As we start the January transfer window, this part of the season will play a crucial part in deciding who is promoted to the EFL Championship.
We look at six teams currently in the race for automatic promotion, analysing their strengths, weaknesses and their chances of being promoted to the EFL Championship this season.
We start with the current league leaders who hold a lead of three points over second-placed Lincoln City.
As the second top scorers of the division with 42 goals, they have raced into January with a small lead over other sides, with some fans calling them the ‘best team in League One’.
However, with Cardiff’s impressive form so far this season and their recent form of being unbeaten in four matches since their loss to Lincoln.
They may be at risk of losing key players, which could lead to a dip in form and other sides catching up to them.
Within January, Barry-Murphy’s side will certainly be looking over their shoulder, and with difficult fixtures against Bradford City and Stockport County, the Welsh side will need to strengthen and maintain their impressive form if they want to secure their place in the Championship next campaign, or they may risk battling for a playoff position.
After a disappointing mid-table finish in the 24/25 season, the Imps have succeeded heavily this season under the leadership of Michael Skubala, who was formerly coach of Leeds United under-21s.
As one of the division’s top home sides, they have been able to pick up crucial wins at home against Cardiff and Stevenage, who are and were in the promotion spots.
A large extent of Lincoln’s success can be said to come through Reeco Hackett, who has scored six goals and picked up two assists, as well as summer addition Adam Reach, who has scored four goals and contributed to three assists.
The influence and goal-scoring ability from these two have helped the Imps push into second place and maintain pressure on Cardiff.
Although facing risks from teams below them in their pursuit of promotion.
As well as this, their discipline record is the second worst in the division, with the side picking up 54 yellow cards and three red cards in the 25 matches that they have played.
This is something they must tighten up if they are to succeed in maintaining their current position, especially with them playing Bradford later this month.
With the fourth best away form in the division, an improvement in Lincoln’s form away from home could be crucial, especially if they keep hold of current standout players this window like Hackett and Reach. This will be crucial in their push for promotion.
At the start of the season, if we were to look into the promotion race, Graham Alexander’s side wouldn’t have been considered for a playoff or an automatic promotion place due to only being promoted to League One in the summer after spending six seasons in League Two.
However, since the start of the season, the Bantams have witnessed 13 wins, seven draws and four defeats, which has exceeded expectations and placed them in an automatic promotion battle.
This is largely due to the additions of previous League One winners in the summer, which consists of Max Power, Curtis Tilt and Stephen Humphrys, just to name a few who won the league with Wigan Athletic in the 2021/22 season.
As well as this, it could be due to the solid defence the outfit has had so far this season, with them picking up eight clean sheets, which places them fifth in that ranking.
However, with the side arguably lacking strength and depth in certain positions and a striker, the Bantams are lacking numbers and an attacking edge currently, going into a tough January with fixtures against Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City.
Therefore, Alexander’s side will need to recruit early on in the January window and hope to win the crucial upcoming promotion games if they want to secure automatic promotion.
As the most goals scored in the league with 45 and in the lead of Lee Grant, the Terriers have begun to feature success after a shaky start, and they finished 10th place in the 24/25 season.
Through a good summer window with the recruitment of previous Championship players such as Alfie May and Murray Walace. This added to the loan signing of Chelsea player Leo Castledine, who has scored 10 goals this season, and they have been able to excel in an attacking sense.
However, Huddersfield’s three at the back system hasn’t been successful, as seen through them conceding 34 goals so far this season, which places them 17th in that ranking.
As well as this, their away record is their let down with four wins in 12, placing them 10th in the away table.
This is something that Grant’s side must aim to improve if they are to further push for automatic promotion, which they set out to do at the start of the season.
They must maintain their current discipline record of only 39 yellow cards this season, as well as keep hold of Leo Castledine this window, if they want to pick up points against Bradford at the end of January.
If Huddersfield are to get promoted, the Terriers must find a way to improve their way form and maintain the additions of Championship players, this window if they want to keep their promotion hopes alive.
Under the guidance of Steven Schumacher, Bolton have been able to climb the league table convincingly during the season, boosting their eighth place finish from last season up to fifth at this current stage of the campaign.
This is largely due to their summer recruitment, with Amario Cozier-Duberry arriving on loan from Brighton, whilst Mason Burstow also joined on loan from Hull City, with the earlier scoring six and the latter scoring seven.
These two have helped to propel Shumacher’s side to score 31 goals and reach their current position.
However, if they want to maintain this success, they must keep hold of Burstow and Cozier-Duberry this window if they want to keep their good form and progress further up the table, especially with the large amount of games remaining this season.
Finally, we arrive at Dave Challinor’s Stockport County, who currently sit sixth in the table.
Since their loss in the playoffs last season, County have responded with them picking up 11 wins so far this season and them picking up 21 points away from home.
As well as this, the summer recruitment put Challinor’s side in good stride, with Joseph Olowu and Malik Mothersille being just some of the names being brought in over the summer.
These have boosted County’s squad and replaced outgoings, so it offers more attacking and defensive stability to enable Stockport to fight for automatic promotion.
However, Challinor’s side does have its weaknesses with them having the joint second lowest wins and highest losses in the top six, which hinders with their ability to progress higher.
As well as this, their low goal difference of three could prove to be a weakness, with other teams above them having larger goal differences.
This could prove crucial in the competitive automatic promotion battle.
Within Stockport’s last six games, they have only picked up seven points, resulting in them being two points way from Stevenage, who sit seventh and them sitting on 39 points, like Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers.
If the Hatters are to achieve automatic promotion this season, they must ensure that they increase their goal difference, win their game in hand and find good form in their tough January fixtures, which consist of Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City.
Let us know in the comments who you think is being promoted automatically?
