League One 2024/25 Preview: Part One

Barnsley, Birmingham, Blackpool and Bolton

The 2024/25 League One season is only a matter of weeks away. If you try really, really hard, you can already smell those fried onions burning to a crisp on the NRE grill. Or taste that especially flat pint of Amstel being poured into a flimsy plastic cup. And we absolutely cannot wait.

There’s also the small matter of a football season to be played. 46 games of highs, lows, screamers, howlers, narrow defeats and big wins (or the other way around). The U’s enter their fourth season in League One with Garry Monk in charge, looking to embark on a campaign that will mean this time next year we’re writing these same articles previewing the third tier, not the fourth. After the drama of the last two seasons, United fans will all agree that stability means progress.

But what of the other teams? This is an especially brutal renewal of England’s third tier - a division that, even at its weakest, is notable for pairing some big sharks at the top end with some tadpoles at the bottom. And this year that’s even more extreme: the three relegated teams all have varying reasons for confidence in going straight back up, and the three promoted automatically will all feel sure they can keep an arm’s length from the bottom end, at least.

To look ahead to the 2024/25 League One, we’ve asked fellow podcasters and content creators from every club in the division to answer a series of questions to help give an insight into their sides’ hopes and expectations for this season, so that you can be armed with some sort of knowledge of what we’re up against this season.

Today we’re starting with Barnsley, Birmingham, Blackpool and Bolton. This is the first of six posts, make sure you’re subscribed below to receive each one directly to your inbox.

Note: these answers have been collated over the past few weeks, so in certain places they may be slightly out of date.

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Barnsley

By Reds Report

Could you give us a quick summary of your 23/24 season?

Disappointing. Despite the fact we were never out of the top 6 from October onwards (although we nearly managed it in the final few minutes of the season) the football was poor. Our home form was awful and the cracks were papered over by decent away form - which also went to pot by the final few weeks of the season. Although we scored a similar amount of goals to the previous season when we made the Play Off final, we conceded far too many goals which ultimately cost us the automatic promotion spot that had looked achievable in early March. Our form fell off a cliff from mid March which we carried into the play offs. The general opinion last season was the league was very average and we should have mounted a better challenge for promotion. 

How have you rated your summer business so far?

It is still early days but we have recruited in the areas identified as priority. We needed a goalkeeper with Jackson Smith arriving from Walsall, although we know little about him. A refreshing change in recruitment from the board sees two older heads returning in the form of Conor Hourihane and defender Marc Roberts. Hourihane comes as player/coach and will assist the current management team so we don't expect him to play week in week out. Roberts will add vital experience in the defence and I can see a solid back line forming with Roberts, big Donovan Pines & Mael De Gevigney together.

What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?

We still need a left wing back, striker and to move on Callum Styles who doesn’t seem to want to be in League One but no Championship club has yet been prepared to pay the £2m release fee.  

Which of your players are you most excited to see play for you next season?

It would be great to see Hourihane next to Luca Connell in midfield, but that wont be a regular thing with Hourihane already saying he won’t play week in week out. We still think Roberts can do a job in the centre of defence and it will be good to see him marshall the back three. Hopefully, the most exciting signing is yet to arrive.

What’s the general opinion on the manager?

I like Darrell Clarke’s attitude and how he speaks. Time will tell if the board provide him with the squad depth he needs to submit a promotion challenge but he comes across well in what he says. I certainly think he wont suffer fools. Last season too many players saw their futures elsewhere and played like it, those have gone now and hopefully Clarke can mould this team how he wants to. 

What sort of season are fans hoping to have?

Promotion! The difficulty being that we start all over again like most summers with a new manager which means it will take time for things to settle down and form develop. Time we may not have given the strength of the league this season but we should be having a good crack at the play offs again. 

Realistically, if you had to give me a position you think you’ll finish in, what would it be and why?

It depends on the rest of the transfer window and if we end up with good squad depth or not. It is going to be difficult with the three sides who came down from the Championship already recruiting well and favourites for promotion, so I would say 6th.

Who are your early predictions for promotion and relegation?

You cannot look beyond Birmingham, Rotherham and Huddersfield for promotion with Bolton and maybe Blackpool not far behind. I’m tipping Crawley, Burton, Northampton and Mansfield to go down.  

For anyone who’s never been, can you tell us one unique thing about your stadium?

The fact we have the traditional four floodlights in each corner of the stadium is a throwback, but the main uniqueness is the West Stand where the dugouts are. With wooden seats at the back of the stand and open air toilets, you will be hard pressed to find a stand like it in today’s era. Also, the ground is surrounded by terraced streets and close to the town centre which is traditional unlike so many new stadiums that are built on retail parks. 

Finally, no offence taken, how many points are you expecting you’ll take off Cambridge in our fixtures?

Sorry but 6. We have done well against Cambridge recently especially away and if we have designs on promotion we must be beating "teams like Cambridge". 

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Birmingham City

By Blues Focus

Could you give us a quick summary of your 23/24 season?

Last season was a tough one to take for us. Despite some promising moments, we struggled with consistency on and off the pitch due to the various poor appointments. We found ourselves in a relegation battle and, unfortunately, couldn’t avoid the drop. It was a season of missed opportunities and a harsh reminder of the challenges we face.

How have you rated your summer business so far?

Our summer business has been quite promising. We've managed to bring in a few experienced players who are at a very high calibre fr League One, which should bolster our squad with the aim of getting promoted at the first time of asking. There's been a clear focus on strengthening our defence and midfield and it seems like we've upped our scouting network abroad.

What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?

I think we’re still a bit light up front. We need another proven goal-scorer who is also a unit, an Ivan Toney kind of build. I think we're also missing a proven number 10 and a left footed centre-back.

Which of your players are you most excited to see play for you next season?

I'm really excited to see how our new signing, Alfie May, performs. He’s got a great track record in League One. Also, our academy product Romelle Donovan is one to watch – he showed glimpses of brilliance last season and could really shine this year.

What’s the general opinion on the manager?

The opinion of Chris Davies is very positive. This is his first job as a manager but with his impressive CV, his confident demeanour and positive attitude, I think he's got all the traits for a great long-term manager. We feel as a fanbase we've finally got a bit of stability back following last season. It's very clear how he wants the side to play and hopefully the players take it on from the get-go.

What sort of season are fans hoping to have?

Fans are hoping for a strong, competitive season. Given our stature, many are looking for us to push for an immediate return to the Championship. But there’s also a sense of realism – the key will be to stabilise, build a cohesive team, and avoid the pitfalls that led to our relegation.

Realistically, if you had to give me a position you think you’ll finish in, what would it be and why?

I think we’ll finish top, but not without a fight. We have the quality to compete at the top end of the table, but it might take some time for the new players to gel and for the team to find its rhythm in a tough and competitive league. That and there's still some very strong sides in the division.

Who are your early predictions for promotion and relegation?

For promotion, I’d say us, Bolton and Huddersfield. As for relegation, it’s tough to predict, but I’d keep an eye on clubs like Stevenage, Crawley and Exeter – they could struggle this season.

For anyone who’s never been, can you tell us one unique thing about your stadium?

One unique thing about St Andrew’s is its historic atmosphere. The stadium has been our home for over a century, and you can really feel the heritage and passion of the fans on matchdays. It’s an old-school ground with a lot of character.

Finally, no offence taken, how many points are you expecting you’ll take off Cambridge in our fixtures?

I’d like to think we can take 4 points off Cambridge – a win at home and a draw away. But in this league, you never know. It’s always competitive and anything can happen!

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Blackpool

By Jack Fallon

Could you give us a quick summary of your 23/24 season

Class at home, awful on the road. Blackpool flattered to deceive near enough all of last season and lacked the consistency needed to look like a promotion-worthy team. There were big wins against Portsmouth, Bolton, Peterborough and Barnsley, but there were also defeats to Port Vale, Burton and Cheltenham too.

It was quite laughable we still had a shout at the play-offs on the final day; an eighth-placed finished served us right.

How have you rated your summer business so far?

Ticking along nicely, with a couple of spots still left to fill.

Getting Jordan Rhodes signed up full time is crucial to promotion hopes as is signing Hayden Coulson on a permanent after he impressed on loan last season. I'd expect both to start on the opening day.

Lee Evans looks like a really solid signing, particularly in an area we needed to strengthen. Here's hoping he's the replacement to Kenny Dougall we so desperately needed in the second half of last season and it's certainly no bad thing he's been promoted out of League One four times already.

Zac Ashworth comes with good reviews, but the jury still appears to be out on Ashley Fletcher.

What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?

For me, there are still some question marks over our midfield. We had ballplayer George Byers and box of tricks Karamoko Dembele on loan last season, both were brilliant but I'm fairly certain we won't see either return this year. An improvement at '8' and '10' would see us turn into a really solid promotion-chasing side.

Which of your players are you most excited to see play for you next season?

Rob Apter was dynamite on loan at Tranmere last season when we were crying out for a player exactly like him at the time. He's more than ready for League One now.

I'm convinced Kyle Joseph will be a better player with a full pre-season behind him, he was injured when we signed him, and he played catch-up all of last season.

What’s the general opinion on the manager?

The odds were always going to be stacked against Neil Critchley when he returned to Pool for his second spell. In the summer of 2022 - ahead of our second season in the Championship - he left unceremoniously to put the cones out for Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, having previously led us to promotion in 2021 and signing a long-term deal (don't worry, I'm definitely over it).

As soon as performances didn't meet the standard or expectation last season, the knives were out - somewhat unfairly - for Critchley. There was no grace period or room for slack to be cut that a new manager is usually afforded.

In my opinion, Pool's shortcomings last season can be put down to the lack of quality in the squad, not the manager. The amount of players who have left and gone on to worse things speaks volumes.

Critchley spoke well in a recent fans' forum which endeared him to the fans and with a positive start to the season he will continue to rebuild his reputation. If we're struggling by Christmas things, I fear, will turn nasty.

What sort of season are fans hoping to have?

We need more consistency in results and excitement in performances; things felt far too pragmatic and generally quite boring at times last season. I by no means expect us to storm the league - which I naively thought this time last year - but another season finishing outside of the play-offs will be a failure and I'm sure curtains for Critchley at Pool.

Realistically, if you had to give me a position you think you’ll finish in, what would it be and why?

League One looks even trickier than last season with the quality - and budgets - coming up from League Two, and some big dogs coming down from the Championship.

If we can marry up our away form with the home form from last season, then I think we could be in for a decent season.

Heart says fourth, head says seventh.

Who are your early predictions for promotion and relegation?

As much as I'd love them to fail, it's inevitable Bellingham City will be up in the top two. Barnsley would be my other autos pick and Charlton as an outside shout.

Burton and Shrewsbury are on borrowed time from last season. I can see a Steve Evans-less Stevenage get sucked into things and potentially Crawley out of the promoted teams.

For anyone who’s never been, can you tell us one unique thing about your stadium?

On a Saturday, we're your best away day of the season, on a Tuesday night we're probably one of your worst.

Away fans are housed in the East Stand, a temporary structure since our promotion to the Premier League in 2010. Playing fast and loose with the term 'temporary' there.

Finally, no offence taken, how many points are you expecting you’ll take off Cambridge in our fixtures?

Four. We'll give you a tickle at ours and we'll take a point at the Abbey.

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Bolton Wanderers

By Lion of Vienna

Could you give us a quick summary of your 23/24 season

On the whole, it was a mostly positive season let down by a couple inconsistent results that took us away from the automatic promotion race.

We scored the most goals we ever have in a calendar year but it wasn’t enough to take us over the line and into the Championship. You can score all the goals you want but when you don’t turn up on the biggest stage in the most important game of the season, you don’t deserve to go up.

How have you rated your summer business so far?

So far, it’s fairly promising. Forino and Southwood have plenty of experience at this level, though both have their injury issues. Lolos looks to be an exciting prospect coming off the back of a great season with Crawley in League Two.

Scott Arfield has experience of playing at a higher level and played in the Europa League final just two years ago. Hopefully he can still play a part on the pitch at the age of 35.

What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?

A quality left wing back for sure. Randell Williams looks to be missing the start of the season and whilst we do have a couple of promising players like Conway who could play there, we need a wing back of quality to come straight into the starting XI.

I’d also like to see another striker brought in, having lost Bodvarsson and Jerome over the Summer.

Which of your players are you most excited to see play for you next season?

Aaron Collins. We spent 750k (our biggest purchase in over a decade) to prize him away from Bristol Rovers and the Welshman kept improving after every game last season.

He’s off the mark already in pre-season and there’s high hopes that he’ll be the difference maker this season.

What’s the general opinion of the manager?

Certainly mixed. Plenty still want to back Ian Evatt and feel he is the best choice to lead the team still, whilst plenty felt that he should have walked away after the play-off final.

It’s a huge season for him to prove he’s still the right manager to lead the team back up into the Championship.

What sort of season are fans hoping to have?

Hopefully promotion, though this league looks a far greater challenge than it did last time around.

Realistically, if you had to give me a position you think you’ll finish in, what would it be and why?

4th. Rotherham and Steve Evans seems a match made in automatic promotion & the likes of Birmingham and Huddersfield will feel like they should be going straight back up as well.

Who are your early predictions for promotion and relegation?

Huddersfield, Birmingham and Rotherham promoted.

Crawley, Stevenage & Shrewsbury to go down.

For anyone who’s never been, can you tell us one unique thing about your stadium?

It has separate tunnels for the home and away sides. Believe it’s just us and the Bernabeu who do.

Finally, no offence taken, how many points are you expecting you’ll take off Cambridge in our fixtures?

If we want to be pushing at the top end of the league, it’d have to be six.