Hart is capable all the way up the left-hand-side. 36-year-old Rob Milsom is a both a left-back and central midfield who is still a regular in the team. His in-swinging deliveries from set pieces are a weapon Sutton enjoy latching on to. Midfield has seen a good amount of change, but two familiar faces remain. Club captain Craig Eastmond often takes up a disciplined central role which still makes him a valuable part of the team. Harry Beautyman typically operates on the left side of midfield. Craig Clay could establish himself as a great part of midfield following his release from League Two champions Leyton Orient. Christian N’Guessan returns to the Football League after two seasons with Ebbsfleet United. Josh Coley is a smart addition from Exeter City, a player who can play in attacking midfield or as a capable winger on either side. A need for natural wingers has been answered with the arrival of Omari Patrick and Scott Kashket. Whilst Kashket is a player with limited output for the last few seasons, Patrick is one to get seriously excited about. The 27-year-old is a lively, direct threat from the left flank with an excellent burst of speed. Collecting second balls and advancing at the backline with intent will cause problems. Shrewsbury Town loanee Aiden O’Brien can operate across the frontline, primarily on the left or up top. Faced with the challenge of having to replace the leading striker pair of Omar Bugiel and Donovan Wilson, Matt Gray has so far recruited Harry Smith. The 28-year-old is a logical fit with the Sutton style, a towering presence at six-foot-five. Him alongside Lee Angol would form an aerially-imposing front pair. Kylian Kouassi is a 20-year-old product of the Sutton United youth system and a bright prospect who had a breakthrough campaign in 2022-23. Tope Fadahunsi returns from a loan spell with Torquay United. Hisham Kasimu has yet to make a league appearance for Sutton since arriving from Farnborough. Club icon Craig Dundas turns 43 next February. He may well get a handful of minutes next season, and who knows where on the pitch that will be. The forward was reportedly playing at centre-back during part of Sutton’s pre-season schedule. With a bit of uncertainty about regarding how Sutton United will fare as a newly built side, there is reassurance to be had with the man in the dugout. Matt Gray is one of those managers you just trust to get things right with Sutton. It has been the case for many years now. A solid backline remains, with a new-look midfield and a frontline that may have some questions asked of it early on. Gray is capable of making it all click, and provided he does, there’s going to be no serious concerns for those watching on from Gander Green Lane’s many stands.
18th - AFC Wimbledon
A good summer of transfer business, one that will provide hope of significant improvement on last season’s 21st place finish. If the Dons continue to sit excessively low down in the League Two table though, it is clear where the fingers will be pointed. Hope was high this time last season when Johnnie Jackson took the reins at Plough Lane. Any initial excitement would soon fade though. AFC Wimbledon won just two games following the beginning of 2023, losing 13 of their 23 fixtures in the new year. It was a miserable end to the campaign for a team that I believe both could and should have done better. That squad is now boosted with good additions in all units, and it is down to the 40-year-old to make much better use of the tools that he has at his disposal. Kiwi goalkeeper Nik Tzanev will have his position as number one challenged by Alex Bass, joining on a season-long loan from Sunderland. Bass previously had a positive spell at this level with Bradford City and was Sunderland’s reserve goalkeeper in the Championship last term. 21-year-old Nathan Broome is a decent understudy. Added into the centre of AFC Wimbledon’s defence are a pair of Stockport County men. Left-sided defender Ryan Johnson is a permanent addition. Joe Lewis, capable across the backline, is on loan till the end of the season. Both have a good chance of establishing themselves as a strong pairing in central defence, where other options include left-sided defender Lee Brown and the experienced Alex Pearce. Academy product Paul Kalambayi earned his most productive Dons season last term. 20-year-old Isaac Ogundere broke into the first team last term, though more often as a right-back than a central defender. AFC Wimbledon possess a pair of promising 21-year-old academy products at full-back. Jack Currie had a breakthrough season in 2022-23 at left-back or left-wing-back, quickly establishing himself as a regular and one of the team’s emergent stars. Huseyin Biler can play as a full-back on either side, primarily the right, but sadly had his breakthrough season impacted by injury. Isaac Ogundere is available to play at right-back in his absence. Armani Little has turned an initial loan from Forest Green Rovers into a permanent move. The 26-year-old can fill a number of midfield roles and played regularly for the Dons in the second half of last season. Jake Reeves is an excellent capture. The 30-year-old was an underrated cog in the Stevenage side which won promotion to League One just last season. James Ball comes in from Rochdale without particularly standing out for the league’s bottom side last term. The new trio join a central unit that includes Harry Pell, who spent a good part of last season in an attacking midfield role. 18-year-old Alfie Bendle is an academy product on the periphery of the first team. AFC Wimbledon will have to enter this season without Ethan Chislett, one of their stars from last season, but I like what they have brought in to try and replace his output. Josh Neufville is a permanent signing from Luton Town. The 22-year-old caught the eye whilst on loan at Sutton United last season, a fun, direct threat on the right flank who but for injury could have had a bigger impact at Gander Green Lane. James Tilley is another likeable addition. He was one of the better, more valuable assets at Crawley Town who is capable on either side. Ryan McLean comes up two divisions from Hereford with positive reviews. It's right up at the very top though where the main man to watch can be found in this current AFC Wimbledon squad. Ali Al-Hamadi made a low-profile move from Wycombe Wanderers last January, and exploded out of the blocks. 10 goals in 19 appearances for the 21-year-old Iraq international. If that form continues into the new season, Wimbledon will be lucky to have him beyond the summer window. Josh Davison is still a player who has the qualities to be a very good centre-forward. Might the 23-year-old benefit from the arrival of Omar Bugiel from Sutton United? The Lebanese striker is an excellent focal point. He should be capable of providing ideal support for a frontline partner, but is not the kind of striker I would want to be calling my main source of goals. AFC Wimbledon have made positive additions in all areas and created a squad capable of being very competitive in League Two. The big question for me as this season begins is whether they have the right man in the dugout to deliver on expectations. I felt that Johnnie Jackson underperformed with the group he had in 2022-23. Possessing what now looks an even better team of players, the onus is on him to deliver the wins that became far too rare following the turn of the year. If it all clicks, feel free to push the Dons up into your dark horse bracket. I very much hope that I will get to do the same....
17th - Swindon Town
2022-23 was an ultimately underwhelming campaign for Swindon Town. Sat in the play-off places at the end of the January window, the Robins would proceed to win just six of their last 22 games and end up 14 points away from the top seven places. Jody Morris had been hired at the end of the January as the eventual successor to Scott Lindsey and didn’t even make it to the end of that season. The man in the County Ground dugout for the start of 2023-24 will be Michael Flynn, an appointment that would have made major headlines some 18 months ago. Flynn is still remembered fondly for his transformational spell at Newport County. The 42-year-old became Walsall manager in February 2022, but would be gone 14 months later after insufficient overall progress. Now in Wiltshire, Flynn may still be considered by some to be a top manager for the level. Expecting miracles with this group of players would not be fair pressure to put on him, however. With Sol Brynn now elsewhere, Swindon have a different loan goalkeeper for the 2023-24 season. 21-year-old Murphy Mahoney arrives from Queens Park Rangers and is making his first loan venture into the EFL. 20-year-old Irish goalkeeper Conor Brann is his main competition. Tom Brewitt and left-sided Frazer Blake-Tracy form a decent enough defensive partnership, and are going to need to now with the news that Tom Clayton will miss the start of the season through injury. Swindon have a very good one in Udoka Godwin-Malife, a 23-year-old right-sided defender who starred for several years at Forest Green Rovers as a fine ballplayer. Young academy product Harrison Minturn is on the periphery and could find himself with more gametime this season. It's a shame to hear the news that left-back Reece Devine looks set to miss the start of the campaign. Remeao Hutton was one of Swindon’s brightest sparks last season, recording 12 league assists. The 24-year-old has the versatility to play up either flank but will probably still be favoured on the far right side of defence. From those remaining in the midfield unit, 27-year-old tenacious Gambian Saidou Khan is my personal favourite. George McEachran has established himself in the first team since joining as a free agent in mid-February. Liam Kinsella links with Michael Flynn again after bringing his long association with Walsall to an end, an active midfielder with versatility both centrally and out on the left. Jake Cain is a more attack-minded midfielder who will battle for a place in the starting team. The biggest positive of Swindon Town’s summer window so far is the signing of Dan Kemp, joining on a season-long loan deal from Milton Keynes Dons. The 24-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play out wide. He was loaned out to Hartlepool United in the second half of last season and had a superb impact with nine goals and two assists in just 16 league appearances. He is a player I thought MK Dons would try to make use of in their own League Two campaign, so to see him loaned out again is a surprise. His clear quality should be Swindon Town’s gain. Kemp joins a frontline that includes Tyrese Shade, Jacob Wakeling and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as wide options. Wakeling had a positive season primarily on the right and at 21 has plenty of growth left in him. I warmed to Hepburn-Murphy on the left as last season drew to a close. Jake Young comes in on a season-long from Bradford City. The 22-year-old forward has been a prospect for several years with clubs at this level, but just hasn't yet found the opportunity to be an established regular and show what he is about. Plenty of eyes will continue to be on Charlie Austin as the season gets underway. The 34-year-old made a high-profile move to Wiltshire last January, returning to the club that first gave him his first break in the Football League. Austin scored three in his first two games and went on to register nine goals before the end of the season, including all four in a draw at Rochdale. Swindon will look to him as the main man once again in 2023-24. Support around him will be key. It’s a decent enough group that Michael Flynn has for his first season at Swindon Town. For a club that you want to see challenging at the top end of the division however, it’s difficult to carry much excitement in this squad when compared to other genuine promotion contenders. A full season of Charlie Austin might well make him one of the golden boot frontrunners. Dan Kemp should add quality during his loan spell away from Stadium:MK. More signings of Kemp’s calibre need to happen though before I can start taking the Robins seriously…
16th - Forest Green Rovers
2022-23 was a debut season in the third tier and a seriously steep learning curve for the Nailsworth outfit. Attempts to replace several star players proved unsuccessful, and a change of head coach around the turn of the year saw Forest Green proceed to get even worse than they had already been. One single win to their name since the 10th December. Relegated in 24th with a 17-point difference between themselves and 23rd place Accrington Stanley. The overall gap between League Two and League One is not that great, and a team that finishes rock bottom of the third tier would likely be right down the bottom of the fourth tier in turn. A second consecutive relegation is possible if Forest Green do not get things right, and that’s why I am pleased to see the result of what looks a largely positive summer. Head coach David Horseman is a new name in senior EFL management. Appointed from Southampton’s B Team, Horseman’s first interviews with Forest Green Rovers fill you with confidence. It does strike me that this appointment feels more in the mould of what was seen from Rob Edwards at the New Lawn as opposed to Ian Burchnall or Duncan Ferguson. I often think of Forest Green as a side who like going against the grain with recruitment and picking up lesser-known names in the management circle. Horseman’s arrival certainly fits that bill. Jamie Searle and Luke Daniels look set to battle it out for the number spot at the New Lawn. Searle is a 22-year-old Kiwi goalkeeper bought from Barnsley. Luke Daniels is 35 and has spent the last two seasons as one of Middlesbrough’s backup goalkeepers. Young Irishman Fiachra Pagel returns from a loan spell at Drogheda United to play understudy. Forest Green do still have hold of a number of players who were part of the title-winning team from two years ago. Jordan Moore-Taylor is the most senior figure in defence at age 29, and it was frustrating to see him get such limited gametime overall last season. Dom Bernard and Corey O’Keeffe are naturally defenders, but their superb versatility has seen them take up full-back, centre-back, midfield and winger roles during their time at The New Lawn. Ryan Inniss has been added to the team from Charlton Athletic and does largely feel a positive signing. His discipline record is worth being aware of though. Right-back Sean Robertson has returned from a largely unspectacular loan at Crewe Alexandra. Whether he provides sufficient competition to Bernard or O’Keeffe remains to be seen. Jamie Robson should retain the left-side spot he acquired last season, but face competition from new versatile full-back Marcel Lavinier. When midfielder Charlie McCann was bought from Rangers last January, he was quickly earmarked as a player who could become a star regardless of what division Forest Green began the following season in. The 21-year-old has been limited to just three appearances so far, and here’s hoping that 2023-24 can provide an opportunity for a breakout campaign and show him to be a worthwhile investment. A youngster who did make an impact last season however was Harvey Bunker. 20 league appearances in central defence or central midfield. The 20-year-old academy product could feature again this season, but will face competition. Reece Brown can hopefully return to his better levels and provide a valuable option in attacking midfield positions. Callum Jones has joined on a season-long loan deal from Hull City. I am a big fan meanwhile of the permanent signing of Teddy Jenks, a typically deeper-lying midfielder who had positive spells during his time on loan at Crawley Town last season. It remains to be seen if David Davis will contribute to the first team midfield this term. The 32-year-old was out on loan at Solihull Moors by the end of 22-23. Whilst I hold belief in the ability of Forest Green’s defence and midfield, the frontline options carry some question marks. Jordon Garrick and Kyle McAllister are the only natural wingers in the squad. Both Amadou Bayakoko and Tyrese Omotoye are yet to get off the mark since making January moves from Bolton Wanderers and Norwich City respectively. Might there be some hope though with Mathew Stevens? The 25-year-old scored 23 league goals during the title-winning season but has not had a good 12 months. Stevens has simply yet to look the player that he was before his injury. Matty Taylor is the standout addition at Forest Green Rovers this summer. Previously at the Green Devils whilst a fifth-tier side between 2011 and 2014, the 33-year-old registered 52 League One goals in his last three full seasons with Oxford United. 2022-23 was a much less productive campaign for Taylor however, affected by injury and being with sides that provided more limited service than he previously had been given. If David Horseman can return Taylor to his former level and provide the quality service from supporting players, Forest Green Rovers will have one of the league’s best strikers on their books. On the back of one of the worst seasons in recent League One history, Forest Green need to be aware of the relative weakness of their squad and the immense competition that League Two will provide in 2023-24. They do look to be going the right way towards making themselves a competitive outfit though. David Horseman is an intriguing and exciting appointment as head coach. Defence and midfield contain a number of very capable fourth tier players. The big question for now comes with the frontline, where they have two potentially lethal goalscorers in Mathew Stevens and Matty Taylor, but are dependant on them reaching levels that they haven’t hit for a while. If the pair do though, this could be a team to watch out for…
15th - Colchester United
In a league which is anticipated to have plenty of strong promotion contenders, are the U’s going to be able to keep up? Colchester United are a team I want to get very keen on. Having spent the last three seasons down in the wrong half of League Two, it would be refreshing to see the Essex outfit enjoying a positive season like 2019-20, in which they earned a play-off spot on PPG. It’s easy to develop a liking to Colchester as a club that produces high-quality academy graduates. A number in this current squad form key roles and have been regulars in the side for a number of years. Further enhancement onto this group, and a push towards the top end does feel possible. Ben Garner is entering his first full season as Colchester United head coach, having been appointed back in March. He is someone I still hold in good regard, even despite an ultimately unsuccessful spell at Charlton Athletic in the division above. It was only two seasons ago that Garner build a play-off finishing Swindon Town side, a fine attacking outfit built in the image of his progressive, possession-based style of play. It’s a philosophy he will want to bring into his U’s team, but the issue at the time of writing is that the Colchester United squad doesn’t yet feel like a group fully built in Ben Garner’s image. It is certainly not a collection of players that I carry any strong disliking to though. Starting goalkeeper Sam Hornby should face competition from a new loan arrival, 19-year-old Owen Goodman who is making his first move away from parent club Crystal Palace. Tom Smith is in turn now back permanently having been on loan from Arsenal last term. A back three was commonplace last season at Colchester United but won’t contain the exact same faces as 22-23. The senior central trio on Colchester’s books are now Connor Hall, Fiacre Kelleher and Tom Dallison who would form a perfectly fine backline if played together or as part of a pair. There are high hopes for 19-year-old Southampton loanee Nico Lawrence to break into this defence during his time at the club. In the full-back and wing-back positions, there is one immediate standout name. Newly crowned League Two Young Player of the Season Junior Tchamadeu remains on the books at the time of writing. The 19-year-old made his Colchester United debut at just 16 and is a huge prospect, capable up either flank and the latest star to emerge from the U’s youth set-up. A potential departure would present an opportunity on the right for Will Greenidge that he would need to take. On the opposite side, fellow academy product Al-Amin Kazeem broke into the first team in 2022-23. Competition in that position could well come from Ellis Iandolo, a very positive signing who previously worked with Ben Garner at Swindon Town. The 27-year-old is naturally a left-back but is capable of operating as a technical midfielder. Iandolo’s arrival is doubly handy as there is a hole in midfield to fill. Arthur Read should retain his place as a midfield starter, and aside from Iandolo or new Arsenal loanee Mauro Bandeira, there is also the option to play emerging academy graduates Gene Kennedy and Marley Marshall-Miranda in the centre. Noah Chilvers remains one of my favourite EFL players. The 22-year-old is primarily an attack-minded midfielder who is having his importance to the Colchester United team grow with each passing year. He finished last season as the U’s top scorer after the most productive campaign of his career so far. Matt Jay was a high calibre winter signing from Exeter City, a player who in the past has been a fourth tier star playing in a free role off the frontline. His minutes have been largely as a substitute however since arriving in Essex. Freddie Sears and Luke Hannant are former frontline options who have moved on, but I don’t really feel like either will be missed. Still under contract are Alex Newby, best in any of the positions behind a striker, as well as physical forwards John Akinde and Tom Hopper. The growth of 19-year-old Samson Tovide is well worth watching, a player who broke into the first team last season and could be the latest academy product to shine. Garner has the option to either play a combination of Akinde, Hopper and Tovide as a front pair, or operate with just one man leading the line and play Newby alongside either Chilvers or Jay in attacking midfield. I think there is the potential for Colchester United to become a very strong League Two outfit in the future, but as the new season approaches, they don’t yet feel ready for an assault on the top, top places. Ben Garner is working his way towards building a squad in his image. Signings all look positive and should add to the nice mix of academy graduates and senior players that have been retained from 22-23. The likes of Noah Chilvers and Samson Tovide are good prospects now. I like to think that come next May, there could and should be even more people familiar with their name and their game. An improvement on last season’s 20th place should be the achievable target for the U’s.
14th - Crewe Alexandra
A decent, competitive outfit, and a team I could find myself warming to as the season progresses. Crewe Alexandra are one of those clubs where you attention naturally focuses on their homegrown products. Each of their last two promotion seasons from this level had teams full of talented academy graduates. Heading into 2023-24, members of the current crop have established themselves in the first team, and form part of a squad that is likeable, but does at the moment feel a little way off being a genuine promotion contender. Lee Bell, who fittingly was a man who came out of the Crewe academy 21 years ago, is entering his first full season in management and is a figure learning on the job, much like a number of his players are. Crewe’s senior goalkeeper options at the time of writing are a pair of teenagers. With Dave Richards transfer listed, hopes are high for 19-year-old arrival Harvey Davies who comes in on a season-long loan from Liverpool. In reserve is 18-year-old Tom Booth, an academy product who made his first four appearances for the Railwaymen in the final four games of last season. Crewe’s central defensive unit is built almost entirely from homegrown players. The man I am currently most excited about is Connor O’Riordan. The 19-year-old was initially loaned out to Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers in the first half of 2022-23. Following his return last January however, he has gone on to establish himself as a valuable regular in the heart of defence. 23-year-old Luke Offord is a more senior figure in central defence. 19-year-old Zac Williams is a left-sided defensive option. 23-year-old Billy Sass-Davies was one of the players announced as being transfer listed when Crewe’s retained list was published back in May. The signing of Mickey Demetriou is a very impressive one. The 33-year-old shone as one of the league’s most underrated left-sided defenders during his many years at Newport County, a particularly good fit on the left side of a back three when given the licence to fly forward on the overlap. Academy products Lewis Billington and Zak Kempster-Down are central defenders on the first team periphery. At full-back, Crewe still have homegrown product Rio Adebisi, a player who can operate on either flank. His position as a starting left-back could well face competition from Zac Williams or natural midfielder Charlie Finney. Ryan Cooney is one of the new summer arrivals and a signing I am keen on. The 23-year-old played a number of right-sided roles at Morecambe and was a big part of the team which won the League Two play-offs back in 2020-21. The Crewe Alexandra midfield unit is my favourite part of the team. Conor Thomas is and still remains a valuable midfielder to have at this level. Jack Powell was signed from Crawley Town this summer and is an excellent addition, a technical midfielder who may well operate in a deeper role this season. Charlie Colkett will hope to see more gametime in 23-24 after having last season impacted by injury. Joel Tabiner is a player that’s worth getting very excited about. The 19-year-old has just had an impressive breakthrough campaign, establishing himself as an attacking regular in midfield and also being deployed out wide on occasion. Regan Griffiths and Charlie Finney remain further midfield options. Slovakian Matúš Holíček is one of those on the periphery. One of the biggest challenges for Lee Bell will be replacing Dan Agyei, who moves on to Leyton Orient after recording the season of his career with 16 goals. Might Agyei’s departure leave Courtney Baker-Richardson with increased importance? The 27-year-old suffered a period with injury last season and yet still matched his career-best tally that he had earned during an impressive 21-22 campaign at Newport County. Hopes are high for Chris Long, another who has had to return from a long period out and could well take up Agyei’s previous left-winger role if Baker-Richardson is chosen to lead the line on his own. Shilow Tracey is a signing I am encouraged with. The winger joins from Cambridge United, and his direct running could make him a useful outlet on either the left or right flank. Elliott Nevitt remains as a striker alternative to Baker-Richardson or Long, but admittedly it is a signing that has not gone as I hoped it would so far. 13th last season, enjoying good home form to wrap up the campaign, Crewe do have a challenge in 23-24 if they want to progress further. Replacing the output of top scorer Dan Agyei will be a priority. There are certain personnel within the squad that you hope can collectively do that. Time will in turn tell whether the new arrivals can either lift the Railwaymen to a new level of competitiveness, or at the very least keep them ticking along as a mid-table outfit. For now, I remain more excited in watching individuals at Crewe rather than the team as a whole. Connor O’Riordan and Joel Tabiner are academy products right up at the top of my ones to watch list. If they and other youngsters continue to progress at a good rate, than the future looks bright again at Gresty Road...
13th - Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers have been one of the hardest teams for me to place in League Two this season. I actually think they are on the verge of becoming a very good side. Aside from a five-game winning run between September and October, 2022-23 was an underwhelming campaign for the Super White Army. Micky Mellon held the reins until the 19th March when he was dismissed with Tranmere in the bottom half of the table. They’d recover to end the season 12th and ahead of Crewe Alexandra and Sutton United on just goal difference. Might there be a reason for quiet optimism ahead of 2023-24 though? Ian Dawes is the man chosen to lead Tranmere into this new season, having previously had three caretaker spells with the club. The 39-year-old’s relative inexperience may have made him feel an underwhelming appointment at the time it was announced but is a logical choice by the Tranmere hierarchy. Confidence in Dawes being successful should come from the man he will be working alongside. Nigel Adkins was announced as technical director on the 9th May and it was news greatly received by fans. The 58-year-old will be an excellent mentor and advisor for Dawes, and has already starting leaving a mark with his part in transfer business. Tranmere now have Luke McGee as their starting goalkeeper. The 27-year-old was part of the Forest Green Rovers team that won the League Two title in 2021-22 and made 22 appearances for them in League One before being loaned to Derby County for a spell as their backup goalkeeper. 41-year-old player/coach Joe Murphy is McGee’s backup at Tranmere Rovers. Jordan Turnbull and Tom Davies form a solid centre-back partnership. Turnbull has been one of League Two’s strongest left-sided defenders for a while. 21-year-old Ben Hockenhull and 25-year-old new signing Josef Yarney sit in reserve, but Ian Dawes could also call upon the services of natural midfielder Brad Walker or utility man Lee O’Connor to play in central defence if needed. Star right-back Josh Dacres-Cogley is now with Bolton Wanderers. His absence now means Lee O’Connor looks the standout option at right-back. The 22-year-old’s versatility has seen him utilised in multiple roles in defence and midfield during his time at Prenton Park. With left-back Ethan Bristow now over in the United States with Minnesota United, 20-year-old Hull City loanee Jake Leake has an opportunity to establish himself as starting left-back. Natural midfielder Chris Merrie is another option in that position. Lee O’Connor’s current need at right-back would mean that he misses out on being a regular part of Tranmere’s midfield. In his place however are several good alternatives. Regan Hendry was on loan at Tranmere in the second half of last season and has now joined permanently from Forest Green Rovers. Chris Merrie and Brad Walker are more defensive-minded midfield options. Paul Lewis can play up the spine of the team as a more attack-minded midfielder but also as an auxiliary striker. 21-year-old Rhys Hughes is another attack-minded midfielder who earned several starts in the backend of last season. Reece McAlear is back from a loan spell at Ayr United. Tranmere currently only have two natural wingers in their squad, but they are both very good. Josh Hawkes hit double figures last season as a regular in the team, primarily out wide but also as the attacking midfielder in a midfield quartet. Kieron Morris had his 22-23 season affected by injury but provided solid contribution when able to play primarily on the right flank. A full season with both in action makes Tranmere a problem for opponents. Up front, the number of experienced senior options has increased significantly. Kane Hemmings was the main man leading the line last season. I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed by his output last term. A total of eight goals was the same amount he got in just half a season at Prenton Park in 2021-22. Harvey Saunders came in last January and had a positive early impact up top, eventually getting minutes out wide after a switch from 4-4-2. Tranmere swooped in early to sign Kristian Dennis on a free transfer. The 33-year-old has just recorded his most productive season for years, ending up finishing as League Two’s third-highest scorer with 20 goals and playing a part in Carlisle United’s promotion up to League One. How much of Dennis’ output was down to him working under Paul Simpson last term? We could find out as he begins a new season at a different club. Whilst I am a little unsure as to how well Dennis will fare, I am positive on the signing of Luke Norris. The 30-year-old won promotion with Stevenage last season, one of the three players in the team who ended the season on 10 league goals. The 30-year-old showed at the Boro that he can be a quality contributor in a forward partnership, often acting as an effective focal point. Connor Jennings is back at Tranmere three seasons after leaving. The 31-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Stockport County last season and loaned out to Hartlepool United, where he showed himself to still be a decent supporting striker at fourth tier level. Tranmere don’t look the finished product just yet, but I don’t think they are far away. A new goalkeeper in to compliment a back four that does admittedly have questions at full-back that need answering. Decent balance in midfield, two quality wide players and a good selection of striker options. If the new full-back options can prove their worth, depth can be added in wide areas, and the new forwards can continue the form they showed with their previous clubs, then Tranmere Rovers could be a dark horse in 2023-24. I have a feeling this is a team I could get more and more keen on as the season progresses…
12th - Walsall
Having confidence in Walsall has been a dangerous game in the past, four underwhelming seasons since coming down to League Two. It’s difficult not to look at recent signings and feel like something good could be brewing at the Bescot, however. Mat Sadler has a point to prove. The 38-year-old was appointed interim when Michael Flynn was let go on the 19th April. His confirmation as Flynn’s permanent successor came almost exactly a month later on the 18th May, news that got a mixed response from fans who had been waiting a long time for a new head coach to be decided. Little is really known about Sadler’s managerial credentials and won’t really be known until the new season gets underway. What you always hope to see is a rookie manager getting the support that allows them to work to the best of a capabilities. It does feel like Sadler is getting that. 26-year-old Owen Evans goes into a second season as Walsall’s starting goalkeeper. Jackson Smith returns on a permanent deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers the 21-year-old will be Evans’ understudy once again. As Peter Clarke and Manny Monthé leave the centre of defence, in comes Priestley Farquharson. The 26-year-old is an excellent signing, a commanding presence in the middle of Newport County’s back three. He’ll be a welcome addition alongside Donveron Daniels who stood out in the Saddlers defence last season. Irish defender Oisin McEntee remains on the books. Rollin Menayese had his recent loan spell at Hartlepool United impacted by injury. 20-year-old Harry Williams may well be eased into life as an EFL footballer after being bought from Alvechurch. Walsall have added Chris Hussey at their full-back and wing-back department. The 34-year-old has long been known for his quality left-footed deliveries from both set pieces and open play, and spent time with Stockport County last season as a technical left-centre-back. Guyana international Liam Gordon earned plenty of minutes last season up the left flank. Taylor Allen is a utility man who can feature as a left-wing-back or left-back. On the opposite side, Joe Riley is a player comfortable at both full-back and central midfield and returned to earn first team minutes in the last few months of the season following injury. Walsall also have the option of playing Tom Knowles as a direct right-wing-back. The 24-year-old is naturally a forward known for his excellent dribbling ability. He ended up playing a multitude of positions last season on the right, in attacking midfield, or up top. This is the first time in almost a decade that Walsall will start a season without Liam Kinsella on their books, the 27-year-old departing the club following the end of his contract at the start of July. Alongside the aforementioned Joe Riley, the Saddlers have Brandon Comley, Jack Earing, Taylor Allen, Ronan Maher and Ryan Stirk on in their central unit. Stirk is a new arrival from Birmingham City, a more defensive-minded midfielder with previous loan spells at Mansfield Town and Bromley. Maher is one to keep an eye on for the future. Only 18, a handful of appearances last season for the Saddlers, part of the Republic of Ireland’s youth setup. Technical attacking midfielder Isaac Hutchinson could have a key role again in 2023-24. The 23-year-old registered seven goals and six assists in League Two last term. Up top, there’s one name that immediately stands out. This time last year, Danny Johnson joined Walsall on a six-month loan deal from Mansfield Town. His impact was significant, scoring 12 league goals and 15 in all competitions. Johnson went back to Mansfield last January, and the Stags kept hold of him for the remainder of the campaign despite apparent claims that he was unhappy at the decision. Having been released from Mansfield at the end of the season just gone, Johnson has made an immediate return to the Bescot Stadium. Walsall fans, as indeed the whole of League Two, are well aware of how good a fit the 30-year-old can be in this team. Freddie Draper is another summer signing, an 18-year-old striker who comes in on a season-long loan from Lincoln City. It’s a move designed to give Draper the next step up after a decent loan spell with Drogheda United in Ireland. Douglas James-Taylor returns from Stoke City on a free transfer. Physical forward Jamille Matt and the aforementioned Tom Knowles are additional options in the frontline. Aramide Oteh had positive growth as a direct left winger at Crawley Town last season, and now gets a second spell at Walsall five seasons after his previous one. Walsall’s first eleven looks a very capable group. Impressive defensive options, Tom Knowles and Isaac Hutchinson should provide creative roles again, Danny Johnson is fancied to carry on from where he left as a clinical goalscorer. Mat Sadler does have the tools to a decent job in first full season. A team to keep an eye on here…
11th - Doncaster Rovers
If there’s a candidate for biggest improvement from last season, it could end up being Doncaster Rovers. 2022-23 was a very forgettable campaign for Donny. Massive inconsistency, two different head coaches, neither of whom really looked like being the suitable person to take the club forwards. An 18th place finish and a fear that Doncaster were a club heading in the wrong direction. Fast forward to the start of 2023-24, and the belief is back. Grant McCann is back for a second spell at the Eco-Power Stadium, having previously guided Donny to a League One play-off finish in 2018-19. The 43-year-old’s impact was immediate back then, and the hope is that with a number of impressive new signings, he can once again make a big impact inside a single season. Ian Lawlor is the successor to Jonathan Mitchell as Doncaster Rovers’ starting goalkeeper, a player who was bit-part during his time up in Scotland with Dundee but should be an upgrade on his predecessor. Academy products Louis Jones and Ben Bottomley sit in reserve. Richard Wood is one of the high-profile summer arrivals at the Eco-Power Stadium. The now 38-year-old made a significant contribution to Rotherham United’s survival in the Championship just last season and brings vast levels of experience to a defence that often had to rotate its personnel in 2022-23. Tom Anderson, Joseph Olowu, Adam Long and hometown product Bobby Faulkner are among the other senior centre-back options. Hopes are high for 24-year-old Owen Bailey who moves up a division from National League Gateshead. My personal favourite of Doncaster’s summer signings so far is Jamie Sterry. The 27-year-old moves from recently relegated Hartlepool United as one of the few genuine stars in that team. His 22-23 was admittedly affected by fitness issues, but at his best he is an excellent dynamic right-back and should be considered among the best in the division. Hull City loanee Tom Nixon comes in primarily as a right-back but has the versatility to play across the defensive line. At left-back meanwhile, James Maxwell looks set to face competition from new signing Jack Senior. The 26-year-old joins from National League FC Halifax Town. 22-year-old midfielder George Broadbent has been signed this summer from Sheffield United. He is a player I am very keen to see in action at Doncaster Rovers, especially on the back of his impressive recent loan spell at Boreham Wood. Broadbent joins a midfield unit that also contains Harrison Biggins, Ben Close, Zain Westbrooke and the emerging Liam Ravenhill. Biggins is a player I’ve grown to like, one of the few bright sparks from what was a disappointing 2022-23 season for Donny. What role will Grant McCann find this season for utility man Tommy Rowe? The 34-year-old’s phenomenal versatility saw him feature everywhere from centre-back to the frontline last term, and he is someone I personally hope can still feature mostly on the left wing. Kyle Hurst is also a natural left-winger, as is Irish forward Deji Sotona who joins on a permanent deal from Burnley. I remain bullish in my belief that Luke Molyneux can become a consistent threat cutting in from the right flank. Jon Taylor and Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Tyler Roberts are others in competition for a right-sided role. It’s refreshing to see Doncaster have more than one good option for the striker position. George Miller provided 11 league goals in his first season at the club and remains a player I believe in the potential of. As an alternative to him, Doncaster can now call upon the services of Joe Ironside. The 29-year-old is a striker with an excellent spring, underappreciated during Cambridge United’s promotion season and a key part of their League One survival in 2021-22 after becoming the main man up top. The mood around Doncaster Rovers was very low at the conclusion of last season. Just a couple of months down the line, it has flipped back the other way, and there are plenty of hopes that Donny could be a side who massively improve on their 18th place finish. The reappointment of Grant McCann is a huge positive. Valuable signings from front to back have added quality to the group. Players who previously felt pivotal to the team don’t carry that same level of importance anymore. Doncaster should certainly consider themselves a top seven candidate, but it is worth mentioning that a high number of League Two teams currently fall into that bracket. Making their mark early could be key in 2023-24. You are not going to want to play catch-up when there is this much competition up at the top end…
10th - Milton Keynes Dons
I still don’t fully understand how Milton Keynes Dons managed to get relegated last season, and I don’t think I ever will. It was a staggering decline having come so close to the Championship just the season before. The relegation has happened though, and especially compared to the three who came down with them, MK look most capable of making an immediate return. After Russell Martin and Liam Manning, I thought I’d got an understanding of the typical MK Dons appointment. The club has been one keen on hiring up-and-coming figures in the managerial world with a modern approach to football philosophy. Graham Alexander’s appointment has felt something of a surprise because it doesn’t really fit that mould. There’s a stylistic difference, but it should not be seen as a negative decision. Alexander has good lower league managerial pedigree from his time with Fleetwood Town, Scunthorpe United and Salford City. There are plenty who still feel his dismissal from Salford back in October 2020 was unjust. Craig MacGillivray signs as the most senior goalkeeper in the team. It’s an excellent signing, but also a quite humorous one. The 30-year-old had a superb impact when spending the second half of last season with Burton Albion, a string of excellent displays. Perhaps his best though came at the Pirelli Stadium on the final day, when a 0-0 draw between Burton and MK Dons confirmed the visitors’ relegation down to League Two. MacGillivray could be seen clearly enjoying life in the goal behind the travelling Dons fans and having put in a performance which sent the Dons down, he is now going to be trying to get them back into the division they just left. Charlton’s Nathan Harness comes in as an understudy. 18-year-old Ronnie Sandford is a product of the academy. Several members of the MK Dons defence were part of the team who reached the League One play-offs just two seasons ago. Warren O’Hara sits in the centre of a back three or the right side of a back four. Jack Tucker hasn’t had the season he would have hoped for after joining from Gillingham last summer, but is capable of showing his worth in League Two this season. Kiwi Tommy Smith comes in an experienced left-sided defender following time at Colchester United. It is impossible however to discuss Milton Keynes Dons without mentioning Dean Lewington. The left-sided defender turned 39 in the middle of May, and remains the definition of an evergreen footballer. Lewington has been with Milton Keynes Dons from the word go, making a total of 765 league appearances at the time or writing and is very close to overtaking Swindon’s John Trollope as the player with the most league appearances for one club in English football history. He doesn’t just make up the numbers in the team either. Lewington’s composure and intelligence have made him a vital cog in a team that has won three separate promotions and played in all three divisions of the EFL. Legend doesn’t begin to cut it when it comes to Dean Lewington and his association with Milton Keynes Dons. Daniel Harvie remains as the leading option for a left-back or left-wing-back role. On the right, MK Dons have made a shrewd signing in Cameron Norman. The 27-year-old was previously at Newport County and was one of the league’s most underrated players as a right-sided centre-back, right-back or right-wing-back. The signing of MJ Williams is another piece of MK Dons transfer business that I really like. The 27-year-old has been bought from Bolton Wanderers, where under Ian Evatt he grew a reputation as a quality deeper-lying midfielder, capable of also operating in the centre of a back three. His discipline and intelligence on the ball will add real value to the Dons squad. MK have in turn welcomed back Alex Gilbey after three seasons away. Now 29, Gilbey was a popular figure during a spell in Milton Keynes between 2017 and 2020, and just last season made a telling contribution whilst on loan at promotion-winning Stevenage from Charlton Athletic. Williams and Gilbey stand in good stead to earn a place in the MK Dons midfield where players like Matt Smith, Ethan Robson, Conor Grant and Dawson Devoy have largely had positive moments rather than positive spells. Conor Grant’s versatility means he is also an option for Graham Alexander as an attacking midfielder or as a winger. If favoured out wide, he would face competition from the likes of Nathan Holland, Jonathan Leko and Darragh Burns. Burns is a young Irish winger who has yet to have the desired impact since joining from St. Patrick’s Athletic last July. I often find that clubs relegated down a division tend to possess a player or two who should really still be playing in the league they just left. Mo Eisa is definitely one of those players. The 29-year-old Sudanese forward has registered double figure seasons in both of his campaigns at Stadium:MK so far and is a fantastic attacking threat when at full flight. Eisa will rightly be seen as MK Dons’ primary candidate in the fourth-tier golden boot race, and the standout striker in a team that at the time of writing does not possess that great depth in that position. Players like Leko and Holland can play there but feel better suited to winger roles. Max Dean and Matthew Dennis are 19 and 21-year-old forwards respectively who are very much still in the infancy of their MK Dons careers. Relegation last season shocked plenty. There would have been very few who expected to see Milton Keynes Dons form part of the League Two line-up in 2023-24. The Dons are faced with a challenging division and plenty of competition for both play-off and automatic promotion spots, but have gone the right way about building a squad that will compete. Graham Alexander is a nice appointment. Additions in goal, defence and midfield are all positive. Mo Eisa is going to be marked early as a star man, and if the forwards around him can provide quality support and contribution, that will be an added bonus. If only one of last season’s relegated sides make an immediate return to League One, Milton Keynes Dons could be a good bet to be that team…
9th - Grimsby Town
An 11th place finish in League Two last season, Grimsby Town’s highest position since 2005-06. A slightly depressing statistic, but a sign of the direction this club is finally heading in. At the same time, I also feel somewhat disappointed that Grimsby didn’t do more in their league campaign, especially when the squad had the overall quality and character to go on a historic run to the FA Cup quarter finals. A good number of that group remain, with additions added across defence, midfield and attack. What it has given manager Paul Hurst is a team worth getting excited about. With Max Crocombe now in the division above at Burton Albion, new signings Jake Eastwood and Harvey Cartwright will battle it out for the starting goalkeeper spot. Both signed on the same day in July, Eastwood on a permanent deal from Sheffield United and Cartwright on a season-long loan from Hull City. Eastwood is more than five years Cartwright’s senior, but only has had a limited number of EFL appearances to his name from loan spells at Chesterfield, Scunthorpe United, Rochdale and Grimsby between 2017 and 2022. At the back, Grimsby have brought in Toby Mullarkey. The 27-year-old was at Rochdale in the second half of last season. The Dale’s relegation to the National League is certainly not his responsibility. I would like to see a lot more of the right-sided defender at Grimsby this season, as he was a player regarded as one of the finest outside of the Football League whilst with Altrincham. Harvey Rodgers is another arrival, the 26-year-old joining from Accrington Stanley, and offers solid versatility all across the backline. The pair should fit in well with a defence that includes Luke Waterfall and Niall Maher as senior central options. Rodgers if preferred as a full-back will provide good competition to Michee Efete. On the opposite side, Danny Amos and Anthony Driscoll-Glennon remain in battle for a place in the team. The latter is a player I have been a big fan for a number of years, a capable player up the left flank who can provide quality deliveries from wide positions. Both him and Amos don’t turn 24 until the backend of 2023. Of all of Grimsby’s summer arrivals, Kamil Conteh might well prove to be the star signing. The 20-year-old is a midfielder and auxiliary right-back who has been bought from Middlesbrough after a very encouraging loan spell with National League Gateshead. Conteh is tasked with nailing down a starting spot in a midfield unit that includes Kieran Green, Gavan Holohan, Alex Hunt, Harry Clifton, and young Evan Khouri. Clifton is one to watch here, a popular academy product who has gone from strength to strength with each passing season. The 25-year-old is comfortable as both a midfielder and as an attacking winger on either flank. Otis Khan, now a Pakistan international, faces frontline competition from not only Clifton but also several new signings. Charles Vernam is back at Blundell Park after three years away. His solo goal against Colchester United can often be found doing the rounds and came during an excellent 2019-20 campaign. Abo Eisa arrives from Bradford City, a capable winger on either flank. The 27-year-old’s move to West Yorkshire didn’t work as hoped, but his time at previous club Scunthorpe United included some special individual moments. Rekeil Pyke is another addition, though admittedly he is one I don’t have too much excitement about at this stage. His general record as a forward has not been that strong, and the latter stages of his time at Shrewsbury Town saw him deployed in numerous supporting roles on the right flank. Pyke is a striker option for Grimsby Town, but will do well to dislodge either of Danny Rose or Donovan Wilson, both new signings in a completely changed strikeforce. Rose made a solid contribution for promotion-winning Stevenage last season, a forward who can be a deceptively effective outlet for his size. Wilson joins from Sutton United and provides a good level of speed and movement in behind. The pair form a practical strike partnership on paper, and hopefully also in reality. In a season loaded with strong promotion candidates, Grimsby’s business demonstrates their intentions to be in that mix. I’m impressed and encouraged by signings at the back, in midfield and up front; players who should add to a group which recorded a very positive league finish in 22-23. The Mariners may run under the radar as the season begins, but won’t be by the time the campaign’s up…
8th - Barrow
I feel like there should be more general interest in a team that has just recorded their highest league finish for 53 years. The eyes of League Two followers may be elsewhere as this season starts, but they could pretty soon be on the Bluebirds if things go right. After two seasons spent battling against relegation from League Two, Barrow enjoyed a positive campaign flirting with the top seven places and picking up several major league scalps along the way. My confidence and excitement for them remains high, even when faced with a tough-looking division and without some of last season’s key figures. The reason for my confidence? Pete Wild. Wild is one of the best young coaches in the entire EFL and is proving a fantastic capture by Barrow. The 38-year-old has had a successful first season at Holker Street and is very capable of delivering another in 23-24. The evidence can be seen from his time at previous club FC Halifax Town. In three seasons, the Shaymen finished no lower than tenth and recorded two play-off campaigns in a division containing some serious financial heavyweights. This summer does present a challenge for Wild as he looks to adapt to a changed group of players, but he is one of those coaches you can just always keep your faith in to do things right. The experienced Paul Farman remains as Barrow’s number one, a dependable goalkeeper for the level known for his long-rang kicking. Player/Coach Josh Lillis is in reserve and will only be called upon in emergency situations. Though Barrow’s senior centre-back options have decreased in number from last season, I would have no issue with a pair of Niall Canavan and George Ray being present throughout the season. I’m very intrigued about the signing of Mazeed Ogungbo. He’s a left-sided defender who failed to pull up any trees whilst at Crawley Town last season, but now permanently away from boyhood club Arsenal, could the 20-year-old be one of those who benefits most from working under Pete Wild? Tyrell Warren is an additional centre-back option, especially on the right-side of a back three, but is still a player I like most as a right-back in a back four. Rory Feely is the current back up in that role. One of Barrow’s biggest challenges will be replacing Patrick Brough, a left-sided defender who I have admired for a number of years. Could left-back Junior Tiensia be the answer? The 22-year-old moves up a division from Solihull Moors, continuing his own rapid personal rise. If a wing-back system is preferred, might Pete Wild persist with Elliot Newby, a player who can operate on either flank? Defensive midfielder Kian Spence links back up with Wild, the pair having worked together previously at FC Halifax Town. He is also an additional centre-back option and should compete for a place in midfield with the likes of Tom White, Sam Foley and Robbie Gotts. Dean Campbell is another exciting midfield acquisition, signed permanently from Aberdeen having been promoted from this level with Stevenage just last season. Owen Bray will get his first taste of senior football after signing from Leeds United. Probably the most eye-catching of Barrow’s summer signings is David Worrall, who arrives after six seasons with Port Vale. Whilst the 33-year-old has certainly become accustomed to life as a wing-back or full-back, I still believe the best way to utilise him is as a winger with support behind. Worrall’s quality of deliveries from wide positions was what made him a very popular figure during this time at Vale Park. He would be an excellent complement to fellow winger Ben Whitfield, a player who finished last season as one of the top assist makers in the entire division. If there is a challenge for Barrow to replace Patrick Brough, there is also one to rebuild the frontline. Josh Gordon has moved up a division to Burton Albion after a career-best return of 15 league goals last season. Ged Garner has had limited impact from joining from Fleetwood Town last January. Jamie Proctor is one of three strikers in through the door, a player who hit double figures for Port Vale when they were promoted from League Two a couple of seasons ago. He struck a good partnership with James Wilson at the time but hasn’t had the same impact for them in League One. Courtney Duffus has been signed from Morecambe, a player who it is admittedly difficult to carry much excitement in, having not scored a Football League goal since February 2019. I am keen however on the signing of Emile Acquah. The 23-year-old started showing promise as a very young player whilst in a sinking Southend United team. He has spent the last two seasons in the National League with Maidenhead United and enjoyed a very productive 22-23 at the semi-professional side. I’m excited to see him return to the EFL with a club who aren’t having to worry about terrible off-the-field issues. There are a couple of question marks, a couple of holes in the team that need to be filled, but Barrow have the capability to emerge from under the radar in League Two this season. Pete Wild is one of those managers you can just have faith in, a coach with a gift for raising the level of players others may not see as worthwhile investment. A man who can lead a team to strong campaigns despite having limited resources compared to others around them. Barrow are well worth having in your bullish bracket whilst things stay as they are…
7th - Gillingham
The bad days are behind Gillingham Football Club. This is a team on the up, a promotion hopeful. With such strong competition however, they are going to need to demonstrate their credentials quickly. Property tycoon Brad Gallinson acquired majority shareholding of the Gills in late 2022, and instantly announced his intentions to awaken what he describes as a ‘sleeping giant’. Gillingham’s miserable first half of 2022-23 was soon transformed by one of the best winter windows anywhere in the EFL. From January onwards, play-off form was hit to move clear of serious trouble, and the Kent outfit would be beaten just twice in league fixtures at Priestfield Stadium. What pleased me most about Gillingham last season was the decision to keep Neil Harris following the takeover. The 45-year-old had been through a tough time as Gills manager; anyone given the limited tools he had would do the same. I consider Harris to be high-calibre manager for League Two level, and now with strong backing has the tools to mount a push on the division’s top places. Glenn Morris will turn 40 this December but should still be considered one of the division’s leading goalkeepers. Crawley Town’s decision to move him on still baffles me, but their loss has proven to be Gillingham’s gain. Jake Turner sits in reserve having joined in the summer of 2022. The defensive unit has been further enhanced from the one which finished last season. Conor Masterson is now back on a permanent deal from Queens Park Rangers, joining Max Ehmer and the incredibly versatile Robbie McKenzie as centre-back options. Shadrach Ogie joins from title winners Leyton Orient, a young left-sided defender who could have a bright future at Priestfield Stadium. McKenzie can also operate as a right-back however, and it is probably where I would consider himto be better suited. Cheye Alexander remains as another option in that role. McKenzie in turn found gametime last season as a left-back, and the need for a quality natural in the role has been answered with the signing of Max Clark and Scott Malone. 27-year-old Clark was a regular on that side for promotion-winning Stevenage just last season. Malone is a seasoned veteran at Championship level, a real quality asset for a side in League Two to possess. The strength of Gillingham’s midfield unit greatly impresses me. Just two senior figures remain from this time last year, 36-year-old Shaun Williams and 21-year-old Dom Jefferies. Williams is a naturally defensive-minded midfielder, Jefferies played a good part in the second half of the season turnaround and found a home as the left winger in a 4-4-2 formation. His spot in the centre was taken by Timothée Dieng, one of last January’s high-profile signings and a player who can operate everywhere up the spine of the team from centre-back to auxiliary centre-forward. George Lapslie, Ethan Coleman and Jayden Clarke were also all permanent January additions, Lapslie being the one who has found the most gametime so far. Added into this already good midfield group is Gillingham’s most high-profile summer signing so far, swooping to sign Jonny Williams following the end of his contract at Swindon Town. The former Wales International doesn’t turn 30 until October and demonstrated at the County Ground that he is capable of being one of League Two’s best attack-minded midfielders. Harris has the option to play him centrally, or as a wide player drifting inside from the left flank. Up top, Gillingham started the window with a pair of good quality strikers, and have so far added another one. Tom Nichols and Oli Hawkins were both part of last January’s business. Former Crawley Town man Nichols has made the bigger impact so far, a player whose fluid movement off and around the frontline makes him very hard to handle. Oli Hawkins came to Kent from Mansfield Town. The Stags had been utilising him largely as a ball-playing centre-back, but since moving down south he has been brought back up front to operate as a giant focal point. Ashley Nadesan comes in from Crawley Town this summer. The 28-year-old is one of the league’s most underrated forwards, deceptively mobile and capable as a lone striker, as part of a front two, or out wide in a front three. Lewis Walker has had minimal impact since arriving last summer from Italy. Joe Gbode and Ronald Sithole are young, vastly inexperienced academy products. Gillingham’s January 2023 business was a clear sign of the direction the club is now heading in. New owner Brad Gallinson has big ambitions for Gills and the resources to get them there. A transformed team hit play-off form in the second half of last season, and they’ll be keen to maintain a record like that over the course of an entire campaign in 23-24. Gillingham should certainly be put into the bracket of top seven contenders. Their manager is high calibre. Their first eleven is a fine group of players. Both defence and midfield have been enhanced over this summer window, and low striker depth has begun to be addressed with the smart addition of Ashley Nadesan. If things continue as they are, picking holes in this squad will become a real challenge…
6th - Bradford City
Having made Bradford City an automatic promotion pick each of the last four seasons, this is the year where I’m breaking the trend. If it means this is the first season where I underestimate the Bantams rather than overestimate them, so be it. There are certain things I am sure that we can expect from Bradford once again. They will be seen as one of the strongest contenders for promotion up to League One. They will look to build and improve on last season’s play-off finish. In a division with a lot of overall strength at the top end though, I can’t feel 100% certain that the Bantams will end this campaign with no more than two sides above them. This feels like it could be a case of “last chance saloon” for Mark Hughes. The 59-year-old still carries a high reputation with League Two observers, is he still deserving of having it though? For a man who possesses much more topflight managerial experience than his fellow competitors, I don’t think Hughes has really demonstrated himself to be a cut above the rest with his tactical nous. There are teams across the EFL who I have increased confidence in because of the manager in the dugout. That isn’t a feeling I have with Mark Hughes at Bradford City. Where my belief in a Bradford City promotion push comes instead is with the squad, a strong group of players with a couple who will want to continue exceptional campaigns. One of those is goalkeeper Harry Lewis. The 25-year-old has taken a longer time than you would hope to arrive on the scene. Years at Southampton went by without senior appearances and nothing more than a loan spell away at Dundee United back in 2017-18. Lewis made the permanent move to Bradford in July 2022 though and has excelled. Easily a goalkeeper who is a cut above League Two level. I have been impressed with the impact of Sam Stubbs since arriving from Exeter City in January. He feels a certain starter at the back for the Bantams, and the intrigue is around who will establish themselves as his defensive partner. Matthew Platt and Timi Odusina are among the candidates. Ash Taylor arrives from Kilmarnock, but has some question marks over him following a short, unsuccessful spell at Walsall. I’m hopeful that we may get to see more of left-sided Irish defender Ciaran Kelly, who has had very limited gametime at Valley Parade up till now. England U20 International Daniel Oyegoke is a loan arrival from Brentford, primarily a right-back who can also play in the centre of defence. His time with Milton Keynes Dons last season didn’t go as hoped, but I do think he is capable of showing his value at Bradford City. He should provide strong competition to starting right-back Brad Halliday. Liam Ridehalgh remains for now the starting left-back option. Ciaran Kelly can play there, as can Clarke Oduor, a free transfer from Barnsley. The latter is much better suited to a winger role, however. 34-year-old Kevin McDonald joins the midfield unit, having contributed with Exeter City in the league above during his short-term deal there. Richie Smallwood and utility man Alex Gilliead are players who can occupy similar positions to McDonald. I wouldn’t feel encouraged if the three of them formed a trio together, and that is why it is really refreshing to see a player like Alex Pattison in the building. The 25-year-old has had an excellent couple of seasons at Harrogate Town, taking roles higher up in midfield or as part of the Sulphurites frontline. 18 goals in his past two seasons, he’s an exciting signing whi brings a goalscoring midfield presence that Bradford lacked in 22-23. There are alternatives to Pattison if he was to be deployed in an attacking midfield role, the primary one being Jamie Walker. The Scot missed a large chunk of the start of last season with injury, returning to be an attacking midfield or left-winger option during games. He is someone I want to consider one of Bradford’s key attacking threats, likewise Harry Chapman who missed the end of 2022-23 after picking up an injury at Swindon Town. Emmanuel Osadebe has battled back from a horrible injury on the opening day of last season and made regular appearances from the bench in the backend of the campaign. The 26-year-old can fill numerous positions in midfield and out wide. 19-year-old Bobby Pointon is getting rave reviews from pre-season. Up top, eyes are once again on Andy Cook. The 32-year-old has been one of Bradford’s most positive signings in recent seasons, initially making a strong impact on loan from Mansfield Town in the second half of 2020-21. A move from Mansfield became permanent that following summer, and after scoring 12 goals across 2021-22, Cook recorded the season of his career with the Bantams in 2022-23. 28 league goals, a League Two golden boot, and a compilation of many different classy finishes. What numbers can we expect this year from Cook? It’s impossible to know for sure. Similar output to last season will always be the desire though. Cook’s red-hot form created a big dependency on him, especially given the striker alternatives to him haven’t had the desired impact. I had a lot of hope in Vadaine Oliver when he moved from Gillingham last season, but he hasn’t felt the right fit. Matt Derbyshire is now 37 and makes a sparse contribution. I do however like the signing of Tyler Smith, brought in from Hull City having contributed for the Tigers in the Championship just last season. If Andy Cook wasn’t in the building, Smith would have a clear path to making himself the main man at Bradford. His task for now is either dislodging Cook’s position at the front of the team, or alternatively making himself a worthy strike partner and member of the supporting cast. Expectations are always high at Bradford City. The Bantams have been one of English football’s biggest underperformers for a long time now, a club capable of being so much more than a lower league outfit. 2023-24 is a fifth straight season in the fourth tier. Only one of the previous four campaigns has seen a genuinely strong attempt to gain promotion. Can Bradford build on last year’s play-off finish? It’s difficult to know for sure in what looks a very strong, competitive fourth tier line-up. The Bantams have a fine group of players, and a manager whose experience should really make him one of the leading bosses anywhere in the EFL. If it all clicks, Bradford City could end this season with the promotion they crave…
5th - Mansfield Town
Is this the one for Mansfield Town? I don’t know if anyone can ever say for sure. 2023-24 is an eleventh straight season in League Two for the Stags. Attempts to push for League One in recent years have seen Mansfield record two play-off finishes and have other campaigns where they have finished well off the pace. The core of a side which finished seventh in 2021-22 remains and has had positive additions from this recent summer window. Standing out in a division with plenty of top seven candidates will be tricky though. For Nigel Clough, this is a third full season as the manager of Mansfield Town, and possibly his last chance to prove himself as the right man to get the Stags over the line. The 57-year-old rightly does carry a high reputation following his work elsewhere in the pyramid with Burton Albion, Derby County and Sheffield United. I do however think that he is perceived to be a different type of manager to the one that he actually is. Clough is exceptional at stabilising clubs. He is the perfect manager for inheriting a team in difficult, challenging circumstances, and getting that club back on track and looking upwards. His record as a promotion winner however has not been strong for well over a decade now. Clough’s only EFL promotion remains 2015-16 with Burton Albion, inheriting a side that was top of the table under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and seeing them over the line in second place. That lack of progress with teams built off his own back was what brought his spells with Derby and Sheffield United to an end, and I can’t help but think that it could eventually be what brings his tenure at Field Mill for a close. Mansfield have been targeting League One for a long time now. Whilst Clough may or may not prove to be the man to take the Stags up into the third tier, he certainly possesses a squad capable of making a challenge. Starting goalkeeper Christy Pym was on loan from Peterborough United last season and is now back on a permanent deal. 37-year-old Scott Flinders sits in reserve. A new arrival at the heart of defence for Mansfield is Baily Cargill, a left-sided defender who was a title winner with Forest Green Rovers two seasons ago. Giant defender Aden Flint makes high-profile move to Mansfield, and could form a very strong partnership with Alfie Kilgour, a player who has had a really positive impact since arriving from Bristol Rovers last January. James Perch turns 38 in September, but the versatile man may still find a home in the team if availability issues persist. Midfielder-turned-defender John-Joe O’Toole is another player well into this 30s now and looks to be coming towards the end of his time as a Stags regular. Elliott Hewitt is an additional centre-back option, but as a player capable across the backline might well still be preferred as a full-back on the right, where Callum Johnson and new signing George Williams remain his primary competition. I hope that we get to see a lot more of Stephen McLaughlin than we did last season. The 33-year-old has strong creative ability from the left flank and could battle with new signing Calum Macdonald for a place at left-back or left-wing-back depending on formation. Further added into the mix though is Aaron Lewis, an excellent signing from Newport County. The 25-year-old is a capable player as a full-back or wing-back on either side and can also operate as an auxiliary midfielder. Lewis will do well however to find a spot in midfield, where Mansfield have plenty of strong options. Fitness issues were a major problem for the central unit in 22-23, but it is a fine group when all available. I still consider George Maris to be one of the most underrated players in League Two, his quality in a disciplined role makes him a valuable cog in the Mansfield machine. Injury has impacted Louis Reed’s opportunities since joining from Swindon Town last January, but he demonstrated at the Robins that he can be a quality technical midfielder in deeper-lying positions. The vastly experienced Stephen Quinn is still on the books, and Clough has been known on occasion to deploy him out of the left flank. Ollie Clarke and Hiram Boateng were two of the higher appearance makers in the team last season, Clarke in particular is someone who still adds a lot of quality at 31. Anthony Hartigan has found his time at Field Mill affected by fitness issues. Additional to this midfield unit is Davis Keillor-Dunn. Primarily an attacking midfielder, he has often been deployed as a wide player in the Stags frontline and has made a positive impact since joining from Burton Albion last January. Keillor-Dunn is part of a frontline full of options who can play wide or as the central striker. Jordan Bowery mainly features on the left. With the depth now in place from McLaughlin, Macdonald and Lewis, he should hopefully not have to be deployed as a last resort left-back again during the season. Rhys Oates’ direct running can make him a serious threat either on the right flank or as a centre-forward. His 2022-23 gametime and output was sadly impacted by fitness issues. Lucas Akins has taken a while to get going after leaving Burton Albion, but 18 months down the line has found regular gametime and recorded his most productive season for years. The 34-year-old possesses incredible versatility, having played every outfield position whilst with Nigel Clough at the Brewers, but now looks set on life as an outlet up top. 22-year-old Will Swan was on loan from Nottingham Forest last season, recording a goal every 134 minutes in League Two. He has now been signed permanently from Forest and could be one of the players to watch anywhere in the division if given a consistent run of starts in the team. Are Mansfield Town capable of mounting a promotion push this season? Definitely. This is a strong group from front to back and the added depth in the left-back position covers for problems that were exposed last season. The likes of Kilgour, Flint, Maris, Keillor-Dunn, Akins and Swan could all play crucial roles as the season progresses and contribute to a team challenging for at the very least a play-off position. The biggest question I carry with the Stags however is the man in the dugout. Nigel Clough does a lot right. He has got Mansfield making genuine pushes for League One football again. The same frustrations can often come to the boil though; in-game tactical decisions during key individual matches that ultimately prove costly. They were present at Burton Albion, and they have been present at Mansfield Town. Lose those errors, and Mansfield really could be a League One side come next summer…
4th - Salford City
A play-off finish last season. The competition is strong in the pursuit of another, but Salford are certainly capable of mounting consecutive promotion pushes. 2023-24 is a fifth consecutive season in League Two for the Ammies. Over the last few years, there’s been a sense that Salford had stagnated upon entering the Football League, primarily due to a combination of naïve player recruitment and mistakes in manager selection and retention. Project 92 Limited have learned from their past errors though. 2022-23 saw Salford quickly show themselves as a genuine top seven contender. A fine group remains ahead of this new campaign. Over the last 12 months, I have become a very big fan of Neil Wood. The 40-year-old is the perfect fit for Project 92’s vision of a Salford City manager; not only a local to the area, but a coach who created one of the fourth tier’s best possession-based attacking sides last term. In what was his very first season in senior management, Wood guided Salford to the club’s highest ever finish, establishing themselves as the league’s joint top-scoring side along the way. Salford had Alex Cairns on loan from Fleetwood Town in the second half of last season, and the 30-year-old has now made a permanent move to the Peninsula Stadium. 22-year-old Joe Wright comes in on loan from Millwall to act as Cairns’ backup and competition. Ashley Eastham and Richard Nartey have been deemed surplus to requirements and moved on, leaving Salford with a small group of senior centre-backs, but a quality group all the same. Theo Vassell played all but one league game last season, a player capable across the entire backline. Ryan Leak is a left-footed centre-back who did not look out of place with Burton Albion in the division above. The vastly experienced Adrian Mariappa has signed a new deal for the 2023-24 season and provides strong competition to the aforementioned pair. 31-year-old Curtis Tilt joins from Wigan Athletic, a player with plenty of prior experience in both League One and the Championship. Salford have had to say goodbye to talented club icon Ibou Touray, a player who first joined the Ammies when they were a National League North side. With Touray’s departure, Salford have swooped to pick up Luke Garbutt. The 30-year-old has had several impressive loan spells with League One clubs in the past and has spent the last three seasons with Blackpool. His experience should make him a more than adequate replacement for their Gambian star. Liam Shephard battled back from a horrible injury right at the beginning of last season to reaffirm his place as a starter during April and May of 2023. I hope we get to see Shephard for far more of this season, because the 28-year-old is a top-class right-back for the level and as it stands, the only man in the Salford City squad who is a natural in that position. The standout name in Salford’s midfield continues to be Elliot Watt. The 23-year-old has proved an excellent signing from Bradford City, finishing 22-23 as the league’s joint-top assist maker from his deeper-lying midfield role. Ryan Watson, Matty Lund and Stevie Mallan will battle it out for midfield places alongside Watt. The signing of Ossama Ashley is an excellent piece of business by Salford, a player who was showing positive growth as part of Colchester United’s midfield last term. Out wide, keep an eye on Luke Bolton. The 23-year-old adapted to Neil Wood’s changes of formation last term and excelled as both a front-footed right winger and an attacking right-wing-back. Bolton’s pace and direct running makes him a serious threat, an almost ever-present in 2022-23 with good goalscoring and creative output. Whilst Luke Bolton dominates the right flank, Conor McAleny has most often been preferred on the left. The forward hit double figures for the Ammies as part of their promotion push. Odin Bailey, Callum Morton and new boy Connor McLennan are additional options in wide positions. Neil Wood’s switch to a preferred 4-2-3-1 saw Callum Hendry dropped into an attacking midfield role. The 25-year-old took a while to get going after making his move from Kilmarnock last summer, but hit excellent form in the backend of 2022-23. Hendry operates behind Matt Smith, a towering presence at six-foot-six and another player who reached double figures by the end of last season. Smith’s game has been known about for a long time, someone incredibly hard to handle when a cross is lifted up to him. Salford City do not have a particularly big squad, but it is a very good one. The Ammies possess quality in all parts of the pitch; a well-balanced backline, a midfield that includes one of the top assist makers in the country, a frontline that has players who can share around the goal output. Salford has long been considered a team with the ability to challenge at the top end of League Two, but in Neil Wood they have finally found the missing piece. He is a head coach who can implement a front-footed attacking system that makes best use of the talent available to him. Project 92 Limited finally got the taste of life in the top seven last season. They’re going to want it again…
3rd - Wrexham
In some ways, Wrexham have got their hardest promotion out of the way already. The Red Dragons return to the Football League for the first time since 2008, finally rid of that fifth-tier bottleneck which required you to be the top team in the league or face those dreaded play-offs. The immense standard set by themselves and Notts County last season created an epic title race which Wrexham eventually won with a record 111 points. Fans will be pleased to now be up in a division where you haven’t got to be the best of the best in order to go straight up to the next level. There is still a wrong perception that some neutrals have around Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. Wrexham is not a vanity project for them. In less than three years, they have transformed the reputation of not just the football club, but the surrounding city and community. The commercial profile of this club now dwarfs other EFL sides. Support and partnerships from North America are growing exponentially. Wrexham’s front of shirt sponsor will be United Airlines, one of the biggest on the planet. Pre-season has been spent on a high-profile tour in the United States, giving the club further exposure to its North American fanbase and bringing in huge profit. All this, and the club are barely scratching the surface of what is possible. The revenue brought into Wrexham is going to enable self-sustainability for a long period to come. Back home, the fanbase and community has not felt this connected with their club for a long time. There is a huge buzz for every game. Tickets are gold dust. Renovation work is taking place on the historic Racecourse Ground that has been needed for years. A club on a slow, painful decline is now finally showing upward momentum again. Wrexham fans are getting to enjoy a level of football that they have not seen for 15 years. If the ambitions of the hierarchy are met, they won’t be in the fourth tier for long. Phil Parkinson begins his third full season as the manager of the Red Dragons. The 55-year-old carried plenty of managerial pedigree prior to his appointment, perhaps most notably his spell with Bradford City which included promotion to League One and a historic run to the League Cup Final in 2012-13. It is no secret that Parkinson possesses a leading group of players with Wrexham, it is never simply enough though to just have good players. A quality manager is still needed to get that team clicking, and Parkinson has already provided Wrexham fans with a moment that will live with them for the rest of their lives. Ben Foster came out of retirement back in March, returning to the club he originally joined on loan back in 2005, and played each of the last eight matches of the season as part of Wrexham’s push for the National League title. The now 40-year-old has signed an additional one-year deal and should retain his place as starting goalkeeper. It is difficult to judge exactly what level of goalkeeper Ben Foster is currently at, but I would feel confident in saying that it is still well above League Two standard. The Cycling GK should be a star in the division this season. Mark Howard and Rob Lainton are both good standard backup goalkeepers for Wrexham to have. In the heart of defence, the newest face in the building is Will Boyle who arrives from Huddersfield Town. Boyle is a fine example of the market Wrexham are currently shopping in. Typical League Two signings are not expected at the Racecourse Ground. The only way to truly enhance a squad like this is to go after players who wouldn’t look out of place at a higher level. Boyle massively impressed over several seasons at Cheltenham Town in both League Two and League One, a dominant presence on the left-side of a back three. He will particularly like linking back up with Ben Tozer. The 33-year-old is another former Cheltenham Town man, operating in the centre of Wrexham’s back three. Tozer’s long throw has become a famous weapon, and when at Cheltenham it was Will Boyle who was one of the players that most enjoyed latching onto the end of its long, flat trajectory. Eoghan O’Connell has proved a quality addition from signing from League One Charlton Athletic in January. He’s another who should prove a cut above the level. Aaron Hayden had last season sadly impacted by injury, but it didn’t stop the defender have a ridiculously productive campaign. The 26-year-old registered 11 league goals last season, a fantastic physical presence who was often on the end of the variety of set piece deliveries that Wrexham can provide. Jordan Tunnicliffe is another centre-back who has previously shown to be adept at League Two level with Crawley Town. Max Cleworth is a young homegrown defender on the periphery of the team. At wing-back, Wrexham have healthy competition on both sides. Callum McFadzean and Jacob Mendy will battle for gametime on the left. Mendy is a player I am particularly excited about seeing more of this season, a 26-year-old making his first steps into EFL football. Ryan Barnett and Anthony Forde will compete for starts on the right. Both are suited to winger roles from their time at previous clubs, making them perfect for operating as the attacking wing-backs that Parkinson likes to use in his 3-4-1-2 system. Bryce Hosannah is an additional wing-back option in the team. Wrexham have an abundance of senior midfield options. James Jones and Andy Cannon were the pair of regular starters in the back end of last season. Jones is a player I particularly like for all his all-action game in the centre. Club captain Luke Young has been a dependable midfield presence for a number of seasons. Jordan Davies is a popular figure who has been playing for his hometown club since 2020. The 24-year-old was a superstar in the 2021-22 season, but found gametime much more limited in 2022-23. Tom O’Connor remains at the time of writing. The Irishman’s versatility makes him primarily a midfielder, but a player who can also operate on the left side of defence. His ability from a dead ball was very notable whilst with previous club Burton Albion. Elliott Lee is another of the players in this Wrexham squad who feels a cut above League Two level. The 28-year-old was an exciting announcement upon joining from Luton Town last summer and showed his quality last season. 12 league goals and 15 in all competitions, primarily from an attacking midfield role behind the frontline. Billy Waters is another player who can take up Lee’s attacking midfield role, a very late National League window signing from Barrow. The 28-year-old forward had been enjoying a productive season in League Two with Barrow, and in truth is a signing that probably wasn’t needed. At the time of writing, Waters has played just 24 competitive minutes for Wrexham. All eyes are on Paul Mullin this season. It was three seasons ago that Mark Bonner unlocked a monster at Cambridge United. A League Two record 32 goals followed as part of Cambridge’s promotion up to League One. Wrexham’s capture of him in July 2021 was one of the moments that first showcased the Red Dragons’ true intent under their new owners. In two years at the Racecourse Ground, Mullin has registered 79 goals in 97 appearances in all competitions. A phenomenal record for any player, even one such as Mullin who has clearly been playing below his natural level for the last couple of seasons. The more I watch of the 28-year-old, the more I start to believe that he is a striker who could hack it with Championship clubs. He will unfortunately miss the start of the season after suffering a punctured lung out in the USA though, and his return will make headlines. Able to join Mullin as part of the Wrexham frontline is Ollie Palmer. The 31-year-old has his own impressive record, 32 league goals in just 18 months. It shouldn’t come as a surprise when assessing his previous history, two excellent goalscoring campaigns in League Two with Crawley Town, followed by a period where he was holding an important attacking role for League One AFC Wimbledon. Palmer will find good competition though from Sam Dalby. The 23-year-old is a very good prospect who joined from Southend United last summer. Liam McAlinden and Billy Waters also form part of the frontline options. Young academy product Jake Bickerstaff is out on the periphery. It’s entirely possible that Wrexham could simply pass through this division and up into League One in the space of just one season. The gap in quality between the fifth and four tier has never been very big. It is why the record still remains that no team has ever been relegated straight back down after being promoted from non-league. When a side dominate the National League to the level Wrexham did, it shows them to be a team capable of being right up at the top end of the division above as well. Many players in this talented squad would be quality personnel at League One clubs, nevermind League Two. Phil Parkinson has built a side with a phenomenal amount of firepower; numerous ways of getting the ball flown into the box and numerous options capable of attacking the deliveries. Can they produce the exact same numbers seen last season? You wouldn’t expect so. Can they produce the numbers that will make them a serious promotion contender? Absolutely.
2nd - Notts County
After four seasons in the fifth tier, the world’s oldest professional football club are back in the EFL. They mean business. Life under the ownership of Danish brothers Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz, the brains behind statistical football analysis company Football Radar, has taken time to fully blossom. The last 12 months though have been a ride that Magpies fans have waited years to experience again. Some people may still judge head coach Luke Williams by his ultimately unsuccessful stint with Swindon Town. Since joining Notts County in June 2022 however, it has proved a beautiful fit. In little over a year, the 42-year-old has transformed the Meadow Lane outfit into one of the most stylistically impressive sides in English football. Their National League title race with Wrexham last season was epic, amassing a mammoth total of 107 points which surpassed the previously held fifth tier record set by Crawley Town. Notts would ultimately have to settle for second place, entering into those dreaded play-offs which have often been a source of pain and misery for top performing sides. Two thrilling ties with Boreham Wood and Chesterfield followed, needing to play extra-time in both matches and requiring a penalty shootout win at Wembley to earn Football League promotion. The Magpies now have the hardest promotion behind them, and it’s clear that their intent is to make it up a level to League One as soon as possible. Notts County’s starting goalkeeper last term was Slam Slocombe, and the 35-year-old will face strong competition this season from Aidan Stone, a player 11 years his senior who won promotion from this level with Port Vale in 2021-22. The trio of Connell Rawlinson, Aden Baldwin and club captain Kyle Cameron were excellent in the National League last season. Rawlinson is a right-sided defender. Baldwin sits central and can be pushed forward into midfield. Cameron continually impresses on the left side of the back three. 23-year-old Geraldo Bajrami is a good quality alternative. At wing-back, there is perhaps no better example of the impact of Luke Williams than Adam Chicksen. The 31-year-old had been at Notts for two seasons previously, a regular in the team with minimal goal output. Last year however, Chicksen would score 10 league goals and 11 in all competitions as a player transformed into a very impressive attacking outlet down the left-hand-side. Jodi Jones, now back permanently having been on loan from Oxford United in the second half of last season, is naturally a forward but has been deployed at left-wing-back by Williams on occasion. On the right, I’m very excited to see more of Aaron Nemane. The 25-year-old operates as a very attack-minded wing-back and is an excellent direct runner. Richard Brindley remains under contract as an outside option in that position. There are plenty of positive words about Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, now into his second season at Meadow Lane. In the heart of Notts County’s midfield are Matt Palmer and John Bostock. Palmer is a player I have long believed to be EFL quality, a logical fit with Williams’ philosophy as a metronome midfielder who keeps the tempo running smoothly with smart passing. Bostock has likewise proved a good fit at Meadow Lane since arriving as a free agent in December 2022 (you are forgiven for that Panenka attempt at Wembley, John). Jim O’Brien remains under contract, now 35 and entering his fifth full season at Notts County. He enjoyed his best goalscoring season in nearly a decade last term, which included a hat-trick at Maidstone United in late April. Life as a forward or attacking midfielder in this Notts County team has got to be one of football’s best gigs, and the Magpies have some seriously impressive options there ahead of the new campaign. Jodi Jones has been mentioned previously. The 25-year-old has long been recognised for his potential, but has found the majority of his career affected by injury. Jones was loaned out to Notts County from Oxford United last January, scored an extra-time winner against Boreham Wood that will live long in the memory of Notts fans, and is now back on a two-year deal to play either up towards the front or at wing-back. Dan Crowley is a signing I really like. A similar story to Jones, albeit his talent seemingly had an even higher ceiling, the former Aston Villa and Arsenal might not have hit the elite level many hoped but remains an eye-catching arrival for lower league clubs. Sam Austin, who came from Kidderminster Harriers alongside Geraldo Bajrami, now faces healthy competition for a starting place in the team’s attacking unit. Will Randall has moved to Meadow Lane on a two-year deal following his release from Sutton United. The 26-year-old has been my favourite League Two player for the past two seasons, an underrated attacking talent. I’m not entirely sure as to how well he is going to fit into the Notts system, however. Randall has shown himself to be best as a winger and only a winger, a position which isn’t really used by the Magpies. All credit to Luke Williams if he can either alter the setup to make him fit or find a new position for Randall where he is able to shine. The highest profile signing this summer however was a rumour that became reality. David McGoldrick is back at his boyhood club. He may now be 35, but it was only last season that McGoldrick scored 22 league goals for Derby County in the division above, running the show on multiple occasions either up top or in attacking midfield. Didzy remains a classy player and should prove a fantastic fit in this fluid Notts County system. Leading the line for the Magpies is another figure well worth keeping an eye on. Macaulay Langstaff has had a magnificent rise, working his way up the pyramid after starting his senior career with Stockton Town almost a decade ago. The 26-year-old joined Notts County from Gateshead and made history within 12 months, breaking the National League record for goals in a single season with a total of 42, not one of them being a penalty. It is a first taste of EFL football for the County Durham-born striker. On the back of his phenomenal 22-23 campaign, and being in a team whose system is clearly a perfect fit for his game, Langstaff should be expected to have excellent goalscoring output again in League Two. In reserve to Langstaff are Junior Morais, Cedwyn Scott and young academy product Luther Munakandafa. Scott’s output for Notts last season would have got a lot more attention if it wasn’t for what Langstaff achieved. The incredibly entertaining title race between Wrexham and Notts County was a battle of two sides with quality far beyond National League level. When a side like Notts hit fifth tier numbers that had never been seen before, it is logical to presume that they would also be a top-quality side in the division above. The gap between League Two and the National League has never been very big, no team has been relegated straight back down after being promoted from non-league. Teams that are exceptional at the top of the fifth tier are capable of being right up at the top of the fourth tier as well, especially when they build on what was already in place. Notts County may have lost a talent like Rúben Rodrigues to a higher league, but have gained a different one in David McGoldrick and further added quality to their attacking unit. These last 12 months have been a perfect harmony of club, players and head coach. That harmony looks capable of continuing on for some time yet...
1st - Stockport County
An improvement in league position every year since 2013-14. Fourth in League Two last season, that can surely only mean one thing. Hatters fans have been through a lot in the last quarter of a century. A second tier side between 1997 and 2002. A sixth tier side between 2013 and 2019. Local businessman Mark Stott purchased Stockport in January 2020, cleared the debts, pledged a return to full-time football, and announced a seven-year plan to reach the Championship. At the end of year three, County have already earned one of the three required promotions, and were a penalty shootout win from earning promotion number two. It is no secret that Stockport possess the resources that make this seven-year plan achievable. Success does not simply come from investing though. You need to acquire the right personnel for action on the pitch, and the right personnel to guide the group up to the top end of division. Stockport undoubtedly have that in Dave Challinor. The 47-year-old has an enviable record when compared to many other lower league and non-league bosses. A promotion winner with every club that he has managed, Challinor has had a great personal rise since starting out at Colwyn Bay back in 2010 and has been an excellent fit since moving to Edgeley Park in November 2021. He is fast closing in on 100 games as Stockport County manager, and currently holds a very impressive win percentage of 57.3. Jordan Smith is one of Stockport’s new signings this summer. The 28-year-old goalkeeper is tasked with dislodging Ben Hinchliffe’s position as Hatters number one, certainly easier said than done. Hinchliffe has legendary status at Edgeley Park, a player who first joined the club in their National League North days and has adapted to every new league that they have come up into. Dave Challinor took time to find his formation last season, but eventually settled on a 3-5-2. The back three in that system utilised one commanding presence in the centre, with technical ball-players in the wider role. The left-sided centre-back this season looks set to be occupied by Ibou Touray. The 28-year-old joins after six years rising through the leagues with Salford City. Naturally an exceptional attacking left-back, a central role does feel somewhat unconventional for Touray, but Challinor is one of those coaches who is able to make it work. Fraser Horsfall is a very capable player in a commanding central defender role, likewise Neill Byrne who can also operate on the right side of a back three. Akil Wright was an underrated part of last season’s team, a player who can go in both midfield and defence and often took up a technical right-centre-back role. 22-year-old Ryan Rydel is an attacking left-wing-back who showed very good progress last season in League Two. Competition for a place on the left flank could primarily come from Myles Hippolyte. The Grenada international rotated his time at Stockport last season between a wing-back and central midfielder, occasionally joining the frontline in turn. On the opposite flank, Kyle Knoyle has shown to be an excellent signing after joining from Doncaster Rovers last January. I personally hope that we get to see a lot more of Macauley Southam-Hales this season. The 27-year-old is a flying wing-back and a player whose 2022-23 was sadly affected by injury. Dynamic right-sided player Jayden Richardson comes in on loan from Aberdeen. In a strong midfield unit, Ryan Croasdale continues to play an important role. The 28-year-old is seen as Stockport’s “safety blanket”, taking up a disciplined role in the centre that allows those around him to be more expressive. With Croasdale holding the fort, the likes of Will Collar, Callum Camps, Antoni Sarcevic, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Myles Hippolyte all took up midfield positions across last season. Collar is a player well worth highlighting, double figures for league goals last season for the 26-year-old. Joining into the midfield mix this season, one of the summer’s most high-profile signings. Nick Powell is back in League Two for the first time since 2012. Powell left Crewe Alexandra for Manchester United whilst only a teenager. He never hit the elite heights hoped of him, but the 29-year-old has gone on to have an established career in the Championship, including his four most recent seasons at Stoke City. They may still be some questions marks over his fitness record, but there can be no doubt about his talent. Powell is an option either in midfield or up front. The striker unit is another strong group. Paddy Madden was one of three players to register double figures last season, a familiar lower league name for a long time now. Kyle Wootton’s impact was even greater, 14 league goals following a move from Notts County last summer. Were it not for an injury in the backend of 22-23, he could well have added more. 23-year-old Isaac Olaofe is one who could blossom in the near future, an agile striker who caught the eye during two productive loan spells at Sutton United. Jack Stretton was another January addition, a player who admittedly feels below the standard of the others at the moment, but at just 21 has plenty of growth left in him. Louie Barry undergoes another League Two loan from Aston Villa. Whether winger Oliver Crankshaw finds a home somewhere in this Stockport County team remains to be seen. Stockport County were last season’s slow burners, starting the campaign poorly against high expectations. When Challinor found the formation that clicked however, it began an ascent up the table that left County in with a chance of automatic promotion on the final day, in turn suffering Wembley play-off final heartbreak just 20 days later. A season that ends like that can be hard to take, but it won’t faze the Hatters. They have rolled up their sleeves, added further quality to an already strong squad, and are ready to go again with belief that they are one of the division’s top sides. Without last season’s slow start, Stockport would be a League One side already. If they get out of the blocks quickly this time, good luck keeping with them…