As the new League Two season draws closer, we take a look at the latest promotion odds, including the summer signings that the favourites have made.
League Two Promotion Odds
Portsmouth 9/2
Portsmouth are the current frontrunners to win League Two. Under new management with Paul Cook, the man who won promotion from League Two with Chesterfield two seasons ago, the club have a strong case for automatic promotion.
With the departure of fan favourite, Jed Wallace, Cook has wasted no time drafting in replacements, including Kyle Bennett and Adam McGurk from League One clubs. In addition, the club has money to spend, which could be vital if they’re to achieve promotion.
Oxford United 15/2
Oxford United are one of the early favourites to achieve promotion this season. Michael Appleton has had a busy summer already, signing former West Brom forward, Kemar Roofe, along with striker Ryan Taylor and midfielder Liam Sercombe, who have both performed at this level in the past few seasons for Portsmouth and Exeter, respectively.
Like Portsmouth, the Us have a strong financial backing, and it could help them strive towards promotion.
Leyton Orient 10/1
The first of the recently relegated sides is Leyton Orient. Slowly but surely, manager Ian Hendon has brought in some fresh faces, including former Wimbledon favourite Sammy Moore and Colchester defender Sean Clohessy, amongst others.
Leyton Orient have spent large periods in recent years in League One, and the east London club will be looking to make an immediate return.
Luton Town and Northampton Town 14/1
Two sides that just missed out on last season’s play-offs are evenly matched for the title this season.
Luton occupied a play-off spot for most of their debut season back in the Football League, but a disastrous run from March onwards saw them drop out of the top seven. The Hatters eventually finished eighth, and caused a fair few upsets during the season. John Still has once again used his experience to bring the right faces to Kenilworth Road, including a vast array of exciting youngsters.
As for Northampton, they too dropped away from the play-offs with only a few weeks of the season remaining. Manager Chris Wilder has strengthened the key areas, with midfielders Alfie Potter and Nicky Adams giving pace, with the addition of two higher league defenders also added to the ranks at Sixfields. If top scorer Marc Richards can have a similar season in front of goal as he did last season, then the Cobblers could well be in with a shout.
Bristol Rovers 16/1
The first of the two promoted Conference sides, Bristol Rovers, will be in search of back-to-back promotions. Young manager, Darrell Clarke, led his side to a play-off victory, but he hasn’t set the transfer market alight as of yet. That said, the club has a large fan base and a decent financial backing, which could help the club towards the top end of the table.
Cambridge United, Plymouth Argyle, Stevenage, Wycombe Wanderers and Yeovil Town 18/1
Five sides in League Two sit at 18/1; four of which were in League Two last season, and three finished in the play-offs.
Cambridge United are the side that didn’t, as they, for parts late on in the season, faced the threat of relegation. But, manager Richard Money steadied the ship, and has so far made some exceptional deals in the transfer window. If Money can get his new squad working together, then the Us could mount a real promotion push.
Plymouth Argyle finished seventh last season, losing in the play-off semi-finals against the beaten finalists, Wycombe. The Pilgrims are under new management following the departure of John Sheridan, with former Ross County manager, Derek Adams, taking the seat. Despite losing a couple of key players, including Lewis Alessandra, Adams must start rebuilding the squad if he is to take the club one step further than his predecessor.
Another club with a new manager is Stevenage. Former England and Manchester United striker, Teddy Sheringham, has taken his first managerial role after Graham Westley’s departure, which followed Westley’s failure to gain promotion from the play-offs, losing to eventual winners, Southend, in the semi-finals. Sheringham has made a couple of new signings, but like Plymouth and Adams, he will he aiming to take the club one step further.
Beaten play-off finalists, Wycombe, will be looking to achieve automatic promotion this season, a position the Chairboys held from late September until the penultimate weekend. Gareth Ainsworth has made a couple of summer signings but, like last season, he’ll be looking for some decent loan acquisitions due to the club’s lack of finances (compared to those around them).
Another side that were relegated last season is Yeovil. Under Paul Sturrock, the club will be looking to bounce straight back to League One. Sturrock has made some vital summer signings already as he prepares for a long season in League Two.
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