Newport County ready for unpredictable League Two in 2024/25

The Reds were seen as a crypto-backed rabble as they headed towards 2023/24, a side likely to be struggling near the bottom rather than challenging at the top.

With a progressive coach in Scott Lindsey and some shrewd recruitment, Crawley became the fourth side to earn promotion along with heavy hitters Stockport, Wrexham and Mansfield.

It’s Crewe that were left vowing to be fuelled by play-off final disappointment at Wembley – a situation that Newport County AFC are familiar with – but they face a challenge to be up there again in what is still shaping up to be a fiercely competitive league.

It’s a risky business making predictions in May before the summer recruitment, but here are some early groupings of the 24 clubs that will play in the fourth tier…

County's opponents in League Two next season (Image: Newsquest)

UP AT THE TOP

Doncaster fell short in the play-offs but enjoyed a remarkable rise to fifth thanks to finishing the season with 10 wins and a draw.

Under Grant McCann, Rovers will be tipped to pick up where they left off even if they have lost some influential loanees.

Bradford narrowly missed out on the top seven but have already signalled their intent with the signings of Antoni Sarcevic and Neill Byrne from Stockport.

Milton Keynes Dons finished fourth last season and that was a fair placing, but the play-offs aren’t fair.

They were battered by Crawley but possess the talent in their squad to try and get a top-three spot this time around.

Chesterfield are aiming to follow Wrexham in enjoying successive promotions – not an easy task but they will have the budget to give it a serious crack – while Carlisle will aim to bounce back from the drop.

The Cumbrians were a shambles in League One but have the financial clout, and quality, to be in the mix.

CLASS: Notts County were superb twice against Newport County, but paid the price for defensive weakness (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

THE HOPEFULS

Notts County were the best side that the Exiles played home and away last season, winning 3-0 at Meadow Lane and 3-1 at Rodney Parade.

If they plug their defensive gaps and hold on to Macauley Langstaff, who has been linked with a Luke Williams reunion in Swansea, they will improve on their 14th-placed finish.

Barrow were in the play-off spots for much of the campaign but Pete Wild’s small squad hit the buffers.

Gillingham should have been much better than they were last season; they weren’t easy on the eye and nor did they grind out enough results, finishing a disappointing 12th.

It’s another change at the top in Kent with Stephen Clemence gone and Mark Bonner at the helm and expected to mount a promotion challenge.

THE UNKNOWNS

As ever, the biggest group in what is always a tight league in which the gap between play-offs and relegation can be tight, as shown by Doncaster.

The Exiles are in this category – last season they were good to be top-seven hopefuls when the first XI was available, awful when hit by injury.

Crewe were something of a surprise package last season and need to respond to their Wembley woe.

UP: Bromley manager Andy Woodman (centre) and captain Byron Webster lift the trophy after winning the Vanarama National League play-off final (Image: PA)

Bromley are heading up with Chesterfield and County’s clashes with National League opposition in the FA Cup last season shows they won’t be pushovers. The tough 46-game schedule will test them.

Morecambe were pretty good in 2023/24 but will off-field uncertainty, and another change of manager, impact them? There are understandable fears of what lies ahead for the Shrimps, as the Exiles experienced last season before the Huw Jenkins takeover.

There are plenty of teams that, like County, swung from high to low – Walsall, Wimbledon, Harrogate.

Swindon are a big club at this level but were poor after a flying start under Michael Flynn while Tranmere were much-improved under Nigel Adkins, but have lost influential loanee Rob Apter.

Accrington are truly starting the post-John Coleman era and could be good, could be awful.

MUST DO BETTER

Three of the relegated sides are in this category (Carlisle clearly must also do better but they have deep pockets and big hopes) – Fleetwood, Port Vale and Cheltenham.

They could be contenders but the plight of Forest Green is a warning.

Colchester and Grimsby will be out to avoid another brush with the drop while Salford went from being play-off semi-finalists to on the fringes of the relegation scrap.

Early title odds (with League Two sponsors Sky Bet)

Chesterfield 7/1

Carlisle 9/1

MK Dons 9/1

Port Vale 12/1

Gillingham 12/1

Notts County 12/1

Bradford 14/1

Salford 14/1

Doncaster 14/1

AFC Wimbledon 16/1

Cheltenham 20/1

Walsall 20/1

Tranmere 20/1

Crewe 20/1

Fleetwood 25/1

Barrow 25/1

Grimsby 33/1

Swindon 33/1

Colchester 33/1

Accrington 33/1

Newport County 40/1

Harrogate 50/1

Morecambe 66/1

Bromley 66/1