2010-11 League Two preview – Who’s going up and who’s going down?
The runners and riders are ready and the big kick-off is almost upon us. But who's going to be first past the post and who's destined for the knackers' yard?
We asked the resident experts at sport magazine to gaze into their crystal ball and predict how the season will pan out in League Two...
1st – Port Vale
Leicester City’s decision to poach Paulo Sousa for their vacant manager’s job may have been bad news for Swansea City, but it was warmly welcomed news in Burslem as it meant they kept their pilfering hands off Micky Adams. With three promotions to his name – and twice from this division – Adams has an admirable pedigree, his teams often cobbled together for peanuts. Having narrowly missed the play-offs last season, after sticking the whole squad on the transfer list to ‘inspire them’, Adams will be confident of going two steps better this time around – and in Marc Richards he has a striker who could well fire them to the title.
2nd - Gillingham
Relegated on the final day, Andy Hessenthaler returns for a second spell in charge and has swapped star man Simeon Jackson with Norwich for £600,000 and a season-long loan of Cody McDonald. If he fires as they expect, an instant return is a realistic aim.
3rd - Wycombe
Slapstick defending saw Wycombe down after a single season, but form under Gary Waddock improved as the season wore on. Seven new faces have arrived pre-season and 13 left, so Waddock’s ability to weave his own team together will determine their fate.
4th - Bradford City
Optimism is relatively high around Valley Parade, based partly on City going the final six games of last season unbeaten and partly due to manager Peter Taylor’s CV showing five promotion campaigns in the last 11 years. That’s more than just coincidence, they say.
5th - Chesterfield
A make-or-break season for Spireites manager John Sheridan, who struggled to find any consistency last term and fell out with most of his squad most weeks. There are goals here, with Craig Davies and Jack Lester up top, but can they plug a porous defence?
6th - Burton Albion
The untested Paul Peschisolido guided the Brewers to an impressive 13th-place finish in their first Football League season, and if Mr Karren Brady can shore up a defence that leaked 71 goals, Burton could carry on their upward trajectory.
7th - Northampton Town
With two defeats in 21 games, the Cobblers appeared play off bound for a time, until an injury to top scorer Adebayo Akinfenwa saw them fade to 11th. He’s now gone, replaced by the tidy Tadgh Purcell, whose goals should push them harder for the play-offs.
8th - Oxford United
Up via the Conference playoffs and following a four season hiatus from the Football League, Oxford United expect to more than make up the numbers on their return to what we’re calling The Big Time. Fans are expecting at least a top-10 finish. We concur.
9th - Rotherham United
Beaten finalists in last season’s play-off final, the still Merry Millers are hoping Ronnie Moore can repeat his back to-back promotions with the club a decade ago. If they cling on to 30- goal striker Adam le Fondre, expect another strong tilt at the top end.
10th - Stevenage Borough
The Conference champions make their league bow imbued with the swagger a promotion campaign can bring. With their success built on a tight defence, a summer of fine-tuning has seen a settled squad bolstered rather than overhauled. Onwards and upwards.
11th - Aldershot Town
Beaten in the play-offs by Rotherham, the Shots’ surprising progress was built on the back of a proud home record. Several new faces have arrived to push them on again, including the Glaswegian lad Emmanuel Panther.
12th - Accrington Stanley
Eight defeats in nine games put paid to any play-off ambitions last season, but after staring into the fiscal abyss just being here is a boon. Losing their two top scorers in Michael Symes and Bobby Grant won’t help their cause.
13th - Crewe Alexandra
Dario Gradi’s Crewe™ shipped a hatful last season, and losing the promising defender John Brayford to Derby doesn’t bode well for 2010-11. Unless Gradi can find a suitable replacement, his pretty passing won’t cover the cracks.
14th - Bury
Title chasers before Christmas but feeble imposters thereafter, manager Alan Knill has overhauled his squad this summer with 12 out but just four in. It’s a work in progress that may see them having to consolidate.
15th - Morecambe
That the Shrimps followed up a 6-0 first leg play-off tonking last May with a spirited 2-1 win in the second leg speaks volumes for the pride and fighting spirit at play here. That said, they overachieved and may struggle to repeat it this term.
16th - Hereford United
Seven wins from the last 10 saved the Bulls’ bacon last term, but all the signs would suggest another season living dangerously. A slim squad, a lack of goals and the loss of top scorer Marc Pugh to Bournemouth could all take their toll.
17th - Cheltenham Town
Survived the drop on the final day of last season. Boss Mark Yates has brought 10 new faces in for a combined fee of precisely no pounds and no pence, with nine men leaving for a similar return. If he gets it right, mid-table. If he gets it wrong, 17th may be kind.
18th - Shrewsbury Town
Shorn of the prolific Grant Holt, a toothless attack undermined The Shrews’ efforts last season, Dave Hibbert’s 14 goals aside. New man Graham Turner has been busy in the transfer market, but his signings suggest another season of mid-table meanderings.
19th - Torquay United
A team capable of decapitating title-chasing Rochdale 5-0 but incapable of finding any kind of consistency finished their first season back in the league in the safety of 17th place. More of the same next season will represent another job well done.
20th - Southend United
Having heard the heavy clunk of the taxman’s fist on their front door over an unpaid bill of £2.1m, the Shrimpers are glad just to be here. Though now back in the black, Paul Sturrock will have his work cut out to ensure they survive with a squad down to bare bones.
21st - Lincoln City
The untried Chris Sutton guided the Imps to 20th place last season, two wins safe of the drop. More will be expected of him this time, but not by us. He has the club’s fine youth academy to call upon, but no longer Davide Somma – and the Leeds loanee’s goals will be missed.
22nd - Stockport County
County began last season in administration, won just five of 46 games, shipped nigh on a ton and were doomed from the off. This campaign may not get much better, with new boss Paul Simpson resorting to begging for players to rebuild his squad. Dark times ahead.
23rd - Macclesfield Town
Following Keith Alexander’s tragic death last March, his trusty wingman Gary Simpson stepped up and manfully guided Macclesfield to 19th place and survival. Another slim budget and squad will test his mettle this season, and they’d happily take 19th again.
24th - Barnet
Survived on the final day of last season, and we predict they’d be happy with the same outcome this time around. New boss Mark Stimson has replaced the old guard with 13 new youngsters to provide a little more fizz and ginger. But it’s a risk, and we fear it may fail.