The League One season preview 2023/24 is especially intriguing, because no division has been tougher than this one in recent times – the likes of Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland all needed years to get out of it. Now they’ve gone, will it be any easier? Don’t bet on it…
In recent years, the division has become the EFL’s ultimate test of character. Plymouth Argyle missed out on the play-offs with as many as 80 points in 2021/22, but bounced back emphatically to win the title last term, combining with Ipswich to deny Sheffield Wednesday a top-two berth, even though the Owls finished on 96. Brutal.
Instead of going up comfortably, the Owls had to overturn the biggest first-leg deficit in play-off semi-final history, before Josh Windass’ 123rd-minute winner at Wembley completed the mission.
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It shows that the path to the Championship is gruelling and unforgiving – so who can stay the course? Having gone very close last year, Bolton look as well equipped as any: the Trotters made early signals of their intent to spend this summer, to add to an already healthy squad, and they’ve retained manager Ian Evatt, who only knows success.
No such luck for Barnsley, who lost gaffer Michael Duff, but if they keep squad turnover to a minimum, they can challenge after play-off final heartbreak. Also beaten in last term’s coda were Peterborough, for whom Darren Ferguson stays on, targeting an astonishing fifth promotion with one club.
The Posh, though, have lost star midfielder Jack Taylor to Ipswich, plus reliable right-sider Joe Ward to Derby – the Rams missed out on the top six last season, but can prepare more smoothly this time around, without the takeover uncertainty of 12 months ago.
Portsmouth have one of the EFL’s top sporting directors in Richard Hughes. He’ll hope boss John Mousinho can repay a show of faith to poach the rookie from his role as player-coach at Oxford in January. The Yellows, themselves, have a revamped recruitment strategy, and with the exciting addition of Ruben Rodrigues should improve drastically on last season’s disappointing 19th-place finish.
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Leyton Orient come up from League Two as champions (Image credit: Getty Images)
Expectations are more guarded for two of the teams coming down, as Wigan and Reading require huge rebuilds. Blackpool have more hope after reappointing their 2020/21 promotion-winning boss, Neil Critchley.
Coming up are Leyton Orient, where Richie Wellens won his second League Two title. Following the O’s are Steve Evans’ solid Stevenage, along with Carlisle and Northampton, where respective bosses Paul Simpson and Jon Brady guided their sides up through chronic injury crises.
Those three could be in the dogfight with Cambridge, who needed five wins from the final nine games to stay up last season, so club legend Mark Bonner must get this rebuild right.
It’s been a turbulent summer for Fleetwood and a turbulent decade for Charlton, where boss Dean Holden needs the space to do the job, after last term’s 10th-placed finish. Burton and Cheltenham were delighted with lower mid-table outcomes, as were newly promoted Exeter and Bristol Rovers: with key men departing all four, more savvy recruitment is essential to avoiding a season in the mire.
Both Reading and Blackpool have dropped into League One, alongside Wigan (Image credit: Getty Images)
If they need inspiration, look no further than Lincoln and Shrewsbury, now established in League One. Yet the Shrews’ fate this campaign will depend on how former Walsall manager Matt Taylor replaces Steve Cotterill at New Meadow.
It could be a tough year for Port Vale, who may rue last season’s call to part company with the revered Darrell Clarke. Another club legend was replaced at Wycombe – Gareth Ainsworth left in February – so it’s down to Matt Bloomfield to write the next chapter at Adams Park. Could it be as thrilling as the last?
Bloomfield and his counterparts know that League One can be relentlessly unforgiving, but while Argyle and Wednesday were hard done by at times, both now have their prize, and therein lies the lesson.
This season’s third tier might not be as fearsome, but it is almost designed to knock clubs and coaches off course. Those who stay measured throughout this test of character will eventually get their A*.
Barnsley finished fourth in League One last season. They reached the play-off final, but lost to Sheffield Wednesday after Josh Windass scored in the 123rd minute of the game.
Bolton reached the play-offs last term after finishing fifth in the regular season, but couldn't find their way past Barnsley in the semi-finals. They did beat Plymouth 4-0 in the Papa Johns Trophy final, though.
Bristol Rovers had to settle for 17th place in League One in 2022/23, and Joey Barton has set the club the target of reaching the Championship within the next couple of years.
A 10th-place finish placated Charlton fans, but they're demanding a lot more in the new season. They did reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup, though.
Cheltenham stayed up in League One last season relatively comfortably, finishing 16th. They've lost top scorer Alfie May, who bagged 22 times for them, though.
Derby agonisingly lost out on the play-offs on the final day of last season, finishing seventh. Manager Paul Warne has been promoted three times before from League One, and he's aiming for the same once again.
Exeter consolidated in the third tier last season, finishing 14th and picking up some strong results along the way. 2023/24 could be more of the same for City.
While owner Andy Pilley has been sentenced for fraud, Fleetwood will be expecting another mid-table finish after coming 13 in League One last time out.
Last season was a dream for Leyton Orient, as they walked League Two as champions. Though they aren't expecting back-to-back promotions, Orient could cause some upsets in the third tier.
Lincoln are looking for progress in the new season, after finishing 11th in 2022/23. They're not as strong on paper as other sides in the division, though, so they could just miss out on the play-offs.
Getting promoted from League Two by finishing third saw the Cobblers return to League One, but fans know it'll be a lot more difficult continuing their form in a new tier.
Peterborough's 2022/23 season ended in the cruellest of ways: 4-0 up in their League One play-off first-leg tie with Sheffield Wednesday, Posh conceded four at Hillsborough then lost the penalty shootout to forego a trip to Wembley.
As they enter their sixth consecutive season in League One, Portsmouth need to improve on their 8th-place finish last time out. Play-offs should be the minimum expectation.
Port Vale finished 18th last season - in the new campaign, it could be much more of the same. There's a new manager at the helm, though that doesn't necessarily signal improvements.
Coming 22nd in the Championship, following a points deduction, meant Reading drop into the third tier for the first time since 2022. They aren't expected to bounce straight back, either.
Fan-favourite Steve Cotterill has departed the club, despite leading them to 12th in the League One table last term. Matt Taylor has taken the manager's job as a result.
Wigan will start the League One season with -8 points, after a failure to make salary payments in the last couple of months. While they finished bottom of the Championship, things are more positive now there's new owners.
Wycombe came 9th last season, falling away from the play-offs in the latter stages. They should compete again, but a Championship return seems unlikely.
Season previews for the Premier League, League One and League Two are all available HERE
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
