Luton
It was a tremendous
season for Luton last time out. Despite missing out on the title to Accrington
Stanley, Luton stormed to promotion with attacking flair and a lorry load of
goals. Now the ambitious football club is gearing up for potential back to back
promotions. Matching the ambition of the board is highly rated Nathan Jones.
The Welshman has done a brilliant job at the club and there is a real buzz
around the whole football club. Luton were regarded for scoring plenty of goals
in League 2 last season and they will certainly fancy their chances of taking
that form into League 1. James Collins and Danny Hylton smashed the goals in as
Luton stormed to promotion and these two will hope to continue their form in
the new season. However, Nathan Jones has won plenty of plaudits for bringing
in young, hungry players like James Justin, Glen Rea and Pelly Ruddock who all
played crucial roles in their promotion campaign and all will be determined to
prove themselves at a higher level with admirers from afar watching on. However,
the loss of Olly Lee to Hearts will be a blow but Jones will believe there is enough
at the club to continue the clubs’ ambition for promotion. Jones has flexed his
muscle in the transfer window and signed and so far, added Andrew Shinnie on a
permanent deal following a loan spell as well as defenders Sonny Bradley and
Matty Pearson and exciting young attacker Jorge Grant from Nottingham Forest.
Grant was magnificent for Notts County during a loan spell last season, and
like his new teammates, he will have a desire and spirit to prove himself at
this level. The Luton fans will be quietly confident their side can mount a
promotion challenge as will Nathan Jones and the board and it could be an exciting
season for the Hatters once again with the Championship being their prime target,
but should they consolidate themselves in League 1 then that would represent a
good season for the club.
I think Luton will be
challenging for a play-off spot like most teams in the league and they will fancy
their chances. However, I feel they will just miss out on a play-off spot but don’t
rule them out because they certainly could spring a surprise. Certainly, a team
to watch this season.
My Predicted Finish:
7th
Oxford Utd
It was an
extremely disappointing season for Oxford last season. Many expected them to be
competing for promotion under Pep Clotet but his sacking and Karl Robinson’s
underwhelming finish to the season, the U’s just about avoided the drop. Karl
Robinson, the new owners and the fans will demand improvement this time around.
Robinson has completely stripped the squad back from the previous season and a
total of 14 players have left the club so far this transfer window. Robinson
will rely on some of the old guard from the previous season including Curtis
Nelson, James Henry, Simon Eastwood, Ricardinho and Jonathan Obika who will all
admit their underperformed last season and improvement must be high on their
agenda this season. These players are all experienced players at this level and
they will be vital with many of Robinson’s signings being young, unproven
players at this level. The likes of Cameron Norman, Harvey Bradbury, Tsun Dai
and Marcus Browne all join with a hunger and desire to improve this entire side.
However, Robinson has blended in experienced players at this level as well with
the acquisitions of Samir Carruthers, Tony McMahon, Ricky Holmes and Jamie
Mackie. These players all come with a good reputation at this level and they
will hope to showcase their skills once again. Robinson and the fans will
demand improvement and a play-off charge will be high on the Oxford fans’
agenda following a poor campaign. Karl Robinson has a proven record at this
level but with a completely new team, he must hit the ground running immediately
to give them the best chance of success. An improvement on last season would
represent a good season for Oxford United.
I think
Oxford will improve on last season and will attempt to mount a play-off charge
this season however, I feel they will come short and finish in mid-table which
would be much improved on last season.
My Predicted
Finish: 11th
Peterborough
Posh are
becoming season regulars in the third after another narrow miss on the play-offs.
The surprise sacking of Grant McCann was met with some trepidation with seasoned
promotion winner Steve Evans in captaining the ship, Peterborough fans will
believe this is their year to get out League 1. Steve Evans has completely
stripped the squad from last season following the clubs’ decision to transfer 13
players, but it has ended up seeing 17 players depart the club including last
seasons top scorer Jack Marriott and others including Jack Baldwin, Anthony
Grant, Steven Taylor, Gwoin Edwards, Chris Forrester, Leonardo Lopes and Danny
Lloyd. The club still has highly rated Marcus Maddison but was expected to leave
before the permanent window closes but he may still go but for now Evans still
has him after being told to plan without him. Steve Evans has a completely new
squad at his disposal after signing 16 new players who all have ambition that
matches the club and that is to get out of League 1. Peterborough have a new goalkeeper
in promotion winner Adam Chapman who was exceptional for Accrington. Posh also
have a new look defence following the acquisitions of Jason Naismith, Tyler
Denton and Josh Yorwerth. All are yet to prove themselves at this level and
Evans will be confident they can make the step up. However, the loss of Jack
Marriott may hit Peterborough hard but Evans has brought in a new set of strikers
capable of filling his big boots. Matt Godden, Jason Cummings and Ivan Toney
have all signed for the club this window. Godden was excellent for Stevenage
last season and he will hope to continue that form. In contrast, both Cummings
and Toney will hope to have found a home at Peterborough following their moves.
Cummings struggled after a move to Nottingham Forest last summer and now Evans
will hope to get the best out of his fellow Scot. Likewise, Toney has struggled
at Newcastle since signing and has frequently been loaned out to the likes of
Wigan and Scunthorpe. However, he has a proven track record at this level and
now with a permanent home, he will be determined to fire the goals for posh. Steve
Evans certainly has assembled an exciting, young, hungry squad capable of
challenging for promotion and with ambitious owner Darragh MacAnthony and the
outspoken Barry Fry behind Evans, this could be their strongest challenge yet
to get back to the Championship. Optimism is high for the fans and they will at
least expect a play-off spot and promotion would be magnificent achievement for
Posh.
I think
Peterborough will be the surprise package and full of excitement. Evans has
assembled an excellent team following the mass number of departures. I fancy
Peterborough for automatic promotion and even the title because Evans is a
seasoned winner and there quality at this level spread across the whole team.
My Predicted
Finish: 1st
Plymouth
It was an
excellent season for Plymouth back in League 1 even if it started so
horrendously. Derek Adams side were bottom in November but stormed up the table
and narrowly missed out on a play-off place and Derek Adams will be confident
that his side can go one better this season and break into the top 6. However, they
have stripped their squad back and the club has seen 11 players depart the club.
However, one who hasn’t gone is the talented midfield pair of Graham Carey and Ruben
Lameiras. These two are the creative spark in this Plymouth side and were vital
in their charge to the play-offs last season. Adams will want to see them continue
their form of the previous season because without these two being at their best,
their chances of play-off spot become significantly weakened. Sonny Bradley’s
departure to Luton will be seen as a blow for Adams but he has brought in new
centre backs in Niall Canavan and Scott Wootton who will compete for his place
in the side following Ryan Edwards’ magnificent return to football following
his battle with cancer. This summer also saw the departure of long-serving
goalkeeper Luke McCormick and a new set of keepers in Harry Burgoyne and Matt
Macey will compete for the number 1 spot in the side. Derek Adams will be confident
in mounting a promotion charge this time around after falling short. The
Plymouth fans will hope they can but consolidation once again this season would
represent a good season for the Pilgrims with their long-term goal being promotion
back to the Championship.
I think
Plymouth will finish in the top half and once again miss out on the play-off spots
but will make a strong challenge for them, but they need a much better start than
last season to give them the best possible chance of reaching the top 6.
My Predicted
Finish: 10th
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