The promotion push
Two teams who were plying their trade in League 1 last season, Stevenage and Carlisle are both in with good chance of returning to the third tier in time for the 2015/2016 season. Stevenage have signed Calvin Zola as they look to push the league’s frontrunners all the way and manager Graham Westley has also shored up his defence with the signing of Ronnie Henry, Luton’s promotion winning captain. Carlisle have brought in a series of League 1 standard players which suggests their sights are not just set on promotion to League 1 but also what happens when they get there. Gary Dicker, Billy Paynter and Danny Kearns have all joined the club and the addition of another striker could set the Cumbrians on their way to glory.
Northampton will be hoping to put last year’s nightmare behind them by competing at the right end of the table this time around.
The Cobblers were one of the form teams in the division after Chris Wilder’s arrival and the good news has continued over the summer with the signings of Zander Diamond, John-Joe O’Toole and Marc Richards. Plymouth were perhaps unlucky not to make the play-offs last season but a few poor results during the run-in sealed their fate. Manager John Sheridan has brought in Carl McHugh and Oliver Norburn over the summer to help improve the team and the Pilgrims could have a real go at promotion this season. Last year’s play-off semi-finalists Southend are once again in with a good chance of reaching at least the top seven after making sensible additions (for instance striker Lee Barnard) to an already impressive squad.
Despite starting very well, Wimbledon tailed off and finished in the bottom half of the division last season but they have made some of the more eye-catching signings this summer with the likes of Adebayo Akinfenwa, Matt Tubbs and Dannie Bulman joining a squad with an already very strong defence and one of the best young midfielders in the division, Harry Pell. Tranmere are another team hoping to secure their return to League 1 as soon as possible but, despite having plenty of quality in their squad, could fall short because of the stiff competition at the top of League 2.
William Hill Odds – League 2 Promotion
Stevenage – 7/2
Carlisle, Northampton, Plymouth, Southend – all 9/2
Tranmere – 5/1
Wimbledon – 11/2
