🦁 Predicted Finish: 1st 🤝 Transfers An 8th placed finish last season as Salford continue to improve season on season and I am expecting another marked improvement from Gary Bowyer’s men this campaign. Bookmakers have them as preseason favourites and I have to agree given the pretty impressive transfer business so far this summer. Defensively they were fantastic last year with just 23 goals conceded from open play, the best record in the division. The problems really existed at the other end of the field with the team a little sloppy in possession and missing an out and out goalscorer. The signings of Matty Lund and in particular Conor McAleny from Oldham I feel are outstanding pieces of business and should improve them immeasurably. They are a club as many of you will know have very deep pockets thanks to their famous owners and I am sure there will be some more business between now and the end of the transfer window. Plenty of departures once more from Salford as is often the norm at the club with the ambitious owners continuously trying to improve the club in their strive to go up the football league. They will be disappointed to have lost Vaclav Hladky who was a very capable keeper last season, he joins up with Ipswich Town. Di’Shon Bernard returns to parent club Manchester United after a very productive loan spell with Salford last season. 👉 Verdict High expectations always lie on the shoulders of Salford and no more so than this season when they are bookmaker’s favourites to win promotion. I feel this is the season where they can finally live up to the billing and have been impressed with their transfer business thus far. It won’t be a walk in the park by any means and League Two looks very competitive this season but Salford are my prediction to finish top of the pile come May.

🟢 Predicted Finish: 2nd 🤝 Transfers Not lots of signings from FGR but the four men they have brought to the club look like astute bits of business. They lost in the semi-finals of the playoffs last year in a thrilling encounter with Newport County and it is widely accepted that they should be there or thereabouts when it comes to promotion this season. Regan Hendry brought in from Scottish outfit Raith Rovers is exactly the sort of signing that could potentially take FGR to the next level. The 23-year-old was arguably Raith’s star man in the 20/21 Scottish Championship season as they picked up an impressive promotion play-off spot. His role in starting McGlynn’s possession-based football is where Hendry really won plaudits and a move down South to England always seemed likely this summer. Alongside Hendry in midfield, Edwards brought in more physicality in midfield in the shape of Sadou Diallo from Wolverhampton Wanderers. All four captures should be in and around the first team setup and I think it has been a decent window so far from Forest Green Rovers. Just five departures in what has been a very settled window for the club who are looking to continue their successes in recent seasons. A couple of notable departures including Chris Stokes and Aaron Collins who have left for Kilmarnock and Bristol Rovers respectively. Continuity and consistency can prove invaluable at this level and I think by doing minimal business it could prove a master stroke by Rob Edwards. 👉 Verdict It is widely accepted by the majority of L2 experts that Forest Green Rovers will be amongst the promotion contenders this season. Quality is sprinkled throughout the starting 11 with Jamille Matt an exceptional centre forward at this level and supported in attack by Matty Stevens. Although Mark Cooper is a very good manager he is at times a little harsh on his players and can rip morale from the squad when things aren’t going as planned which is ultimately why he was sacked as manager back in April. The young Rob Edwards is far more lenient which may suit both the players and the general atmosphere around the club. An automatic promotion is definitely on the cards but at the very minimum this group of players should be making the playoffs this season.

🐓 Predicted Finish: 3rd 🤝 Transfers Last season was something of a disaster for the Bantams and a dire end to the season saw them finish a lowly 15th which is simply unacceptable for a club of that size and stature. They were managed by their academy managers Mark Trueman and Connor Sellars for the second half of last season which ultimately led to their demise. Derek Adams has been appointed as manager which has been widely received as a very good appointment by Bradford with his direct style of play proving effective at this level. Adams has worked quickly in the transfer window bringing in eight new signings by the end of June, having put a premium on not just ability, but the requisite character as he eyes the fifth promotion of his managerial career. The likes of Yann Songo’o and Oscar Threlkeld have worked with him before and there are plenty of lower-division nous in Andy Cook and Liam Ridehalgh. Andy Cook will likely act as the target man this season in which the team will build off and it could prove a very successful tactic for Adams who knows what it takes to earn promotion at this level. On a departures front, Bradford have lost their two first choice fullbacks from last season with Connor Wood moving to Leyton Orient and Anthony O’Connor taking the step up to League One to join Morecambe. Adams acted quickly to address this with the purchases of Liam Ridehalgh and Oscar Threlkeld and to be fair to them the Bantams are looking pretty set for the season ahead. 👉 Verdict With Derek Adams at the helm and having brought a few of his favourites to the club Bradford are looking pretty good for the upcoming season. They are tipped as fifth favourites with most bookmakers and I feel that is largely due to the expected influence Adams is thought to have on the squad. They placed 15th last season and there is little doubt in my mind there will be a marked improvement and actually fancy them to at least make the playoffs and are even capable of filling in one of the automatic promotion places.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 4th 🤝 Transfers After a fairly disappointing 9th place finish in last year’s League Two table Exeter City and their fans will be hoping that they can bounce back this year and push for promotion again, just as they did in 2019/20 when losing in the playoff final. With that in mind they have been busy enough in the transfer window and while most of their business looks to be pretty much completed they have added some interesting names to their squad as well as some big departures. Manager Matt Taylor has a fairly youthful squad at his disposal but seems to have made a point of bringing in players with a good amount of experience to balance things out. A prime example of this is 33-year-old left-back Jonathan Grounds who has enjoyed a long career playing for the likes of Middlesbrough, Birmingham City and Oldham Athletic. Taylor has admitted that while he may not be a regular starter he is expected to be a valuable asset in the development of young talents. A noticeable change this season will be between the sticks where Cameron Davis will pick-up the number one shirt. He has been signed on a season-long loan from Sheffield Wednesday and brings with him more vital experience of playing football at a higher level. There will also be a notable change at the heart of the City defence after one of their most experienced players, Rory McArdle, left for Harrogate Town. The 34-year-old spent just a single season at Exeter and left with a year to run on his contract which was partly due to his family struggling to settle down south. Encouragingly for City fans the club had already moved to bring in George Ray from Tranmere before McArdle’s departure was confirmed. Reading Taylor’s quotes regarding their signing of the 27-year-old it’s clear that this was by no means a panic buy and they have been monitoring him for some time. He said: “He's a player we've followed for a few season's now since he was a part of that really great Crewe side… We are giving George the opportunity to come in and be an experienced head amongst the younger players and if he buys into our ethos, we will have a really good player on our hands.” 👉 Verdict There’s plenty to be hopeful about this year for Exeter City and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them pushing for the play-offs at the very least. They have kept hold of key player Matt Jay who racked up the most goals and assists in their squad last season, so he should play a key part once more. From the outside it seems that Taylor’s recruitment has been pretty solid but with plenty of youthful talent in the team it will be fascinating to see if the experienced figures can have the desired effect when it comes to driving the club in the right direction.

🟠 Predicted Finish: 5th 🤝 Transfers Michael Flynn continues to do an exemplary job in charge of Newport County. In his 4 years at the helm he has transformed County from a relegation threatened outfit into a team that almost always challenges for promotion. Two playoff final appearances in the last four seasons clearly illustrate this and I fancy Newport to avoid the playoffs this year and get promoted through the automatic spots. Some decent looking business done over the window to boot, club favourite Joe Day returns to the club from Cardiff City and is sure to be number 1 between the posts this season. Ed Upson and James Clarke are good signings and both very capable players at this level. Courtney-Baker Richardson meanwhile is something of a wildcard purchase who is exceptionally talented and Flynn will be hoping he can rediscover the form he had a few years back when playing non-league with Leamington. Couple of notable departures that Flynn will have to learn to cope without this season in the shape of former captain Joss Labadie and Josh Sheehan who have left for pastures new. Labadie joins fellow promotion hopefuls Walsall while Sheehan jumps up to League One to join the newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers. Overcoming the loss of Sheehan & Labadie will be tough but, if Newport can find alternative creativity, I think they are in a better position than they were last season to tackle promotion. 👉 Verdict Newport tend to be there or thereabouts every season in League Two and will very much want to avoid the playoffs having lost in the final a couple of times now in recent years. The squad looks strong with a formidable spine and with Flynn keen to do further business before the window closes I think they look well set for another spot in the playoffs.

🏴‍☠️ Predicted Finish: 6th 🤝 Transfers All change at the Memorial stadium with a ridiculous amount of business happening this summer following their disappointing relegation from League One last season. With 12 signings secured, the bulk of Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers rebuild is done – but reports suggest he still wants more. The deals that have already been done look mightily impressive with the likes of Harry Anderson and Luke Thomas, a couple of the most talented individuals in the division from an attacking perspective. Mark Hughes and Nick Anderton bring in experience and leadership from a defensive point of view and fair to say the wealthy owners are certainly keen to earn promotion straight back to League One this campaign. With 12 incomings, inevitably there have to be plenty of players leaving the club and that has very much been the case this summer. Plenty of the players who failed to live up to the billing in League One have now departed including Max Ehmer as well as plenty of players who are now out of contract and have moved on to pastures new. The wrath of departures should probably be seen as a positive given the huge disappointment of last season and this campaign should be seen as a fresh start for all involved at Bristol Rovers. 👉 Verdict The sooner the managerial situation is sorted the better for Rovers with the controversy surrounding current manager Joey Barton far from ideal. Personally I would be surprised to see him as the manager this season and Rovers would be wise to move him on. Their squad on paper is undoubtedly one of the strongest on paper and anything less than a playoff push this season should be seen as a huge disappointment. The owners have invested heavily in the playing squad and I expect them to deliver with a minimum of a top 6 finish.

🟡 Predicted Finish: 7th 🤝 Transfers Despite two underachieving seasons in succession in which the Stags finished 21st and 16th respectively, many are expecting good things from Nigel Clough and his side this season. The fans are clearly excited and have actually sold their highest number of season tickets in more than a decade with over 2500 purchased to date. Plenty of impressive business done over the summer and Mansfield certainly look to have a squad which is capable of a playoff push this season. The experienced Stephen Quinn joins on a free transfer from Burton Albion who is sure to be a key man in midfield. The signings of Danny Johnson and Rhys Oates should add a much needed clinical touch in attack which was certainly lacking at times last season. In terms of departures the most notable for the Stags are probably defender Ryan Sweeney and striker Andy Cook. Sweeney has moved north to Scotland to join Dundee while Cook will remain in League two to join up with fellow promotion hopefuls Bradford City. Sweeney’s departure was thought to be mutual as the club did have an option in the centre half's contract to extend the stay of the former Stoke City player but decided against it. The club also had an option to extend striker Andy Cook's contract but elected not to activate it. Goalkeeper Aidan Stone and striker Nicky Maynard are the other main names to be released while keeper Marek Stech and defender Corey O'Keeffe have been transfer-listed. 👉 Verdict Had the League Two season started when Nigel Clough took over in November last year, then Mansfield would have finished 9th. In the end, such was their poor start to last season they ended the season in 16th but no doubt they are a club on the up under the management of the vastly experienced Clough. They tend to underachieve but I am confident they will do well this season following an impressive summer in the transfer market. Anything less than a playoff push will be met with disappointment by the Mansfield faithful.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 8th 🤝 Transfers I am not the only one who is expecting a big improvement on the 19th placed finish that Walsall achieved last season. Seems to be a new era at Walsall as they move somewhat into the unknown with a young ambitious manager in the shape of Matty Taylor working in combination with sporting director Jamie Fullarton. The pair seem switched on and I feel confident in their ability to move the club forward in the coming years and no doubt in my mind they have the potential to threaten the playoff places this season. Some impressive summer business further supports my thoughts that Walsall should have a good team. The likes of Manny Monthe, Conor Wilkinson and Joss Labadie are proven good players at this level and I feel they could excel. On paper at least the business looks decent from Walsall and the squad looks a hell of a lot stronger than it did this time last year. Plenty of departures from the Bescot too with 10 players leaving the club. Plenty of it is in theory dead wood which I am sure the club will be pleased to see the back of. The likes of Caolan Lavery and Wes Morgan have been moved on having promised a lot but in reality delivered very little in recent seasons. Dan Scarr is a loss as he moves up to League One to join Plymouth Argyle but other than him I don’t think Walsall will be too upset to see any of the others leave the West Midlands. 👉 Verdict Many have tipped Walsall for the playoffs due to their exciting signings combined with the hype around Matty Taylor who is widely thought to be a very capable coach. Whether he can transfer those skills into senior management is yet to be seen and as a result I am a little reluctant to rank Walsall too highly. There is an element of unknown about them but there is little doubt that there will be a drastic improvement from what we saw from the Saddlers last season.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 9th 🤝 Transfers A new manager and a decent amount of business from Leyton Orient so far this summer and I fancy the East London club to have a productive season. Jackett has brought in the likes of Darren Pratley, Paul Smyth, Aaron Drinan, Harry Smith, Omar Beckles, Connor Wood and Tom James but expects maybe another addition or two yet. Despite being 36, Pratley proved his fitness with 39 League One apps for Charlton last season and should prove to be an inspired bit of business and all in all I am impressed with the business done by the O’s ahead of the season. On the departure front, a trio of attackers have departed for pastures new with Danny Johnson, James Brophy and Conor Wilkinson all leaving the club this summer. While disappointing, Jackett will see it as a good opportunity to form his own forward line and I am sure will be keen to bring in a top quality target man to suit his usual direct style of play. 👉 Verdict Hard not to be impressed by what Leyton Orient have done this summer. The appointment of Kenny Jackett in particular impresses me the most with the 59 year old vastly experienced and renowned for knowing how to get his teams promoted. Business on the whole looks very decent too and I would be surprised to see the O’s not improve on the 11th placed finish they achieved last season. A playoff push is very feasible and I expect them to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 10th 🤝 Transfers There’s been a lot of chopping and changing at Carlisle in the past couple of seasons. Following a poor spell under Stephen Pressley, upheaval was needed and that job fell to Chris Beech. After a lot of dead wood was shifted, Beech brought in 15+ players ahead of last season’s campaign. Some signings proved hugely influential, Rhys Bennet, Callum Guy & Paul Farman were all influential in Carlisle’s strong performance (up to a certain point last season).Bennet was always playing slightly below his level and he’s now departed to League One side Gillingham. Farman departed to neighbours, Barrow. So a couple of losses there but Carlisle have done some smart business so far. Securing Callum Guy to a new contract is huge for the Cumbrians, he topped nearly every metric for league two midfielders last season and was part of the team of the season. He’s now been handed the armband and will be crucial in Carlisle’s search for a long awaited return to League One.It’s in attack that The Blues have really strengthened. Manasse Mampala has signed after a really impressive trial period, Tristan Abrahams brings a lot of experience and still has a point to prove, but the biggest signing is Zach Clough. Clough is a huge statement of intent, he was touted for massive success before some bad luck with injuries. He’s still just 26 and was playing in the Championship just a few years ago, he’s been red hot in preseason and excitement is really building for what he could be capable of. As mentioned previously, the departures of both Farman and Bennet will be a blow. Offrande Zanzala is another notable departure as he joins League 2 rivals Barrow. Overall though I would say the window has been a positive one and Carlisle should they not be battered by Covid as was the case last season could well challenge for the playoffs this season. 👉 Verdict Carlisle were right in amongst it for long periods last season, even topping the table at numerous stages.They were hit terribly hard through December/January/February as a result of Covid and also the adverse weather conditions. This left them with huge backlog of games that required them to play Tuesday/Saturday for something like 16 straight weeks, it left them chasing teams above with their games in hand and ultimately cost them their chance of the play offs.They’ve got a very strong spine with Aaron Hayden, Callum Guy & now Zach Clough and they’ve got some really good depth. They’re possibly 1/2 signings away from being real title competitors, a creative midfielder and another centre back could be game changers if they can capture the right sort of player.Play-offs should be the aim for The Cumbrians, they’re a big side who believe they belong at a higher level. Beech is well liked by the fans as well; if he can get his team stable and picking up points early they’ll be a handful for anyone.

🔵 Predicted Finish: 11th 🤝 Transfers The playoffs last season for Tranmere as they finished 7th before going into the playoffs where they were unfortunate to lose 3-2 on aggregate to Morecambe. A very strange end to the season it must be said when the club decided to sack Keith Hill on the eve of the playoffs, something which surely couldn’t have helped their preparations. Micky Mellon was appointed in the summer to return to the club in which he had a successful four year spell before moving north to join Dundee United in Scotland. Very busy summer has been had at Prenton Park with 12 players coming in and overall business looks reasonable. A lot of experienced individuals come in with Nat Knight-Percival, Liam Feeney and Sam Foley now very much in the latter stages of their career. Callum McManaman and Ryan Watson look like good bits of business but given some of the key departures from the club I would argue the squad looks slightly weaker than the one which finished 7th last season. An EFL podcast I listened to this week described Tranmere as ‘gutted’ from the amount of departures from the club this summer. Twelve players in total have left, quite a few of which were very much key individuals in recent seasons. Liam Ridehalgh, Manny Monthe and of course James Vaughan are huge departures. Despite his injury problems last season, Vaughan was a truly outstanding player at this level as his 25 goals in 46 appearances for Tranmere can illustrate. 👉 Verdict A few too many changes in personnel from Tranmere this season for my liking and it will be hard for a squad shift of around 24 players in total to gel and hit the ground running. Could be a transitional campaign for Mellon and I would be surprised to see Tranmere make the playoffs again this season with mid table finish a more realistic outcome in my opinion.

🏁 Predicted Finish: 12th 🤝 Transfers Quite possibly the busiest club in League Two this summer has been Port Vale with a mountain of players both arriving and departing from Vale Park. Darrell Clarke, maybe controversially decided to release 15 players this summer despite Vale's strong run of form at the back end of last season. They have brought in 12 to replace those departing and although business looks pretty reasonable, so many changes in such a short space of time is always a risky strategy. The likes of James Wilson and Aaron Martin should prove to be good business but as I said it is now down to Clarke to justify his business this summer and try to improve on Vale’s 13th placed finish from last season. Fifteen departures from the club as I mentioned previously and there must have been something Clarke didn’t like about his group of players last season to act so fiercely. In essence, Clarke has a lot to figure out and while recruitment has been strong, Vale have a completely new-look squad which will take some time to gel. 👉 Verdict You feel there will be a lot of pressure on both Clarke and his recruitment team given the bold moves they have made this summer. Seems strange to me to make such drastic changes to a team which finished the season so well at the back end of last campaign. Quite a hard team to predict in honesty but I feel a similar finish to the 13th they achieved last season is the most likely scenario.

👞 Predicted Finish: 13th 🤝 Transfers Time to regather themselves and go again as the Cobblers look to respond following their disappointing relegation from League One last season. Their squad always looked a little short to be able to compete in the third tier and in reality they look far more like a League Two side at least on paper. Jon Brady has raided the Scottish market to bring in five players from the top two Scottish tiers with Mitch Pinnock, Jon Guthrie, Nicke Kabamba, Dylan Connolly and Aaron McGowan all joining the club. Pinnock and Guthrie in particular look astute purchases. Guthrie in particular should impress, he is brilliant in the air and a big loss to Livi, was one of theall better centre halves in the bottom 6 last season in Scotland. Jordan Flores looks an exciting capture as he joins on loan from Championship side Hull City and all in the Cobblers have done plenty of business with 11 players coming into the Sixfields Stadium this summer. In terms of departures well there has been plenty too with 11 leaving the club. Only a couple though will really hurt Northampton in the shape of Lloyd Jones and Ryan Watson who were both very much first team regulars last season. 👉 Verdict They never really looked like staying up last season and were duly relegated. Some of the players kept on from last year are far more suited to League Two with the likes of Sam Hoskins, Danny Rose, Joe Mills and Fraser Horsfall very capable at this level. Cobblers are certainly better than a reasonable number of teams in the division but not quite good enough to threaten for a playoff place in my humble opinion.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 14th 🤝 Transfers The bookmakers don’t necessarily agree with me here but I think Stevenage won’t really be in the relegation mix this season. A 14th placed finish last season and I anticipate something similar this campaign. The second-half of last season and the consistent performances put in from Stevenage has convinced me that they can now be considered a stable League Two football club and I expect them to have more than enough to steer clear of danger this season. A decent amount of business done with experienced players brought in across a number of positions. Eight signings in total with Jake Reeves and Jake Taylor probably the stand out bits of business as they look to replace the departing Tom Pett. All round the squad looks balanced with a lack of goals the only real concern in this team. Tom Pett, as I previously mentioned, is probably the most high-profile departure from Stevenage as he leaves for League Two rivals Port Vale. Jamie Cumming will also be a big loss having enjoyed an excellent loan spell from Chelsea and proved to be a very capable young goalkeeper. Scoring goals will remain the issue this year and the signings of strikers James Daly and Jamie Reid is unfortunately unlikely to change that. 👉 Verdict A very settled looking squad with plenty of strength in depth in multiple positions. Alex Revell appears to be a very talented young coach and there is nothing really to make me think that they can’t do something similar to what they did last season and finish fairly safely in midtable.

🟡 Predicted Finish: 15th 🤝 Transfers It was a particular shame that Harrogate Town had to play their first season in the EFL without their fans in attendance due to the pandemic but in the end that may have helped relieve a little pressure and allowed the players to focus on the football rather than the landmark moment. They did enjoy a positive debut season in League Two by all accounts finishing 17th and not really in any danger of dropping straight back down. Their summer business signals that they were satisfied with last season but are looking to build on the steady foundations they have. It’s worth mentioning at this point that their manager Simon Weaver has extended his contract recently and has been in charge since 2009, so there’s clearly still a firm plan in the minds of all those involved. In terms of playing talent they seem to have strengthened their options all over the pitch. Harrogate have brought in goalkeeper Mark Oxley from Southend who looks like coming straight into the first 11 after the departure of James Belshaw. Ahead of him there may be a couple of new faces in the back-line, too. Former Exeter City left-back Lewis Page is highly rated and is an exciting addition and he will be joined in Yorkshire by 34-year-old centre-back Rory McArdle who also joined from Exeter. He may not walk straight into the starting line-up but his experience and reliability should be an asset this season if injuries are picked up or when rotation is needed. In attack Harrogate have added a couple of names you’ll be familiar with if you followed the National League last season. Danilo Orsi scored 19 times for Maidenhead in the previous campaign, the second-highest tally in the division. He comes into the squad as an exciting prospect and if he is able to continue to perform in League Two then he looks a shrewd bit of business. Also joining up with Harrogate for the new season is Luke Armstrong from Hartlepool. He scored 13 times last year and adds a further option in attack. 👉 Verdict I’m sure the goal for Harrogate this season will be to simply cement their place in League Two even further and build on what was a good first season in the division. Taking into account the way the club have gone about their business this summer in terms of adding to an already settled squad rather than making wholesale changes I like their chances of bettering their previous 17th place finish. If their new recruits can continue to perform then I’d expect them to be safely midtable.

🔵 Predicted Finish: 16th 🤝 Transfers The summer recruitment plan from Colchester appears to be how many Ipswich rejects can we sign with no fewer than five former Town players joining the club this summer. That isn’t to say the purchases on the whole don’t look like reasonable business. The U’s have taken advantage of the massive investment put in by Ipswich this summer by signing a number of proven and experienced players from the tractor Boys. Fan favourite Freddie Sears has returned and is sure to be a starter in attack for Colchester this season. He notched an impressive 36 goals in his previous spell with the Essex club and is sure to flourish in League Two, a league he is yet to have played in during his lengthy career. Alongside Sears comes Alan Judge, Cole Skuse, Luke Chambers and Frank Nouble which will bring in plenty of experience and know-how. On paper they look like very decent captures but given their age and recent injury problems it will be interesting to see if they have the hunger and fitness to continue playing week in, week out. Eleven departures but only a couple of them will really be missed with the majority of the departures only bit part players. Former captain Harry Pell will be a big loss as he moves up a division to join Accrington Stanley. Pell has left Colchester after three years, having made nearly 100 league and cup appearances for the club. Callum Harriot is another that was regularly involved last season but Frank Nouble should be able to adequately replace him. 👉 Verdict Colchester at times certainly flirted with relegation last season and just one win from 25 games between December and April saw them dragged into a relegation battle. Hayden Mullins was brought in as manager at the end of March to steady the ship and without being spectacular he got the job done as the U’s avoided the drop. The success of the season for me depends on how the inexperienced Mullins copes as manager and I am not completely convinced of him as things stand. The signings look reasonable and a top half finish is possible but a lower mid table finish seems the most likely scenario for me this season.

🔵 Predicted Finish: 17th 🤝 Transfers Very much a summer of change at Holker Street with 14 players leaving the club and 7 coming in so it will be a different playing squad to the one that finished 21st last season. What can be admired about Barrow’s business is the average age of the players brought in. Plenty of prospects have been signed from both the Blackburn and Birmingham U23 system as newly-appointed Mark Cooper puts his trust in youth. New striker duo Offrande Zanzala and Josh Gordon signed from Carlisle and Walsall respectively will offer plenty of pace in attack but fair to say they are lacking in the goals department with both strikers averaging a goal every 4/5matches. Cooper will need to bring in another goal scorer to keep his side away from the relegation places. Fourteen players have left but no departure will be felt more than that of Scott Quigley who has opted to join Stockport County for an undisclosed fee. Quigley was a fantastic goalscorer for Barrow with an impressive 34 goals in 76 games and Barrow must look to replace him as an urgency. Last season’s number 1 Joel Dixon has also left to join newly-promoted League One side Bolton Wanderers which is also a bit of a blow for them. 👉 Verdict Barrow did well to stay up last season in what was their first in the ELF and this season will be about consolidating their position in this league and hopefully improving on last season’s 21st place finish. The appointment of Mark Cooper I feel is a very decent one with his experience likely to be invaluable for a side who haven’t spent much time in the professional leagues. Cooper has over 700 games in professional management and tends to encourage his teams to play nice football which was very much the case during his time at Forest Green Rovers. Last season’s experiences in the division will have helped them no end and with Cooper in charge I wouldn’t be surprised to see a slight improvement on last season’s league position.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 18th 🤝 Transfers By League Two standards, it has been a relatively quiet and settled market for John Yems and his Crawley side with just 4 players arriving through the door at the time of writing. Yems has done a very steady job at the club with back to back 12th placed finishes in League Two and at times last year they even flirted with the playoffs. The 3-0 win over Leeds United in the FA Cup was also a particular highlight and a massive plus point of his time in charge. The signings this summer however, at least on paper are nothing to write home about. Harry Ransom and Jack Payne have played much of their football in recent years in the National League and it waits to be seen whether they can make the step up. Promising young keeper Blondy Nna Noukeu looks an exciting signing on loan from Stoke City and he should provide stiff competition for the veteran Glenn Morris. Can’t say it has been particularly exciting business so far from Yems and I would be surprised to see them finish as high as 12th this season. Mark Wright along with many other bit part players have been allowed to leave the club this summer following the expiration of their contracts. He joins Stuart Nelson, David Sesay, Tarryn Allarakhia and Josh Doherty in leaving the club. One shock departure comes in the shape of Joe McNerney who departs the club despite making 31 appearances last season. 👉 Verdict The signings are underwhelming and I expect a fairly underwhelming campaign from the Red Devils with nothing about their squad this season really standing out. I think they will have a little too much to be in the relegation mix but a lower bottom half finish seems like the most likely outcome for me this season.

🔵 Predicted Finish: 19th 🤝 Transfers Relegated from League One last season and unfortunately for Dale fans I am not expecting a bounce straight back up this season from the club. The power struggles surrounding the ownership and the off the field issues continue to hurt them and I think they could really struggle this season. The off the field problems means they have moved slowly in the transfer market to say the least with just one arrival so far this summer in the shape of Sheffield United youngster Sam Graham. You would imagine some late loan moves and free transfers would arrive in the coming weeks to bolster up what is a very small playing squad at the moment. Some key departures from Spotland to make matters worse with prolific midfielder Matty Lund the most notable as he joins League Two promotion favourites Salford City. Lund enjoyed a fantastic goal scoring campaign for Dale with 12 goals and five assists to his name predominantly from a midfield position. Highly-rated youngster Kwadwo Baah also moves on as he joins Premier League outfit Watford for an undisclosed fee. Stephen Humphrys is another departure that will hurt; he notched 10 league goals last season and leaves to join Wigan Athletic in League One. 👉 Verdict Very much an unsettled summer at Rochdale following their relegation from League One and the departure of manager Brian Barry-Murphy isn’t likely to help matters. He has left to take over at Man City U23’s which shows how highly rated the young Irishman is by elite clubs in England. Robbie Stockdale has taken over for what will be his first permanent appointment as manager having only ever previously been a caretaker during his many years with previous club Sunderland. They still have some quality players within the squad who should thrive in League Two. However the lack of depth is a worry as is the fact that Stockdale is very much a rookie manager and maybe a slightly risky appointment. Tough season ahead for Dale is my prediction.

🦉 Predicted Finish: 20th 🤝 Transfers The job for Keith Curle will be to settle the ship at Boundary Park after what has been an unsettled spell at the club with numerous managerial changes in recent seasons. Defensively last season they were nothing short of laughable and you would hope that is something Curle will have worked on substantially during the summer months. Eighty one goals conceded saw them with comfortably the worst defensive record in the division last season and they very much had to rely on their prolific strike force to bail them out last season and steer them away from relegation. Curle has made it clear that the defence is the area he wants to strengthen with five of his six summer signings thus far in defensive areas. Jordan Clarke and Harrison McGahey have been brought in from Scunthorpe and Alan Sheehan could be an inspired signing from Northampton with his experience at the back likely to be invaluable. The experienced Jayson Leutwiler joins from Huddersfield and should be a very solid keeper at this level of football. Curle has attempted to address the major problem in the squad from last season but with so many new signings in one area it could take a little while to gel. A few important departures from the club this summer which is sure to hurt the Latics. Conor McAleny leaves for promotion favourites Salford City and it will be very hard to replace the 21 goals he bagged in all competitions for the club last season. Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was also very much a first team regular last season and his departure to Burton Albion will force Curle into a defensive reshuffle. 👉 Verdict Oldham were immensely entertaining last season due to the sheer amount of goals that featured in their fixtures. The worst defence in the league combined with the second best attack meant that they were always a fantastic team to watch albeit at times looking very unprofessional. Curle will want his side to be more ‘boring’ this season with defensive organisation and quality improved even if it means they aren’t so prolific going forwards. I think they will be okay but MUST sort out their defence and the departure of McAleny is sure to hurt them.

🟡 Predicted Finish: 21st 🤝 Transfers The south east London team will play the English football League game of their 123-year history next week but, with significant stadium upgrades and new contracts for every player required, it has certainly been a busy summer for the National League champions. Last season the average wage of a Sutton player was about £750 and the players trained three times a week. Now they are full-time, meaning pre-existing contracts with time still to run had to be ripped up and new contracts written up. Some very exciting captures were made by Matt Gray this window particularly in forward positions with Enzio Boldewijn and Donovan Wilson joining the club. Both players are considered some of the best attacking talent in non-league football and I am confident they are capable of making the cut at this level. The squad is settled and by bringing just 6 players in it is clear Gray is keen not to disturb the obvious harmony that exists within the squad from last season. Seven departures from the club but nothing that will upset Matt Gray too much as he has managed to keep together the core of the squad which performed so well in the National League this season. All in all, a very promising window and Gray will be pleased with his work. 👉 Verdict Eighteen players kept on from last season which Gray has acknowledged was the most important thing he wanted to sort over the summer. Another six brought in to form what looks like a pretty decent squad. Many are tipping them for automatic relegation back to the National League but I think they will do better than many expect and just about avoid the drop this season.

🔴 Predicted Finish: 22nd 🤝 Transfers Off the field problems continue to surround the football club at the moment and you can’t help but worry for them and their prospects for the upcoming season. No doubt long-serving owner Lee Power has done substantial damage to the club that will likely take a long time to fix. Incoming owner Clem Morfuni is saying the right things however and let’s hope his actions speak as loudly as his words. Four incomings so far this summer, well I say four it is actually three as Pierce Sweeney left just the day after signing for the club such is the shambles they find themselves in at the moment. Two of the players brought in are goalkeepers so just one outfield purchase so far in the shape of MK Dons midfielder Ben Gladwin. The financial issues surrounding the club left many of the players unpaid and no surprise to see a stampede out of the gates of the County Ground this summer. Eighteen players have departed and as things stand Swindon barely have a squad to put out for their opening day fixture against Scunthorpe United. You would hope and you would expect that there will be plenty of arrivals in the coming weeks to bulk up the squad. If that does not happen then relegation seems inevitable. 👉 Verdict Just 11 senior players registered with the club at the time of writing so my verdict of 22nd is based on them bringing in a lot of players over the coming weeks under new owner Clem Morfuni. Survival is the target and even that will be a very tough ask but I feel Garner alongside Morfuni can just about get the business done which will save Swindon this season. No doubt in my mind though that the club will be there or thereabouts in terms of relegation this campaign.

🦌 Predicted Finish: 23rd 🤝 Transfers A return to the EFL awaits for Hartlepool following their dramatic penalty shootout victory in the playoff final against Torquay. From the moment Brad James saved Matt Buse’s penalty at Ashton Gate, Pools knew they had less than seven weeks to prepare for life back in League Two – no time at all considering all but five senior first team players were out of contract. From what I have been reading from Hartlepool sources, many fans are worried about the lack of incomings and combine this with a poor preseason with four friendly defeats from four it doesn’t all seem particularly rosy in the camp at the moment. With just four confirmed signings in Neill Byrne, Reagan Ogle, Martin Smith and Fela Olomola, it’s done little to inspire any further confidence in Pools’ squad ahead of the new season. Hartlepool will also be disappointed about their outgoings as they were unable to tie down a number of important players to new contracts. Pools have let Rhys Oates, Ryan Johnson, Lewis Cass and Luke Armstrong slip through their net after great individual seasons at Victoria Park. The loss of Oates and Armstrong in particular is a huge blow with the pair combining for 32 National League goals last season and there is an argument to be had that the squad as it stands is actually weaker than the one which finished 4th in the National League last season. 👉 Verdict As things stand it is difficult to be positive about the season ahead for Hartlepool. A number of key players have left and the incomings at least on the face of it look relatively underwhelming. Preseason has also been pretty disastrous with all their friendlies played thus far ending in defeat. Dave Challinor and club chairman Raj Singh need to work quickly to add further to the squad in the coming weeks or for me will face inevitable relegation back to the National league this season.

🛠 Predicted Finish: 24th 🤝 Transfers Just managed to avoid the drop last season as Scunthorpe finished 22nd but I don’t think the Iron will have such luck this campaign and I am tipping them to finish bottom in league two this season. Scunthorpe were quite clearly the third worst team in the division last season and were just lucky to have Southend and Grimsby finish below them who suffered from torrid campaigns which ultimately saved Scunny from the drop. Neil Cox remains in charge after leading them to 22nd last year but there is little to make me believe that he is capable of guiding a pretty dire squad to safety this season. I would suggest the squad looks weaker than it did last season to make matters worse with the players brought in not doing much to convince me that they are capable of steering Scunthorpe clear of danger. Eight players brought in thus far, the latest of which was Alex Perry who looks just about the best of the business they have done. Perry made 25 appearances in total for Wigan during the 2020/21 campaign as he helped the Lancashire club avoid relegation from League One. A massive 19 departures from Glanford Park this season with some key players leaving which is sure to hurt Scunthorpe in their bid to stay in the football league. Two of their best attacking players from last season in Abo Eisa and Alex Gillead have departed the club to join promotion hopefuls Bradford which are a massive loss. Jacob Bedeau has also left as he moves on to Burnley so that is three key players who have departed which will desperately harm the quality of the starting 11. 👉 Verdict The continued and sad decline of Scunthorpe United shows no signs of stopping and following a 20th and then 22nd place finish in League Two, I feel this will be the season where they face the unfortunate drop out of the football league. The squad looks far worse than the one which desperately struggled to stay up last season and for me they look the weakest side in League Two and I predict will face the drop.