League Two: 2018/19 Season Preview

REUTERS/Tony O'Brien

The League Two season starts this weekend and with it comes expectations for virtually every side that they can get promoted. 

Who are the candidates? Well, with four promotion places and playoff spots that stretch down to seventh place, League Two is a division whereby almost anyone can go up.

We at RealSport’s have picked our candidates for promotion and relegation:

Promotion

1st: MK Dons

It wasn’t long ago that MK Dons were in the Championship. But now they find themselves back in League Two and it feels as though years of progress have been squashed. 

Former Exeter boss Paul Tisdale is now at the helm of the club and the expectation has to be promotion. 

He has experience of getting out of this division and his budget at MK Dons is likely bigger than anything he had at Exeter. 

2nd: Notts County

Kevin Nolan’s side were keeping pace at the top of League Two last season until the final stretch of the season where they eventually fell out of contention.

REUTERS/Tony O'Brien

A harsh playoff exit against Coventry followed, and the worry is that they are feeling sorry for themselves as the season starts.

But they should be more experienced and better equipped to deal with the long season.

3rd: Swindon Town

Swindon seem to be a side that are too good for League Two but are not quite strong enough for League One.

They have brought in former Hull City boss Phil Brown to try to get them back up and he has the necessary experience at this level to do so. He took Southend into League One and kept them there, so the fans of Swindon can be forgiven for expecting similar.

Last year they disappointed as they finished 9th, but they should be better this season with the stability that Brown will bring.

Playoff winner: Lincoln City

The Cowley brothers have done a great job at Lincoln and promotion to League One should be the expectation this season.

One worry for the Imps will revolve around whether they can keep their manager and assistant at the club as they have attracted interest from clubs higher up the pyramid - if they stay then Lincoln will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Last season they lost to Exeter in the playoff semi-final. This year they are capable of bettering that. 

Relegation

23rd - Morecambe

They survived on the final day last season, and it will surprise no-one if they are battling at the bottom end of the table again.

For Morecambe, staying as a league club is a great achievement as they traditionally a non-league side. 

However, if they can stay up, that would mark 12 years of being in the Football League.

24th - Macclesfield Town

After promotion from the Conference last season, Macclesfield will be hoping to adjust to life in this division like Forest Green Rovers and Lincoln City last season.

REUTERS/John Clifton

However, the budget that they will possess and the small squad that they have will make it difficult to compete on a weekly basis. 

Can Mark Yates keep them up? It will be a hard battle.

Top scorer: Kane Hemmings

The former Rangers player is now plying his trade with MK Dons and he could well end up being the division’s top striker.

Last season he netted 15 goals for Mansfield Town and in a better side he could easily top 20 goals. 

At 26-years-old, Hemmings is in his peak years and if he aspirations of playing at a higher level he must hit the ground running this coming season.

Manager of the year: Paul Tisdale

Yes, MK Dons may well pick up another award. 

Paul Tisdale is a proven manager at this level and with his experience he should take MK Dons back up at the first time of action.

To do that, he will need to stop the rot set in at the club since they fell out the Championship a few years ago. Achieving promotion should give him a chance at being manager of the year. 

Young players of the season: George Williams

Williams made the move from Fulham this past summer to Forest Green Rovers and he could well be a shrewd signing. 

The Wales International made the surprising move on a free transfer and he could make Forest Green the surprise package this comings season. He played 11 games last season for SPL side St Johnstone. 

Player of the season: Harry Bunn

Bury were very disappointing last season as they suffered relegation from League One. Bunn struggled for form and played just 11 games in all competitions.

A tricky winger, Bunn has a lot to prove and if he can stay fit this season, Bury will have a very good player on their hands. 

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