League Two 2025/26 Preview: Part Four
Salford, Shrewsbury, Swindon, Tranmere, Walsall
Welcome to the fourth and final part of our League Two 25/26 season preview. Just the five teams left to wrap up our look inside the fanbases of ever club in our new division, trying to give you a sense of whether you should be worried or excited about where the U’s are at in comparison. It’s probably a bit of both, isn’t it.
We’d love to hear how you’re feeling ahead of the season kicking off in the comments, or in the UTAS Chatroom on Substack.
Note: these answers have been collated over the past few weeks, so in certain places they may be slightly out of date.
Salford City
Could you give us a quick summary of your 24/25 season?
I’d say it was a season of three parts. We started the campaign poorly and really struggled to play the kind of attacking football Karl Robinson wanted to see. However, seven clean sheets in the eight games leading up to January saw us shoot up the table, before injuries saw us slip back and miss out on a playoff place in our final fixture.
How has your summer been, and are fans happy with the signings so far?
I think our fans are happy that there’s been a different approach to recruitment compared to our previous years in the EFL. In this transfer window we’ve concentrated on bringing in talent from the National League, rather than players failing to make the grade in League One or the Championship. The age profile of these signings are all 25 years or younger, so we seem to be building a team that can grow together over a number of years.
What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?
With one of our best players, Kelly Nmai, still rumoured to be leaving the club, we have a vacant spot to fill at left wing back. In addition, I think we look short of specialist centre halves to provide enough depth to play our back three system.
Who are your key players for the new season?
The fact Ossama Ashley has still not been snapped up by a bigger club is great news for Salford City, as his performances last year in defensive midfield were nothing short of awesome. The breakout star of 2024/25 was our right wing back, Haji Mnoga. His athleticism and ball carrying ability were a brilliant addition to our team, and his ability in the air sees him often used as a wide target man when we select a forward line who struggle in aerial duels.
What’s the general opinion on the manager?
I think Karl Robinson has shown he’s identified a clear direction he wants to take this team, and we all hope that the younger players who are previously untested at this level can all be a big success.
What sort of season are you expecting to have, and what position do you think you’ll finish in?
As we still have no goalkeepers signed to the first team squad, we’ll need to add at least two in that position as quickly as possibly. If we can also bring in a few quality players who can fill the gaps I mentioned above, we could finish anywhere between mid-table and a playoff place.
And finally what’s your outsider view of Cambridge, how are you expecting we might do back in League 2?
I’ll be completely honest, I don’t know what Cambridge’s capabilities are this season, but like all teams rebounding from a relegation, they’ll need to get off to a good start to help rebuild confidence levels back up. There have been a number of teams, in the same position as Cambridge (Carlisle United and Forest Green Rovers) who have dropped straight through the trapdoor in League Two, so avoiding that kind of fate will be paramount.
Shrewsbury Town
By Dan Hough at Salopcast
Could you give us a quick summary of your 24/25 season?
Dismal. We only got 33 points, the worst total in our history. That wasn't even close to what's now our second worst total (40), either. We recruited poorly, started badly, had a gentle bump when King Bullshit (Gareth Ainsworth) arrived, and then drifted aimlessly when he waltzed off. Not quite the worst season ever experienced (nothing is worse than dropping out of the league, and we did that in 2002-2003), but it was most certainly a campaign to forget.
How has your summer been, and are fans happy with the signings so far?
As ever, there are differences across the fanbase on this, but the consensus is cautiously optimistic. Michael Appleton is in charge and he knows his way round League Two. We have recruited three central defenders and a right wing back, all of whom were needed and all of whom have played at a decent level. We look like we've finally got a bit of experience and indeed a bit of leadership in there.
We've also signed a young keeper from Manchester United who seems to be highly regarded plus Sam Clucas - once a Premier League player - to play in the middle of the park. No one (who has any brains) is saying we are a shoe in for promotion, but I think that we're reasonably confident we won't do a Forest Green, Morecambe or Carlisle. And, quite frankly, that is the baseline that many of us have been working around.
What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?
We shipped out three centre halves over the summer (one loanee, the best of them, returned to his parent club, the other two - perhaps tellingly - will be in the National League next year) and so sorting the defence out was understandably the first priority. With the additions of Boyle, Anderson, Stubbs and Tang we've made good inroads there. The issue now is looking forward. Our loanees will ideally play in front of Clucas and will offer something in the final third. We've got four centre forwards on the books, it's providing them with ammunition that's the obvious issue outstanding.
Who are your key players for the new season?
They all are! Good teams work as a unit and I think that if we're going to be successful we'll be much more a team than a side focussed on key individuals. That having been said, we need one of our strikers to click. We won't go anywhere if our top scorer ends on, say, 9 goals. Both Callum Stewart and Max Mata have potential. One of those two needs to use what's actually a good opportunity for both of them to hit the ground running and get notching. Our 'keeping situation was a problem last year. Eliyah Harrison needs to be as good as the last young loanee 'keeper we had from United. A then unknown bloke called Dean Henderson.
What’s the general opinion on the manager?
I am pretty happy with Michael Appleton and I think most Town fans are. He has proper pedigree in this division and I am much more at ease with someone who talks and sounds like a human being rather a professional propagandist (Gareth Ainsworth). We play Gillingham on the last day of the season and I would seriously love it (Keegan, 1997) if we went there and were on our way up. Appleton as the anti-Ainsworth fits perfectly in my mind.
What sort of season are you expecting to have, and what position do you think you’ll finish in?
I'd like to say we'll be in and around the play offs, but we need our loanees to provide something going forward for me to be genuinely confident of that. I suspect we'll be somewhere mid-table. But, that might be unduly pessimistic. I'll say 12th but I'll be hoping for more.
And finally what’s your outsider view of Cambridge, how are you expecting we might do back in League 2?
I find it really difficult to judge how my own side will fare let alone how anyone else will do! However, I'd have thought Cambridge are likely to be thinking what we are thinking. Stablise, don't give much away and then see how things transpire. It wouldn't surprise me if we both end up somewhere looking up but not perhaps quite at the top of the pile.
Swindon Town
Could you give us a quick summary of your 24/25 season?
The definitive tale of two halves. Throughout the 2024 stage of the campaign, Town were destined for the National League and even went bottom briefly at one point in December.
Ian Holloway replaced Mark Kennedy in late October and it took a little while but he managed to rally his side, implementing essential changes and things improved dramatically for the remainder of the season, finishing 12th but only mathematically went out of the Play-Off picture during the final games of the season.
How has your summer been, and are fans happy with the signings so far?
It’s never easy knowing what on earth to expect ahead of the new season. Town kept the core of the side that performed well during the second half of the season and brought new players in quite early.
Tom Nichols signed a permanent deal from Mansfield, defender Filozofe Mabete has come in from Wolves, Darren Oldaker joined from Chesterfield, Joe Snowdon from Leeds United and Finley Munroe has joined on loan from Aston Villa.
However, the signing that has excited and captured the imaginations of many has been the signing of Jake Tabor from Amersham Town. He has scored a lot of goals in non-league and we’re hoping he can replicate Charlie Austin.
What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?
There are only a few positions that need bolstering, another centre-mid perhaps? A centre-forward maybe? Another left-sided midfielder might be handy too.
Who are your key players for the new season?
Our spine was quite important last season and I hope that remains the case – Connor Ripley, Will Wright, Gavin Kilkenny and Harry Smith are players who should keep doom and gloom at bay in 2025/26.
What’s the general opinion on the manager?
I would say that the majority have bought into what Ian Holloway is trying to do but there will always be caution given how Clem Morfuni’s Swindon Town have churned through managers.
Holloway has completely invested into this unexpected return to football management and you can see how much he’s enjoying it.
What sort of season are you expecting to have, and what position do you think you’ll finish in?
I don’t expect Town to struggle this season. I think we currently live within the core of L2 sides who can finish in the Play-Offs or end up as low as seventeenth!
Town fans are going in with a lot of good will and optimism so it feels important to start well.
And finally what’s your outsider view of Cambridge, how are you expecting we might do back in League 2?
League Two is an unforgiving division and we’ve seen League One sides complete back-to-back relegations recently. Welcome back!
To me, Cambridge will always be Danny O’Shea, Alan Kimble, Steve Claridge, Dion Dublin and John Beck!
Tranmere Rovers
Could you give us a quick summary of your 24/25 season?
A disaster to be honest, saved only by the end where we stayed up and Andy Crosby got us playing some decent stuff again. Otherwise, a season to forget.
How has your summer been, and are fans happy with the signings so far? What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?
Fairly happy although there’s still a few areas we’d like to strengthen. A striker and we need some pace in the wide areas but I think the squad is looking ok.
Who are your key players for the new season?
Hopefully Charlie Whitaker can have a good season, he looks a good signing for us and could chip in with some much needed goals. Omari Patrick was one of the key players last season and hopefully he can have another good campaign and be as influential this time around.
What’s the general opinion on the manager?
Like him, he did a great job after a terrible time under Nigel Adkins. He seems to get the club, which I think is half the battle, and the players seem to respond positively to him so I hope and think we have the right man for the job as things stand.
What sort of season are you expecting to have, and what position do you think you’ll finish in?
As always, hopeful of a good one. I still think we’re a bit short in key areas attacking wise. Not sure we’ll score enough goals to be up at the very top. My prediction is 10th.
And finally what’s your outsider view of Cambridge, how are you expecting we might do back in League 2?
Think you have a solid squad who will likely be in and around the play offs. You’ve had a few decent results in pre season I see, but this league is so hard to predict at times!
Walsall
Could you give us a quick summary of your 24/25 season?
I’m sure you’re familiar with the football cliche a game of two halves, well our 24/25 campaign really was a season of two halves.
We started the season off strongly dominating the league up until the January transfer window, at that point we had built a lead of 12 points and looked dead set to win the league.
What followed was the biggest collapse in EFL history, a perfect storm of losing our star striker, severe lack of confidence, poor rotation and fatigue meant we ended the season with 3 wins in 19, going from 1st to 4th and losing out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season with less than 40 seconds remaining, and then winning both legs of the playoff first round only to go out with a whimper in the final losing at Wembley to AFC Wimbledon.
How has your summer been, and are fans happy with the signings so far?
We’ve begun the process of shaking off the playoff final loss, some of the more high-profile players left the club such as Liam Gordon and Taylor Allen. However, so-far we have recruited well bringing in young, exciting players in line with our transfer policy. Mason Hancock and Harrison Burke seem to be the pick of the bunch so far.
There’s still plenty of work to be done, but the squad is taking shape nicely so far and with a few more additions we will be able to compete for top honours once again we hope.
What do you still think you’re missing from your squad?
At this moment it’s clear we have a lot of work to do in the midfield department. We will either be playing a three-man or four-man midfield and at this moment in time we are incredibly short.
A new defensive midfielder is crucial after the loss of Ryan Stirk to Chesterfield. We need at least three more central midfielders, that’s the priority area of focus for us.
Who are your key players for the new season?
At this stage it’s hard to tell who the key players for Walsall will be this season. Evan Weir is stepping up to replace the outgoing Taylor Allen at LCB, his dynamism as a defender shines through in a back three being able to get forward and offer support in attack and offer a threat with his wicked set piece delivery.
Jonny Stuttle has joined us on loan from AFC Bournemouth; the young striker comes with great praise for his attacking instincts, he is strong, fast and has an eye for goal, we’re hoping he can be the star striker for us this season.
What’s the general opinion on the manager?
Mat Sadler has divided opinion since day one, he’s now two-years deep into the project and fans are still split. In all honesty even the most supportive fans would say he’s lucky to still be in a job after last season's capitulation.
The decision not to sack Sadler at any point last season or post season was a bold one, and it’s been difficult for fans to accept but so far, the business and preseason results have been promising.
While it seems support Sadler has grown over recent weeks, he needs to hit the ground running and finish the job he failed to do to get the fans fully back on side.
What sort of season are you expecting to have, and what position do you think you’ll finish in?
We need to start strong and learn from the mistakes of last season. It might take a few games to get the squad fully in sync with new young players learning the ropes as they go. It’s expected that they will compete at the top of the division and it’d be considered a failure it we didn’t finish at least in the top 5, however I think automatic promotion is absolutely possible.
And finally, what’s your outsider view of Cambridge, how are you expecting we might do back in League 2?
It can be difficult to adjust to life back in League Two, just ask Fleetwood. However, like last season the league is weak, and the majority of clubs will feel they have a chance to do something special.
We know from his short loan spell with us Liam Bennett will be exceptional at this level and will be one to watch out for. Cambridge recruit well and intelligently from my experience and combine that with the experience of Neil Harris, it’s clear Cambridge will certainly be a contender in the wide-open dog fight for promotion next season.