Relegation is never fun to watch your team go through but sadly, it’s a necessary process that helps keep the football leagues around the world revolving. Of course, that means it is no different in England, so here at Football Park, we have suggested three teams from three leagues in the English pyramid that we think could be making their way down to the league below this season.

Championship – Oxford United

It feels harsh to suggest a team that were just promoted into the league will be going straight back down but we feel that is the case with Oxford United.

They made their way into the Championship by placing 5th in League One and then it was just those tense Playoff games in their way to the glory. They saw off Peterborough in the Semi-Finals and then went onto knockout Bolton Wanders to make it into the second tier of English football.

Now they are back into the Championship after a 25 year long wait, they look like they might not be staying long. Oxford have signed eight new players heading into this season, but fun are unoptimistic after losing star winger Josh Murphy via a free transfer to fellow newly inducted Championship side Portsmouth, winners of League One last season.

Murphy was used 38 times for Oxford and finished the season with 10 goals and 6 assists to his name. after a slow start, he came go towards the latter stages of the league and was loved by the fans.

Their inexperience at this level is another factor for Oxford to go back down as this is the first time they have ever reached these heights since that 1984/85 campaign. Most players and teams that have entered the Championship have always gone onto say that you shouldn’t underestimate the teams and the difficulty as anything can happen in that league.

I don’t think that Des Buckingham and the rest of the staff at Oxford have the facilities or a good enough squad to compete with the likes of the teams in the Championship unfortunately and for that reason I can see them being relegated come the final day of the season.

League One – Crawley Town

Crawley Town have a similar story to Oxford whereby they achieved a promotion last season. Finishing 7th, they just about grabbed onto the last Playoff place available and then it was all plain sailing from then on. They demolished MK Dons over the two legs of the Semi-Final with a 3-0 home victory and a 1-5 thrashing away from home. In the final they were victorious over Crewe Alexandra, confirming that they would be in League One come the following season.

They have however spent some time in their new league. Crawley were in League One for three consecutive seasons until they were relegated back to League Two back in 2015. Being promoted is always a challenge as it is a whole new batch of clubs that on paper are much better than you and that is where I think Crawley Town will falter.

Having only just made the Playoff spaces and not absolutely wowed viewers with their performances on the field, they will struggle against opponents who have a better understanding of playing in League One is like.

Crawley have had a massive arrival at the club with a reported 17 new players signing for the Sussex based club, a majority of these players being brought in from fellow League One sides so Crawley can get players with that experience. Nevertheless, a mass exodus is expected as well with up to around 13 departures. So far all of these comings and goings have been free transfers, but Crawley are going to have to spend some money if they have any ambition on staying up because currently, I don’t believe that they are good enough to remain in League One as of now.

League Two – Morecambe FC

Morecambe are the first team out of these three options to have stayed in the same league that they we are predicting to be relegated from. They ended up finishing in 15th place of League Two but their chances of repeating that trick and getting lower and lower.

They first ended up in League Two after being relegated from League One back in the 22/23 season, managing to avoid back-to-back relegations. Newly appointed manager Derek Adams will be doing his best to stay up but I think that it is a Herculean task and too much to ask for him. This will be the Scotsman’s third stint in charge of Morecambe FC but no matter how long he has spent at the club, he has had his struggles there.

A whopping 19 new players are set to arrive at Morecambe for the new season and 16 departures. Adams will be hoping that he has selected the right players that the higher ups at the club have made an effort to get the signatures on a contract of.

After starting last season well, Morecambe eventually went onto lose 19 of the 46 matches they played in League Two. They are now dealing with a nightmare situation off the field. Back in 2022 Morecambe were put up for sale and given a three point deduction as well as a transfer ban. There was wage payment uncertainties after the players were not paid on time. Furthermore, last year’s manager Ged Brannan unexpectedly left to join League Two rivals Accrington and former Chief Executive left for Walsall.

Behind the scenes drama could cost Morecambe their place in League Two with further points reductions to come if any wrongdoing regarding transfers were to arise.

What are the returns?

Through our bookmakers you can get this in an ACCA for great odds of 12/1 on Parimatch. If a £10 stake is placed, the returns of this shout would be an outstanding £131.25.

Not exactly spare change.