League Two playoff predictions and free football tips: Resilient Bantams can seal return to third tier

When to bet

League Two playoffs start Saturday 7.45pm

Best bet

Bradford to win League Two playoffs
1pt 3-1 general

League Two playoff predictions

Bradford have had three seasons to get used to being labelled the biggest club in League Two but they can haul themselves out of the EFL basement by winning the playoffs.

The Bantams' fanbase is the biggest in the fourth tier but it doesn't always guarantee them success and hasn't significantly influenced the playoff betting.

Stockport are the warm 7-4 favourites to claim the fourth promotion place and their status means there are tempting prices on offer about Bradford, Carlisle and Salford.

Strong market support for Stockport goes right back to before the start of the season when they were chalked up as 6-4 shots to go up.

Dave Challinor's side were National League champions in 2021-22 and went on an expensive recruitment drive last summer with the aim of securing back-to-back promotions.

However, they narrowly missed out of automatic promotion and their chances in the post-season, which starts with a tricky trip to Salford, have been hit by the loss of first choice centre-forward Kyle Wootton, who suffered a long-term knee injury in last month's 1-1 draw at Gillingham.

Stockport collected eight points in the four games after Wootton's injury, but they missed his presence in Monday's 1-1 draw at home to Hartlepool and their playoff prospects look diminished.

The semi-final between Stockport and Salford looks a tough one to call.

Salford squeezed into the top seven by taking 19 points from their last ten games, including a 1-1 draw away to Stockport.

The teams were well matched during that March encounter at Edgeley Park and they would each appear to have a fairly even chance over two legs.

Bradford's semi-final with Carlisle, which starts with Sunday's first leg at Valley Parade, could be more clear-cut.

Carlisle had appeared on track for automatic promotion until a disappointing end to the season which featured just two wins in 11 games.

Paul Simpson's men seem to be running out of steam and they will be a couple of key players short for the start of the playoffs with Jon Mellish and John-Kymani Gordon serving suspensions.

Bradford will look to take full advantage in the opening leg when they will be backed by the vast majority of a 20,000-plus crowd.

Like most teams around them, the Bantams have sometimes struggled to achieve consistent results.

However, they have suffered just four losses in 2023 and their resilience, allied to the significant goal threat of 28-goal striker Andy Cook, could be key to ending their three-season stay at the level.

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