League Two never fails to provide gripping entertainment right until the final day of the season. If recent years are anything to go by, the 2026-27 campaign promises to be no different with Salford City tipped to win promotion to League One for the first time in their history and York City back in the EFL after a 10-year hiatus. With Saturday's curtain-raiser upon us, BBC Sport spoke to correspondents across England and Wales for their takes on the clubs they cover and what to expect this season.
Follow your League Two club this 2026-27 season Key ins: Joe Anderson (Barrow, undisclosed), Cole Stockton (Salford, free), Tom Moore (Southport, undisclosed), Louie Moulden (Norwich, loan) Key outs: Ollie Wright (loan spell ended) What are the expectations heading into the season? To achieve more points and a higher league position than they did last season. They made a three-point improvement year-on-year last season and flirted with the play-off places in early 2026 before injuries and squad depth took their toll.
What are the major strengths of the team to help them achieve that? They have strengthened their forward line with the arrival of Cole Stockton, which has to help. Stanley will be hoping that he can return to the form that made him a wanted man during his days at Morecambe.
They have also brought players in from non-league football who will be hungry to show that they belong in the EFL. The club always has a 'never say die' attitude. They are always tipped for relegation in whichever league they play at the start of a season.
That's of no interest to manager John Doolan or his squad. And what are the underlying weaknesses that could hold them back? Injuries and perhaps in some areas a little bit of inexperience could hamper them.
There are key players in the Stanley team that Doolan needs to get 35-plus games from this season - Shaun Whalley being a case in point. He missed the start of last season and was missed badly. Who's a player to look out for this season who could be a difference-maker?
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