League One 2019-20: every club ranked in order of finishing position

1 Peterborough

Darren Ferguson knows only success at this level and with this club and is poised for a campaign to remember. Posh haven’t been far away in the last couple of campaigns and Son of Fergie has added the key personnel – most notably George Boyd – who can make the difference.

2 Portsmouth

Pompey were superb last season winning the Football League Trophy and making the playoff semis. Kenny Jackett has seen Matt Clark leave but has made one or two significant additions. They won more away games than any side in the division last season and if they can turn Fratton Park into the fortress it should be, the sky’s the limit.

• League One View from the Dugout: Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett

3 Sunderland

The strongest squad in the league? The same was said last season when the 3-1 favourites flopped. The pressure won’t be any less, opponents any more obliging and question marks over Jack Ross will persist. More good buys and Aiden McGeady re-signing mean they will be strong – but not necessarily the strongest.

4 Rotherham

Will Vaulks and Semi Ajayi headed an exodus of decent players out of the New York Stadium but Freddie Ladapo and Jamie Lindsay are among the big-name arrivals. It is hard to imagine anything less than a playoff campaign unfolding.

5 Ipswich

The Tractor Boys are preparing for life in the third tier for the first time in 62 years and they won’t find it easy. A purge of last season’s flops has left Paul Lambert short-handed and he’s struggled to recruit. James Norwood, League Two’s top scorer last term, simply has to keep finding the net.

6 Burton

The Brewers took time to adjust following relegation with a threadbare and injury-hit squad. By the time of their improvement it was too late to mount a promotion push. Nigel Clough has lost key men over the summer – either sold or injured – and they look reliant on Lucas Akins and Liam Boyce firing.

7 Fleetwood

The fate of manager Joey Barton is up in the air but the quality of the squad he has assembled at Highbury is beyond dispute. Barton was disappointed that last year’s squad didn’t do better than 11th but some decent additions – Paul Coutts and Josh Morris jump off the page – promise improvement.

8 Doncaster

The future of ace marksman John Marquis is dominating conversation at the Keepmoat. New boss Darren Moore has inherited a strong squad and they ought to be challenging once more - though their prospects would be brighter with Marquis on board.

9 MK Dons

After back-to-back near-misses with Exeter, Paul Tisdale was rewarded for jumping ship to Milton Keynes by getting the Dons promoted, and this looks a progressive club. Kieran Agard will score plenty of goals while wholesale improvements have been made in other areas.

10 Blackpool

The Oystons have left the building and Simon Grayson has returned to the dugout. Joy and harmony has broken out at Bloomfield Road. They are crying out for a top-class frontman, but maybe Grayson is the man to finally realise Nathan Delfouneso's potential.

11 Bristol Rovers

If Rovers had started last season as they finished it they could have been challengers and Graham Coughlan’s improvers will be banking on building on that. Only Wimbledon scored fewer goals than the Gas last season yet they shipped fewer than fourth-placed Portsmouth. They were involved in nine 0-0 draws. If they can balance that better, they will be fine.

12 Lincoln

Dubbed ‘direct’, Lincoln are certainly uncompromising as they showed bullying their way to League Two glory. But signing players like Jorge Grant, Joe Morrell and Jack Payne show they are looking to play as well. Expectations are high after last season – probably too high.

• League One match bets

13 Coventry

Homeless Coventry have yet to even train at temporary base St Andrew's – indeed the first time they’ll tread the turf in boots will be for their opening game of the season. Mark Robins has seen players leave and pre-season results have been poor. They have no obvious claims to be anything other than mid-table.

14 Wycombe

Gareth Ainsworth has undergone a sizeable recruitment drive with Northern Ireland international striker Paul Smyth the pick of the incomers. He certainly needed to pep up an ageing forward line and the QPR loanee can help the Chairboys to safety.

15 Accrington

Stanley win the award for best pre-season fixture – brazen owner Andy Holt managed to get Marseille to Accrington (and they beat them) – and are a club on the up. John Coleman has signed a trio of defenders but knows he can’t rely solely on Billy Kee and Sean McConville for goals. Accy made a mockery of relegation favouritism last season and shouldn’t be troubled this time either.

16 Oxford United

It just never happened for Oxford under Karl Robinson – United were the joint worst travellers in the section with a mere four away wins but still finished 12th. Oxford finished like a train – one loss in their last ten and that was at Luton – but Robinson admits he’s struggled to get players in.

17 Gillingham

Steve Evans has breezed into Priestfield with his usual lightness of touch. The overhaul of the playing staff has been extensive but even after the Scot’s massive buying spree they still look light up front.

Sam Ricketts has had little to smile about at ShrewsburyCredit: Nathan Stirk

18 Shrewsbury

Third in 2017-18, 18th in 2018-19, Shrewsbury’s direction of travel looks worryingly obvious. There were four distinct phases to the Shrews’ campaign – poor, then good, rubbish, then solid. The ‘solid’ was sufficient to keep them up but it’s some level of consistency throughout that Sam Ricketts will be craving.

19 Tranmere

Joy at winning promotion via the playoffs was sharply tempered when 30-goal ace James Norwood jumped ship. He’s going to take some replacing and, on the evidence of a fairly grim pre-season, Rovers might find the step up a challenge.

20 Rochdale

League One’s entertainers – their matches averaged 3.07 goals – would happily swap a few of their heavier defeats (they conceded four or more ten times) for some dour 0-0 draws. Demands will be made of veteran strikers Ian Henderson and Aaron Wilbraham (who turns 40 this season) but gaps at the back don’t appear to have been plugged.

• League One relegation candidates

21 Bolton

A summer of turmoil has dominated at Bolton where players haven’t been paid and fixtures cancelled. They’ll be undercooked at best which is hardly good news with a 12-point deficit to claw back. They need a takeover to happen quickly.

22 AFC Wimbledon

Wally Downes deserves untold credit for rescuing the Dons by making them hard to beat. It’s up front where the section’s lowest scorers need improving and Watford loanee Michael Folivi has had a fine pre-season. That said, this small squad will be tested.

23 Southend

Southend were sinking fast last season and it’s not easy to see where the necessary improvements are coming from. Injuries have bitten before a ball has been kicked and it’s quite likely the Shrimpers could be heading out of the division.

24 Bury

Facing the threat of being wound up or kicked out of the league, it's a short price the Shakers, who have been deducted 12 points, fail to see out the season. If they do, given their financial woes and player exodus (they had only three contracted players turn out in a friendly against Blackburn), they will surely go straight back down.

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