WITH a full set of 2024/25 fixtures announced on Wednesday morning, our EFL League One is shaping up for another exciting adventure.
Here is my take on the most appetising opening weekend matches to assist your analysis of football odds in sports betting...
Friday 9th August – 8pm
Barnsley v Mansfield Town
Barnsley
Final position 2023/24: 6th in League One
On 23rd May, Barnsley installed Cheltenham Town boss Darrell Clarke as their new head coach. He agreed a two year contract plus the option of an extra 12 months.
Neill Collins had departed Barnsley in April. The Tykes concluded their regular campaign amassing just a solitary victory throughout nine outings followed by a 5-4 aggregate defeat versus Bolton Wanderers in the League One Play-Off Semi-Final.
Mansfield Town
Final position 2023/24: 3rd in League Two
Mansfield Town had an eight point advantage over fourth place in the League Two automatic promotion stakes. They will embrace third tier football for the first time in 21 years.
Saturday 10th August – all at 5.30pm
Birmingham City v Reading
Birmingham City
Final position 2023/24: 22nd in the Championship
Birmingham City were relegated by a point in the Championship. I believe their sacking of head coach John Eustace in October was a total disaster. Eustace had just reached sixth in the table after a convincing 3-1 local derby success past West Bromwich Albion.
An official statement explaining this strange decision mentioned “the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire football club.” Wayne Rooney duly came in but was fired on 2nd January reflecting nine defeats in his 15 game tenure.
Tony Mowbray became the next appointment before being forced to step away on 19th February because of ill health so Gary Rowett then fulfilled an interim role. Now, Blues have unveiled Tottenham Hotspur senior assistant coach Chris Davies as their new boss on a four year contract.
Reading
Final position 2023/24: 17th in League One
Reading flirted with relegation during 2023/24 but eventually pulled clear thanks to strong home form where 12 victories were recorded.
Burton Albion v Lincoln City
Burton Albion
Final position 2023/24: 20th in League One
Burton Albion avoided relegation by two points. On 4th June, the Brewers brought in Chelsea development squad boss Mark Robinson as their new head coach replacing Martin Paterson who moved on the previous month.
Lincoln City
Final position 2023/24: 7th in League One
Lincoln City missed out on the Play-Offs by two points due to losing their final fixture 2-0 at home to champions Portsmouth.
Crawley Town v Blackpool
Crawley Town
Final position 2023/24: 7th in League Two
Crawley Town finished 16 points below the automatic promotion rankings. In fact, they only sealed a Play-Off berth on the closing day by edging visitors Grimsby Town 2-0. It was their first victory amidst five matches.
Incredibly, Crawley went on to win the all-important Final at Wembley Stadium beating Crewe Alexandra 2-0. A magnificent improvement by the Sussex club having slumbered third bottom 12 months ago.
Blackpool
Final position 2023/24: 8th in League One
Blackpool were three points short of the Play-Offs after losing their final game 3-2 at Reading.
Exeter City v Rotherham United
Exeter City
Final position 2023/24: 13th in League One
Exeter City won six of their last nine matches in 2023/24.
Rotherham United
Final position 2023/24: 24th in the Championship
Championship rock bottom side Rotherham United ended up 24 points adrift mustering merely five victories in 2023/24.
Relegation was confirmed early on 5th April once they lost 1-0 at home to Plymouth Argyle.Peterborough United v Huddersfield Town
Peterborough United
Final position 2023/24: 4th in League One
Peterborough United lost 2-1 on aggregate against Oxford United in the Play-Off Semi-Finals.
Huddersfield Town
Final position 2023/24: 23rd in the Championship
Huddersfield Town’s relegation from the Championship was established in their final fixture capitulating 2-0 at Ipswich Town.
The Terriers have since named former Barnsley and Swansea City boss Michael Duff as their new head coach penning a three year deal. Prior incumbent Andre Breitenreiter left Huddersfield by mutual consent in May.
Stockport County v Cambridge United
Stockport County
Final position 2023/24: 1st in League Two
League Two champions Stockport County enjoyed a massive 14 point cushion atop the Play-Off zone.
This cemented a third title winning promotion within five years ascending up from the sixth level of English football in the National League North.
Cambridge United
Final position 2023/24: 18th in League One
Cambridge United rounded off the season with two draws and evaded relegation by four points.
Wigan Athletic v Charlton Athletic
Wigan Athletic
Final position 2023/24: 12th in League One
It is 11 years since Wigan Athletic graced the Premier League.
Charlton Athletic
Final position 2023/24: 16th in League One
When the former Southampton and Luton Town manager Nathan Jones joined Charlton Athletic on 4th February, they were just three points above relegation worries.
Jones subsequently led the South London men to 16th place courtesy of a 14 match unbeaten run which was terminated on the last day of fixtures. With such a well-respected boss at the helm, Charlton will be amongst the 2024/25 promotion favourites.
Wrexham v Wycombe Wanderers
Wrexham
Final position 2023/24: 2nd in League Two
Back to back promotions for the Hollywood club. It is evident to me that movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are clever businessmen.
They knew exactly what they were doing when they bought the sleeping giant North Wales team and are now relishing sell-out capacity crowds of 12,500 every home game.
Wycombe Wanderers
Final position 2023/24: 10th in League One
Wycombe Wanderers completed 2023/24 on a six match unbeaten run incorporating four maximum pointers.
The 2024/25 English Football League fixtures are released at 9am on Wednesday 26th June 2024 and League One supporters will be eagerly anticipating the opening weekend's matches.
Fans of every Championship, League One and League Two club will find out their fixture schedule for the new campaign and optimism will be high as supporters dream of securing promotion to the next tier.
The Football League will kick off on the weekend of 10th - 11th August 2024, with the final weekend of the regular season taking place on 2nd May 2025.
With 46 rounds of league action taking place across 33 weekends, nine midweek rounds and four Bank Holidays in the Championship, it looks set to be one of the best seasons yet.
Meanwhile, League One and League Two clubs will do battle over 36 weekends, with six midweek rounds and four Bank Holiday fixture lists.
As is tradition, the Football League playoff finals will take place over the 2025 May Bank Holiday Weekend but we've got nine months of exhilarating EFL action before then!
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
