Colchester United:
Season review: Colchester will have been disappointed to find themselves in the relegation positions in League One last season. Their 23rd placed finish meant that they were relegated for the first time in 18 years, and led to several managerial changes during the season. John McGreal, who spent a game as joint-caretaker manager last season, will start the 2016-17 season in charge and will hope to win promotion at the first time of asking.
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Key man: For the last few years, George Moncur has been the key player for the U's, but his summer departure to Bernsley means it is now time for somebody else to step up to the plate. The most likely player to do that is 24 year old centre back, Tom Eastman. He has now been a first team player for Colchester for six seasons, and will hope to use his experience at the club to help the push for promotion. He will look to be the leader at the back and be the main organiser at the back.
Season prediction: I think Colchester will enjoy a reasonably successful season, qualifying for the play-offs. They already have a good spine to the team, including Tom Eastman, and their new signings, Doug Loft and Denny Johnstone will need to have a good first season. In Eastman, Loft, and Johnstone, they will have a defender, a midfielder, and an attacker who are capable of playing at a higher level and they will need to be the driving force behind their side's performances.
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Crawley Town:
Season review: Crawley just about managed to escape relegation last season, finishing in 20th place. For a team who always seem to be hanging in desperately to their Football League status, one might have thought that they would look to build on a squad that was able to keep them in League Two. However, Crawley have completely overhauled their squad, letting 13 players leave and bringing in a further 16 players. With such a different squad, last season's exploits become almost irrelevant!
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Key man: The biggest name among Crawley's 16 new signings is ex-Shrewsbury striker, James Collins. Wherever he goes, he scores goals, and the Red Devils will be hoping he can continue that record while at the Checkatrade.com Stadium. However, a problem which Collins may encounter is that he is being supplied by players who are inferior to those he has played with previously. This could mean that he is unable to score as many as he is used to due to not getting the same quality of service.
Season prediction: Unfortunately, I can't see Crawley staying up this season. I just feel that they have too many new faces, and that they will be unable to gel as a team quickly enough to produce good results. They have a very young squad, and while that bodes well for the future, in the short-term they may lack the experience required to be successful in League Two.
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Crewe Alexandra
Season review: Crewe endured a shocking season in 2015-16, finishing rock bottom of League One. They finished 16 points from safety and went on several appalling runs, the worst of which yielded two wins in 15 games. They also exited the FA Cup at the hands of non-league Eastleigh, so the Railwaymen will be hoping for a much improved season to reward their fans' loyalty.
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Key man: Crewe's best player is probably ex-Cardiff City centre half, Ben Nugent. He is a 23 year old player who came through the ranks at Cardiff before dropping into League One for an increased chance of first team football. He will be hoping that the regular football he will get with the Alex will be enough to see him rise back up the leagues, whether with Crewe or another team.
Season prediction: Although I expect Crewe to improve on last season's dismal performances, I can't see them making an impression at the top end of the league table. The Alex may have to settle for a low mid-table finish, as they do not seem to have made enough changes to their squad over the summer to achieve a higher level of success.
Doncaster Rovers:
Season review: Doncaster found themselves occupying the final relegation spot in League One at the end of last season, finishing 21st. They looked certain to stay up last season, until a remarkable turn of events unfolded which saw Donny sent down by the goals of Curtis Main, who was on loan at Oldham, but contacted to Doncaster! Under the leadership of Darren Ferguson, they will look to recover from last season and get back to League One.
Key man: The key to Doncaster's success will surely be new signing, Tommy Rowe. He is an energetic player who is capable of performing at both left back and in the centre of midfield. It was a shock to everybody to see him drop down into League Two as he is clearly capable of playing at a higher level. He had a spell on loan at Rovers at the end of last season, and will be key to their promotion hopes this term.
Season prediction: I think Doncaster will bounce straight back up into League One. They are my pick to win the title, but even if they don't I can't see them finishing lower than top three. The additions of Rowe, Mathieu Baudry, and Ross Etheridge will form the spine of the team, while Andy Williams is a proven goalscorer and can be relied upon to fire Doncaster towards the promotion places.
Exeter City
Season review: Last season Exeter finished in 14th, which is a commendable mid-table spot, but they would have been hoping to finish in the top half. One of the highlights of last season for Exeter supporters will be the mergence of Ollie Watkins, who has broken onto the scene and become one of the main strikers at St James' Park. He scored ten goals in all competitions and the 20 year old will look to continue his emergence and earn a move to a bigger club.
Key man: Liam McAlinden is probably the man on whom's shoulders Exeter's hopes rest this season, as the ex-Northern Ireland under 21 international looks to nail down a starting role for the first time in his career. The new signing is starting life at just his second permanent club after coming through the youth system at Wolves, but the striker has been shipped out on loan five times. He will now look to find some stability at Exeter and find a long-term starting position for himself.
Season prediction: I think Exeter will marginally improve on last season, and will secure a top half finish. While they are unlikely to find themselves in amongst the leading pack, Paul Tisdale is a man who can be relied upon to guide his teams further up the league each season, and they have been savvy enough in the transfer market again this summer in order to have an outside chance of getting in the play-offs.
Grimsby Town
Season review: Grimsby gained promotion into the Football League last season after winning the National League play-offs. It was their third successive season in the play-offs, having lost in the play-offs the previous two seasons, and they will have been delighted to finally escape non-league football and reclaim Football League status. This season will be manager, Paul Hurst's, first in the Football League and he will be looking to guide them well clear of relegation.
Key man: Ben Davies is a new signing at Blundell Park, having joined from Portsmouth in the summer. The right back, who has recently been converted from a right midfielder, played a key part in Portsmouth's campaign last season which saw them defeated in the play-off semi-final by Plymouth Argyle. Although Davies is now 35, he is still physically fit enough to make bombing runs down the right flank and can also chip in with plenty of assists from his crossing. He is a very consistent performer, and will be expected to hold down a starting place at right back next season.
Season prediction: I think Grimsby will continue the tradition of newly promoted teams from the Conference performing well in League Two. I expect them to achieve a top half finish, possibly challenging for the play-offs. Paul Hurst is very young for a manager and I think his forward-thinking approach could see him rise up the leagues in the near future, whether with Grimsby or somebody else.
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