League Two returns this weekend with its customary blend of unpredictability and intrigue, as 24 clubs prepare for a campaign expected to go down to the wire, according to correspondents surveyed by BBC Sport.
Salford City head into the season as heavy favourites to finally clinch promotion to League One for the first time in their history. Under new boss Peter Cklamovski, the Ammies have overhauled their squad following last season's play-off final heartbreak against a side they should have beaten to secure automatic promotion on the final day. The marquee arrival is forward Macaulay Langstaff from Championship club Millfall, joined by Luke Molyneux and Abraham Odoh as Salford's board make clear their intention that this be the club's last season at this level.
Elsewhere, York City's return to the English Football League after a decade away has been overshadowed by upheaval behind the scenes. The National League champions sacked head coach Stuart Maynard just weeks before the new campaign, replacing him with Scott Lindsey. The decision has unsettled sections of the fanbase, with chants referencing Maynard's dismissal already heard during City's EFL Cup exit to Crawley Town. Striker Josh Stones, a £300,000 signing from Wigan, remains a key asset the club will hope to keep hold of if results go their way early on.
Bristol Rovers, who finished last season strongly under Steve Evans after his December appointment, have been tipped by some pundits for automatic promotion following a productive summer that saw several January loan signings, including Kofi Balmer and Richie Smallwood, return on permanent deals. Chesterfield, beaten in last season's play-off semi-finals, will again be among the favourites under Paul Cook, though their defensive record—the leakiest among last term's top eight—will need addressing.
Grimsby Town, who also fell at the play-off semi-final stage, have added firepower in Iwan Morgan and Andy Cook as David Artell looks to build on successive seasons of progress at Blundell Park. Rochdale, promoted via the play-offs after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Boreham Wood at Wembley, will aim simply to consolidate their return to the Football League under Ian Watson, with forward Mani Dieseruvwe—a 28-goal man last term—central to their hopes.
At the other end of the table, Crawley Town and Tranmere Rovers will again be tipped for a relegation battle. Crawley finished bottom last season and have undergone a squad overhaul under Colin Kazim-Richards, while Tranmere have finished lower in the table in each of the past seven seasons and remain without a completed takeover. Darrell Clarke's arrival, along with free-transfer signings Tom Ince and Will Vaulks, offers some optimism on Prenton Park.
Rotherham United, relegated from League One, face an adjustment period under Alex Bruce, with former Wrexham striker Paul Mullin arriving as the headline addition. Newly relegated Northampton Town and Port Vale will also be looking to bounce back quickly, while Exeter City begin life back in League Two following their own relegation, having lost a host of experienced players amid financial constraints.
Swindon Town, Walsall, Oldham Athletic and Gillingham all harbour top-half ambitions, while Colchester United, Barnet and Cheltenham Town will hope to build on encouraging recent campaigns. As ever in League Two, the gap between promotion contenders and relegation strugglers promises to be narrow, with the destination of both the title and the drop places unlikely to be settled before the season's final weeks.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.