Ahead of the start of the season we tracked down people who cover the other 23 clubs in the division to find out what they thought of each team’s chances going into 2026/27.
Since then there have been games played, and the transfer window has closed, so we thought we’d catch up with them all again to see what - if anything - has changed regarding each club’s hopes for what could be a fascinating season ahead.
Part One covered A-L, and now we get to M-W, where there's still a mix of promotion hopefuls, relegation battlers, and potentially some maybe-men… You have to feel like the table could look VERY different come May.
Our League One guide continues…
Mansfield Town – Georgia Goulding
It’s been a self-proclaimed ‘topsy-turvy start’ to the season for Mansfield Town, who went from an electric 5-2 win over promotion hopefuls Luton Town, to a 5-0 nightmare defeat to Reading in the space of three days.
Stags still seem to be figuring out their best line-ups and methods, and early injury setbacks certainly haven’t helped there. Their defence is also not looking as sharp as last season, which has been a real head-scratcher for fans, as they have the same personnel in that department.
New boys Michael Smith and Liam Thompson in particular are looking strong and will be instrumental for Mansfield this season, providing the group can shake this rocky start and click things into place. Signing Jon Russell permanently was also a huge move and he will be another key figure once he’s back from injury.
MK Dons – Liam Connolly
From a Dons fan’s perspective, it’s been a frustrating rather than disastrous start. Four points from the opening five games, with no wins, isn’t really where we would have wanted to be after coming up, but I don’t think the performances have been bad enough to suggest we’re completely out of our depth in League One either.
We’ve scored seven and conceded nine, so there’s certainly been plenty of entertainment, although as a fan you’d obviously like to see us be a bit more streetwise at both ends of the pitch.
The Wycombe game probably sums us up at the moment. We went 2-0 down, then showed a really good mentality to turn it around and lead 3-2 before ultimately conceding again. Coming back from two goals down away from home is a positive, but at the same time, it feels like another two points dropped rather than one gained.
The fact that Wycombe have since parted company with Michael Duff after that game perhaps adds a little context to just how chaotic that afternoon was.
I’m also encouraged by the fact we’ve already faced some pretty strong opposition. Oxford and Huddersfield are both sides you’d expect to be competitive, while holding Leicester to 0-0 shows that we can match teams with plenty of Championship experience. The problem is that we need to start turning these competitive performances into wins, because four points from five games quickly becomes a concern if the trend continues.
The transfer window has now closed, so there’s no hiding behind the squad still taking shape. Paul Warne has had the summer to put his group together, and I think there’s enough quality there to stay well clear of trouble., if not be a top half team minimum.
So, overall, I’d say there are more positives than the league position initially suggests, but the results have to start matching the performances. We’ve shown we can compete; now we need to show we can actually win football matches.
Notts County – Adam Hassell
Notts County fans will be delighted with their start to life back in the third tier. To be unbeaten after five matches, against some strong opposition. is better than anyone would have expected for their return.
They have a sturdy defence, a resolute character, and seem to know where the net is, which was the one real question mark they had about them before a ball was kicked. In a super competitive League One, who knows what’s possible for the Magpies this season.
Oxford United – Malachi Obrey
Oxford had a surprisingly busy end to the transfer window considering their transfer embargo. Want-away names Stanley Mills and Brian De Keersmaecker were shifted which felt a couple of big dents in the squad, but the U’s replaced them with two young, hungry loan signings in Luka Lynch from Aston Villa and Coventry City’s Kai Andrews.
With everything that has gone on, Aaron Ramsey has managed to conjure up a unified, motivated squad, using experience, youth and players with a point to prove to create competition and bring the best out of almost every player so far. The emergence of young starlet Mo Missanga has also added to the newfound optimism amongst the fanbase.
Ramsey’s detail-oriented approach and clear winning identity have led to a couple of outstanding results and, although it’s early days, the Yellows are fifth in League One and have every chance of a really strong season if things continue the way they are.
Peterborough United – Alan Swann
Posh are the lowest scorers in League One with a creaky, already injury-ravaged defence and a goalkeeper who has mislaid the outstanding form of last season so it’s actually a miracle we aren’t bottom of the table.
Gambling on basing a defence around two centre-backs with recent injury issues has already backfired, although recruitment in more forward areas will probably prove to be decent. Lots of noise around the future of the manager and with a record of 2 wins in the last 21 League One games that’s hardly a surprise.
Plymouth Argyle – Chris Errington
After missing out on a League One play-off place by just two points last season, Argyle definitely targeting a top six finish this term, and they have made a decent start to that objective. Their opening six games have seen them play the likes of Stockport, Bradford and Leicester, who you would expect to be up there challenging at the top of the table…
So it has not been an easy start but they have still picked up 10 points and have scored three goals in both of their recent back to back wins away to Doncaster and at home to Barnsley. Bim Pepple scored his third goal of the season in the victory over Barnsley and the Canadian striker will be key to the Pilgrims’ chances of success.
Reading – Ramy Abou-Setta
Reading are in a strongest position they have been in since the Dai Yongge administration. All the key players that they have lost over the past few seasons such as Amadou Mbungue, Femi Azeez and Harvey Knibbs are slowly being replaced with young, hungry and talented players in Kyreece Lisbie, George Earthy and Benn Ward.
Promotion is the goal and this squad is now capable of pursuing it, though Leam Richardson needs to fix the Royals away form if that will be a realistic achievement.
Stevenage – Neil Metcalfe
For a club like Stevenage, competing in the League One transfer window is always going to be incredibly difficult, and yet remarkably, despite losing top scorer Jamie Reid and player of the season Filip Marschall in the final hours, they seem to have come out the other side in a better place.
A 5-1 win at Barnsley was followed up by a 2-1 success at home to Luton Town and for a side that only managed 49 goals in total last season, they have 11 in six so far.
Hope is springing eternal down Broadhall Way all of a sudden.
Stockport County – Sam Byrne
There was always going to be a period of adjustment under former Rochdale boss Jimmy McNulty after such a successful tenure under Dave Challinor, especially following a summer of change with so many ins and outs on the pitch.
I think it’s fair to say many outside of Edgeley Park expected County to drop in to midtable this season after all of the upheaval we’ve seen with the manager, coaching staff and players, but County under McNulty have shown enough to suggest the play-offs remain realistic. They’ve been the entertainers of League One so far - six games, three wins, three defeats, 16 goals scored and ten conceded.
It’s entertaining and aggressive football, which has earned plaudits but also raised questions over the sustainability of such a style of play. County are still very much a work in progress under Jimmy McNulty, but will be shooting for the play-offs.
Wigan Athletic – Paul Kendrick
The league table doesn’t make for pretty reading, but anyone who saw the battling draw at Sheffield Wednesday will know it doesn’t tell the full story. Wigan could easily have won every game so far - with the exception of the spanking by Stockport - but have paid a high price for failing to land a goalscorer over the summer.
The loan signings of young midfielders Reggie Walsh (Chelsea) and Charlie Gray (Manchester City) look shrewd, however, and Gary Caldwell’s knack of achieving against budget limitations will be key to the campaign.
Wycombe Wanderers – James Richings
Well, it has certainly been an interesting start to the season for Wycombe Wanderers.
After no wins in seven in all competitions, Michael Duff, who was just 10 days away from his first anniversary in charge of the club, was let go by the Chairboys board.
He has since been replaced by first team coach, Tom Hounsell on an interim basis, and it seems to have worked as Wycombe finally tasted victory this campaign, following an entertaining 3-2 win over Leyton Orient.
Of course, it is not known how long Hounsell will be in charge for as Wycombe continue to look at the long-term game, but he seems to be a popular figure with the players.
We of course are not privy to all the information that gets said behind closed doors, but several first-team players being dropped from Duff’s last game, are reinstated in Hounsell’s first game, and it paid dividends.
A long way to go between now and May, but let’s just hope that Wycombe can now secure a few consecutive wins under their belt… This was achieved only once under Duff.
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