All 24 EFL League One club's main goalkeeper ranked from worst to best | OneFootball

Who is the best third-tier shot-stopper? Football League World finds out

The spine of a football team begins right at the back with the goalkeeper, and whilst the game is all about scoring goals, keeping them out is as important, too.

League One has a plethora of quality shot-stoppers across the board, ranging from young up-and-comers to seasoned veterans, and ranking them all is incredibly difficult.

However, Football League World has taken on this tall task. Taking into account where each goalkeeper is in their career currently, the career they've had before them, their future potential, and the League One season so far, here's each third-tier side's best goalkeeper ranked from worst to best.

24 Luca Ashby-Hammond - Plymouth Argyle

Unfortunately, somebody has to take the wooden spoon on this list, and that accolade goes to Plymouth Argyle's Luca Ashby-Hammond.

This season is the 24-year-old's first real stint as a number one in the EFL, and so far, it hasn't gone too much to plan. Tom Cleverley's side have been entertaining to watch this season, mainly because plenty of goals go in at either end.

Before this, the former Fulham youngster had short loan stints at Crawley Town and Notts County, and was the backup keeper for Gillingham in League Two for the first half of last season.

The only full campaign he's had in between the sticks was in the 2022/23 National League season, where he conceded 74 in 45 games for Aldershot Town. So a poor record precedes him, and he is yet to truly make a name for himself in League One this season.

23 Jordan Amissah - Burton Albion

Like Ashby-Hammond before him, Jordan Amissah's career so far hasn't been the best, bouncing around non-league sides and youth teams ever since he joined Sheffield United from German giants Borussia Dortmund in 2018.

Last season was his first proper run-out as a first-choice keeper, but he was part of the Ross County side that suffered relegation to the Scottish Championship after six years in the top flight.

He'll be out to succeed at Burton Albion this season, but for now, he ranks second-bottom amongst his peers.

22 Mikki van Sas - Wycombe Wanderers

Mikki van Sas has bags of potential, but as of right now, the 21-year-old hasn't begun life at a struggling Wycombe Wanderers side too well in what is his first experience of senior EFL football.

The former Manchester City and Feyenoord youth keeper kept a modest four clean sheets in 12 Dutch second-tier games for Vitesse last season, breaking into the side midway through the campaign.

But, other than that, there isn't much else behind him, and unlike other young keepers on this list, he hasn't begun life as an EFL keeper positively.

Two sides so far this season have chopped and changed their keepers, but after a poor start to life at Peterborough United for Norwich City loanee Vicente Reyes, Alex Bass looks likely to be the man Darren Ferguson relies on.

Coming through the Portsmouth academy, Bass was a backup for the majority of his career, until the 27-year-old made a move to AFC Wimbledon in 2023. Since then, he's picked up 29 League Two clean sheets across 83 games for the Dons and Notts County.

Unfortunately, his lack of League One experience outside the odd game here and there for Pompey lands him near the foot of this list, but if he can show the form he exhibited at his last couple of fourth-tier sides for Posh, he'd likely climb up a few places if this were revisited in May.

It hasn't been the best few years for Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

A decent shot-stopper, shown through his time at Leeds United and in a 2021/22 loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, errors with the ball at his feet have cost him what really should have been a promising career after emerging as a regular starter, despite being just 21 years old, at Elland Road.

His short time as Birmingham City's number one wasn't fondly remembered, and so far, his loan spell at Blackpool has disappointed, as the Tangerines have been well off the boil.

And with Franco Ravizzoli sat on the bench, who was first choice under Matt Bloomfield at Wycombe last season, it may not be long before the Northern Irishman is once again left as a backup at Bloomfield Road.

19 Joe Gauci - Port Vale

Port Vale, like Peterborough, have chopped and changed in the keeper department in the early stages of the new season, but you get the feeling that Australia's number one will be the main man for Darren Moore going forward.

The 25-year-old's experience in English football is incredibly limited, after being mostly a backup at Aston Villa since his arrival from Adelaide United in 2024.

A hip injury scuppered his first loan spell at Barnsley last season, which saw him pick up two clean sheets in seven games for the Tykes, and now he is back out on loan again at Port Vale.

There's definitely the potential there, and Gauci will have to show it for a Vale side who are going to need to be strong defensively to survive in League One.

18 Nathan Bishop - AFC Wimbledon

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Finally, after such a promising start to his career at Southend United stalled somewhat when Manchester United signed him in 2020, Nathan Bishop is once again a full-fledged League One number one.

Despite suffering relegation whilst on loan at Cambridge United last season, Johnnie Jackson has entrusted him with the starting spot at a Wimbledon side who pride themselves on defensive stability, so you'd expect the 25-year-old to excel.

But for now, his lack of experience at the level, and when it comes, little in terms of results, place him towards the bottom. However, like Bass, he could be bumped up a few places at the end of the season.

17 Cameron Dawson - Rotherham United

After having to battle for a number one shirt in all but one year of his career (where he helped Exeter secure promotion out of League Two in 2021/22), Cameron Dawson looks like he'll be the number one at Rotherham United, following Dillon Phillips' departure to Hull City.

The 30-year-old is an ever-dependable body, with plenty of games under his belt in the EFL for the likes of Exeter and Sheffield Wednesday, but he doesn't exactly stand out as one of the best in the division.

A servicable keeper for the level, but not one that excites enough to climb near the top half.

16 Tommy Simkin - Leyton Orient

Leyton Orient struck gold with their last goalkeeper loanee, and they'll be hoping that Tommy Simkin can achieve even close to what Josh Keeley did at Brisbane Road last season.

The 20-year-old Stoke City loanee was part of the unfortunate Walsall side last season, who fell short in the play-offs despite at one point holding a 15-point advantage over 4th place.

Still, he conceded just over a goal a game in the Saddlers' goal, keeping 14 clean sheets along the way, and there's plenty of buzz about what he can do in his first season in the third tier.

15

It's been a tumultuous season and change for Corey Addai since he made the move to Stockport County from Crawley Town.

At six-foot-eight, Addai is one of the more intimidating profiles in the division, yet there has been growing frustration among Hatters fans at his shakiness when it comes to commanding his area and letting in cheap goals occasionally.

He was replaced by County legend Ben Hinchliffe last season, and only regained his place towards the back end of the campaign when the 38-year-old got injured. So far this season, there's been plenty calling for that keeper change to be made once more.

The Jamaican shot stopper clearly has the quality to be a solid League One goalkeeper, but his inconsistencies stop him from breaking into the top half.