League One Relegation Odds

There are some standout teams for me in the relegation picture, and ultimately, the candidates are the same for many people.

I think there are four clear standouts for relegation this season, and there is a host of reasons why this is the case, but the most common reason is recruitment, and we'll get into the four here.

The first team facing the drop, I think, are Cambridge United - a squad that had a lack of goals last season, they have lost their two highest goalscorers, and their replacements do not fill me with confidence, and I can see them being victims of the division's strength in the upcoming season, and Garry Monk is not a manager who excites me.

Following them is Northampton Town. Whilst they had a fantastic season last year, they have failed to retain their key players, and their replacements are not up to the same level, so I'm expecting a hefty drop in their position next season, and the drop is a very real possibility threat.

One of the biggest things in professional football is squad depth, and for Shrewsbury Town, this is a major problem. Going into the 2024/25 season, there are just 20 senior members of their squad currently, and this terrifies me. The League One calendar is vicious and a 20-man squad is just asking for problems, and I think problems will be what we see for Town.

My final pick for relegation is Crawley Town, who have completely ignored the footballing handbook when it comes to promotion. After winning at Wembley in May, the majority of that squad have moved on for nominal fees, and their replacements are nowhere near the same standard, and I think humiliation could be on the cards.

Outside of these four, Exeter City and Burton Albion strike me as two sides that could face problems in the season. Exeter have not recruited to a fantastic level, and whilst the opposite can be said for Burton, they have, potentially, over-recruited, and I'm unsure how they will fare with basically a new squad.

Read my full League One season preview with picks for the overall winner, top goalscorer, and teams to get promoted.