Kick-off the Season: EFL League Two Previews, Analysis, and Predictions

With the new League Two season set to kick off on Friday evening, fans of the English fourth tier will be on the edge of their seats waiting to see how their teams get underway.

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The new boys in the division are as follows: Carlisle United, Port Vale, Fleetwood Town and Cheltenham Town all join the division following relegation from League One. While the promoted sides from the National League are Bromley and Chesterfield.

When does the EFL League Two season start?

The new EFL League Two season commences at 20:00 on Friday, August 9th.

New boys Chesterfield host Swindon Town at the SMH Group Stadium.

League Two opening fixtures & where to watch them

Friday, August 9th

Chesterfield vs Swindon Town (20:00 - Sky Sports)

Saturday, August 10th

AFC Wimbledon vs Colchester United (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Barrow vs Crewe Alexandra (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Cheltenham Town vs Newport County (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Doncaster Rovers vs Accrington Stanley (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Fleetwood Town vs Grimsby Town (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Gillingham vs Carlisle United (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Harrogate Town vs Bromley (15:00 - Sky Sports)

MK Dons vs Bradford City (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Salford City vs Port Vale (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Tranmere Rovers vs Notts County (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Walsall vs Morecambe (15:00 - Sky Sports)

Who will win the EFL League Two?

Everyone knows just how competitive League Two can be, and that’s highlighted by just how tight the title race looks to be this season.

The favourites are MK Dons, and I can see why. The Dons missed out on automatic promotion last season, and will be looking to build on what was a mostly successful season. They’ve been smart in the window, signing a number of players who have proven quality in both League One and League Two. One name is Laurence Maguire, the brother of Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, who was a key part of Crawley Town’s promotion campaign last season. At 13/2 odds, I’d probably say MK Dons are a good shout for the title.

Chesterfield might be in for a shout, they waltzed to the title in the National League last campaign and are seemingly keen on battling for the League Two trophy this year. Their owners have been keen to invest, adding stars like Chey Dunkley to the Spireites already stacked squad. As proven by Wrexham, clubs who do well in the National League usually do well in League Two as well. Where the real value is however, is if you were to bet on Chesterfield to be promoted. With four promotion spots up for grabs, Chesterfield certainly have the quality to venture immediately to League Two. QuinnBet are offering odds of 9/5 for the Spireites to be promoted, meaning £10 would return £28.

As you’d expect, we’ve got a tip with reasoning for this, and you can find out more by clicking the graphic below.

Who will be the EFL League Two top scorer?

It’s another very tricky one to predict, but for me it’s a three horse race for the League Two golden boot.

The bookies favourite, Andy Cook, is the obvious choice. The 33-year-old has bagged 65 goals since signing for Bradford in 2020, and his numbers have improved significantly over the last two seasons. With Bradford expected to finish in the top 7 with ease, they will be relying on Cook’s goals to see them through. So long as his team performs, I expect Cook will be near the top of the scorer chart come the end season.

Paddy Madden, signing for Chesterfield off the back of a fantastic promotion season with Stockport, is arguably just as likely as Cook. The veteran striker has proven time and again, despite stints in League Two and the National League, that he is absolutely lethal in the third tier. He’s got 112 goals in League One to his name, so it’s pretty easy to imagine the damage he’ll continue to do to League Two. He’ll be very important in Chesterfield’s push for promotion.

Ruari Paton is a bit of an unknown quantity in English football, but the 23-year-old’s stats in Scotland speak for themselves. The Irishman scored 44 goals across his last two seasons in Scottish football, with 17 of them coming in the Scottish Championship. It’s safe to assume the forward will adjust to English football without breaking stride, and will certainly be up at the top of the goalscorer charts this year, and in years to come.

Who will be the key players in the EFL League Two?

It’s hard to look past Salford City’s new full back, Tom Edwards. Despite his modest age, the former Stoke City man is highly experienced across English football. He boasts more than 50 appearances in the Championship, and even six in the Premier League. Once a highly rated talent, Edwards will surely be a key name in League Two this season.

Notts County’s Dan Crowley is an obvious pick for this category. The midfielder was a huge part of his side's first season in League Two, he scored 15 goals and provided 10 assists for teammates. I could guarantee that Crowley will be back up there with the key players in the division once again.

Once again it’s difficult to ignore our three top scorers, I’m expecting Andy Cook and Paddy Madden’s experience to be vital to their respective clubs' successes.