Bristol Rovers will be hoping theirs is a short stay in the fourth tier, while another difficult season awaits Accrington. MK Dons finished 19th last season but Paul Warne is a good manager and the club have backed him in the transfer market. Aaron Collins has arrived from Bolton for £800,000, a huge fee in the fourth tier, with Will Collar also joining from Stockport.
Of those that have come down into League Two, Bristol Rovers will perhaps be most optimistic of making theirs a short stay. Their manager, Darrell Clarke, knows the division well and has sourced the knowhow of Macauley Southam-Hales and Josh McEachran to complement the talent of Kamil Conteh and the teenager Kofi Shaw.
Chesterfield may still be reeling from defeat in the playoffs after winning eight of the final 13 matches of the regular season. On the bright side John Fleck and Will Grigg are still around, while the qualities of Armando Dobra and some smart loan deals could make a notable difference. Notts County also endured playoff upset last season, and then also lost a key source of goals via David McGoldrick’s departure to Barnsley. The pressure is on Matthew Dennis to replace him, while the acquisition of Sonny Aljofree on loan from Manchester United seems an intelligent move.
Relegation was inevitable for Cambridge, but Neil Harris showed there was light at the end of the tunnel. He has brought greater structure to the team, and with the signings of Dominic Ball and Ben Knight they appear well equipped to challenge at the top. If last season had ended at Christmas, Walsall would now be planning for life in League One, but instead their form fell off a cliff and they ultimately lost in the playoff final. Learning from mistakes will be key for Mat Sadler’s men.
Momentum is all important in football and Barnet have it after steamrolling the National League. Dean Brennan and his men will not be fearful of anyone in this division, either. Re-signing Matty Young from Sunderland is a huge boost for Salford, especially after Curtis Tilt departed to Bradford. Their co-owner Gary Neville wants the club in the Championship and, while that ambition remains some way off, hope is not entirely lost while Karl Robinson remains in charge. Gareth Ainsworth’s track record will also provide Gillingham fans with optimism of fighting for a promotion spot, especially if Bradley Dack can stay fit and Sam Vokes can roll back the years.
Crewe are partial to a run of terrible form, seen last season as they won only three of their final 20 league matches to blow their chances of making the playoffs. Lee Bell has clung on to his job and added the veteran striker Louis Moult to his ranks with the aim of adding goals, and consistency, to a full campaign. It is difficult to know what to expect from Crawley. They went through five managers last season before ending up with the one that started in the dugout as they dropped down a division. Plenty of players have been sold over the summer with a number of unattached ones coming in the other way including Kabongo Tshimanga, the 28-year-old earmarked to provide crucial firepower.
Finishing 11th was an incredible achievement for Bromley in their first season in the Football League and replicating that would be equally impressive. Grimsby and Colchester just missed out on the playoffs. The former have shown their confidence in their manager, David Artell, by handing him a new three-year deal, while the latter remain under the charge of Danny Cowley who will want his young side to continue their promising evolution. Often it is Ian Holloway’s words that are remembered more than his teams but Swindon with Billy Bodin back where it all began, the forever chirpy West Country man will think they can compete. Newport’s decision to play passing football should be commended but it has proven an unreliable method for the players there. They also suffered from set pieces last season and this campaign will be a big test for the former Manchester United youth coach David Hughes in his first managerial role. Harrogate know how to keep their head above water and did all of their transfer business very early this summer to give themselves the best chance of staying up. Oldham are back in the Football League and have bought in a lot of players who have played at this level before in a bid to remain in the division. Shrewsbury endured a calamitous 2024-25 League One campaign that ultimately ended in relegation. Michael Appleton has attempted to rebuild the squad with a number of experienced signings, but it remains to be seen if they can bounce back immediately.
