League One playoffs: Bolton can make it third time lucky in bid for promotion

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Such was the dominance of Lincoln and Cardiff, the other promotion hopefuls in League One have been resigned to negotiating the playoffs for a number weeks.

There is a distinctly northern flavour to the third-tier post-season, with Stockport, Bradford and Bolton all in contention for a place in the Championship next season.

Stevenage are the flagbearers for the south but they are 9-2 outsiders to be playing second-tier football come August.

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Bolton to be promoted
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Dan Childs' League One playoff predictions

Bolton fell short in the League One playoffs in 2023 and 2024 – losing out in the semi-final and final – but they have the tools to succeed over the next few weeks and can clinch a return to the Championship for the first time since 2019.

Bolton are 2-1 favourites but are easy to fancy because they have a higher ceiling than their rivals.

Sixth-placed Stevenage are bidding to reach the second tier for the first time in their history and a fairytale trip to Wembley cannot be ruled out for Alex Revell's side, who have every chance of coming through their semi-final against third-placed Stockport.

Boro extended their season despite scoring just 49 goals, but their no-frills style was underpinned by disciplined defence as they kept 19 cleans sheets and picked up 12 victories by a 1-0 scoreline.

Stevenage's solidity gives them hope against Stockport, who are depleted at the back due to the absence of injured central defenders Brad Hills, Joseph Olowu and Arttu Hoskonen.

The Hatters have been forced into deploying star striker Kyle Wootton as an emergency defender and they have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight games.

Stockport have some top-class attacking players, including Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry, who bagged a hat-trick in last month's 3-1 win at home to Peterborough, but they are hard to trust in the playoff battle.

While Stockport's tussle with Stevenage is hard to call, Bolton look solid 4-6 favourites to get past Bradford.

Getting to the playoffs is a big achievement for Bradford, who are pushing for a second successive promotion.

The Bantams piled up 50 of their 77 points at Valley Parade, but they lost ten times on their travels and Saturday's semi-final first-leg trip to Bolton could be the moment when their promotion dream starts to fade.

Bolton are carrying the greatest burden of expectation but they have the quality to rise to the biggest of occasions.

Steven Schumacher's side have recruited intelligently and the loan signings of Celtic striker Johnny Kenny and Brighton winger Amario Cozier-Duberry were absolutely inspired pieces of business.

Kenny and Cozier-Duberry have the ability to thrive at the level above and they can help Bolton to get there over the next couple of weeks.

Who are the favourites to win the League One playoffs? 

Sign up to Sky Bet to bet on the 2025-26 League One playoffs. Here are the latest odds in the race for promotion to the Championship:

Odds correct at time of publication

Read more on the 2025-26 EFL playoffs:

Championship | League Two 

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