It’s the toughest season to predict as the biggest clubs don’t appear to have recruited well, while the smaller clubs will be relying more heavily than usual on loan players given the perilous state of finances in the lower divisions.
Posh seem well equipped to go well again if they can replace Ivan Toney adequately, but how well?
Here is my predicted finishing order for the 2020-21 season.
1.
24th ROCHDALE: It’s all doom and gloom at Spotland and no wonder as they let all their better players go in the summer and they haven’t replaced them. On the surface it would appear Covid-19s biggest victims in League One will be Rochdale which is a shame of sorts as manager Brian Barry-Murphy (pictured) had them playing some decent football. Even a pandemic won’t save them this season. though. Photo: Richard Sellars PA. Photo: PA
2.
23rd ACCRINGTON STANLEY: Stanley suffered a player exodus at the end of last season, including star man Jordan Grant, and replaced them with a host of loanees. Unless a team goes bust or suffers a loss of points I can’t see them surviving again, unless those loanees turn out to be decent for manager John Coleman (pictured). Photo: Anthony Devlin PA. Photo: PA
3.
22nd AFC WIMBLEDON: Some would say The Dons deserve to go down after denying Tranmere the chance to emulate their own ‘great escape’ from relegation the season before by cynically voting to end the season to ensure they survived. Even the presence of former Posh skipper Alex Woodyard (pictured) won't save them this season. Photo: Midlands
4.
21st: CREWE: For a club who pride themselves on good football the signings of big strikers Mikael Mandron (pictured) and Offrande Zanzala are a surprise. The Railwaymen will spring the odd shock , but their season will be shunted into the sidelines early enough to make staying up a bigger achievement than finding a seat on a London-bound train (pre-Covid obviously). Photo: Richard Sellars PA. Photo: PA