This weekend the EFL and National League seasons get underway and we are building up to the big kick-off by looking at the key talking points in each division ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Today we are looking at League Two, which provided no shortage of excitement last season with Stockport winning the title, back-to-back promotions for Wrexham and back-to-back relegations for Forest Green, as well as a record-breaking play-off semi-final win for Crawley.
Here’s what we think will be the big stories this time around…
Contrasting expectations for promoted duo
Chesterfield are returning to the EFL after six years away after winning the National League title last season, while Bromley are playing at this level for the first time in their history after beating Solihull Moors in the Promotion Final at Wembley.
There will be different expectations on how the two sides will perform in League Two.
Many will feel that Chesterfield are in with a chance of emulating Wrexham’s feat of last season in following up the National League title with another promotion. It would be a case of history repeating as the Spirites have won this league more times than any other side- with four titles in the fourth tier.
Their most recent title at this level came in 2013-14 in current manager Paul Cook’s first spell at the club. Cook also won the League Two title in 2016-17 while in charge of Portsmouth so both club and manager have plenty of pedigree at this level.
For Bromley, the objective will be much more modest- staying in the division. History is on their side as since promotion was opened up in 1987, no side promoted from the fifth tier has gone straight back down, with longstanding calls from some to open up a third promotion place.
The last new team to be promoted to the EFL was Sutton United in 2021. They thrived in their debut season, finishing eighth, spending three seasons in League Two before last season’s relegation.
Relegated quartet look to bounce back
Last season Carlisle United, Cheltenham Town, Fleetwood Town and Port Vale came down from League One and all will no doubt be hoping to make an immediate return to the third tier- but that may be easier said than done.
In the last two seasons, none of the relegated clubs have come straight back up with Milton Keynes Dons’ fourth-placed finish last season the only time in that period that one of the demoted eight has even finished in the top half.
Last season Forest Green Rovers suffered a second straight relegation and the season before, AFC Wimbledon narrowly avoided the same fate, finishing down in 21st. The last time a team secured an immediate promotion back to League One was Bristol Rovers in 2021-22, who finished 3rd.
Can the Bantams finally rise?
When it comes to League Two, Bradford City are considered by many to be the classic ‘big club for this level’, which is understandable considering they began this century as a Premier League club and boast the second biggest ground in the division, the 24,840 capacity University of Bradford Stadium- which is larger than all but four League One grounds.
However, last season’s ninth-placed finish means that they are entering their sixth season in a row at this level, but could this finally be the year that the Bantams make their return to their third tier for the first time since 2019?
Some fans could be forgiven for wondering what might have been last season after they won six and drew one of their last seven games, but had lost four in a row before that run and ultimately missed out on a play-off spot by just two places and one point.
Manager Graham Alexander won promotion from this league with Fleetwood Town in 2014 and may feel he has a point to prove after his controversial sacking at Salford City in 2020 and a brief time in charge of Milton Keynes Dons last season.
Notts County- feast or famine?
Anyone who had a season ticket for Notts County last season certainly got value for money. Their tally of 89 goals scored was the joint third highest in the division, matched by Wrexham and only bettered by Mansfield Town and Stockport County, with that trio making up the top three.
The problem for Stuart Maynard’s side is that they also conceded 86- giving them the leakiest defence in the whole division. The net result was a rollercoaster ride and a 14th-placed finish. The Magpies will certainly be hoping to improve on that next season.
As a result of those defensive woes it is unsurprising that Notts County have brought in four new centre-backs this summer- with Rod McDonald, Jacob Bedeau and Matthew Platt coming in from other League Two clubs, while Robbie Cundy has been recruited from League One Barnsley.
However, at the other end of the pitch, they have the unenviable task of replacing the goals of Macaulay Langstaff, who has joined Millwall. Langstaff hit a record-breaking 42 goals in the National League promotion campaign and in total netted 71 goals in 97 games across his two seasons at Meadow Lane.
What next for Salford after the first dip?
Before Wrexham’s Hollywood takeover in 2020, it was Salford City who provided one of the biggest stories in the lower leagues thanks to the takeover by a group of players from Manchester United’s famed Class of 92 in 2014.
The first five seasons under the ownership of the former players, under the name Project 92 Limited and Singaporean businessman Peter Lim, saw the club enjoy a rapid rise through the non-league pyramid, with four promotions seeing them reach the EFL for the first time in 2019 after beating AFC Fylde in the Promotion Final.
After finishes of 11th, 8th and 10th in a period which included an EFL Trophy win, they reached the play-offs in 2022-23 but were beaten in the semi-finals by local rivals Stockport County. However, last season saw the first major slump of the Project 92 ownership as they finished down in 20th.
That was Nicky Butt’s first full season as CEO after replacing fellow co-owner Gary Neville in the role in October 2022 and having been serial winners during their illustrious playing careers they will want an improvement this time around.