A Quick Who Cares 2018-2019 League Two Season Preview

The EFL – English Football League kicks off this weekend, and it is time for the third of three previews with our quick thoughts on the 2018-2019 League Two Season.

We have already done the Championship preview and the League One Preview, so we now have completed the Full EFL challenge.

Read more:

2018-2019 Championship Preview

2018-2019 League One Preview

There are a few points of interest here, and many more as the season develops, so best to stay in touch with us after the season starts.

A few Points of Interest about the 2018-2019 League Two Season

WHAT ABOUT THE RELEGATED TEAMS?

Sadly for Milton Keynes fans, but happily for AFC Wimbledon fans Milton Keynes went down from League One last season, meaning they are now officially lower than the team that was created from scratch when Wimbledon became Milton Keynes. But bitterness aside, Milton Keynes look strong enough to go straight back up and resume battle. Hiring Paul Tisdale from Exeter was a shrewd move for success too. Even though it meant his turn as longest serving manager with Exeter after Arsene Wenger moved on didn’t last long.

Bury won one of the their last 12 games, and ended up 16 points from safety, but that hasn’t stopped them keeping their manager Ryan Lowe, who scored plenty of goals the club as a player, a rare feat these days. Talking of scoring goals, it is a surprise to see a name like Jermaine Beckford lining up for Bury. Beckford was a man on the rise earlier in his career with stints at Leeds United, Leicester, Bolton and even Everton in the EPL. But it hasn’t worked out for him, but his 8 goals in 15 games for Bury might prove it still could for him and Bury.

Northampton Town, known as the Cobblers, continue their yo-yo adventure between the third and fourth division, this is their eighth trip up/down in the past 20 years. So give it time, and they’ll be back in the fight for League One. Not even former Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank could save them last season.

Oldham Athletic finally went down from League One last season, after threatening to do so for a few seasons now. The worry for them is that they will continue to slide further and further down the leagues. They do however have a Benteke in their squad – Jonathan Benteke. He is the younger brother of the great Belgian Christian Benteke.

AND THE PROMOTED TEAMS?

Macclesfield Town aka The Silkmen return to League Two and the Football League after a break of six years. They took out the National League title last year by a clear 10 points to second, and their 92 points was a fair return. Strange then why they are so un-fancied in the betting markets, and fellow promotees Tranmere are so high. The Silkmen do have Nathan Blissett in their side, a nephew of the legendary Luter Blissett.

So Tranmere Rovers are more fancied than National League winners Macclesfield. Is it because of their heroic playoff final win which they did with 10 players for most of the game? Or that Tranmere have a much longer history in the Football League? They have spent all of the football history in side the Football League’s four divisions, except for their stay in Non League for the previous three seasons. They even flirted with Division one/EPL  in the 1990’s when they rode high in the second tier. 

IS HARRY KEWELL STILL MANAGER AT CRAWLEY TOWN?

Yes he is.

They eventually finished 14th in 2017-18, Kewell’s first season in charge, and given they got off to  slow start, that was a good end result.

Now for the hard work. The dreaded second season syndrome, and the average current tenure of a League Two manager is just over 1 year and 3 months.

We say he can make the top seven and push for promotion.

LEAGUE TWO MANAGER TAKES OVER FROM ARSENE WENGER

OK, so the manager of Morecambe isn’t going to Arsenal, it just means he is now the most longest serving manager in the 4 divisions. Jim Bentley has been at Morecambe for well over 7 years now, taking that title from Paul Tisdale and Exeter. Will he last the year? Unlikely if you go by betting markets.

THE LOVE TRAIN SET PIECE FROM LINCOLN MAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE WORLD CUP

The Cowley brothers have been reasonably hot property as a management team since they stormed through the FA Cup from Non League in 2017, the year they also rejoined League Two. Whilst they didn’t make it a double promotion last season (still made the playoffs mind you), they still made an impact. And not just for winning the Football League trophy after beating League One high flyers Shrewsbury in the final.

It was for the set piece called the Love Train that the Cowley brother will probably remember from the season gone, as it was used to great effect in the World Cup by England. Amazing that such as move can translate from the fourth division to the biggest football tournament in the world.

The Cowley brothers got a few offers to change clubs, but they re-signed with Lincoln,  good keep for the Imps, and  statement from the management team that they are committed and expect to do well.