Ranking the 6 EFL League One managers most at risk of losing their jobs | OneFootball

FLW looks at who in the third tier is most at risk of losing their job

The first managerial casualty of the EFL campaign came in League One, after Michael Duff was dismissed at Wycombe Wanderers.

The Chairboys were winless through five games, albeit tough outings on paper. Nevertheless, the higher-ups at Adams Park felt a change needed to be made, and they did bounce back in their first game under interim boss Tom Hounsell at Leyton Orient last weekend.

But who will be next to join Duff as a League One head coach out of a job in the early stages of the campaign?

For the most part, those in third-tier dugouts should feel quite secure in their position. The likes of Wigan Athletic, Barnsley, MK Dons and certain others who have had slow starts will still feel that the process will start to gain pace soon under their current bosses.

Even Bromley, who underwent a three-game losing run to an aggregate scoreline of 14-2, aren't likely to sack Andy Woodman any time soon, given all the credit in the bank he has from what has been a miraculous rise up the EFL.

So, which six are the most in danger of losing their jobs? FLW has taken a look to find out.

6 ? ? Henrik Pedersen - Sheffield Wednesday

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After six games, Sheffield Wednesday are top of League One, having won four and scoring 13 goals along the way. But there are still some fans who are unconvinced by head coach Henrik Pedersen.

The Danish boss deserved a chance in the Hillsborough dugout this season after being the man who had to deal with all the off-field chaos during former owner Dejphon Chansiri's final months and the administration which followed.

But the way that his Wednesday side has been nullified by the likes of Bradford City and Wigan at home already this season could indicate that, while the Owls have a lot of good players, especially going forward, Pedersen can be outcoached by others in the division.

Ultimately, it's all about expectation, and whether promotion is the goal for Sheffield Wednesday this season. Some will say no. David Storch outlined the ambition for a Championship return after next year, but given some of the quality in the side, perhaps it could be?

Pedersen was given an "adjusted" contract earlier this month. Importantly, it's not an extension, but rather an improvement to rectify what he'd been on under Dejphon Chansiri, but it does show the loyalty that the new owners have towards the Dane.

He may remain in the dugout for the foreseeable future, but the pressure on him from a fan perspective is amongst the highest in the division, so even if results are fine, a change could be made.

5 ? ? Jack Wilshere - Luton Town

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With the way that Luton Town ended the 2025/26 campaign under Jack Wilshere, a lot of critics were expecting the Hatters to be one of the frontrunners this season.

Luton went unbeaten in their final 11 league outings while also winning the EFL Trophy, among that, too. That run almost saw them sneak into the play-offs on the final day, and if not for a late Stevenage winner against Wigan, they would have, and they'd have been the favourites to go and earn promotion, too.

In the end, it's a second successive campaign in League One for the side who, three years ago, were playing Premier League football, and while that rise to the top-flight was a massive underdog story, it's created an air of expectation for the Hatters as a third-tier outfit.

So far this season, Luton sit 12th, having won twice, drawn twice and lost twice through six games, and while you may say it's only early days in the campaign, Matt Bloomfield was sacked in early October last year with the club 11th after 11 games.

You get the feeling that the Hatters should be more patient with Wilshere. You can see that the 34-year-old does have the potential to grow in the dugout and take Luton on a real journey, but if a mediocre start saw the end of Bloomfield's time at the club, what's to say the same can't happen to the former Arsenal midfielder?

4 ? ? Leam Richardson - Reading

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If this list was made at the start of the season, Reading boss Leam Richardson would be right at the top.

Royals fans weren't on board with his style of play during his half-year at the club, and while it saw them in the play-off conversation heading into the run-in, just two points from the final six games saw them fade away, and it angered those in the stands.

However, having been backed quite heavily in the transfer window, the style of football is a lot more front-footed, while also being defensively solid, too. Plus, Jack Marriott has been able to stay fit through the opening stages, which has helped.

Now, some Reading fans are starting to warm up a little bit to his brand of football. Even in defeat against Cambridge United last Saturday, some supporters were even blaming the wastefulness in front of goal, rather than how they were set up.

That being said, the fanbase have soured on him quickly before, and if the performance level drops, they'll be quick to do it again.

3 ? ? Luke Williams - Peterborough United

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It's been a difficult start to the campaign for Luke Williams and Peterborough United, but unlike some of their peers in the bottom six, this is a continuation of what was a terrible end to last season.

Williams arrived at London Road in late October after an equally poor start under Darren Ferguson last season and had Posh battling in and around the top 10 at the turn of the year. That seems a long time ago now, though.

Since a 2-1 win at Mansfield Town in February, Peterborough have won just two of their last 21 league games: a 5-0 win against relegated Rotherham United back in March and then a 2-1 win over the Stags this season, where the winner came in second-half stoppage time.

It was a terrible end to last season with just one win in 15 and none in their nine, leaving them scrambling for points just to preserve their third-tier status. Posh then went on to lose key players such as Kyrell Lisbie, Archie Collins and loanee Jimmy-Jay Morgan, and it looks even bleaker now.

Sacking managers at around the same time every year is never a healthy business model, and we all know that when Luke Williams' playstyle clicks, it can be very exciting to watch. But that doesn't look to be happening this season, and it may not be long before a change is made.

2 ? ? Grant McCann - Doncaster Rovers

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You really have to feel for Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann.

Donny were easily the biggest data outliers in their return to League One last year, scoring 16 fewer than the xG they created and letting in 15 more than the xG they conceded, and it looks like they're going down that same road again this time around.

According to the Opta expected table, Doncaster have been the fifth-best side in the third tier this season through games. As seen when discussing Reading, they have the fifth-highest expected goal difference in the division, too.

In reality, though, Grant McCann's side are bottom of the league and are one of two sides yet to win a game. They seem to be set up well, but are unable to make their chances count.

Now, saying all that, should McCann's job be on the line? Maybe not. But it's all well and good to have good underlying numbers if the results aren't coming, and that's been the case with the South Yorkshire side for well over a year now, but how long before that's just the norm, instead of an outlier?

The Donny boss used the credit he had in the bank from winning League Two during their lengthy run of one league win in 17 from September to January last season, and he was able to turn that around, in fairness.

If a similar run ensues this year, though, the higher-ups at the Eco Power Stadium may not be as patient.

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Arguably the manager with the most fan pressure on him at the moment is Russell Martin, and you get the feeling that, regardless of results, the more vocal Leicester City fans will continue to reject his football at the King Power Stadium.

Cries from fans telling Martin how they feel about his possession-heavy playstyle were heard from the away end at Stockport County last weekend — a game in which the Foxes scored four and won at one of the title favourites, too.

Barring the 4-0 home defeat against Oxford United, you can see things starting to click under his tutelage. Performances against MK Dons and Plymouth Argyle were good, picking up four points against decent opposition, and it should have been six, too.

But even with the promising signs building, it doesn't seem that the Foxes boss is going to win over the fanbase anytime soon, and that's arguably more damning to a head coach's tenure than anything else.