Promotion hopefuls
Speak to those within the EFL, and League One is a “horrible” division from which to escape. In recent years, it’s been a logjam of sizeable, ambitious clubs. Last season’s departure of Portsmouth and Derby represents an opening, as did previous promotions for Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland.
Who fits the template? Birmingham most obviously, though Championship relegation under the chairman Tom Wagner and chief executive Garry Cook, with added stardust from Tom Brady, will have to be learned from. After the Wayne Rooney debacle, Chris Davies, the longtime lieutenant of Brendan Rodgers who also worked with Ange Postecoglou, is a rookie manager but highly regarded. Brighton’s Marc Leonard was an eighth signing of the summer. Alfie May, who scored 23 League One goals last season for Charlton, reflects that Blues may have embraced the new reality.
The other obvious celebrity attachment is Wrexham. The club, whose pre-season included Chelsea in California as well as Hanley Town, are aimed towards the Premier League. But will the fourth season of Welcome to Wrexham take a darker twist? Phil Parkinson’s team will continue to play his aggressive brand. Talk of Gareth Bale’s return to football was fanciful. Instead, George Dobson, the Charlton midfielder wanted by Birmingham, and the defender Lewis Brunt, signed from Leicester after a loan in League Two with Mansfield last season, look decent signings.
Bolton, until they froze in the playoff final, looked set for promotion. Ian Evatt must revive his squad from that disappointment, and his reputation among fans. Huddersfield, in Michael Duff, have a manager who offers knowhow after last season’s misfires with Neil Warnock then Darren Moore. If Duff struggled at Swansea, his near-miss at Barnsley in 2022-23 shows aptitude for the division. Equally, Steve Evans and Rotherham is a combination of League One expert and club that has yo-yoed between the Championship and this division every season since 2017-18.
Playoff hopefuls
Barnsley, unlucky losers in the past two seasons in the playoffs, are under the new management of Darrell Clarke, but without Devante Cole, their released top scorer. Neil Critchley fights on at Blackpool despite the doubts, though Jordan Rhodes’s signing after a successful loan is a statement of intent. Peterborough, who also perished in last season’s playoffs, bring their brawn and pace to the battle again.
Nathan Jones accepted a tough assignment at Charlton in an attempt to revive his career, and did restore solidity in 16 games last season. His prescribed style, not easy on the eye, has usually brought success at this level.
At the end of last season, a run of eight wins in nine games powered Stockport back to the third tier for the first time since 2010, and the owner Mark Stott’s ambitions lie in the Championship. Can Shaun Maloney take Wigan on after finishing mid-table amid a transfer ban? Loan deals for the Liverpool youngsters Calvin Ramsey and Luke Chambers offer promise. Wycombe will look to Danny Udoh’s goals to keep them in the mix.
Burton’s takeover by a Norwegian consortium, and a data-driven approach, will be of interest to watch; there has been money to spend for once. Lincoln’s strong second half to last season under Michael Skubala offers hope. In Nigel Clough, Mansfield have the active English manager with most games under his belt. Having hauled the Stags to promotion, can his experienced team push on? Exeter are, meanwhile, full of youthful talent, including Jake Richards, not 17 until Thursday, though may be too callow for a season-long push.
Relegation candidates
Each potential straggler has questions to answer. Rubén Sellés’s Reading are still on a transfer embargo. The end for their turmoil looks most likely to be League Two. Cambridge offered a way back for Garry Monk, who has in his squad familiar faces such as Gary Gardner and Michael Morrison, former Birmingham lieutenants. Can Paul Hurst be as successful at Shrewsbury this time around? Matt Taylor saved Bristol Rovers after coming in last December, but will need a far better defensive record.
How will Stevenage fare without Steve Evans? The expectation is worse, even if that relationship came to its natural end. A lack of ambition at Leyton Orient may prove costly. The Crawley manager, Scott Lindsey, took control of football matters after the co-owner and crypto tycoon Preston Johnson loosened the reins. Lindsey delivered a League Two playoff win to almost everyone’s surprise but it will still take an awful lot to repeat that success. A significant overhaul of Northampton’s squad does not appear to have strengthened them. Marc Leonard, as above, will be sorely missed after two seasons on loan at the Cobblers.
Three youngsters to watch
Tom Bloxham, Shrewsbury, 20 Wingers rarely come at 6ft 5in but the former Leicester trainee made a reputation for himself with half of last season on loan at Morecambe before returning to the Shrews. The build of a classic centre-forward offers something rather different down the flanks, with one EFL scout saying he can “run like the wind” once he gets a head of steam.
Tyler Bindon, Reading, 19 Lately seen playing for New Zealand at the Olympics, the son of an international football-playing mother and a Kiwi volleyball international father, he grew up in California while mum was coaching the UCLA team. An assured, modern, ball-playing defender, he may not have much longer in Berkshire.
Ricky-Jade Jones, Peterborough, 21 A veteran at a precocious age and almost part of the Posh furniture, the versatile forward has the reputation of being the quickest player in the EFL, with his 100m personal best timed at 10.9sec. Last season saw him overcome growing pains to score 13 goals in 56 matches.
