League One 1-24 Predictions 2026-27: Read Ryan Deeney's season preview with finishing places for every team

Fallen giants meet rising heroes in League 1

League One is a division like few others. Leicester City won the Premier League 10 years ago. Sheffield Wednesday own Hillsborough, a famous ground that hosted many FA Cup semi-finals. AFC Wimbledon are a fan-owned football club. Bromley had never played in the Football League until 2024. All four clubs now find themselves in the same division. Remarkable.  

You might expect to see the big clubs at the top and the smaller clubs towards the bottom, but that's not always how it works out. This division was won by relative minnows Lincoln City last season ahead of Cardiff City, while Stevenage competed in the play-offs ahead of Luton Town, a club still receiving parachute payments for a stint in the Premier League.  

It's a division that can make fools of us all and yet, after a summer of research, I've been tasked with pulling together my 1-24 predictions for the new season. As you'll see, a big name doesn't necessarily mean a cushty position, although in some cases it does.

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Title Winners - Leicester City - 9/43.25 to win League One

Leicester City's appointment of Russell Martin was a coup and it suggested things might not be quite as bad as many anticipated following back-to-back relegations. Sure, the job at Rangers went badly for Martin but he won promotion to the Premier League in 2024 with Southampton - did he really need to drop into League One? 

The Foxes' early business has been an insight into why. Alex McCarthy, Connor Chaplin and Tommy Watson are eye-catching arrivals for the level with Liam Cullen well-known to Martin from their time together at Swansea City. They've earned some big fees via Jeremy Monga, Bilal El Khannouss and Abdul Fatawu while various high earners have departed at the end of their deals.  

There is still a lot of work to be done. The club as a whole isn't in a brilliant place and their final pre-season XI showed depth remains problematic. The imminent arrival of Wes Burns is another shot in the arm and you can bank on a similar level of talent and knowhow walking through the door once the right options become available.  

It's a big reset but the Foxes should finish the summer in a far better position and will have the resources to go again in January. Expect an indifferent start before a strong Leicester team find their feet quickly and go strongly thereon.  

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2nd - Luton Town - 7/18.00

I'm going back in and I'm ready to be hurt again. Jack Wilshere entered the building part way through last season and immediately went about doing things his way, changing structure and style in order to freshen up a club that had suffered back-to-back relegations, while winning the EFL Trophy along the way.  

The club have changed various off-field staff in order to improve performance and recruitment while trimming the fat off the squad - first-team departures are comfortably into double figures since relegation from the Championship and there will likely be more to follow.  

Luton Town have rediscovered their identity and have a first-team squad that provides much more reliability when it comes to availability. They have kept 10 of their most used 11 players from last season with the permanent signing of Kasey Palmer ensuring their top five goal contributors remain. George Johnston arrives having won promotion with Bolton Wanderers last season.  

The Hatters appear to be a club with a clear direction again and that, combined with more reliability and cohesion on and off the field, is a recipe for a for a promotion push. 

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3rd - Bradford City - 16/117.00

Graham Alexander may be one of the more underrated managers in the EFL. The 54-year-old arrived at Bradford City having won promotions with Fleetwood Town and Salford City while also taking Scunthorpe United to the play-offs and Motherwell into the top half of the SPL.  

He added another promotion in 2025, finally taking the Bantams out of League Two and there was no resting on laurels as the Yorkshire outfit reached the League One play-offs, falling short over two legs against eventual winners Bolton Wanderers.  

This summer has been about building on what came before. Two-time promotion winner Macauley Gillesphey improves the backline while Adam Phillips (63 goal contributions in four seasons for Barnsley) and Jake Beesley (13 goals and seven assists for Burton Albion last season) add to an attack that couldn't quite find the magic moment when it mattered last term.  

They have lost Max Power and Jenson Metcalfe and replacements won't be easily found but recruitment has largely been positive over recent seasons. They are set to challenge again.

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4 - Plymouth Argyle - 11/112.00

Like my predicted top two, Plymouth Argyle have fallen on hard times in recent years. Their promotion out of League One was exceptional but difficulties competing financially combined with poor decision making saw them fall quickly behind a curve they were once ahead of.  

Last season, Tom Cleverley endured some early struggles at Plymouth Argyle with the south west outfit in the relegation zone as late as New Year's Day yet a strong January, supported by the appointment of Derek Adams as Director of Football, provided a balance that sent the Pilgrims to the other end of the table, falling narrowly short of a play-off spot.  

Losing star man Lorent Tolaj is a blow but the transfer fee was a good one and the club have used the money effectively, continuing an approach to create a fit and powerful outfit that can outrun and outfight teams. Being able to add Murphy Cooper, Alex Mitchell (turning his loan permanent), Harvey White and Will Evans to the spine of the team certainly helps. League One knowhow. The Pilgrims look well set to kick on.

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5 - Stockport County - 14/115.00

It's all change at Stockport County. CEO Simon Wilson has joined Sheffield Wednesday, manager Dave Challinor has moved on and so have his coaching staff including Dave Conlon, who joined the club in 2002.  

Jim McNulty returns to the club as manager after a successful couple of years with Rochdale, bringing with him a new coaching staff, National League play-off final penalty saving hero Ollie Whatmuff and his vice-captain Kyron Gordon.  

All the key men on the pitch from last season remain at the time of writing. Ethan Pye, who didn't miss a single minute, and Oli Norwood have signed new deals while top-scorer Kyle Wootton is both sticking around and will be grateful to return to his preferred role of striker after doing a job at centre-half. The arrivals of Gordon and Eoghan O'Connell should certainly help on that front.  

Despite the changes, Stockport remain a club with a clear focus and their on-field recruitment fits nicely to work around their key men while fitting what McNulty expects from his team in a 3-4-3 formation. There will be ups and downs but they look well-stocked and should stick within the promotion picture. 

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6 - Sheffield Wednesday - 6/17.00

Sheffield Wednesday return to League One after a record-breaking relegation and they have been doing everything possible to avoid the same happening again. Their ownership has changed, Simon Wilson has been brought in as CEO, their playing squad has been gutted where possible and money is being laid down to improve things.  

Barry Bannan returns after a short spell with Millwall. Billy Mitchell, who nearly helped his boyhood club Millwall win promotion to the Premier League last season, and Louie Barry, a known and feared quantity at this level, are eye-catching signings. The starting XI is more competent than last season.  

Questions remain, however. Henrik Pedersen is in charge and has plenty to prove after the most difficult of first seasons. Joe Lumley has become a joke figure amongst EFL fans, while Ricardo Santos played just 23 minutes last season, and Mitchell has endured his injury woes. There will need to a big shift in mentality across the board. The rumoured signing of George Dobson may help with that.  

Their quality will take them to a certain level but I'm anticipating a period of adjustment and a play-off spot is the more likely finish rather than the automatics.

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7 - MK Dons - 14/115.00

Paul Warne is something of a cheat-code in lower league management. He has managed five full seasons at League One and League Two and won five promotions - three with Rotherham United, one with Derby County and now one with MK Dons.  

Can they go back-to-back and keep up Warne's streak? It's not out of the question. MK Dons are not short of cash and it allowed Warne to recruit a number of high-profile, League One-ready players for last season including Callum Paterson, Alex Gilbey, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Curtis Nelson.  

They're going bigger this summer. The signings of Dan Barlaser, part of his Rotherham United side, and Ryan Wintle, 38 starts for recently promoted Cardiff City, are eye-catching while the defence and attack get a boost with Charlie Goode and Sam Nombe entering the building.  

MK are going to be strong but high-profile changes may see them take a little time to bed in. I see this as a year of transition before going big again next summer. That said, don't rule out Paul Warne - the man knows how to win promotion.

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8 - Wycombe Wanderers - 18/119.00

At the start of 2025, Wycombe Wanderers were in a strong position to win automatic promotion out of League One. Then Matt Bloomfield left, Mike Dodds couldn't finish the job and by September, they were sat in the relegation zone.  

Michael Duff was the next appointment and he did a strong job, pulling his new charges from the division's depth to an eventual mid-table finish after a brief flirtation with the top six. Inconsistency proved their primary issue - only four players managed more than 65% of available minutes and none of those primarily played through the spine of the Wycombe XI.  

The challenge is to kick on again. The arrivals of Conor Hazard, Sam Parker and Steve Cook give the defence a stronger look on paper, Josh Scowen is back after missing most of last season through an injury suffered in pre-season, Jamie Mullins has emerged while Cauley Woodrow has signed permanently.  

Duff has had a full pre-season this time around, the team looks relatively settled and they should be set up to start much stronger than last term. This will be a year of improvement and should set them up nicely to consolidate themselves as contenders again.

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9 - Reading - 28/129.00

The vibes aren't exactly brilliant at Reading following a solid but uninspiring season. Noel Hunt began last season as manager but couldn't make the most of his opportunity and was replaced by Leam Richardson, who pulled the Royals comfortably away from any relegation concerns. They briefly flirted with the play-off positions but fell short and fans deemed their negative playing style unhelpful.  

However, Richardson did take Reading from relegation candidates to play-off contenders until a poor finish derailed them and the club have kept hold of their key men so far - Joel Pereira, Paudie O'Connor, Lewis Wing and Jack Marriott is a strong spine to work off.  

Udoka Godwin-Malife plugs a notable gap defensively while Benn Ward, Haydon Roberts and Andy Rinomhota have had time to get their feet under the table, giving the defensive area of the pitch a solid look. The arrivals of Josh Stokes, Kyreece Lisbie (hoping to emulate his brother's success) and Jacob Brown give the attack a mix of quality and depth.  

It may not always look pretty but Reading have built a decent squad with genuine quality and knowhow, mostly of a good age. They should improve.  

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10 - Oxford United - 20/121.00

Oxford United may have the biggest range of potential finishes in League One, maybe the EFL. The U's have sacked Matt Bloomfield and employed Welsh legend Aaron Ramsey as their new manager, joining a collection of 2010s Premier League midfielders to take a managerial position in League One.  

On the one hand, they were a little unfortunate to get relegated from the Championship last season, just running out of steam when it mattered most having pulled themselves back into contention. They have so far kept hold of the majority of their players and a good number are more than proven at League One level.  

On the other hand, they have been hit with a transfer embargo meaning they have only been able to register two new signings - Frankie Kent and Ruben Roosken. They lack depth in midfield - and could yet lose Brian De Keersmaecker - while the attack isn't flush with goalscoring options. Ramsey will need to be clever.  

Disruption and a lack of depth could cause issues but the off-field issues could galvanise the group. For fear of the unknown, I'm playing safe with a top-half finish and maybe play-off contention.

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11 - Blackpool - 22/123.00

Blackpool began last season as one of the favourites in League One after a summer of big spending under Steve Bruce. Instead, they flopped badly, sitting bottom of the table when Ian Evatt arrived in late October. It took a while but eight wins from the final 10 secured survival in style.  

Evatt has claimed that last season humbled people and "reignited our hunger as a football club". He will be hoping those traits come through for a group that has largely stayed together - Ashley Fletcher is the only regular from last season to move on to pastures new.  

Attempts to improve the squad have come in the form of a former promotion winner in Jordan Williams, Dion Charles (who worked under Evatt at Bolton) and Ilmari Niskanen, a consistent creator for Exeter City. Karoy Anderson has also returned on a permanent basis and the squad looks well balanced on paper.  

Evatt has the keys and will hope his side start from a stronger base, giving him more reliability and structure to work from. They should spend more of the season looking up rather than down but it's hard to see which players at either end of the pitch are going to provide reliability and it could be enough to cost them.  

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12 - Huddersfield Town - 12/113.00

Huddersfield Town are another club that could finish in a wide range of positions this season. 

Owner Kevin Nagle has done his best to try and acknowledge mistakes and get things right but it has so far led to a classic case of trying lots of ideas in order to see what sticks. That has led to the appointment of Martin Drury, who oversaw things after the departure of Liam Manning for personal reasons. This is Drury's first managerial job in professional football.  

The questions surrounding The Terriers and a potential promotion push are less about the quality of their squad and more about mentality, standards, cohesion and structure. On paper, they have a squad more than capable of competing but they have lacked stability since Carlos Corberan's departure and have often struggled towards the back end of league campaigns.  

Huddersfield Town still strike me as a football club that don't really know what they want to be and until they figure it out, they're going to struggle to climb the ladder.

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13 - Leyton Orient - 50/151.00

Richie Wellens pulled no punches at the back end of last season - he had wasted a year of his career on a "really, really weak" squad. 

It's therefore of little surprise that Leyton Orient have been among the busier clubs in the EFL to date as Wellens looks to get his new-look side up to speed before a ball is kicked. Nathan Baxter, Joseph Olowu, Fin Stevens and Isaac Hayden all arrive with decent pedigree to improve a defensive unit that struggled last term.  

Armando Dobra and Yusuf Akhamrich step up after impressing in League Two but the attack still needs work. The inevitable departure of 23-goal striker Dom Ballard to Bristol City will help, giving the O's a chunky transfer fee to work with.  

With Wellens, there is also the possibility that things can go either way - we get the frustrated, outspoken version struggling to get things moving in the right direction, or the version that gets everything to click as his side rise up the table. We may see a little bit of both this year and a mid-table finish.  

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14 - Doncaster Rovers - 33/134.00

Life under Grant McCann has brought big highs and big lows for Doncaster Rovers. The ex-Northern Ireland international won promotion in his first season, earning a move to Hull City. He returned in 2023 with his side sitting 22nd in February before a 10-match winning run dragged them into the play-offs. He won the League Two title in season two.

Last season they were again in 22nd come February but a strong transfer window helped pull them away from the drop, finishing 14th. To McCann's credit, his team weren't exactly playing badly - they underperformed their xGD by about 30 goals. Had they matched those numbers, they would have likely finished much closer to the play-off positions, which is what he will be hoping for this time around.  

Neill Byrne has signed permanently after impressing on loan while James Husband and Alfie May return to the club where they made their EFL debuts. There has also been a change in net while Isaac Hutchinson, Jordan Thomas and Leon Ayinde all step up having impressed at lower levels. Owen Bailey's new three-year deal is a bonus too, though star forward Luke Molyneux has dropped a level to join Salford City.  

The big questions around Doncaster are whether those forwards can step up a level, not just replacing Molyneux but performing better than him and whether they can find more consistency in selection - only Bailey, Molyneux and Lo Tutala made 30 or more starts last season.

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15 - Stevenage - 33/134.00

When Alex Revell replaced Steve Evans in the Stevenage dugout, most expected the drop to be a quick one. Instead, Revell navigated a mid-table finish and then reached the play-offs.  

The difference between those two seasons show the fine margins between success and failure. Stevenage finished 14th in Revell's first season having scored just 42 goals and conceded 50. Last season, it was just 49 goals scored and 46 conceded and an improvement of 11 goals was enough for an 18-point increase and a sixth place finish.  

Can they do it again? I'm predicting no. My take on their summer business is that they haven't moved the needle sufficiently to improve further and the likelihood of a team scoring so few goals and making the play-offs in back-to-back seasons is unlikely.  

Charlie Goode has moved on, as has Harvey White, both to other League One outfits. Terence Vancooten and Terry Taylor know the level but will do well to reach the same heights while the additions of Josh Magennis and Olly Sanderson in attack don't scream immediate improvement. Stevenage sitting mid-table in League One is still a decent effort but matching last season might prove a step too far.  

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16 - Mansfield Town - 40/141.00

Nigel Clough does not conform to the norms of football management. Young, high-pressing, high possession team? Who needs it. Coaching players to be utility men? Absolutely - turn your striker into a centre-half. Highest goal contributor being a 37-year-old who spent the first part of the season in jail? Definitely.  

There is an art to it and Clough does it better than most, maximising the qualities of players that would ordinarily be past their sell-by date or be asked to do things they physically can no longer do. Clough has helped Lucas Akins keep performing, Lee Gregory and Aden Flint came up trumps for him in recent seasons too. 

He's out to prove he can still do it, signing both David McGoldrick (38) and Michael Smith (34) to improve quality in the final third. At least the signings of Jon Russell and Liam Thompson give them legs. In fact, only one player under the age of 23 (Jamie McDonnell) played more than 600 minutes for Mansfield Town last season and he left in January, meaning Liam Thompson may well be their youngest first-teamer this season at 24.  

We know what we are getting with Mansfield Town and Clough at this point. They will have good spells, they will have bad spells and by the end of the season, they will be comfortably sat around mid-table.  

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17 - Barnsley - 33/134.00

There is a clear disconnect between the Barnsley ownership and their fanbase at present with financial cutbacks and poor decision making only adding to the problem. That the popular Conor Hourihane has now departed after a 15th place finish only adds to the concern.  

Daniel Stendel is the replacement in the dugout and he remains a popular figure following a promotion with Barnsley back in 2019. But his career hasn't really kicked on since and the picture is a lot different to when he first walked through the doors at Oakwell.  

He takes on a side that has lost most of its firepower - David McGoldrick, Davis Keillor-Dunn and Adam Phillips all registered over 14 goal contributions last term and Reyes Cleary (top of the pile with 20) is set to depart if rumours are true. Replacements so far - Cameron McGeehan aside - have been on the younger side with potential sought over known quantities.  

It's not a squad lacking ability. But a manager that has had minimal success outside of his time at Oakwell managing a team that is poorer than the one that finished 15th last season is tough to get behind. I'm predicting a lower finish.  

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18 - Wigan Athletic - 33/134.00

Gary Caldwell's return to Wigan Athletic made sense after some positive years at Exeter City, even despite their financial disadvantage. He did the job required, keeping the Latics in the division having taken them on while in the relegation zone.  

Building on that isn't easy, especially in the current landscape of League One. They have lost goalkeeper Sam Tickle as well as experienced pair Jason Kerr and Will Aimson and two of their top three goal contributors in Callum Wright and Joe Taylor.  

The return of Max Power is a real positive while Connor Barrett has long appeared ready to step up a level. Both Ryan Trevitt and Akeel Higgins played under Gary Caldwell at Exeter City. However, the squad looks shy on depth, particularly in defensive areas, while the attack contains little in the way of known quantities where some young pups will need to step up.  

There is plenty of work to be done but as it stands, Wigan look like a club standing still in a league where money is being thrown around and it could spell danger again.  

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19 - Peterborough United - 40/141.00

When you listen to Darragh MacAnthony speak, you can be forgiven for thinking Peterborough United are going to fly up the table backed by a top manager and some of the most exciting young talent the EFL has to offer.  

It's been something of a classic Posh summer so far. Key players such as Archie Collins (contract ended), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (loan finished) and Kyrell Lisbie (sold to Millwall) have moved on with a selection of talented youngsters entering the building while various transfer listed players look to prove themselves.  

A big difference is the man in the hotseat. Not Darren Ferguson or even Grant McCann but Luke Williams. The ex-Notts County boss took a side that was bottom of the table upon arrival and a strong start (11 wins from 18) propelled them into the top half. It wouldn't last, injury and poor form leading to another poor run and an 18th place finish.  

MacAnthony has stated that incomings will be made and it does appear that they've been one of many victims of the transfer backlog caused by the World Cup. Yet neither of their experienced centre-halves have a kicked a ball in pre-season and they've lost a lot of goal threats. It's difficult to back anything other than another difficult campaign for Posh. 

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20 - Bromley - 150/1151.00

Bromley are understandably favourites to be relegated from League One. This is a football club that had not played higher than the Isthmian Premier Division under 20 years ago and only entered the EFL in 2024, yet here we are discussing a League One campaign. And not just a League One campaign, but a potential League One survival.  

The key to Andy Woodman's success has been not losing matches. In his 251 league matches as manager of Bromley he has lost just 55 (21.9%). When you dig deeper, 18 of those losses came during three separate runs of four defeats in five and six defeats in 10, meaning the other 37 have been spread across 226 matches. His ability to put together sustained runs where defeats are so few and far between is seriously impressive.  

Can he keep that up at League One level? It's going to be tough. And yet, they have recruited like a club ready for the challenge. The team is physically built for this level, is well organised and has a proven track record of not losing football matches. Their prowess in both boxes could be the difference.  

There's little doubt that Bromley are going to be up against it but they are more than used to playing the underdog. They won't step into the division with any fear and have a manager that has proven he can adapt. Don't be quick to write them off. 

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21 - Cambridge United - 50/151.00

Neil Harris returned to Cambridge United and immediately did what he often does best, creating a team that is incredibly difficult to beat. It worked, his side finishing the season in third place having conceded just 33 goals, at least eight fewer than any other EFL side.  

Repeating the feat in League One will be tricky and it's why Neil Harris remaining in charge is so important as a proven commodity at the level. It's not just him however with Patrick Bauer, Shane McLoughlin, Dominic Ball and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu all set to lead by example.  

They will definitely concede more goals than last season. The bigger question is whether they can score enough goals. Only Ben Knight reached double figures last season and early additions include Callum Stead, Isaac Heath (both stepping up from League Two) and Gassan Ahadme (56 career league starts at 26). You sense set-pieces will remain important - two defenders finished the season with six apiece.  

It's not out of the question that Cambridge can survive but like other promoted outfits, they are up against it financially and relying on being different to keep their spot in the division. Harris can manage it but an awful lot is going to have to go in their favour. 

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22 - AFC Wimbledon - 100/1101.00

As a fan-owned club, AFC Wimbledon often find themselves up against it financially. In fact, only Exeter City, another fan owned club and one enduring financial difficulties, had a smaller budget last year.  

What separated the Dons from the pack last year was an excellent start, sitting in the play-offs come the end of October having won eight of their first 13 matches. It wasn't long until a small squad began to struggle however, only Northampton Town and Rotherham United collecting fewer points from November onwards.  

Upgrading the playing staff hasn't been easy. Jayden Stockley replaces the popular Omar Bugiel while Dan Sweeney returns to his boyhood club. The squad remains thin on paper and their season could rely on the quality of the loans they are able to get through the door before the end of the window.  

I expect Wimbledon to be competitive but the reality of their status in League One hit home for the final two-thirds of last season. They are going to be up against it and might have to find a route to survival without putting together a promotion-level run of form over 13 matches. 

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23 - Notts County - 40/141.00

Notts County's rise back to League One from non-league has been enjoyable. Chris and Alex Reedtz have helped transform the club's fortunes on and off the field and now they face the challenge of navigating survival in League One.  

It's a new challenge for most involved so manager Martin Paterson, who briefly managed Burton Albion and has been on the backroom staff at Barnsley and Huddersfield Town, is an important figure. He was something of a surprise appointment last summer but proved a lot of people wrong as he led Notts to play-off glory.  

In some ways, I want to get behind what Notts County are doing - they often make good decisions. However, this isn't a squad flush with recent experience of League One football and they haven't really addressed that in the window signing five players most recently in League Two and two others from the National League. They have also lost Alassana Jatta and Matt Dennis, their top two goal contributors.  

This might be a case of too many players adapting at the same time and Notts County struggling as a result, unable to find a consistent rhythm and often carrying a couple of bodies. A tough season in store.  

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24 - Burton Albion - 66/167.00

For the second year out of three, I'm predicting Burton Albion to finish dead last. This is much less about Gary Bowyer, a manager I've got a lot of time and respect for. He has done good jobs in difficult situations and is probably the single most important reason to back a Burton Albion survival.  

This is more about the football club as a whole and how they have been run. The club released a statement earlier this summer confirming that they have "officially accepted all 28 breaches of our misconduct charge from the Football Association" while heavy losses have been announced leading to budget cuts on the playing side.  

The squad has been gutted. Jake Beesley (Bradford City), Udoka Godwin-Malife (Reading), Alex Hartridge (Plymouth Argyle), Dylan Williams (Motherwell) and Terence Vancooten (Stevenage) have all departed while talk continues about possible moves for Charlie Webster and Tyrese Shade. The lack of depth meant a lot of trialists playing in pre-season while midfielder George Evans stepped in at centre-back for their final pre-season outing.  

The club are yet to receive official punishment for their charges and, while Corey Addai, Curtis Tilt and Gbemi Arubi look fun additions on paper, it's clear Burton will be up against it. If anybody can defy the odds, it's Gary Bowyer, but he may not get a fair opportunity to do it.  

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Now read Jack Critchley's Championship 1-24 Predictions 2026-27

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