EFL League Two 2024-2025 Tips: Read our season preview including a 1-24 prediction for every team | OneFootball

EFL League One & League Two

Alan Dudman predicted five of the top seven in last year's 1-24 for the third tier, and also successfully tipped Morecambe for the drop. Here's our EFL man's predictions for the new season in League Two...

1st - MK Dons 7/2

Finally the MK Dons have their man. Last season was a disaster and they foiled relegation thanks to Paul Warne's late appointment as he engineered a final unbeaten run of four.

Warne has signed Will Collar from Stockport, Aaron Collins and Gethin Jones from League One side Bolton Wanderers plus veteran winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing from his previous club Derby to reunite.

Collins scored 20 goals in 64 league appearances for Wanderers after joining from Bristol Rovers in February 2024 and his signing is the best piece of business this summer.

The football will be different, but Warne is effective and should have a good shot here at winning the title.

2nd - Notts County 12/1

Martin Paterson is another new managerial change for League Two and County blew their chance in the play-offs under previous boss Stuart Maynard, and it was the right call to change things.

Playing dynamic, progressive football is required as much of the club's DNA will remain the same in terms of our desire to dominate the ball - which was mentioned on the Paterson appointment from the board. Dominating the ball is fine, but they were obsessed with possession last term and couldn't kill a team off.

With David McGoldrick off to Barnsley, fresher legs is the plan, but they'll need to replace his goals. At the back Paterson has moved for Sonny Aljofree from Manchester United for a loan, and wing-back Barry Cotter from Barnsley.

Goals will be needed in place of McGoldrick.

3rd - Walsall 14/1

The Saddlers got off to a flyer under Mat Sadler last year and were on course for the title but wilted after Christmas and ultimately went down in the play-offs. They still performed above my expectations to finish fifth.

Former Walsall star Romaine Sawyers recently appeared in a pre-season friendly and could be signed for a romantic return, while another veteran has been confirmed - Aiden Flint the experienced centre-back.

They scored a lot of goals and conceded a lot of goals last season and their home defensive record was the worst of all the top sides.

4th - Barnet 18/1

I am expecting big things from my local boys Barnet, whose old Underhill ground is a mere minute or two away from where I live at the top of the road.

They've been away from the league for seven years and Dean Brennan's successful National League campaign last term has brought about a new three-year-contract.

Chairman Tony Kleanthous said: "This is the first step in our plan to conquer League Two. First we keep the manager, then we keep the players, then we sign new players and then we go for promotion again."

Kleanthous won't remember me, but I used to interview him for Barnet clubcall in the great days of Darren Currie.

Joe Hugill from Manchester United has signed on loan, in too Dennis Adeniran and wing-back Kane Smith - who is a great crosser is an excellent addition.

Title winners in the National League, the gap is not too great from that division into League Two.

5th - Crewe 25/1

A disappointing season last term having previously been in the play-offs, Crewe mustered only mid-table with 62 points.

Forward Shilow Tracey has importantly signed a new deal, while Tommi O'Reilly is the Alex's fourth signing of the summer on loan from Aston Villa. Josh March, full-back Reece Hutchinson and goalkeeper Sam Waller are all summer additions.

They were just two points off the play-offs and drew far too many games last term (11 away), but Lee Bell is a very capable manager in this division and expect more business before the season starts. 25/1 underrates them in the title market, and the 11/4 for promotion is of interest.

6th Grimsby 22/1

Grimsby finished in ninth and at times played some terrific football under David Artell, but despite 10 wins at home, they also lost 10, but Artell has signed a new contract and said: "We've made great progress, and I hope we can continue this positive trajectory into the new season and beyond."

They certainly look one of the more stable clubs.

Experienced keeper Christy Pym has signed from Mansfield, and they've got potential with former Blackburn midfielder Zak Gilsenan on a two-year deal.

Grimsby should better last term's ninth and are 5/1 in the promotion market.

7th - Swindon 12/1

Ian Holloway produced nothing short of a miracle last season at the County Ground - and finishing in 12th can be considered a triumph.

The most intriguing piece of business is prolific non-league forward Jake Tabor, who has signed his first professional contract.

Tabor, 22, was a wanted man after scoring 127 goals in 91 appearances over the past two seasons for Combined Counties League Premier Division North side Amersham Town.

Tabor is Swindon's sixth signing of the summer, joining striker Tom Nichols, midfielders Darren Oldaker, James Ball and Joe Snowdon, and defender Filozofe Mabete.

8th - Salford City 11/1

Salford, the xG team of the third tier would usually be on their third manager by now, the revolving door of bosses however was finally stemmed with steady hand at the tiller Karl Robinson.

Mark Howard the experienced keeper left Wrexham at the end of last season after 58 appearances in three seasons and has joined the Ammies, and former Huddersfield Town centre-back Loick Ayina has been snapped up.

Salford missed the play-offs by a point last term and if Robinson stays all year, should easily make a top-half finish and beyond.

9th - Oldham Athletic 22/1

Oldham, like Barnet, return to the EFL after what seems a long absence but they've done well to bounce back after their relegation to the National League in 2022.

Having won promotion via a penalty shoot-out at Wembley, the Latics have secured a new deal for striker Mike Fondop with a new two-year contract at Boundary Park. He netted 18 league goals last season to help the Latics return to the English Football League after three years in the National League.

Winger Josh Hawkes has signed on a two-year deal after he left Tranmere Rovers and while Barnet were runaway winners in the National League, Oldham can hope for a top-half finish, although at 22/1, they are shorter than Crewe, which is a mistake in my opinion.

10th - Colchester 18/1

Colchester held one of the best defensive records at home last term with just 15 conceded all season in Essex, but they didn't score many either at home and were a classic unders team.

Danny Cowley's football is well-drilled and organised, but they drew a lot of games last term to scupper any hope of a play-off spot. Eleven stalemates came away from home and eight on terra firma - and you cannot draw 19 and hope for promotion.

Ben Perry from Nottingham Forest signed for an undisclosed fee and the 20-year-old is Col U's fourth incoming of the summer.

However, matters off the pitch are the worry, as a proposed takeover by a United States-based consortium was postponed, with owner Robbie Cowling saying the parties had "not been able to reach an agreement".

11th - Chesterfield 7/1

Chesterfield missed out on promtion in the play-offs and they really surprised me that they made it in the first place as I watched them at MK Dons last winter and they were dreadful.

Ryan Boot, Kyle McFadzean and John Fleck all remain from last season and have all signed new contracts.

The more exotic deal however is up front with Lee Bonis arriving from Dutch club Den Haag for an undisclosed fee and he scored 11 from 35 in the Netherlands' second tier.

I like Paul Cook but there are stronger teams 12 months on and mid-table is to be expected.

12th - Gillingham 11/1

Sam Vokes will be teaming up with Gareth Ainsworth again to attempt to recreate the magic from their respective Wycombe days, but Vokes isn't getting any younger and Ainsworth's football is, well, pretty basic and route one.

Ainsworth is effective at this level and he turned around Gillingham's fortunes massively at the end of last term, and they were hard to break down by drawing eight of their last 11 games.

Bradley Dack has signed a new one-year deal and Gills fans might get to see him play one day.

13th - Crawley Town 22/1

The transfer activity of Crawley this summer has led to their chief executive and co-owner leaving. The new people at the helm are taking the club in a different direction from the data-driven approach for incomings.

Identities of the new WAGMI investors have not been disclosed, Kabonga Tshimanga meanwhile has been signed, and if he can find his prolific feet, he can do well, but since his Chesterfield days, the goals have been in short supply.

Scott Lindsey failed at MK, but he's got history with Crawley and see no more than mid-table.

14th - Shrewsbury Town 22/1

Michael Appleton says he is confident his team will outperform the club's budget - and that doesn't bode well with a club that will fail to compete in terms of wages at this level.

Appleton is a manager with a history of failure too in Leagues One and Two, and Shrewsbury finished bottom of League One with Appleton their third manager.

It's a big no from me.

15th - Bromley 50/1

Bromley's 11th place finish with 67 points was a real credit to the club and Andy Woodman.

Kyle Cameron from Notts County and Will Hondermarck from Northampton are a couple of noteworthy additions, but it's the loan deal to get Ben Krahaus again from Brentford on that excites, as Krahaus was sold to the Bees for a record transfer fee in 2024.

The young midfielder scored eight goals in the promotion campaign from the National League.

16th - Fleetwood Town 28/1

Another mid-table finish can be expected from the Cod Army who finished in 14th last term with 60 points and while they didn't lose many at home, they drew 12 and lost far too many on the road.

James Norwood, the experienced striker has joined from Oldham, and he's not the only attacker to boost the ranks with Will Davies, who scored 18 last term for Sutton.

Home form of last year worries me and the captain from last term Brendan Wiredu has joined Plymouth.

17th - Accrington Stanley 50/1

Acctington are top of the table now with the club holding the treasured 'A', and their price of 50/1 for the title tells you all you need to know.

At 4/1 they are relegation candidates.

18th - Barrow 28/1

Barrow head coach Andy Whing is best mates with Walsall's Mat Sadler, and he could do with some of the Sadler magic from their campaign last term.

It's hard to see, but Barrow overperformed in my opinion last term in 16th with 59 points and were hard to beat at home with just six losses and ended with a run of just one defeat in 13.

Nine in, and 12 departures, Whing might be on the radar of one or two others.

19th - Harrogate Town 66/1

Harrogate captain Warren Burrell signed his new deal in the summer to stay, but transfers are underwhelming and at the lower end of the market. Shawn McCoulsky on a two-year deal has arrived from Maidenhead with a one in three record at that level. Town had a higher xA last term than xG with 1.59 against

20th - Cambridge 18/1

Neil Harris has returned, Mark Bonner is upstairs and a revamp is on the cards following their dismal relegation from League One. Will the fans forgive Harris for leaving last term?

21st - Bristol Rovers 12/1

Josh McEachran has perhaps been the summer transfer highlight with the experienced midfielder joining after his Oxford exit.

After relegation from League One, Rovers have gone back Darrell Clarke, who was sacked from Barnsley last term and Rovers had a limp finish to their relegation season in the third tier.

Clarke had four years in charge previously, but he's like Appleton as a manager who wouldn't be high on my list.

22nd Cheltenham Town - 40/1

I doubt anyone will be backing the 40s on offer for the title with Cheltenham Town, and realistically you could add another zero. At 5/1 in the Relegation market, that's the bet of the two.

23rd - Newport County 80/1

Newport are the favourites to go down and are priced at 5/2 on the Sportsbook in the relegation market. They had the worst xG metrics in the division both for and against with just 1.04xG and 1.79xA. That poor xG was with giant striker Kyle Hudlin who has since left parent club Huddersfield for the less obvious route to Vietnamese football. Shane McLoughlin, who skippered the side at times turned down the opportunity to stay.

24th - Tranmere Rovers 28/1

Tranmere were a soft touch away from home last term and lost 13 times, and condeded twice as many on the road as they scored. Indeed, goals were in short supply at home but their xG of 1.44 surpassed expectations, but while Andy Crosby has been very active in the transfer market, Tranmere are another club with potential takeover issues.

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