With the League Two season now entering its final stages, the race is on for a number of teams to reach their respective goal of either promotion or survival.
It’s been an odd season in England’s fourth tier. Whether that be at the top of the table, those challenging for the play-offs or fighting relegation, there has always been a story to tell. It’s a division which has been tightly packed throughout the majority of the campaign and even now, up to 10 teams could still force their way into promotion contention.
Mansfield Town and Stockport County have been the favourites to win the division all season. However, both had opportunities to pull away from the other throughout the last few months, with neither taking advantage of any slip-ups. That said, it is the Stags who currently hold a four point lead over their promotion rivals following the Hatters’ 1-1 draw with Crawley Town on Monday night.
The third automatic promotion spot looks to be going down to the wire. Wrexham currently occupy the final place, although they are level on points with fourth-placed MK Dons. Crewe Alexandra are also still in the conversation.
Barrow continue to defy expectations in sixth and look good value for at least a play-off place, although that seventh spot is anyone’s guess. AFC Wimbledon lead the chase at the moment, but are closely followed by Walsall, Crawley Town, Gillingham, Newport County and Morecambe.
With so much still to play for, the BonusCodeBets supercomputer has tried its hand at the final League Two standings, where it has drawn up some interesting results.
Automatic Promotion
Not much change from the current situation, with the supercomputer predicting that Mansfield will head into League One as champions. However, the Stags are said to pick up just 18 points from their remaining 10 fixtures, allowing Stockport to close the gap to just two points.
Wrexham will enjoy a strong end to the campaign to pip MK Dons to that all-important third spot, handing Phil Parkinson and his Hollywood contingent a second successive promotion.
Play-Offs
Barrow are the biggest beneficiaries of those currently occupying a play-off spot, leapfrogging Crewe into fifth. This would give Pete Wild’s team a slight advantage heading into a semi-final tie between the two, with the team finishing highest playing the second leg at home.
It’s the other semi-final which is the most mouth-watering though, with Wimbledon tipped to seal seventh. This would set up a showdown with bitter rivals MK Dons, where the two teams have shared a win apiece in this season’s head-to-head.
It’s heartbreak for Morecambe, who finish eighth on goal difference, whereas Newport and Walsall end the campaign in ninth and 10th respectively.
Crawley will perhaps be the most disappointed with the supercomputer’s 11th-placed prediction though. Although they have arguably overachieved this season, they are currently in the driving seat to achieve a top seven finish. Scott Lindsey’s team are just one point behind Wimbledon and do possess games in hand, although they are tipped to pick up nine more points from their remaining 12 fixtures.
Mid-Table Obscurity
After briefly flirting with a top seven finish, Harrogate Town won’t be too downhearted to finish 12th, their best ever finish in League Two. Bradford City will recover from their recent poor form to jump into 13th, whilst Gillingham’s play-off aspirations will end with a whimper in 14th.
Nigel Adkins has done wonders at Tranmere Rovers since taking over in September, initially on an interim basis. A 15th-placed finish would be an excellent achievement, as would Doncaster Rovers in 17th. Sandwiched between the pair is Accrington Stanley, who have endured a turbulent campaign on and off the field in their return to League Two.
Notts County would be hugely disappointed to end their first season back in the EFL in 18th, especially as they topped the table in October. However, the turn of the year was the catalyst for their dreadful form and they have won just twice in 2024, with the second coming only last night against Bradford.
Salford City and Swindon Town are tipped to swap their current places in 19th and 20th respectively.
Relegation
Sutton United‘s 1-0 win over Forest Green Rovers at the weekend has tightened things at the bottom, but they have left it late and are still tipped to finish at the foot of the table. However, the supercomputer has tipped Steve Cotterill’s men to pull off the great escape by having a strong end to the season to escape the bottom two. As a result, Colchester United are said to join Sutton in the National League next season.
Grimsby Town‘s current six point gap will see them comfortably survive in what has been a disappointing campaign for the Lincolnshire side.
Conclusion
It’s hard to argue against the top three, although there is a shout to say MK Dons could still gatecrash the party. The most wild one is perhaps Crawley. It’s hard to see them picking up just nine more points from their final 12 outings and they do have a very real chance of finishing in the top seven.
Elsewhere, Gillingham and Notts County will both be hoping their seasons don’t end with the whimper that has been predicted. Forest Green surviving would be a minor miracle, although you’d be brace to back against Cotterill’s experience pulling them through.
Final Table
Head of Writing
