2023/24 League Two Promotion Thread

[JJ1990]

94 -
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89
88 - Average Champions, Predicted Champions
87 -
86 - Predicted Automatics
85 -
84 -
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82 - Average Automatics
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72 - Average Play Offs
71 -
70 -
69 - Predicted Play Offs
68 -
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65 -
64 -
63 -
62 -
61 - Stockport(32)
60 - Mansfield(32)
59 -
58 - Wrexham(31)
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58 - Crewe(33)
57 -
56 -
55 -
54 - MK Dons(32)
53 - Barrow(33)
52 -
51 -
50 -
49 -
48 - Harrogate Town(32)
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47 - AFC Wimbledon(32), Notts County(32), Morecambe(32)

Very poor week for Stockport with back to back defeats and 7 goals conceded. It's allowed the teams behind them to close the gap. Mansfield had a mixed bag, battered Harrogate, but lose at Walsall. Wrexham put up 6 points and move back into the top 3.

Crewe Alex are right on their heels after a mostly positive 4 points from 2 tricky games. MK Dons also have mixed fortunes, a 4-0 loss and 2-1 win, both on the road. Not great, but not terrible. Barrow continue to slide, 3 straight defeats and just 2 wins from their last 11. Harrogate manage a creditable draw at Crewe after a humiliating hammering at Mansfield.

The chasing pack though, chaos. 7 sides within a win of the top 7, a few others below that group not looking totally out of it either. Could be the most wide open promotion race we've seen in a long time, can make a case for anyone of 3 sides to win the title, any one of 4-5 to go up via the top 3 and any one of about 12 teams to finish in the top 7.

1st - Stockport, 61 points, GD 29: Gillingham(A), Swindon(H), Colchester(A), Newport(H), Salford(A)
2nd - Mansfield, 60 points, GD 34: Salford(H), Newport(A), MK Dons(H), Swindon(H), Tranmere(A)
3rd - Wrexham, 58 points, GD 16: MK Dons(A), Gillingham(A), Forest Green(A), Accrington(H), Morecambe(A)
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4th - Crewe, 58 points, GD 14: Notts County(A), Morecambe(H), Doncaster(A), Sutton(H), MK Dons(A)
5th - MK Dons, 54 points, GD 8: Wrexham(H), Newport(H), Wimbledon(A), Mansfield(A), Salford(H)
6th - Barrow, 53 points, GD 8: Bradford(H), Crawley(A), Gillingham(H), Colchester(H), Walsall(A)
7th - Harrogate, 48 points, GD -6: Walsall(H), Newport(H), Swindon(A), Crawley(H), Wrexham(A)
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8th - Wimbledon, 47 points, GD 12: Crawley(H), Doncaster(A), MK Dons(H), Grimsby(H), Notts County(A)
9th - Notts County, 47 points, GD 6: Crewe(H), Sutton(H), Bradford(A), Wimbledon(H), Crawley(A)
10th - Morecambe, 47 points, GD -1: Walsall(A), Grimsby(H), Crewe(A), Crawley(H), Wrexham(H)

Tuesday 20th February
AFC Wimbledon v Crawley Town
Gillingham v Stockport County
Milton Keynes Dons v Wrexham

Saturday 24th February
Barrow v Bradford City
Doncaster Rovers v AFC Wimbledon
Gillingham v Wrexham
Harrogate Town v Walsall
Mansfield Town v Salford City
Milton Keynes Dons v Newport County
Notts County v Crewe Alexandra
Stockport County v Swindon Town

Mixed week for a few teams, with a number of them playing games in hand on Tuesday. MK Dons v Wrexham looks very tasty, although Wimbledon and Stockport have tough games too.

Saturday, I don't think anyone has an easy game. They are either out of form themselves or playing an inform side.

 

[Crewelad87]

Did one of those prediction things for the rest of the games, didn't bother with the goal difference though. Before I did it I expected Barrow to fall out of the play offs, and didn't expect to see Bardford pushing for the play offs. I think I've got Gillingham in about 15th, whereas I expected them to be close to the play offs, they must have a very tough run of fixtures I'm guessing. Also give Stockports current form I don't expect them to get near 97 points, same with ourselves, 89 points seems about 9 points too many.

 

[Richard Cranium]

You’d be heartbroken to get 89 and miss out on the play offs!

I’m still just guessing 82 will be enough and it’s between the current top 4, maybe MK too if they beat Wrexham tonight or get 4 points out of the 2 games with us.

Looking at MK’s fixtures I’ll be surprised if they get 28/29 points from 42 with that run in, Likewise 25/26 from 39 needed for Crewe at a guess and they’ve got a few tricky games but are the form side out of all of us at the moment.

We’d need 22 from 42 available which looks much more achievable but it can’t be much longer before we lose one and teams below us capitalise and take us out the top 3, seems we’ve been wedged in there for an age now!

 

[AdamStag]

Out of those in “contention” if you will the last 5 games says it all
9 - Mansfield/mk
8 - crewe
7 - stockport
6 - wrexham
4 - barrow

 

[Meadow]

I think we're out. However compared to last season we've done well. Mid table obscurity beckons. A vast improvement on the last couple of years.

 

[GTFCfish]

I haven’t given up on promotion yet, never say never.

 

[JJ1990]

I can't work out if League Two has been really competitive this season given the amount of teams all pushing for promotion, or really weak.

I'm honestly good if we miss out on the top 3, just want to make sure we secure one of those top 7 spots. Got a relatively favourable run in where we play only 2 of the current top 7, 6 of the chasing pack outside the POs and then each of the bottom 5, including the bottom 3 at home.

 

[Ainsty]

Some good results for Harrogate last night. Thanks to all concerned.

 

[Wootball]

Good results for Crewe too. Wrexham and MK being a draw was lovely.

 

[BarraMatt]

We've been shit for two months, and over a run that now equals a third of the games we've played so far. How are still comfortably in the playoffs at this stage?

 

[Stocky]

We've been shit for two months, and over a run that now equals a third of the games we've played so far. How are still comfortably in the playoffs at this stage?

Your points tally. 53 points after 33 games is standard in the Play Offs positions stuff. Doesn't really matter when you accumlated them.

Looking at the table I would say Harrogate in 7th on 48 points is a touch low for average but then again the teams in the mid table or high end lower half have bigger totals than average. Walsall in 16th are 3 points off Harrogate. The points have to go somewhere. Personally I think that makes it a strong league this year. There will be loads of teams still in the play-off hunt with 3 or 4 games to go.

 

[Crewelad87]

I can't help but keep doubting us. With our budget compared to those around us and the fact we've now got 6 players who would certainly be in our strongest 11 out injured. Hopefully we can get a few of them back for the run in, but looks like Offord is joining Powell in being out for the season.

 

[joethegill]

I can't work out if League Two has been really competitive this season given the amount of teams all pushing for promotion, or really weak.

Both.

It's an incredibly competitive division seeing as at least two thirds of it could still end up getting promoted, but the standard is so weak that more or less anyone going up from this league will have a horrible season next year without big squad changes. Anyone who shows a bit of consistency between now and May will go up, it's that simple.

 

[Stocky]

Both.

It's an incredibly competitive division seeing as at least two thirds of it could still end up getting promoted, but the standard is so weak that more or less anyone going up from this league will have a horrible season next year without big squad changes. Anyone who shows a bit of consistency between now and May will go up, it's that simple.

I think it's better than last year personally and Orient, Stevenage and Northampton are all top half. But yes, any team who goes up need a good glowing up. But I don't think that's unique to this season. Same as most teams who go up to a higher division at any level.

 

[LS Bantam]

A lot of chat like it’s the back end of April and not the middle of Feb, ‘oh if we have a wobble’ ‘oh, we’ve got injuries now can we hold on?’.
Absolutely ages yet until things get serious - we went 9 games without a win and were closer to relegation then won 3 in a week and all of a sudden we’re in this big pack of potentials. There’ll be loads of twists between now and when it matters.

Also Notts fans, decent city centre places for a drink in Nottingham this weekend please? TIA x

 

[Kauto Star]

We've been shit for two months, and over a run that now equals a third of the games we've played so far. How are still comfortably in the playoffs at this stage?

Your bad run will no doubt end on Saturday. You have fast become a bogey side to us since you came back into the football league.

We have a tough game tonight on our mudheap before then, so not much rest period for us.

 

[AdamStag]

Any of stockport, wrexham and whoever else goes up will of course need to strengthen

 

[Master D]

Any of stockport, wrexham and whoever else goes up will of course need to strengthen

If our owners want to achieve their mission plan then they'll need to heavily invest again in the squad if we go up. Championship within 6 seasons was their aim I think.

 

[BarraMatt]

Your bad run will no doubt end on Saturday. You have fast become a bogey side to us since you came back into the football league.

We have a tough game tonight on our mudheap before then, so not much rest period for us.

Well the respite won't end on Saturday because our pitch is also diabolical.

 

[Ellis]

Any of stockport, wrexham and whoever else goes up will of course need to strengthen

I think we've taken a calculated gamble to not bring in players in January (other than the ones we got knocked back for which were already playing league 1 or above football) for this reason.

Nearly half of our entire squad including a lot of our best XI are out of contract this summer. Definitely keeping the powder dry to try recruit as a league one side imo. Big gamble given the week we've had..

This is our contract status list for the anoraks:

June 2024

1 - Ben Hinchliffe - Age 36

13 - Bobby Jones - Age 22

12 - Jordan Smith - Age 29

7 - Macauley Southam-Hales - Age 27

10- Antoni Sarcevic - Age 31

17 - Ryan Rydel - Age 22 INJURED due back next season

9 - Paddy Madden - Age 33

18 - Ryan Croasdale - Age 29

21 - Myles Hippolyte - Age 29

30 - Cody Johnson - Age 19

24 - Connor Lemonheigh Evans - Age 26

15 - Ethan Pye - Age 21 (Option to extend) INJURED due back March

20 - Louie Barry - Age 20 (on loan from Aston Villa) INJURED due back April

23 - Ethan Bristow -Age 22 (on loan from Minnesota Muffdinglers)

22 - Rico Richards - Age 20 (on loan from Aston Villa)

26 - Rhys Bennett - Age 20 (on loan from Manchester United)

32 - Lewis Cass - Age 23 (on loan from Port Vale)

June 2025


19 - Kyle Wootton - Age 27

14 - Will Collar - Age 26 INJURED again lol

6 - Fraser Horsfall - Age 27

4 - Akil Wright - Age 27

8 - Callum Camps - Age 28

25 - Isaac Tanitoluwaloba Aduraoluwatimileyin 'Tanto' Olaofe - Age 24

Jack Stretton - Age 22 INJURED due back next season

2 - Kyle Knoyle - Age 27 INJURED due back ___

5 - Neill Byrne - Age 30

3 - Ibou Touray - Age 29


June 2026

Dave Challinor - Age 48

11 - Nick Powell - Age 29

28 - Ashton Mee - Age 17

27 - Odin Bailey - Age 24

 

[GTFCfish]

June 2024

1 - Ben Hinchliffe - Age 36

13 - Bobby Jones - Age 22

12 - Jordan Smith - Age 29

7 - Macauley Southam-Hales - Age 27

10- Antoni Sarcevic - Age 31

17 - Ryan Rydel - Age 22 INJURED due back next season

9 - Paddy Madden - Age 33

18 - Ryan Croasdale - Age 29

21 - Myles Hippolyte - Age 29

30 - Cody Johnson - Age 19

24 - Connor Lemonheigh Evans - Age 26

15 - Ethan Pye - Age 21 (Option to extend) INJURED due back March

20 - Louie Barry - Age 20 (on loan from Aston Villa) INJURED due back April

23 - Ethan Bristow -Age 22 (on loan from Minnesota Muffdinglers)

22 - Rico Richards - Age 20 (on loan from Aston Villa)

26 - Rhys Bennett - Age 20 (on loan from Manchester United)

32 - Lewis Cass - Age 23 (on loan from Port Vale)

June 2025


19 - Kyle Wootton - Age 27

14 - Will Collar - Age 26 INJURED again lol

6 - Fraser Horsfall - Age 27

4 - Akil Wright - Age 27

8 - Callum Camps - Age 28

25 - Isaac Tanitoluwaloba Aduraoluwatimileyin 'Tanto' Olaofe - Age 24

Jack Stretton - Age 22 INJURED due back next season

2 - Kyle Knoyle - Age 27 INJURED due back ___

5 - Neill Byrne - Age 30

3 - Ibou Touray - Age 29


June 2026

Dave Challinor - Age 48

11 - Nick Powell - Age 29

28 - Ashton Mee - Age 17

27 - Odin Bailey - Age 24

You sure that’s their ages and not how much they’re on a week?

 

[Ellis]

You sure that’s their ages and not how much they’re on a week?

It's the dream KPI rating

 

[joethegill]

So what you're basically saying is Stockport have an enormous squad? We knew that already

 

[AdamStag]

So what you're basically saying is Stockport have an enormous squad? We knew that already

We were all basically told gillingham would go places, not everything promised turns into reality.

 

[joethegill]

We were all basically told gillingham would go places, not everything promised turns into reality.

Not sure who from our end suggested that, think that was more noise from elsewhere. Plus we still may end up going up, no-one who's going to finish in the play-offs are going to have been significantly better than us over the course of this season, and we've been terrible.

 

[Conker]

I mean your new owner did keep saying he was going to wake ‘the giant’ to be fair, but these things can and do take time.

 

[Son of Cod]

Gillingham winning the playoffs on pens with three back to back 0-0s is definitely going to happen, we all know it.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Not all thankfully, but owners, especially new ones, tend to make ambitious, aspirational statements about their intentions and aims for the club.

Sometimes they are laughable, and massively over promise (as Notts fans know all to well from the past) but it's nothing new. Very common and in most cases who can blame them once they buy their new toy. Look hard enough and I suspect most have said things that don't materialise.

 

[T.A]

Gillingham winning the playoffs on pens with three back to back 0-0s is definitely going to happen, we all know it.

I hope they win 1-0 on pens as well.

 

[Optipez]

A lot of chat like it’s the back end of April and not the middle of Feb, ‘oh if we have a wobble’ ‘oh, we’ve got injuries now can we hold on?’.
Absolutely ages yet until things get serious - we went 9 games without a win and were closer to relegation then won 3 in a week and all of a sudden we’re in this big pack of potentials. There’ll be loads of twists between now and when it matters.

Also Notts fans, decent city centre places for a drink in Nottingham this weekend please? TIA x

The Peacock and Lincolnshire Poacher on Mansfield rd at both good. Or around the Lace Market there's the Cross Keys, Cock and Hoop, Keans Head, Old Angel and if you don't mind a gay pub but a good pub the Lord Roberts.
If you go around the castle , there's the Castle, Trip to Jerusalem and the Cafty Crow and close by there's the Bell, malt Cross, Dragon and Hop Merchant other side of Maid Marion Way.
If you're wanting really busy, lager and women then any Spoons around the square ,Yates's, , the Three Crowns and loads of others but they're not my cup of tea now I'm old and miserable.

Peacock is very nice, recently been completely renovated, not very big but in the centre.