SMART MOVE: He is back fullt for….

It’s that thrilling time of the year when we can start looking ahead to the next season. Clubs are rebuilding their squads, major signings are being made, and fans are dreaming of a fantastic football season ahead.

This is especially true for Mansfield Town fans, many of whom have never seen their team compete against the elite of League One. After two decades away, they can look forward to facing teams like Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, and Charlton Athletic, rather than Sutton United, Harrogate Town, and Forest Green Rovers.

The challenge will be significant for the Stags, requiring a shift in mindset. Fans will need to be patient and understanding, as setbacks like losing three games in a row will no longer be uncommon but part of the process of consolidation.

Promoted teams like Carlisle United and Forest Green Rovers struggled in League One recently, but Mansfield Town aims to follow the example of Leyton Orient and Northampton Town, who performed respectably last season. Manager Nigel Clough has spent several seasons building a squad capable of competing at this level, with experienced players like Aden Flint, Lucas Akins, Christy Pym, and new signing Lee Gregory.

Clough will continue to strengthen the squad in the coming weeks. While another promotion campaign may not be on the agenda, the journey ahead should not be daunting.

The top end of League One will see another exciting promotion race. Peterborough United, after two failed promotion attempts, face an interesting summer, having already lost key player Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry City and potentially Harrison Burrows to the Premier League. Retaining their best young talents, like Hector Kyprianou and Kwame Poku, will be crucial.

Bolton, under Ian Evatt, must address their play-off failures after a record-breaking season ended disappointingly at Wembley. Evatt will look for players who can handle pressure to achieve the long-desired promotion.

The relegated Championship trio—Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, and Rotherham United—are expected to be strong contenders. Birmingham, playing in the third tier for the first time in 29 years, will look to regroup and leverage their stature to attract significant talent.

Hollywood-backed Wrexham are favored in pre-season odds, but a more reliable bet might be Blackpool, who ended last season strongly and are poised for a top-six finish. Charlton, with Nathan Jones and golden boot winner Alfie May, could also be promotion contenders.

Burton Albion and Cambridge United face tough seasons ahead due to their limited resources and recent struggles, while Stevenage and Crawley Town, despite their recent successes, may find the coming season challenging.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on how the Stags will fare. Join the discussion on our social media channels.