Fantasy EFL
29 June 2025 1 comments
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The start of the 2025/26 EFL League One and League Two seasons is just a month away!

While Championship managers will need to hold out until August 8, the excitement for the new season is already building and it won’t be long until we see competitive football back on our screens and in stadiums.

The ubiquitous world of AI takes centre stage once more! Having already delved into the bookies’ predictions for Championship performance, we’re now pushing the boundaries further.

Embracing the rise of AI, we’ve tasked X’s Grok tool with forecasting the entire 2025/26 EFL standings for the Championship, League One, and League Two, along with its “reasoning” for each prediction. And let us tell you, there are some shocks!

With the Premier League rolling out its new AI tool for Fantasy Premier League, we couldn’t resist going down a similar, albeit tongue-in-cheek, path before the season kicks off!

CHAMPIONSHIP

TEAMPOINTSREASON
1. Southampton92Relegated from the Premier League, Southampton, under Will Still, have a strong squad, managerial stability, and parachute payments, will see them as favourites.
2. Ipswich Town89Also relegated, Ipswich’s attacking flair, led by players like Sammie Szmodics (M), should be enough for automatic promotion.
3. Sheffield United85Beaten in the 2024/25 Play-Off Final, Chris Wilder’s side leverages a robust squad. Their home form at Bramall Lane ensures a play-off spot, though minor squad turnover may prevent a top-two finish.
4. Birmingham City82Promoted from League One, Birmingham’s financial backing and Chris Davies’ attacking philosophy position them for a surprise play-off push.
5. Leicester City80Relegated with a points deduction looming, Leicester’s squad quality is high, but off-field issues may limit them to a play-off spot rather than automatic promotion.
6. Coventry City78A fantastic 2024/25 under Frank Lampard reaching the play-offs, Coventry’s stability and attacking options make them likely to secure a play-off spot again.
7. Middlesbrough75Managerless after Michael Carrick’s sacking, with potential top talent sales, could see them miss out.
8. WBA73A lack of firepower up front prevents a higher finish under Ton Mowbray, but their Championship experience ensures a solid top-half finish.
9. Norwich City70Norwich’s solid squad should keep them in the top half, though not play-off contenders under Liam Manning. Top talent leaving could hinder their season.
10. Bristol City68Impressive 24/25 campaign, but Manning’s departure and lack of firepower impacts promotion odds.
11. Watford66Barely in play-off contention in 2024/25, Watford’s inconsistent squad and management changes limit their ceiling.
12. Blackburn Rovers65Exceeded expectations in 24/25 under Ismael, but are not expected to replicate their top end of season form again.
13. Sheffield Wednesday63Avoided relegation comfortably last season. Financial issues are a worry, but shouldn’t be relegated.
14. Stoke City60Struggled last season but survived. Championship experience and bet365 stadium fortress secures a lower mid-table finish.
15. Derby County58Expected to consolidate but not challenge for promotion under John Eustace.
16. Millwall56Narrowly missed out on the play-offs under Alex Neil. Top defensive record but blunt attack limits upward mobility, keeping them lower mid-table.
17. Swansea City54Limited investment and a thin squad – no standout striker – ensures safety, but no play-off hopes.
18. QPR52Escaped relegation, Loftus Road atmosphere aids survival, but lacks quality to finish higher without a manager announced.
19. PNE50Narrowly survived, expected to flirt with relegation again, but Heckingbottom’s pragmatism should see them remain in the division.
20. Hull City48Sergej Jakirovic appointed following Ruben Selles’ sacking. Home form may just secure survival, but instability looms.
21. Wrexham45Hollywood-backed momentum and a fairytale story is tested by the Championship’s quality jump. Fan support and a direct style help them narrowly avoid relegation.
22. Portsmouth42Five clear of the drop zone last campaign, Mousinho’s side were excellent at Fratton Park but struggled on the road.
23. Oxford United38Survived 24/25 but heavily reliant on Mark Harris (F). Small squad and porous defence overwhelms their limited resources.
24. Charlton Athletic37Play-Off winners doesn’t translate into Championship success. Nathan Jones’ defensive style will see them return to the third division.

LEAGUE ONE

TEAMPOINTSREASON
1. Luton Town101Matt Bloomfield’s experience in League One will play dividends. Squad full of talent, a Birmingham City-like title charge is expected.
2. Cardiff City96Expected to have a sizeable budget but without a manager at present may see Luton pip them to the title. Home wins will drive them to promotion.
3. Plymouth Argyle89Their 22/23 League One title [101 points] ensures a strong campaign, despite not having anyone at the top currently.
4. Bolton Wanderers85Poor end to the campaign, Steven Schumacher has a full summer to make his mark and develop the squad.
5. Huddersfield Town81Lee Grant’s appointment as manager is certainly turning heads, especially after last season’s disappointing finish. The club has wasted no time in the transfer market, and have experience in the division.
6. Reading78New ownership stabilises Reading after deductions. They just missed out on the play-offs last season, and Noel Hunt will be hoping to see them kick on.
7. Stockport County74Reached the 24/25 play-offs, mainly fuelled by Louie Barry’s (F) early season heroics. However, it won’t be play-off joy once again.
8. Blackpool70Although in with an early shout following Steve Bruce’s appointment, Blackpool were far off reaching the play-offs. Expect a similar season.
9. Lincoln City67A mid-table finish, Michael Skubala’s side are in for a decent season.
10. Rotherham United64Matt Hamshaw will be hoping to improve the clubs poor away form after a disappointing campaign.
11. Wycombe Wanderers61Their underdog story, which saw them drop from automatic promotion contention into the play-offs, was cut short by a semi-final defeat. This season, Mike Dodds is expected to lead them to a mid-table finish.
12. Barnsley59Concerns are mounting over the future of key players, including Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has recently been the subject of transfer speculation. For Connor Hourihane’s side, another mid-table finish appears to be on the cards.
13. Peterborough United58Darren Ferguson’s side certainly had something to celebrate with their Vertu Trophy victory, but a significant squad exodus means they’re likely to finish in the mid-table again.
14. Leyton Orient56Richie Wellens’ side finished the season outstandingly, despite ultimately losing the play-off final. While there’s a slim chance of reaching the play-offs again, a mid-table finish is more likely for them this campaign.
15. Wigan Athletic54An impressive defence but mediocre attack should see Shaun Maloney’s side ensures safety.
16. Exeter City52Another middle of the pack finish is expected for Gary Caldwell’s side.
17. Northampton Town50Despite a poor campaign last year, Jon Brady’s side could climb a couple of spots this season. However, limited investment means they’ll likely remain in the lower mid-table.
18. Stevenage48Alex Revell’s 5-3-2 will keep them above the drop zone, but a lack of goal scorers won’t see them propel up the table.
19. Bradford City44A last-minute promotion winner, the Bantams have already been investing in their side, and good home form should see them stay up.
20. Burton Albion42Great escape last season, Gary Bowyer re-signing should see them survive once again.
21. Mansfield Town40Nigel Clough’s future could be in doubt, and their 24/25 struggles will be amplified, but should survive.
22. Doncaster Rovers39League Two 24/25 winners, Grant McCann’s side have some top talent, but the quality jump could be too steep.
23. AFC Wimbledon34Play-off winners, Johnnie Jackson’s small squad won’t cope with League One, leading to relegation.
24. Port Vale30Despite Darren Moore’s League One experience with Sheffield Wednesday, a lack of quality doom them to relegation.

LEAGUE TWO

TEAMPOINTSREASON
1. Walsall98Finishing fourth but losing the play-off final, their division-best 75 goals will see Mat Sadler’s side summit the table.
2. Notts County93Finishing seventh last season, Stuart Maynard’s side lost in the play-offs. Despite losing David McGoldrick (F), squad depth will see them into League One.
3. MK Dons88New manager Paul Warne has wasted no time in strengthening the squad with significant new signings. With his proven track record of achieving promotion at multiple clubs, expect the Dons’ revitalised attacking depth to be a major force this season.
4. Crewe Alexandra84After vying for promotion for much of the 2024-25 season, even reaching the automatic promotion places until late January, Lee Bell’s Crewe side ultimately endured a disappointing end to their campaign, winning three in 18. Defensive solidity will see them in the play-offs.
5. Chesterfield80A strong season under Paul Cook, suffering loss in the semi-finals of the play-offs on the final day, the Spireites will go two better and safely secure a play-off spot.
6. Swindon Town77With his first summer transfer window at the helm, Ian Holloway is poised to significantly strengthen the Robins. A manager renowned for multiple promotions throughout his career, Swindon showed significant attacking prowess by scoring the most goals among the bottom-half.
7. Gillingham74Gareth Ainsworth had a brilliant end to the season with the Gills, ending the season unbeaten. A huge improvement is expected but it may be a season too early for play-offs.
8. Salford City72Missing out on a play-off spot on the final day last season was a bitter pill to swallow for Karl Robinson’s side. This time around, expectations are that they’ll finish in the exact same position, but the disappointment of missing out on promotion will be even greater.
9. Colchester United68Last season, Daniel Crowley’s side were a team of fine margins, characterised by their low-scoring but defensively solid performances. Expect a similar, tightly contested season for the U’s.
10. Tranmere Rovers66A significant rebound is anticipated for Andy Crosby’s side this campaign, as they aim to climb ten spots from their 20th-place finish to secure a spot in the top half of the table at 10th.
11. Barnet62Fresh off their National League promotion, Dean Brennan’s side is poised for a strong showing, having secured triple-digit points on their way up. Much like Bromley’s impressive campaign, expect a similar trajectory for the Bees.
12. Oldham Athletic60The sleeping giants are back in the Football League. Under the guidance of Micky Mellon, expect Oldham to thrive. Their squad, bolstered by valuable EFL experience, should ensure a steady finish at Boundary Park.
13. Crawley Town58Relegated from League One, Scott Lindsey’s side aren’t projected for an immediate bounceback.
14. Bristol Rovers56Following similar suit, their poor form in League One doesn’t bode well for the Gas, who had the worst away form in League One.
15. Harrogate Town55Simon Weaver’s defensive solidity should see the Sulphurites secure a bottom-half finish and guarantee survival.
16. Grimsby Town52Although a strong previous season, the Mariners defensive holes will limit them.
17. Newport County50Their 13-season League Two tenure ensures safety, but a lack of goals and middling defence will see Nelson Jardim’s side finish 17th.
18. Cheltenham Town48Michael Flynn guided the Robins to 15th place – expect a similar finish this season.
19. Cambridge United46Despite expectations high for Gary Monk’s side, they could be relegation-bound with a weak defence.
20. Fleetwood Town43Pete Wild guided them to a mid-table finish after Charlie Adam’s sacking, ensuring they avoided a relegation battle, though they aren’t expected to achieve the same level of success this season.
21. Shrewsbury Town42The Shrews are also expected to struggle under Michael Appleton, finishing bottom of League One. EFL experience should see them stay up.
22. Bromley39After a strong first campaign, Andy Woodman’s side were heavily reliant on Michael Cheek (F). Expect a quieter season at Hayes Lane, dodging relegation.
23. Accrington Stanley35John Doolan’s side had enough to dodge relegation last year, but it won’t be enough this time around, with a lack of top signings in talent.
24. Barrow31The Bluebirds ended their campaign on a high, going seven games unbeaten, but that form likely won’t be enough to avoid relegation.
1 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo
    • 5 Years
    5 months, 13 days ago

    I was going to comment on your previous "article", about how if we're going to read anything on here, the writer needs to try a bit harder than, "Chat GPT, do my homework to the lowest standard possible (yet passable)".

    And then there's this. Quality control on this site? Non-existent. What's the point of this? Who does this serve? Is it just another webpage to put some ads on?

    If and when Neale leaves for better things, this site is over.