EFL League One 2020/21 Preview – Fleetwood Town, Gillingham, Hull City and Ipswich

The 2020-21 League One season will be more competitive than ever before. With so many teams challenging for promotion, it will be an exciting campaign throughout. Here we have taken a look at the chances of Ipswich Town, Hull City, Fleetwood Town and Gillingham.

Fleetwood Town

Fleetwood narrowly missed out on promotion to League One as Joey Barton’s men were destroyed by Gareth Ainsworth’s eventual Play-Off winning Wycombe side. Barton will have looked to add depth to his team to push that extra bit more for his side not to struggle in the Play-Offs but to go up into the Championship.
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Transfers

INs

Jordan Rossiter (Rangers, free transfer)
Callum Camps (Rochdale, free transfer)
Joel Coleman (Huddersfield, free transfer)
Mark Duffy (Sheffield United, free transfer)
Morgan Boyes (Liverpool, loan)

OUTs

Matt Gilks (Bolton, free transfer)
Lewie Coyle (Hull, undisclosed)
Kyle Dempsey (Gillingham, free transfer)
Conor McAleny (Oldham, free transfer)
Billy Crelin (Bolton, loan)
Will Crelin (Bolton, loan)
Harrison Biggins (Barrow, loan)
James Cottam (released)
Dean Marney (released
Gerard Garner (released)

More players have left the club than we’ve seen come to Fleetwood Town. It has been the case with most teams out with the deadwood and in with the players that will fight for the badge and that are likely to get results, especially with the player’s Barton, has managed to capture.

Targets

The main priority for Fleetwood this season will be going one better than they managed last season. If they get the Play-Offs, Barton will be looking for his men to fight on every inch of the grass.

If Fleetwood manage to get promoted in the Championship, they will want to do it convincingly to send a message to the Championship clubs not to take Fleetwood lightly.

Key Player

Glenn Whelan and Jordan Rossiter will be very key for Fleetwood in the middle of the park. Whelan, at 36, will be providing the vital experience for more of the younger players in the team.

Rossiter decided to come back to England after his spell at Rangers and the two in midfield will complement each other as Whelan can give guidance to Rossiter and the 23-year-old can support Whelan in the middle hopefully creating a strong midfield duo.

Youth Prospect

Young Liverpool defender Morgan Boyes has been loaned into the club and will be looking to gain some vital experience off of the more senior professionals at Fleetwood.

This is his first big challenge as he has spent most of his young career playing in Liverpool’s youth setup. Boyes will need game time under his belt and a real confidence boost from Barton to get the young defender to find his feet in League One.

Gillingham

After a tenth place finish in League One last season, manager Steve Evans will be looking for his side to push for the Play-Offs missing out by nine points last time out.
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Transfers

INs

Vadaine Oliver (Northampton Town, free transfer)
Jacob Mellis (Bolton Wanderers, free transfer)
Alex MacDonald (Mansfield Town, free transfer)
Kyle Dempsey (Fleetwood Town, free transfer)
Robbie McKenzie (Hull City, free transfer)
Christian Maghoma (Arka Gdynia, free transfer)
Zech Medley (Arsenal, loan)
Trae Coyle (Arsenal U21, loan)

OUTs

Mikael Mandron (Crewe Alexandra, free transfer)
Ben Pringle (Morecambe, free transfer)
Mark Byrne (Shelbourne, free transfer)
Barry Fuller (Dorking, free transfer)
Lee Hodson (Hamilton, loan)

Gillingham have added quality players to their setup as the midfield duo of Alex McDonald and Jacob Mellis have already combined at Mansfield under Steve Evans. Evans will be hopeful that the team bond together and gel well which could see them rise up the table.

Targets

The only way will be up for Gillingham as they will look to improve their tenth and with the additions that Evans has made Gills fans will be excited for the season ahead and especially looking at the threat that has come down into League One from the Championship.

Key Player

Alex MacDonald and Jacob Mellis have already played under Steve Evans as they have been re-captured by Evans another time.

The midfield duo play well together as McDonald brings the never give up mentality and Mellis brings assists, good vision and great passing range which will help a lot in the middle of the pitch.

Youth Prospect

Young Arsenal centre-back Zech Medley is one to look-out for throughout this season. Just like Boyes for Fleetwood Town, this is Medley’s first experience of professional football beyond the youth team and a few minutes for the Arsenal first team.

Medley will have to adapt really quickly to the style of play on display in League One and if he is given enough game time then he will have to put into consideration the recovery process needed to recover from every league game which sometimes can be very tough.

Hull City

Hull City fans may not know what to expect following their relegation to League One.

The Yorkshire side suffered all kinds of troubles off the pitch – including financial and ownership issues – which spilled onto the pitch, including an 8-0 loss at the hands of fellow relegated side Wigan Athletic last season.
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Transfers

INs:

Greg Docherty (Rangers, £401k)
Lewie Coyle (Fleetwood, £351k)
Josh Emmanuel (Bolton, free transfer)
Richard Smallwood (Blackburn Rovers, free transfer)
Mallik Wilks (Barnsley, undisclosed)
Festus Arthur (Stockport County, undisclosed)
Alfie Jones (Southampton, undisclosed)

OUTs:

Will Mannion (Pafos FC, free transfer)
Robbie McKenzie (Gillingham, free transfer)
Angus MacDonald (Rotherham, free transfer)
Jon Toral (Birmingham City, free transfer)
Eric Lichaj (Karagumruk, free transfer)
Ryan Tafazolli (Wycombe Wanderers, free transfer)
Markus Henriksen (released)
Nouha Dicko (released)
Kevin Stewart (released)
Jackson Irvine (released)
Stephen Kingsley (released)

There has been a clear movement of upheaval at the KCOM Stadium with more than ten departures. The Tigers have, however, added to the squad where they have previously had departures – with the addition of seven players, including Emmanuel and Coyle, both of whom had League One experience last season.

Targets

McCann has already said the Tigers’ aim is “to try and bounce back at the first time of asking” but that is not as easy as they may anticipate.

League One is notoriously a sticking ground for some clubs – including the likes of Leeds United, Southampton and Sheffield United, all of whom spent seasons in the third tier prior to achieving in later years.

Key Player

The pressure may well be on Mallik Wilks and Tom Eaves to muster together the goals this season. Between them last season, 13 goals were contributed to the Tigers’ final total.

But, of course, the Yorkshire side will require a much greater threat in front of goal if, as McCann has stated, they aim to achieve promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Youth Prospect

Max Sheaf returned back to Hull after his loan spell ended at Cheltenham Town. The 20-year-old had a decent spell for the Robins as he managed two goals in 19 league appearances for Cheltenham.

It will be interesting to see whether he can break into the Hull City side and battle for a place in the middle of the park or even as a central attacking midfielder and if he is given game time may blossom at League One level.

Ipswich Town

It is fair to say that Ipswich Town massively underachieved last season. The Tractor Boys spent much of the campaign fighting for promotion, sitting among the automatic promotion spots around Christmas.

But, constant rotation from boss Paul Lambert led to inconsistent results and a rapid drop down the table – eventually, the Blues finished tenth, seven points outside the play-offs.
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Transfers

INs:

Oli Hawkins (Portsmouth, free transfer)
David Cornell (Northampton Town, free transfer)
Stephen Ward (Stoke City, free transfer)

OUTs:

Jordan Roberts (Hearts, free transfer)
Harry Wright (GAIS, loan)

The Blues have made a small number of signings already this season, adding to what is an already experienced and talented squad. The additions of striker Hawkins and defender Ward, along with goalkeeper Cornell, adds plenty of competition across the pitch – including up-front where the goals were mostly contributed by Kayden Jackson.

Targets

Promotion is the obvious target for the Tractor Boys this season – at the minimum, the Suffolk side must be reaching the play-offs.

Lambert has a squad brimming with talent and experience and realistically, they should not be a League One outfit.

With the budget they have – although this will be hampered by the new salary cap regulations – and the players they currently possess, promotion should be the minimum.

Key Player

While Kayden Jackson provided nearly a quarter of Town’s goals last term, it will be interesting to see whether he remains such a key player this season. The Blues have added Hawkins to their squad and with James Norwood also slowly returning to fitness, they have plenty of competition up-front.

Youth Prospect

This season may be the year for Aaron Drinan. The Irishman has struggled for first-team opportunities, spending recent years on loan away from Portman Road, but started the EFL Cup win over Bristol Rovers last week.

It is unlikely that he will be an out and out starter each week, but Lambert has said that players must earn the shirt – his performances in pre-season and last weekend have certainly hot hindered Drinan’s chances.