THE MAIN CONTENDERS There may not be a team to take League 2 by storm as Milton Keynes Dons did last season, but Bradford City could be the side to watch as they look to start climbing back up the League ladder seven years after falling out of the Premiership. Manager Stuart McCall has made some astute summer signings, among them striker Michael Boulding whose goalscoring instincts could prove crucial to the Bantams' challenge. Last term Rochdale were denied a fairy-tale ending to their centenary season when Stockport County beat them 3-2 in the League 2 Play-Off Final at Wembley. Keith Hill's team should be the strongest contenders of the of the three clubs who missed out in the Play-Offs, however, and they could be set to mark their 101st year with a promotion that would end 35 seasons in The Football League's basement division.
Darlington, who Dale beat in the Play-Off semi-finals, have challenged in each of the four seasons following their relegation from League 1 and should do so again, while Wycombe Wanderers - defeated by Stockport in the Play-Off semis - will hope that new manager Peter Taylor can repeat the promotion touch which he showed with Hull City during the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons. Chesterfield dropped out of contention for a Play-Off place in the final month of last season, but after some significant squad-strengthening the Spireites should be a good bet for one of those top seven spots and maybe even for the top three. Relegated Port Vale and Gillingham, together with promoted Aldershot, may also play major roles in the promotion battle.
SURPRISE PACKAGES
Shrewsbury Town, Brentford and Lincoln City were teams who underachieved last season but could be surprise contenders in 2008/09. Shrewsbury responded poorly to their 2007 Play-Off Final defeat by Bristol Rovers and finished 18th in the table, but manager Paul Simpson - appointed only in March - has made potentially excellent close season signings in strike pair Grant Holt and Richard Walker and the Shrews should spend the coming campaign at the right end of the table.
Richard Walker is no stranger to the scoresheet at this level and if he can hit it off with Grant Holt, expect the Shrews to be in the reckoning.
Rookie Brentford boss Andy Scott cut his managerial teeth after taking over the helm midway through last term and did a good enough job to suggest that the Bees could make a strong bid to reclaim a League 1 place at the second attempt. After five unsuccessful attempts in a row to gain promotion via the Play-Offs Lincoln, whose manager Peter Jackson was diagnosed with throat cancer in February, had to settle for a 15th place finish in May. But with Jackson happily back at his desk and making key close season signings such as the vastly experience Frank Sinclair, the Imps should once again be sniffing around the top seven. Bury were flirting with relegation when Alan Knill took over as manager in February, but a strong rally saw the Shakers finish the campaign in mid-table and set themselves up for a real tilt at promotion in the nine months ahead.
KEY PLAYERS
Bradford City striker Michael Boulding could prove to be League 2's best signing of the summer. After incredibly hitting the net 25 times for Mansfield Town last season despite the Stags slumping to relegation into the Blue Square Premier, the experienced goalscorer will be a key man as he spearheads the Bantams' promotion drive. Dark horses Shrewsbury have signed not one but two battle-hardened strikers, Grant Holt from Nottingham Forest and Richard Walker on loan from Bristol Rovers. If this pair hit it off the Shrews will be hard to contain as they look to improve on a disappointing 2007-08 season.
Another experienced campaigner, 33 year-old former Ipswich Town midfielder Darren Currie, will be a big player for Chesterfield after joining the Spireites from Luton Town. At the other end of the age scale 20 year-old Aldershot Town midfield man Scott Davies - on loan from Reading - will help the Shots make an impression in League 2 after he hit nine goals in 28 appearances during the club's Blue Square Premier title triumph last season. After arriving in the division from the opposite direction to Aldershot, Port Vale will be aiming to make a quick return to League 1 and manager Lee Sinnott is putting his faith in the leadership qualities of Sam Stockley having named the former Wycombe Wanderers defender as captain following his summer switch from the Chairboys. If Stockley's previous club are to improve on last season's run to the Play-Off semi-finals then much may depend on Northern Ireland midfielder Tommy Doherty, now a permanent member of the Adams Park squad following three separate spells on loan from Queens Park Rangers.
NEW BOYS
League 1's relegated quartet look set for contrasting fortunes in a season where off-field problems could hamper Luton Town and AFCBournemouth. Port Vale, who would have finished bottom of the table had Luton not been docked points through going into administration, have made massive changes with manager Lee Sinnott releasing a dozen players but bringing in eight new ones. If Sinnott, in what will be his first full season as a Football League manager, can quickly get his much-changed line-up to gell then the Valiants should be able to mount a sustained promotion challenge. Gillingham boss Mark Stimson, like Sinnott entering his first full campaign in Football League management following a successful stint at non-league level, has not been as busy as his Vale counterpart in the comings-and-goings department and will need new striker Mark McCammon to fire if the Gills are to make a challenge.
Both of the promoted Blue Square Premier clubs, champions Aldershot Town and Play-Off winners Exeter City, will re-enter The League with confidence and should give good accounts of themselves. Under the management of Gary Waddock the Shots won the title by a massive 15-point margin and could replicate Carlisle United's 2005/06 feat of achieving promotion from League 2 at the first attempt. Exeter will not be expected to be promotion candidates but don't discount them - manager Paul Tisdale has been an outstanding boss in non-league circles and will be aiming to continue his successful run in The League.
