EFL Preview Show: Leagues One and Two

0:04Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. The new season is here and it starts in the Football League. For the 2025-26 campaign, the Game Podcast team will continue to bring you a dedicated show covering all things EFL and we begin with a preview for League 1 and League 2. I'm Tom Clark and joining me as usual we have the former Nottingham Forrest, Rotherham, Chesterfield, Crewe, Northampton and Grimsby Defender turned journalist Gregor Robertson. Hello, Gregor.

0:36Gregor Robertson: Hi, Tom. Full list of clubs today. Full list, new season, full list, just in case you've got new listeners, want them to know what a big dog we've got on this EFL show. A man who's been there, done it all three levels, seen the lot, won the lot, played in every single circumstance. You took it too far now. Possible. Absolutely everything covered. Yeah. Thought I'd give you the big Excel, we're excited, aren't we? Absolutely, absolutely, yeah. Doing all the research and stuff for these, just every year I get excited about it. And even then, every year it throws up drama and sort of unexpected things that just only the Football League can.

1:12Only the Football League, absolutely, very special. But before we get to that, two quick things before we begin. Firstly, for regular listeners, we've talked about new listeners, for regular listeners, have you had to explain to your young daughter why she cannot support the triumphant English lionesses?

1:28Gregor Robertson: No, of course not. Has she said, Dad, can I have a Leah Williamson England shirt? No, Tom, she's four. I mean, I don't think she could quite articulate that yet. When that World Cup rolls around, you better get ready. No, I think you're probably right. I think you're probably right, yeah. You better get ready with a good justification for why she's got to wear a Scotland shirt. Exactly, yeah. I'll get ready with a Scotland shirt. That's my ploy. We'll see how it goes. Fine. And secondly, Gregor, we're about to ponder the potential trophy winners this season, but the game podcast is in the running for a trophy of our own as we've been nominated for a British podcast award.

2:01That's bloody nice, isn't it? Absolutely. Wonderful. Honestly, never known anything like it. Do you know what I put it down to? I put it down to wonderful insights like both things can be true.

2:11Gregor Robertson: There's no way that those judges can... Nuance, Tom. Nuance. There's not enough of it in the world. Balance. There's too much tribalism, too much toxicity in the public discourse. Just need a calm Scottish lilt saying both things can be true. Both things can be true. And I'm sure we'll get a little bit more of that, but very, very excited and very proud that the Game Podcast has been nominated for a British Podcast Award in the sport category. Let's hope we bloody win. We're up against Peter Crouch and Paula Radcliffe-Gregor. I think you can mark Crouchy. I'll take Paula for a run. See where we can go.

2:42Gregor Robertson: Easy, easy. I'll do them at the ankles. Yeah, absolutely. Right, let's get stuck in. League One. Now, this is fascinating. This is genuinely, this is where I got excited because last time, and I listened back to last season's pre-season preview. And it was all Birmingham and Wrexham. I take no credit whatsoever for predicting that Birmingham and Wrexham would be up near the top of the table. And so it proved. But this season doesn't feel as straightforward to me. Let's start, I think, the best way to start, obviously Birmingham were one of the big relegated sides this time last year. So let's start with the relegated sides, Luton, Cardiff and Plymouth.

3:16And I'm going to go out with an early hot take. I don't fancy any of them. And that might be mental, but I'm not quite... But I just, Cardiff to me feel like, I don't know whether the club just needs a season in League One. You know, I've got some stats that I'm going to read out about them being back at this level later on. Just, it feels a little, still a little bit messy. I'm just not fully convinced. Luton, obviously, a very strong squad, but as I think you're going to mention in a minute, Alfie Doughty, one player already left recently this week to go to Millwall. Long way to go to the end of the transfer window.

3:48And, you know, Plymouth, great fun in the FA Cup. really struggled for a long time last season in the championship. It's a hot take to start with, Gregor, and I've got a feeling you're going to tell me I'm an idiot.

4:01Gregor Robertson: It's a hot take. I'm not going to say you're an idiot. I think the one club I'll disagree with you on is Luton. I think, really, it's not enough to say they've got a strong squad. They've got a ridiculous squad for the level. I completely take the point that there is a long way to go with the soft in the case too with teams relegated from the Premier League. I think of Southampton last year, they started the season with James Ward-Prowse playing for them and a few others. So if Luton get through to the close of the transfer window with the squad they have intact, then undoubtedly they'll be challenging for Automatic.

4:33Gregor Robertson: And I actually think they will be anyway because there are some players who, when Luton had their rise from the Championship into the Premier League, even the players they signed were really strong players in the Championship, players who kind of mirrored their journey. and even if they lost a few of them I still feel like they have the depth this is a squad that's like they've lost Asgard to Rangers who was brilliant really at the back end of last season Cartland Morris to Derby Kaminski to Charlton who was a great goalkeeper for them Amari Bell to Charlton so like they've lost some big players but they've still got Isaiah Jones Deheith Chong, Jacob Brown Shandon Baptiste, Mark McGuinness who cost like best part 10 million quid when they were promoted even players like Jordan Clark who have been there a long long time so I feel that their squad is stacked still and then even players coming in like Carl Naismith who has been at the club before George Saville, going to be a really good player at the level, Naki Wells still got goals in him Josh Keely, the goalkeeper from Spurs who was brilliant at Leighton Orient last season so I think it's impossible to say that Luton won't be up there and yes it's a rarity that a team are relegated back to back from the Premier League to League One, it's not happened many times at all but even if you look towards the back end of last season Matt Bloomfield when he came in took a while to make an impact but then he really did make an impact they concurrently finished the season really badly and really well, they were hammered by West Brom on the final day when they still had a chance but over the final dozen games they were I think the third best team in the league in relation to how many points they pulled up So I think Matt Bloomfield, even from his first half of the season at Wickham last season, has demonstrated that he's going to be a good fit for Luton and is a good coach and a good motivator.

6:26Gregor Robertson: So I think that augurs well for them. There are other two teams we can discuss, but I can see your point much more clearly because they've, I don't know, there's bigger issues about the way they're run. Just quickly, the other thing about Luton, listening to you and thinking, And when you said it's impossible to discount them, by the way, listeners, that is definitely code for you being stupid, Tom. But we'll let him off because as much as that list of players that you highlight there, it's quite right. It is a stellar, stellar cast of players at this level. The Bloomfield factor for me, I'm not as fully convinced on.

7:00Yes, a great start to the season with Wickham. Then you jump ship, you go to loot and you're in a relegation battle. I don't necessarily think that equates that you're then immediately, you know, perfect fit for a promotion charge. and I just don't see them, you know, I don't think, well, would you say they're in the Birmingham category? You've listed how strong they are. Like last season, you know, and I say, referencing the previous podcast, there's no great credit, but we literally both just said, yeah, Birmingham and Wrexham, because Birmingham were so far ahead, the amount of money they were spending.

7:30Luton are not Birmingham level to me.

7:32Gregor Robertson: No, I agree. I mean, they've also had a sort of different journey too. They've, you know, their rise was remarkable and then their fall has been just kind of equally as remarkable and a lot of the players have been on that journey. So there's quite a lot of baggage there too and that's going to be a thing that they have to kind of get past and they have to be players who really, after experiencing that high, are willing to knuckle down and play in League One and go to some of the places they have to do on a Tuesday night, whatever, I don't know, Doncaster or Port Vale instead of Anfield. So that's going to be a factor.

8:10Gregor Robertson: But I do feel like Matt Bloomfield is a good fit. He's kind of very personable, big personality. And Luton have always had that one. If you go from Nathan Jones and Edwards kind of did the same, there's a sort of, there's a fit. And he feels like he is a good fit. So yeah, they're among the favourites and it's hard to see, it's hard to argue with that in my view, to be honest. Go on then, give us your view on Plymouth and Cardiff. Cardiff, obviously a massive club at this level. Their fans will not be liking the idea of a season in League One. But I just feel the turmoil and the way they, that second half of last season in the Championship, was fairly disastrous.

8:55In amongst a battle that was really frenzied near the bottom of the Championship table, it felt like they just faltered and folded a little bit in slightly disappointing fashion. And Plymouth, I just don't see. It's the same thing. maybe I'm judging them too harshly against the Wrexham Birmingham mantle of the sheer power that they had but I just don't necessarily see it with these sides listen they might be around the playoff charge and in League One technically everyone's in with a shout at the playoffs up until about February but I just don't see them as any three of them and particularly these two as outright certainties to bounce straight back what do you think about Plymouth and Cardiff?

9:30Gregor Robertson: Plymouth I'm kind of with you I think there's been a big overhaul this summer Tom Cleverley and his manager who did pretty well in his first season management first full season in management at Watford you know being sat by Watford is no great shame that's what happens to everyone and he's kind of he's not he's not like a dogmatist like a lot of young managers he's quite pragmatic and sort of takes a view of what he's got and that's certainly the way it looked at Watford they had a lot of pace and they were quite direct and kind of quite effective for parts of the season Plymouth just kind of seemed to me they feel like they lost their way a little bit and so the question is whether they can get back on track, I mean Plymouth's rise under Simon Hallett, the owner has been from league two kind of depth of league two to the championship and you know, built on making a lot of good decisions good recruitment and then the Wayne Rooney experiment was a disaster, even before that Ian Foster didn't work out at all before that you're talking about Ryan Lowe and Stephen Schumacher who were really successful at the club and they've kind of cleared the decks a little bit and as I say I think we're seeing them trying to return to what got them here really smart recruitment, young players often from further afield than a lot of teams will in League One They've signed a winger from Magdeburg A midfielder from Hertha Berlin A lot of young players Caleb Watts from Exeter City Added Jamie Patterson from Coventry He's much more experienced But I'm not seeing enough there To say that they're going to be nailed on To challenge I think they have been a very well run club That's the one thing you've got to say Until the last couple of seasons Where they lost their way As they tried to take the next step Into the Championship So I agree with you on that count and Cardiff it's very very hard to call I mean at the time of speaking they've still not signed a player but if you look at the squad they've still got like Callum Robinson Chris Willock Callum Chambers they've got young players who arrived in or who have come through there and you think there's more to come like Alex Robertson Ruby Colwell and then in the dugout they have Brian Barry Murphy who really interesting character I remember interviewing him when he was at Rochdale and he I played against him when he was Rochdale too and he was a good midfielder he kind of played really expansive football with Rochdale in League 1 which wasn't quite as commonplace in those days, this is quite a few years ago then he spent a long time at Manchester City as Elite Development Squad manager, he was a coach at Leicester City last season so he's got a good reputation and he wants to get back into management, this is a big job for him so that's an interesting appointment as I say they've got a squad of players who despite the chaos at the club you still think should be able to be competitive but again there's a lot of baggage there they've lost so many games to finish bottom of the championship last season this is the first time at this level since 2003 there's also takeover talk going around the background which we've reported on about Gareth Bale kind of trying to lead a consortium to buy the club Vincent Tan And whatever you say about his 15-odd years as owner, it's been pretty chaotic, you know, with it starting with trying to change the club's colours to the 17 managers, I think.

13:04Gregor Robertson: He's rifled through now. And they had a big wage bill last season too. So there's been a lot of mismanagement there. Of the three teams, they're the club. You would think Luton after suffering back-to-back relegations. No, Luton have been a well-run club for a long time and overachieved. Cardiff have been run really badly for a long time and this has been coming. Cardiff have got messy start followed by recovery and charge for the playoffs but ultimately falling quite short. That's what their season's got. Now there'll be listeners going, all right, come on, clever sod, Tom. Who's your big tip then?

13:39Stockport County. Stockport County are going to win League One, Gregor. And I'll tell you why. Because I went back over last season and I'm not quite sure how they didn't get promoted anyway. And I'm pretty sure that's what a lot of their fans will be thinking and that's what manager Dave Challoner will be thinking. as well. When you think back, not just to the playoffs, that semi-final, two legs against Leighton Orient, as much as Leighton Orient had a fantastic finish to the season, charging into the playoffs and just falling short in that final against Charlton. Stockport County fans, they must still be having sleepless nights over it.

14:08They've got such a strong squad still. They've made some changes. They've offloaded a couple of players as well, but they've made some really good signings, I think, in particular, a player called Tao Eden, who was at Lincoln City, has moved around a little bit, but he's such a classy player he plays at left back he can play midfield as well and he typifies the signing that I often think they make they seem to pick up these players who are very very good at League One level they'll obviously be able to give them good wages as well I just think

14:34Gregor Robertson: Quite unflashy as well they're never like it's not really a kind of absolute star you know even Malik Mothersfield from Peterborough this you know was excellent last season got 12 goals 9 assists he's a good sign in you know even they've lost Isaac Olaffey to Charlton I don't even think I think he even got 10 goals. He's a good player, but they're a team and Dave Chaloner is the leader and the guy who drives them all the way. They finished third last season. It's just been year after year after year of progress and they have very, very smart processes in place. I agree. They'll challenge again.

15:10Gregor Robertson: They'll challenge again. It'll depend on how the rest of the league performs, but they'll be up there again. Absolutely. Do you not think there's, well, that point about Chaloner consistency that group that team mentality and that determination I just think increasingly at league one level that's what gets you over the line when you know when you think of like the teams you know Rotherham's and teams like that that have bounced up and down managers like Paul Warne knowing how to just get the job done increasingly in the championship it's about high level football brilliant technical ability league one to me is still just about getting the job done that's what Wrexham did that is what Wrexham did last season and I just think Stockport are going to have their bit between their teeth all season to get over the line.

15:49The other team that I think are going to have a similar mentality, Bolton Wanderers. And for me, the key for them is their manager, Stephen Schumacher, has done it at this level with Plymouth, of course, and has made some very good signings. They seem able to spend Bolton. They've signed Lincoln's best player and midfielder, Ethan Arahon, who was interested in some championship clubs. We believe they spent about£750 ,000 on him. so they're clearly able to spend some money which is a big part of it so I don't know whether it's my North West bias coming in here but Stockport and Bolton are my two tips Gregor, what do you reckon?

16:22Gregor Robertson: Absolutely, yeah, Bolton I mean, after the Ienevitt era came to an end in January which was a successful era they came close to reaching the Championship Schumacher had a kind of early impact but then I think they only had two wins in their final 11 games and didn't quite make the playoffs that felt like an underperformance so I agree with you, Schumacher's an impressive coach and they've made some good recruits as well Cosie Dubere who's been on loan at Blackburn he's a really talented winger Max Conway was someone who did really well on loan at Crewe last season, got a lot of assists, left back, left wing back I think he could have a breakout season signed Sam Dalby who scored 15 goals on loan at Dundee United from Wrexham last season he was always actually when Wrexham were rising and Paul Mullen was dominating he was always someone who would come off the bench quite impactful, a bit of a target man so I think he could be a smart sign-in but I would also say that Huddersfield have to be talked about because they've had a fascinating summer I mean, we spoke last January about the money they splashed on strikers when that was the obvious kind of hole in their squad.

17:46Gregor Robertson: They signed Joe Taylor from Luton and Dion Charles from Bolton for like a few million quid. And they've gone again. I brought in Lee Grant as manager as well, who's really interesting. He's spent three years at the side of Kieran McKenna with Ipswich, former experienced goalkeeper and ended at Man United as well. his first number one job they've signed Alfie May from Birmingham like Lyndon Gooch from Stoke, Morrie Wallace from Millwall Marcus Harness from Ipswich Marcus McGuane from Bristol City they already had like Freddy Ladapo their squad is stacked like really is and the thing with Huddersfield is since Kevin Nagel came and bought the club American owner he's actually made a lot of bad decisions like he's really backed them he's spent money but he's kind of he's a bit tempestuous the only thing is how well they start I think he will think they should be going to kind of run away with the league now and they've got a rookie manager in there so they've got a really interesting season ahead because they've got a very strong squad and you know an interest in kind of bright young manager in the dugout as well Yeah we're in sublime or ridiculous territory with Huddersfield I think because I was convinced in January when they signed those strikers that they were going to charge towards the top of the table and actually they plummeted and ended up near mid-table.

19:10So I just wonder whether that pressure that you talk about there, that expectation, a lot of their fans will be expecting as much as their owner will be that as I say, in this league that feels a little bit more open this season that they'll be near the top of the table and I just wonder whether that might play on their minds a little bit. Reading is another team I wanted to mention, Gregor. Reading, absolutely fascinating. The end of Dai Young's ownership, a big puss for them but I just found them fascinating last season and I've watched them a couple of times and their fans will be saying Tom you're doing this on purpose because Lincoln's first game of the season on Saturday is Reading and you're trying to jinx us I'm not I promise I promise but I'm always impressed I'm always always impressed by their youth set up the amount of players they have coming through from the academy they've got Noel Hunt in charge the manager who had been part of that academy they've made some very very good signings including signing Lincoln's captain Paudy O 'Connor the centre back who will basically run through walls for you.

20:02You've got an absolute gem there, Reading fans. I'm not saying they're going to be up near the top two or three, but I could see a playoff charge from Reading coming. Yeah, I mean, what they did last season was extraordinary.

20:14Gregor Robertson: Losing Ruben Seller as the manager midway through the season, Sam Smith went to Rexha midway through the season, they'd already been decimated, any real kind of asset was pinched or poached from them. Noel Hunt did a great job. but so nearly steered them into the playoffs it's amazing it was actually losing to Lincoln that screwed them over they lost to us at home 1-0 and that absolutely messed them up and let Leighton Orient in otherwise they would have made the playoffs yeah and as you said they've got one of the best academies in the country outside the top flight and like without that who knows where they would be and this Lewis Wing who's one of the best players in the league really scored some absolute worldies been tied down to a new contract But the thing is, there's still some doubt about other players.

21:02Gregor Robertson: Yeah, yeah, true. Bengi, Bindin, Harvey Nibs. There's like a bit of uncertainty there still. But the biggest thing is that Dayoung is gone. Rob Kuhig is the man who's taken over at the helm. And, you know, he's a very positive character. He's someone who the Wickham fans really warmed to when he was owner of Wickham. for Reading even just to have a season of sort of relative calm I think would be would be most welcome but they have surprised everyone for the last couple of seasons and it's not impossible to think of them doing so again Any others we're missing? Obviously we're not mentioned Leighton Orient their amazing charge towards the playoffs last season and Wickham Wanderers were up there fighting alongside Birmingham and Wrexham for such a long time last season.

21:57Wickham, one of the best teams I saw last season. I'm partly discounting them because I'm convinced that Richard Coney, their star striker, will not be there come the end of this window. But maybe I could be wrong on that. You always talk about the financial backing that they've got at Wickham. What about those two sides?

22:11Gregor Robertson: Wickham's interesting. I was at the second last game of the season against Orient and I was really surprised at how toxic the away end was towards manager Mike Dodds. he played badly but he actually did okay after he replaced Matt Bloomfield I think, what did he get, 7 wins in 17 I think, so towards the end of the season like he's someone who's really been a coach in youth team football primarily, he's obviously well known for playing a big role in Jude Bellingham's development at Birmingham so I think after a pre-season he's got a pre-season to work on sort of the evolution of Wickham Wanderers because there's a lot going on off the pitch they're relocating their academy to North London, they've got a Kazakhstani billionaire owner Mikhail Omtadzi who's backing them but not like throwing silly money around it's all very data led trying to be smart, joined up recruitment, signed a striker called Bradley Fink from Basel this summer who came through at Borussia Dortmund Ewan Henderson who came through at Celtic and played for Hibs but he signed him from Beershot in Belgium signed a couple of players from north of the border as well actually so I think they see possibly some value there.

23:32Gregor Robertson: Still got Richard Coney as you say for now, Fred Onyuddinma they've got a strong squad it's just whether again this is another one that he needs to start quite well I think I think it wouldn't be that surprising for him not to be the manager by Christmas if otherwise so that would be my one reservation with them Orient I've just been decimated This is the problem with having lone players who are your best players isn't it this is the example Josh Keely who we've mentioned has gone to Luton, goalkeeper from Spurs who was outstanding like Roy of the Rovers season Jamie Donnelly again outstanding from Spurs Jack Curry, Charlie Kelman going back to Oxford and QPR Ethan Gilbraith's been sold to Swansea Dan Adji's gone to a Turkish club so like this is these are big players huge players for them there's also like on the flip side you look at some of the signings they made and you go these are good players, Aaron Connolly he's had some difficulties recently in his personal life but he was a good striker at Brighton and Hull even Josh Karoma from Huddersfield Idris El-Mizuni who was a big hit at Brisbane Road a few seasons back and then Richie Wellens is always like the sort of X factor for them too he's very punchy but he's good he is good and I think he'll place big demands on everyone around him including the owners and they've had new investment as well to continue to back him I'm sure he won't want a kind of transitional season or he might well be off so you know very hard to know what's going to come They've signed some good players there, but whether they can all kind of hit the ground running and form a kind of cohesive team unit, that remains to be seen.

25:24Gregor Robertson: But I'd add one more, Peterborough. We talk about teams being decimated. This has been an extraordinary summer, even by their standards. Normally they sell players left, right and centre, make good money, reinvest. This year they've lost Emmanuel Fernandes to Rangers, Kwame Poku to QPR, Mothersail and Aidan to Stockport Ricky Jade Jones to St Paulie Hector Capriano to Watford and like loads of them have been on free transfers so like they I think they could even struggle this season yeah they were that links us nicely into the next category where I don't really want to talk about like oh this lot of crap but just frame it in like what I might be worried by and Peterborough in all my time supporting Lincoln Peterborough kind of slightly above us much bigger much bigger club in terms of budget and things, I always associate them with either signing Lincoln's best player or taking a player that I'm like, Christ, how have they managed to sign him?

26:20And as you say, this summer you're looking at them going, Jesus, everyone's leaving, lads. And they had such a disastrous last season. They were one of the ones we got wrong. I said this time last season, oh, Peterborough are always up there. They're always there or thereabouts. You start to wonder whether they might be at the wrong end of the table this season. Any other teams that you'd be worried about?

26:40Gregor Robertson: Other teams, maybe Rotherham. I think that they've, for so long, as you just alluded to before, the Yo-Yo Club from League One to the Championship, and Paul Warren's been a huge part of that. And they seem kind of a bit addicted to the old boys club. So now the guy who's replaced them is Matt Hamshaw, another former player. He was part of Warren's coaching staff. he's brought Richard Wooden as a coach who was another former player you know the manager before that was Evans, Steve Evans who had been at the club before and been successful it's like it just feels possibly like the end of an era is slightly maybe dawning and like this period that you really have to say in relative terms has been successful for them even if they haven't managed to sustain championship football, they've been really competitive they've not had the budget, they've never gone out and put themselves in huge debt to try and compete to stay up, which is actually an admirable thing.

27:46Gregor Robertson: They finished 13th last season and I think they probably look weaker. I'm not sure they'll go down, but I think it could be a bottom half finish. I'd say possibly... I'm worried. I'm worried, mate. I'm worried. I'm worried we're not going to have to be able to do... Listen, I was waiting for you to bring them up. Because I don't want to. I don't want to. I'm worried. I'm worried we're going to have to cut this show in heart, knock it on its head. It'll just be you talking on your own because it would be too hard for me to talk about it. Put it this way, listeners, we've lost our captain and most important player, as I mentioned already, Poudy O 'Connor, basically managed to play even when he could only walk on one leg.

28:19He was in the centre of our defence, which was a key part of us doing so well, managing to keep clean sheets. Next to him, we had Sean Rowan, a very reliable, very consistent left centre-back. He's gone to Huddersfield. So there's two of our key defenders, most consistent players going to other clubs in the division. And then, as I already mentioned, our star young player Ethan Erachan in midfield going to another club in the division Bolton and listen we've brought players in I've no idea if they're any good or not I'm worried that's all I'm going to say

28:45Gregor Robertson: Well there's also the promoted for who we should probably say last season League 2 was bonkers as we kind of discussed until end of last season in terms of no one really wanted to grasp the nettle and get over the line and it felt like you know whenever the bell finally rung anyone could have been anywhere Bradford were promoted with basically the last kick of the season they've signed a lot of experienced players like Ibu Toure from Stockport, Max Power Curtis Tilt from Salford Stephen Humphries from Barnsley they'll have Andy Cook coming back Graham Alexander's a really good coach and you know I think I think they'll have enough to be to stay up but I think it'll be a difficult season I think basically the gulf between all the leagues is growing like this is not just a Championship Premier League sort of phenomenon I do yeah I think like I think I think the one the one difference is when you're promoted from the National League to the to League 2 and we'll come you know we'll come to speak about that you have to be so good to get out of the league it's a different and you have to be really bad to be relegated I think that's a different sort of dynamic but I still think there's a gulf and I think all I think all the promoted teams will struggle I think if you look at Wimbledon last season their defence was outstanding conceded the fewest goals 35 in the league 21 clean sheets a really good home record they you know as we said last season they finished the season with 4 1-0 wins to get in the playoff spot then didn't concede in the playoffs just still kept getting over the line because of the defence their goalkeeper was on loan from Palace he's gone to Huddersfield now the step up in level is going to be a challenge and I don't see them having the goals they didn't have the goals last season but I don't I think about some of the teams I watched Lincoln play who managed to survive near the bottom of the table, Burton Albion with that amazing run to stay up last season.

30:41And I think I agree with you that the step up, if you want to do a Wrexham or a Stockport, that step up is massive. But I think you can step up and survive by being hard to beat and gritty and determined and all those kind of cliches about football, league football. I still think that remains true at League One. From what I've watched, particularly the last couple of seasons, I still see teams coming and playing against Lincoln who consider themselves a team that would want to be in mid-table or competing for the playoffs, and teams doing a fairly comfortable job on us who are near the bottom of the table.

31:14So I still think you can survive. I agree with you about those teams that have come up, maybe struggling, but I think there's a chance that they can survive, which is why it makes it very difficult to predict. Gregor, I've got some exciting news. I've dug out a predicted final league position table from the Opta team who've put all the results, all the games all the matches all the teams all the statistical information they've got into what they call a supercomputer that's right we don't just do supercomputers for the Premier League we do them for League One now as well and I've got some exciting news the Opta Computer agrees with me Stockport County top of the League One table but they do not agree with us about Leighton Orient because they've got Leighton Orient in second and then they've got a team we've not mentioned yet because producer Neil doesn't like it when we do Blackpool in third

31:57Gregor Robertson: well actually I think Blackpool are worth mentioning definitely I think last season they were the second highest scorers in the league behind Birmingham Birmingham were everything except actually Blackpool were the best open play chance creators in the league even better than Birmingham they were excellent when I saw them play Lincoln I was like these are one of the best teams in the league yeah and you know that's not something you really associate with Steve Bruce and they have lost Rob Apter who's gone to Charlton Sonny Carey as well they've got Niall Ennis has joined permanently after his loan last season Danny Emery really good sign and he was on fire last season alone from Palace at Bromley like definitely looks capable of that step up and possibly another one after that George Honeyman looks like a decent signing for the level as well so like and Steve Bruce well whatever you say you know he knows what he's doing I know that League One's a kind of new a new world for him a little bit but yeah I think he can put he's put together a really a really good team I think if they sort of tighten up a bit defensively saying Horsfall is centre half also a good signing they were really good going forward last season so I don't think that is it maybe third's pushing it a bit but I think they'll be they almost we said towards the end of last season my god they could be making a run for the playoffs and they just fell away at the end so it's not a massive leap for them to you know they finished ninth last season possible we'll get a telling off from producer Neil in a minute when we go to a quick break but just a few more things to wrap up that Opta supercomputer as they put it have Wimbledon bottom Northampton Port Vale and Mansfield in the relegation places with Bradford Burton Albion Doncaster Exeter just above them listeners that's an Optus supercomputer that is not me and Gregor Robertson Gregor the League One campaign begins on Friday night just to wrap up then can I have your two teams for a promotion I'm not going to make you pick relegated teams because it just doesn't feel fair it's not the kind of vibe I'm in the Lionesses have just won the Euros I'm in a good mood but your two picks for promotion and one shock surprise candidate Luton and who am I going for I'm going to go for Stockport and surprise Blackpool.

34:02That felt the one you were most surprised about, I've got to say, and your tone sounded like you were surprised you were even saying it, so I'm glad you went with that. I'm going to agree with you on Stockport, of course, and I'm going to say Bolton, and then I'm going to tip Reading for an outside charge towards the playoffs. Gregor, just a few stats about these first games. Luton against Wimbledon on Friday night. Luton have lost each of their last two opening league day fixtures, falling to defeat versus Brighton in 2023 and Burnley in 2024. they have not lost three consecutive openers since 1997.

34:30There you go, Luton. Good luck to you on Friday night. A couple of other fun stats about the opening weekend games. Speaking of my two favourite teams, they go head-to-head Stockport County against Bolton Wanderers. This will be the second time that Bolton have faced Stockport on the opening day of a Football League campaign after they drew 2-2 in their opener during the 19-10-11 season. Honestly, where do they get these stats from, Gregor? just a couple of stats about the opening weekend's fixtures. We're going to take a little break, but we will be back with a look at League Two, a different kind of quiz question for Gregor this week because it's all about his own genius.

35:07Listeners, just how good was Gregor Robertson in predicting the League Two promotion contest last season? I'll tell you after this break.

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36:21all season. I went back and listened and we'd have a much quicker look at the League 1 and League 2 in last season's preview show and I asked you, who are you tipping? And do you know what you said? You very quickly said Doncaster and Port Vale. And listeners, Doncaster finished first and Port Vale finished second. So if you fancy a flutter, listen in, because this man knows what he's talking about. Obviously, gamble responsibly and all that jazz. But that's good, isn't it? Well done. Yeah, I'll take it. A little bit of Who was third? You didn't give one. You left it hanging. You quit while you were ahead.

36:55Genius. Two's enough. Two and done. Two and done. Anyway, let's talk about the League Two campaign this season. As you mentioned in that first half of the show where we were chatting about League One, League Two, always absolutely crackers, always bonkers. And I'm sure it'll be no different this time. Gregor, who are you fancying? Now remember, this time next year, I'm going to be doing the same thing. So make them good choices.

37:17Gregor Robertson: For the same reason as Luton, it's got to be MK Don. I think their squad is ridiculous for the level like Paul Warren who was mentioned in the first half of the show you know long association with Rotherham went there towards the end of the last season a bit like a bit of an odd fit if we're being honest you know M &K Dons have had if you think of their previous managers recently Mike Williamson Liam Manning Russell Martin like really you know expansive they fancied themselves over the top football let's just call a spade a spade I say that with respect to MK Dons fans but yeah gritty Paul Warren is not what you expect at MK Dons well the thing we should say is that the club has changed in the last year or so as well isn't it Pete Winkleman sold the club to a Q80 consortium as well as rifling through those managers they have backed them so this summer they've signed Aaron Collins from Bolton who's like you know still in his prime Nathaniel Mendes-Lang who Warren recently worked without Derby and still got a lot on his legs rushing hit by Murphy from Crawley scored 10 goals in League One last season Will Collar from Stockport and then like we've got to remember last January they signed Dan Crowley they've still got Scott Hogan Liam Kelly Callum Henry even like they've got a really really really strong squad and like as I say it did feel like a bit of an odd fit but I feel that like Paul Warren is a really likeable guy he's someone who undoubtedly has a capacity to build a very strong team spirit to motivate his players I think with a bit of time it might not start brilliantly at the start of the season he might need a little bit of time and again I hope that he's given that but I think they have probably the best squad in the league so it's very hard to to look beyond them i think they are favorites um do you want another no i well i'll just jump in and say that i as much as i love disagreeing with you and playing the contrarian i find it very hard to look past mk dons for all the reasons that you outlined i'm really sorry listeners i was looking to make myself more stupid i just can't bring myself to do it if mk dons don't get promoted something has gone very very wrong given all the things you just outlined there so yeah if you've got another one for either the second or third spots remember you've got three to play with for automatic?

39:49Gregor Robertson: So I think Chesterfield, for kind of the same reasons we were given about Stockport and that they are a club that feels like in a really good place now. And they've got a manager in Paul Cook who is very much the leader and the man at the helm, very safe, adored by the fans, got a really clear way of playing football. His teams always score up bags of goals. and he's been backed as well. Last season, obviously, reached the playoffs, lost to Walsall in the semifinals. That was the first season back in the AFL. Seasons before that, they've obviously won promotion, and the year before that, they lost to Notts County in the National League playoff final.

40:30Gregor Robertson: It's been year after year after year of progression and success, and it feels like another step is highly possible, particularly now that they've signed Dylan Markanday from Blackburn, who spent the first half of last season on loan second half at Orient wasn't quite as successful but he was really really good at at Chesterfield in the first half of the season and again this is a this is a team where you look at who they already have it's again a bit of a kind of you know there wasn't there wasn't any need for a great overhaul they already had Paddy Madden Will Gregg John Flex there Tom Naylor's been brilliant for them even though he's kind of advancing in years Kel McFad's in the same he's 38 eight but he's a big player for them at the back Armando Dobro still a huge player for them wide forward, been brilliant for them since he came from the National League and they've signed a few players on loan from Premier League clubs, Luke Butterfield from Everton, a couple from Fulham so a striker also really interesting, Lee Bonas he's placed for Northern Ireland he scored bags of goals for Larne a few years back, spent last season in Holland he scored a good I think he scored 11 goals in 35 games so Chesterfield are another pick undoubtedly because they've it's just kind of continual progression they've got a pair of brothers as owners who kind of lead the supporters trust and you know have backed Paul Cook very very very well and I think they've got a good chance of taken it one step further this year.

42:17Former Chesterfield legend Gregor Robertson there still making sure he gets his gift basket back at Christmas with tipping them for the top. One team that I'm seeing, if I've got a kind of contrarian pick for not being near the top of the table, Bristol Rovers. I've been reading, looking at the odds and all those kind of things. A lot of people saying Bristol Rovers are going to bounce back after a disastrous season last season where they managed to get relegated from a position where they really shouldn't have. I just don't see it. Do you?

42:45Gregor Robertson: No, I mean, you've always got a chance in League Two. You've always got a chance. Up until like, bloody April, you've got a chance of getting into the promotion contention. But I just don't necessarily see them hammering away near the top of the table. Am I wrong? No, I'm with you. I mean, I like Daryl Clark going back there. I mean, even though Daryl Clark was kind of someone who gave me one of the most miserable days of my career when Bristol Rovers beat my Grimsby Town team in the playoff final. that was the kind of start of his although he kind of took them down from League 2 they were promoted straight away then they went back to back to League 1 and they were kind of established League 1 club for the best part of a decade so he's obviously been off to Port Vale where he won promotion he saved Cheltenham from relegation, got a move to Barnsley didn't quite work out as well but I think he's a good manager and he's got a great connection to that club so I see that after everything that Bristol Rovers have been through last season as a good appointment but I kind of agree with you in that something stunk there last season, like they had a decent squad, a decent budget and Inigo Al Calderon who came in to replace Matt Taylor last season, that was an awful appointment but he kind of alluded to it very quickly he's like, there's something's rotting here and it's not always the case that you can come in, a new manager can come in and clear it out because you know they've got a lot of players still contracted to them Josh McEachern's an interesting sign in, 32 now but he's obviously kind of good pedigree good footballer technically but I agree with you, I'm not sure they're going to be bouncing straight back I'd actually say that of all of the teams relegated, I mean if you look Crawley, Cambridge, Shrewsbury Cambridge has been coming for a long time, really interesting that Mark Bonner who was the former manager and Neil Harris who left to go to Gillingham then to go to Millwall was that the right order?

44:46Gregor Robertson: it's been a confusing few years for him anyway they've both come back Mark Bonner's director of football Neil Harris is manager and it's a kind of slightly strange looking relationship on paper there but this has been coming from Cambridge it was like they did well to survive in League One and this has been coming Shrewsbury is the same Michael Appleton who you know and love from his time at Lincoln does not have the kind of youthful squad that he needs and likes to work with and it brought him great results at Oxford and Lincoln Shrewsbury are still trying, you know, the owner is still trying to sell the club you know they were relegated with a whimper last season Gareth Ainsworth came briefly, gave them a bit of hope but then left for Gillingham and then Crawley, you've absolutely no idea what you're going to get with that mob, like completely bonkers football club and ownership there's been changes in the kind of boardroom as well more huge turnover the recruitment's often really good but there's no there's no continuity and Scott Lindsay another returning manager after leaving for MK Dons unsuccessfully last season but who knows with them so it's quite it's kind of quite unusual in that sense that there's not really any of them you would hang your hat on to put up a a guaranteed challenge to bounce straight back yeah Very interesting there.

46:07We mentioned Bristol Rovers. They're playing Harrogate in the opening game of the season. Rovers have lost more opening day matches than any other team since the EFL rebrand in 2004-05. Happy start of the season, Bristol Rovers fans, for you there. Chesterfield, a team you've mentioned already. Chesterfield completed a league double over Barrow last season. That's who they're playing in the opening game. And we'll be looking to win three in succession against Barrow in the EFL for the first time since 1933. While on the other hand, Barrow have won each of their last three opening fixtures of the Football League season, last winning four in succession between 1959 and 1962.

46:47Gregor, there's some big, big records on the line on the opening day of the League Two season. that one destined to be a draw. Just very quickly on some of those sides there, this is the complete bias of a Lincoln fan who experienced so many joyous times under Michael Appleton. I disagree with you. I think he might, might just get it right. I agree with you, he's not made the same signings, but he's made a couple of good signings at that level. Tom Anderson won promotion with Doncaster last season. Anthony Scully from Portsmouth is definitely, definitely good enough to have an impact in League Two.

47:16Sam Kluklas as well in central midfield, dictating the play much like he had players do for him in his previous teams. And I saw them play against Lincoln last season as they were getting relegated, but you could already see what Michael Appleton was doing. And that's what I think he's got on his side. That's what Shrewsbury have got on their side, that they made that change last season. And the Michael Appleton way takes a long time to bed in. Every team he takes over, this is the way I'm going to play. This is how I'm going to play out from the back, possession football. He'll have started it already.

47:46He had already started it in relegation last season. he's had an entire pre-season I'm not saying they're going to run away with the league at the top of the table I wouldn't bet against a promotion push towards the end of the season another one born out of complete Lincoln biases I want to know what you think about Colchester and the Cowley brothers because it feels like an absolutely massive season for them massive, massive for their reputations and a massive season for Colchester as well

48:11Gregor Robertson: Well there's optimism there for the first time in a long long time I mean there was last season but there was kind of realism too this is they've been one of the worst teams in the country for like four years finished 20th 15th 20th and 22nd before last season when they kind of finished really strongly finished 10th just fell short of the playoffs and they started awfully last season I think two wins in 16 and then from the turn of the year they were like the third best team in the league so they've got that momentum they've got you know they've got pace we've got a lot of pace up top in Kyrie Slisby O 'Reilly Edwards Samson Tavid they've got some real and then they signed a kind of target man he's maybe not Matt Reid vibes but Will Goodwin from Oxford is that kind of player that they've always had and they always are able to turn to and they've got Jack Payne's creativity so yeah the feeling of optimism is the biggest thing because as I say it's been one of the most miserable clubs in the country for like half a decade and it's no mean feat by the Cowleys to kind of change that round, you know they are very positive characters but still, it looked like it was going to go wrong in the first half of last season If there's one thing they can do, it's vibes Gregor, I'm telling you Can you say the same about Ian Holloway at Swindon?

49:35Gregor Robertson: Possibly? I don't know, weird press conferences weird chat, weird stories about ghosts that he can definitely do He's stuck around, he's got a new three year deal despite the haunted training ground yeah he's not bothered about ghosts well they were the fourth best team from the turn of the year so and they were a shambles when he arrived they scored a lot of goals like it's all about whether the group of players that he's got and he's assembling can kind of deal with like whether the novelty of Ian Holloway wears off or not that's really what it's all about if he has a group of players who like his shtick and you know they get on a roll possible it's entirely possible that they they they managed to go for promotion fascinating I mean Walsall how did Walsall respond to last season's I almost didn't want to bring it up I'm still not over it and I'm not even a Walsall fan after last season it must be so difficult I just really want Matt Sadler to to turn it around because he's been slaughtered and like you know 15 point lead in January to lose in the playoff final because idiots like us keep bringing it up on special football league podcasts to make it public knowledge that's why it's our fault then you've got Ainsworth at Gillingham like Gillingham of you know one of many clubs with US owners poured a lot of money into the club gone through a load of managers can Ainsworth be the one to kind of turn it round he signed Sam Vokes and we come to try you know what it's gonna be you know what it's gonna be stick it in the mixer yeah exactly then Notts County they've sacked Maynard hired Martin Patterson yeah Notts County are mad like that should be you know almost like Stockport in League One we go again, we regroup, missed out last season it doesn't quite feel like that vibe they've still got some very good players Jodie Jones is an excellent player at League Two level but yeah, I slightly agree with you doesn't quite feel right Lost David McGoldrick to Barnsley really good for him when he's 37 still got Jata the statement they released when they hired Patterson was fascinating they've assembled a technical board which has on it Andy Edwards who's a coach Sam Slocum who's another coach, Director of Football Roberto Gagliardi the Director of Performance David Rhodes and the owners the Reeds brothers, Chris and Alex they own a data analysis company for the betting industry and it's like they've kind of doubled down on on their methods and this technical board is going to meet before and after games to like analyse in game decisions like even like real even real time decision making it's like they're really really doubling down on their process and it feels like they've kind of put a bit of a weight on their shoulders unnecessarily by kind of revealing this to the fans so it's going to be really interesting to see how Notts County go and I'd also add Barnet I think Barnet if you think about recent seasons and the teams who've come up from the National League Wrexham Notts County Chesterfield all being a real success and you can go back further that's often been the case but Barnet kind of almost as successful in the National League as all of those teams they're just Barnet they're not a big name or a big club like like some of the ones I've mentioned there but they had 102 points they had the best goal record the best defensive record Dean Brennan the manager is going to be a great addition to the FLE's box office he's like feisty Dublin-er there was a viral video last season when he kind of called out his own fans for moaning in the stands and that kind of that was viewed millions of times he was basically growling down the camera at them and he doesn't sugarcoat it.

53:39Gregor Robertson: But they play really exciting front football as well. So I wouldn't write off them making a push as well. Ollie Hawkins, a good signing from Gillingham. What about Salford? Salford one fascinates me. Been in that league now for a good while. Class of 92, yada, yada, yada, all that jazz. Carl Robinson still in charge. Made a couple of good signings. George Grant in midfield will be excellent at League 2 level. you just don't know when and if it's ever going to click for Salford though and the class of 92 thing has kind of evolved now David Beckham's upped his involvement over the summer there's kind of restructure of the ownership brought in some US businessmen and Nicky Butt and Scholes and Phil Neville I think have kind of taken a bit of a step back so it's not really quite what it was it's very hard to know Carl Robinson's a good manager but he kind of found the same problems no one's ever been able to sustain it Haki Adalukens has gone which he did he's done the same thing strangely each of the last two summers I met him last year at the PFA training camp for out of contract players and he turned down a new deal at Doncaster a good new deal and I think he's done the same at Salford so he's kind of he clearly knows his own value shall we say and they've signed Kadeem Harris who's an interesting one in fact he was at the PFA camp a couple of weeks ago he's been at Cardiff Sheffield Wednesday he was in Ukraine until the war broke out he's been at Turkey so he's been around but had some flashes of a really talented player in the Championship Cardiff on Wednesday so yeah Salford very hard one to know and then Oldham Oldham's a good story after everything it's a good story it's a good story my mum was born there I think they're going to struggle I think they're going to struggle sorry Oldham fans I think Oldham, Tranmere and just as everyone's thinking a North West bias from a man born in Salford Accrington Stanley as well I think those three teams could struggle near the bottom of the table Yeah I think I think you might be right I don't think they're going to be up there but I think Oldham I mean it's really fascinating that Oldham finished fifth on 73 points which is was 29 behind Barnett Yeah and you know it's a massive gulf massive massive gulf great scenes when they beat Southend in the playoff final and they were top of the list of basket case clubs in the Football League not so long ago great recovery for them but they've got a lot of players who probably their best days are behind them Joe Garner, 37 Corey Evans, 34 Ryan Woods, 31 now he's not he's kind of dropped through the leagues recently Manny Monta a few players like that so they're very experienced Mickey Mellon very experienced manager but I think actually like last season's promotion they weren't over the course of the season one of the best teams in the league because I was even 10 behind Forest Green Rovers 23 behind York in second like they were a long way behind so yeah I think you're right I think it could be another tough season for those North West clubs Come on we'll have to wrap it up then let's have three teams and a surprise package I'll go first I'm going to agree with you at Mk Dons charging away with it at the top of the table and if I had to pick two others I'm going to go Colchester and the Cowley Brothers and Gillingham with that Gareth Ainsworth you know what you're getting my surprise package Shrewsbury Town under Michael Appleton Gregor three promotion and a surprise three promotion and one surprise that's what you want ok we'll go Mk Dons Chesterfield you know what I'm going to go Walsall and then that could have been a surprise but I think I'm going to go for Grimsby lovely I think Grimsby as well I've had another one of his former clubs ladies and gentlemen making sure he gets those Christmas hampers and as a reminder ladies and gentlemen Gregor Robertson spot on with his League 2 predictions from last season so make sure you stick at least a fiver on Gregor we'll have to leave it there loads more still to come from our pre-season shows we'll be looking ahead to the championship season and we'll have special dedicated previews to the Premier League as well but for now we'll leave it there with League 1 and League 2 if you're off to a game this weekend enjoy it and if you win or get a last minute equaliser and make sure you have a pint.

58:02And if you lose, just remember, there's a long way to go. We'll see you soon.