The 2011-12 season has undoubtedly been
one of the most enthralling promotion battles in it's history; and it
isn't over yet. On Sunday 27th May, Wembley will play
host to the League Two play-off final between Cheltenham and Crewe
Alexandra. The two sides will do battle for the final promotion spot
to League One, with the defeated team remaining in League Two for
another season; in what may well prove to be an even tougher division
to gain promotion from.
This season has seen an unthinkable
number of twists; Swindon's sudden rise to the title, Shrewsbury's
unbeatable home record, Southend's reign at the top pushed to
play-off misery and Crawley's last day automatic promotion. So why
will next season be any tougher than this season? In my opinion, I
believe that most people felt it was between seven sides that could
push for the ultimate prize of promotion. However, next season, I
think there will be even more competition for those four promotion
spots.
Wycombe Wanderers have not
stayed in the same division since the 2007-08 season, where they lost
in the League Two play-off semi-finals to Cheltenham. In that time,
they have had two promotions and two relegations, which will now see
them participate in League Two next season. Therefore, it should
come as no surprise to anybody come May 2013, if we see the Wanderers
achieving another promotion to League One.
Chesterfield achieved promotion
to League One as the champions of League Two in 2011, but failed to
successfully adapt to the higher division, finding themselves
immediately relegated back to the bottom tier. This side is sure to
remember that success and they will be hungry to instantly rekindle
that form and mount a serious promotion challenge.
Fleetwood Town have this season
won promotion to the Football League for the first time and will be
looking to do what Crawley Town achieved this season, with
back-to-back promotions. Fleetwood have been somewhat compared to
Crawley, due to them receiving heavy financial backing and many feel
they will be able to build an extremely strong squad next season.
The Lancashire based club recently sold star striker Jamie Vardy to
Championship side Leicester City, for a reported fee of £1million
and are likely to reinvest all of that into new signings.
Rotherham United will
be another heavily financially backed side in the division;
which became apparent to everybody after the shock appointment of
Steve Evans towards the end of the current season. The Millers
weren't far off promotion this season and news coming out of the club
suggests that they are prepared to spend whatever it takes for
promotion. Rotherham have already signed Kayode Odejayi from
Colchester United and ex-Man Utd striker Daniel Nardiello.
Torquay United have failed in
the play-offs of League Two for the second consecutive season, after
losing to Cheltenham Town in this season's semi-finals. The Gulls
had an impressive four players in this season's PFA Team of the Year
(Olejnik, Nicholson, O'Kane & Mansell) and lost out on automatic
promotion after going five league games without a win in their last
five games. If they can hold onto their current squad and strengthen
in areas, I see no reason as to why they will not be third time
lucky.
Southend United were heavily
backed for promotion after breaking a club record and going unbeaten
for twelve league games, taking them to the top of the league.
However, this was greeted by a poor run of form after the turn of the
new year and they dropped into the play-offs, where they were
eventually beaten by Crewe Alexandra. Manager, Paul Sturrock will be
looking to strengthen over the summer and build for another promotion
push.
All of the above teams will be looking
to achieve automatic promotion next season, and personally, I can see
all of them pushing each other to the very end of the season. This
weekend, Cheltenham Town and
Crewe Alexandra will
both want to secure their position in a higher division. However,
the side that fails will surely be a force next season. Crewe
recently announced that 18-year-old top-scorer, Nick Powell, will be
leaving the club for a fee of £4million to join Manchester United,
which will surely enable the club to strengthen other areas of their
young and talented squad. And that isn't it! Rochdale and
Exeter City, who have
been relegated from League One, will be looking to bounce straight
back and Gillingham (the
pre-season outside favourites) and
Oxford United only
narrowly missed out on the play-off spots this season.
It is
certainly going to be an interesting summer of transfers, and with so
many players out of contract, all of what I have discussed could be
totally different come the start of the 2012-13 season, on the 18th
August.
Twitter: @Rich__Norton
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