League 2 Predictions 23/24

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

It's a year to the day since last season's prediction topic was started so what better day to start this?

Please list the teams in order from 1-10. Explanations/rationale encouraged.

Will fans take the hump when someone predicts their team to finish in a lowly position?

Will someone post 'can't believe someone has started this already'. Teams haven't completed their squads!' with a cry laughing emoji?

Will a team use posts from this thread on social media to mock people predicting them to finish 10th only to finish 10th and be relegated?

We're about to find out!

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

1. Dumbarton
2. Stenhousemuir
3. Spartans
4. Forfar
5. Peterhead
6. Stranraer
7. Bonnyrigg
8. East Fife
9. Clyde
10. Elgin

[MrFizz]

1. Dumbarton

2.Forfar

3. Stranraer

4. Stenny

5. Spartans

6. East Fife

7. Peterhead

8. Bonnyrigg

9. Clyde

10. Elgin

 

Just a hunch. No science involved.

 

[Beachcomber]

1.   Dumbarton

2.  Stenhousemuir

3.  East Fife

4.  Peterhead

5.  Forfar Athletic

6.  Stranraer

7.  Spartans

8.  Bonnyrigg Rose

9.  Clyde

10.  Elgin City

[C_titz]

1.east fife

2.peterhead

3.dumbarton

4.forfar

5.stenhousemuir

6.clyde

7.spartans

8.stranraer

9.bonnyrigg

10.elgin

 

[Neilly]

It's not until now when looking at the ten teams and having to arrange them that you notice this league looks as weak as I've ever seen it. A real gaggle of dung in general.

1. Dumbarton - will start as favourites for the league at this point. Solid signings all over the place, nothing spectacular, but certainly nothing that looks particularly bad either. Moon Howler Farrell could well get the job done here but that dynamic between him and the fans is certainly the one negative going into the new season from the outside looking in. Well that and the park will again be an utter embarrassment obviously.

2. Stenhousemuir - I was penning us in for 6th but looking through the teams I think we look stronger than most, outwith Dumbarton. Still a few things to address- namely a left back and another striker but in general we have recruited well with some steady defenders and exciting non league talent.

Keeping Matty Yates could well be the difference maker - the highest scorer in the league from last season left playing in league two this season with Carrick, Goss, Reilly and Hester moving to pastures new (hopefully).

3. East Fife - Nathan Austin and Jack Healy are basically better than most in their postions in this league. Have some other good young players but those two fit and firing should have them in the top four. Boys like Ferguson and Steele will be difficult to replace though, outwith Austin their recruitment has hardly been earth shattering but it may not have to be to get the play offs.

4. Forfar - Slater will be a huge miss but some decent signings so far like the lads from Montrose. You do wonder where the goals will come from though but I actually think Uncle Ray is a decent manager for this level. Rumoured to be after young Matty Aitken at Stenhousemuir much to the delight of the local yokels.

5. Bonnyrigg - Improved a lot in the second half of the season. Horn adapted well as the season went on I think with that experience in the bag they will have a decent season. If McGachie has remained off the Mars Bar suppers and pork scratchings I think he will have a very decent season  personally.

6. Peterhead - A gang who don't seem to have the financial clout of yesteryear to attract decent central belt talent. Sure to be a season of transition I can't see them doing much with such inexperience at that helm as they get to grips with this level.

7. Spartans - Look relatively solid all over the park and have added some good pros for league two. I think they will have a similar season to Bonnyrigg last season.

8. Stranraer - Aggy baw should keep them up due to the utter dross the other two will be. Big season expected from Matty Grant to kick on and start adding more numbers. I also wouldn't be surprised Tam Orr getting double figures.

9. Clyde - Look proper dug meat on paper for me. Players added so far aren't going to help that but Elgin without Hester could keep them safe.

10. Elgin - No Hester. No notable replacement for Hester. Manager appointed by default wan eh the boayz very rarely ends well. The time has come which would make me particularly sad (who wants to lose Elgin away from the calendar) as like last season I would predict 10th will go down as a Brechin, EK or Tranent will be too strong looking at recruitment and the eye watering money they are throwing about. 

Edited June 26, 2023 by Neilly

[RateofKnots]

1. East Fife

2. Dumbarton 

3. Stenhousemuir

4. Stranraer

5. Forfar

6. Peterhead 

7. Bonnyrigg

8. Spartans

9. Clyde

10. Elgin

[The Moonster]

1. Forfar - I think they've signed reasonably well and have the most accomplished manager in the league. If they add goals to their side they'll be a tough team to beat.

2. Stenhousemuir - Difficult to see them struggling around midtable again with the players they've added, I was going to put Dumbarton here but I think Stenny might just edge us.

3. Dumbarton - I can see a lot of people having us first based on last season and the fact we seem to have added well but the manager is a total loser who has continually failed in big games (and our second place finished last year is owed hugely to a freak start that we will likely never repeat) and we have a board who seem hell bent on turning our park into a midden every year.

4 - Stranraer - Not sure why but I just expect Agnew to be a good manager. They always quietly go about their signing business and it never looks very impressive but they always manage to be competitive and I think might be flying under the radar a bit this year.

5. East Fife - lost quite a few good players they haven't yet replaced and it looks like they'll be crossing their fingers that Austin/others don't get injured as outside of their starting 11 they look piss weak. 

6. Spartans - They seem to be preparing themselves a bit better than Bonnyrigg did, they've added good players for this level and I expect they'll add more; could trouble the play offs if they add the right quality. 

7. Bonnyrigg - a more comfortable season for them but they just haven't added enough quality yet for me to put them higher. Suspect they'll bring in some good loans like they did from January onwards, again could trouble the play offs if they get the right people. 

8. Peterhead - I'm just not a fan of the co-manager thing, especially with two guys taking their first job. Signed some decent enough players at this level but it can be difficult to hit the ground running after such a terrible relegation. 

9. Clyde - Must be worrying for Clyde fans because I look at their team, their manager and their strange recruitment policy of releasing players one week and signing them up again the next and everything screams trouble. Looks to me like they are paying basement wages and you usually get basemet performances from that. 

10. Elgin - A strange summer from them, it looks like they don't give a shit. When Montrose paid silly money for Hester I thought they'd go on a push for promotion but they haven't made a single signing and the manager is quoted as saying he's not in a rush and will wait to get loan players in. Sleepwalking to the HL IMO. 

[Brian Carrigan]

15 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

 9. Clyde - Must be worrying for Clyde fans

It’s less “worrying” and more “expected”

[bobbydazzler]

1. Stenny

2. Dumbarton

3. Forfar

4. East Fife

5. Stranraer

6. Spartans

7. Bonnyrigg

8. Peterhead

9. Elgin

10. Clyde

[cityloon]

Everybody’s prediction on us so far is right can’t see us competing in anyway no players taken in yet and looks like we’re going to be relying on loan players and we’re destined for the highland league again unless the board pull their finger oot and show that there bothered

[Francesc Fabregas]

The 2023/24 version of League 2 looks even more competitive than last season - there are no outstanding favourites, just a couple of sides who have signed a bit better than the others, and, other than Elgin City and maybe Clyde, no teams you look at and think: they're done for. There are probably six sides you'd fancy to challenge for promotion while the others scrap it out to avoid bottom,

1 - Stenhousemuir
I'm loathe to rank Stenhousemuir at first place but I think, on the whole, they look the best of a mediocre bunch, even if it's only slightly. Gary Naysmith has addressed a number of problem areas (goalkeeper, midfield) and has signed reasonably well and early. Darren Jamieson is a superb goalie and I'm really intrigued by James Berry. There's still a bit of work to be done, and a new left-back and a striker are necessities, but I think this could be a fruitful year for the Warriors. Cue another disappointing campaign and a lot of soul searching!

2 - Dumbarton
Dumbarton have probably done the best business in League 2 and I look and their incoming players and think: yeah. I would have pegged them as favourites but the toxic relationship between Stevie Farrell and the support could prove to be detrimental (and it feels he's a couple of bad results away from being chased out of the Rock) and the decision to groundshare with the awful Broomhill seems plain stupid given how wretched their pitch was last season after hosting Rangers B. A lot of good in there but a lot of bad too.

3 - Forfar Athletic
In Mr Raymond McKinnon, Forfar Athletic have one of the best managers in the division and have a solid, capable squad. Matty Allan and Mark Whatley are good signings, the latter especially, and if Stuart Morrison can stay fit they have a strong defence. Craig Slater is a huge loss but I'm keen to see if Kieran Inglis can perform to a similar standard he did for Brechin City last term and fill that void in the middle of the park.

4 - East Fife
Business has been slow, with only two players coming in, but there's a lot to like about this East Fife team. Last season, their youngsters got better as the campaign went on and they eventually finished in the play-offs. I'm surprised Jack Healy is sticking around as I felt a full-time club would come in for him but I expect him to be one of the stand-out players this year. Nathan Austin should be the best striker in the division but I have my doubts over his fitness. I'd expect him to get about 20 goals otherwise.

5 - Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic were, to me, the worst side I saw in League 2 last season but I was impressed at how they got to grips with the division over the final third and ultimately stayed up. I imagine everyone associated with the club will be taking things a bit more seriously this time around and the players will be fitter and more purposeful going into the new campaign (just look at Kieran McGachie's physical transformation since January). Paddy Martin is one of the best signings any team in the league has made so far and I'm keen to see how Josh Grigor progresses - he's developing into a cracking defender.

6 - Stranraer
Stranraer were going nowhere under Jamie Hamill but have shown a degree of promise in the handful of matches under Scott Agnew. Keeping the likes of Craig Ross, Matty Grant and Dylan Forrest is huge - all three impressed me at times over the course of the season - and I think Tam Orr could be a useful signing if he's used properly (ie, everything is laid on a plate for him and he doesn't have to think). There are a few too many over-the-hill players at the club, however, and there's a lack of depth up front which could cost them a promotion challenge.

7 - Peterhead
Last season, Peterhead were one of, if not the very worst, side in the SPFL, whose relegation was foreshadowed as soon as they pitched up for their League Cup ties. Ryan Strachan and Jordan Brown have dispensed with traversing the globe to sign players and instead have brought together a mixed bag. Kieran Shanks and Scott Ross are good signings; Kieran Gibbons and Jordan Armstrong are not. Arresting the club's slide is the priority this season.

8 - The Spartans
The SPFL's new boys don't appear to have the quality to make an immediate impact in the division but they should have the wherewithal to stay up. Someone elsewhere described them as "Bonnyrigg without the Crazy Gang mentality" and that seems about right. Dougie Samuel has signed very well, however, and I think most clubs would have taken on the likes of James Craigen, Danny Denholm and Ayrton Sonkur - all three will add experience and quality and all will have a vital role to play.

9 - Clyde
In his first interview with the club website, new manager Brian McLean said he wanted his team to be fit and energetic; the next day, he signed Ross Forbes. A weird mixture of maybe-not-good-enough-for-the-SPFL upstarts and past-their-best dumplings, I can't see Clyde having much of an impact this season. The club feel in limbo as the potential move to Crownpoint drags on and finances are tight. Keeping the Bully Wee in the SPFL will be McLean's sole target.

10 - Elgin City
The decline of Elgin City over the past couple of seasons has been stark. A decent team who were often "there or thereabouts", they're the only club in the Championship, League 1 or League 2 who have failed to sign a player and if I was a supporter, I'd be concerned. At times, they were a one-man team with Kane Hester but now he's left, they seem bereft. If Ross Draper is looking to flesh out the current group with loan signings, I'd expect a very long, very difficult season ahead.

[BridiesHereBridiesThere]

1. Forfar 

2. Stenny

3. East Fife 

4. Clyde 

5. Dumbarton 

6. Peterhead 

7. Bonnyrigg 

8. Elgin 

9. Stranraer 

10. Spartans 

 

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

1. Dumbarton

2. Stenny

3. Forfar

4. East Fife

5. Stranraer

6. Clyde

7. Peterhead 

8. Bonnyrigg 

9. Elgin 

10. Spartans 

Theres no doubt that we are shite but I think we are in similar company down the bottom half of League 2. Peterhead were tragically bad last year and amazingly finished below us which was quite the achievement.

I’ve based my predictions on that and the fact Spartans are new to the SPFL and Elgin & Bonnyrigg were scrapping it out down there last season too.

Edited June 27, 2023 by BullyWeeStonehouse

[Burnsythebinman]

1 - Stenhousemuir
It was a toss up between stenny and dumbarton. Both signed well but arent complete packages. dumbarton has issues off the pitch and with the pitch so that pegged them down for me.

2 - Dumbarton
they have the best squad on paper, but a universaly disliked manager, a rubbish pitch that will take a pounding with a groundshare, and nightmares from their collaps last season makes me drop them to 2nd.

3 - E Fife
if austin still has it, east fife will be up there again. they seem to be club that can punch above their weight.

4 - Forfar
One of the best managers in the division. losta couple and the replacemetns could go either way.

5 - Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
had to survive year 1 and did it. fair play to them, they didnt have the spending power of other LL sides that have come up, but they look to be adding in some valuable SPFL experince and quality this season.

6 - Spartans
A winning mentality and the addition of some experienced players. they could be a dark horse and could finish higher.

7 - Peterhead
A club struggling to attract players without paying silly money. their ability to do this a few years ago has gone due to teams outside the SPFL paying more money these days.

8 - Stranraer
Stronger than last season, a decent striker who will get goals, but overall the rest are mid table players.

9 - Clyde
A club that looks in decline. struggling to recruit, struggling with an identity. struggling.

10 - Elgin City
If you took hester out the game, you could easily beat elgin. they took him out permanently and havent replaced him. havent actually replaced anyone yet. worrying times for elgin this season.

[1993]

3 hours ago, cityloon said:

Everybody’s prediction on us so far is right can’t see us competing in anyway no players taken in yet and looks like we’re going to be relying on loan players and we’re destined for the highland league again unless the board pull their finger oot and show that there bothered

What’s the point in trying to predict anything just now. Wait till end of August when squads are in place.

[Jan Vojáček]

It's far too early to do anything daft like this. So here are mine!

1 - Stenhousemuir - I do wonder if they are going to trick us all again like last year, so I don't fully trust them...But Stenny now have a goalkeeper with arms (and very good arms at that) and Gregor Buchanan will strengthen their defence 90 percent of the time. Matty Yates probably went under the radar a wee bit because Stenny were so insipid last year, but his numbers don't lie. He's probably the best creative attacking player left in the league with Reilly, Goss and Hester all away. This is their league to lose.

2 - Dumbarton - I think we are, on paper at least, stronger than last year. We've kept some key players; Brett Long, Aron Lynas, Ryan Blair, Finlay Gray and recruited well. I'd have been more than happy to see Blair Malcolm, Callum Wilson, Tony Wallace and Jinky Hilton come in based on their performances last year. I'm flabbergasted that we have managed to convince Carlo Pignatiello to come back and I'm excited to see young guns Greig Young and Michael Ruth in a Sons shirt. Gregor Buchanan is a big loss, the pitch will no doubt be absolutely garbage and the relationship between Stevie Farrell and the fans turns more toxic after every game we don't win though. And I fear that two (maybe all three) of those factors combining would prevent a league win.

3 - Forfar Athletic - Unless they recruit a striker, or unless Josh Skelly turns out to be a hidden gem, I think Forfar will have a replica of Sons' season from last year. Ray McKinnon is a good manager, and they again look to be a very solid side defensively. Marc McCallum is an exceptional goalkeeper at part-time level and I've always like Matty Allan and Mark Whatley as players. I can't see them conceding many but, for the moment at least, I don't think they'll score many either.

4 - Peterhead - I've spent a fair bit of time umming and awing over this. But I think Peterhead can get fourth. Clearing out last season's muck looks to have been done, and I think they've done some decent business. Get Conner Duthie and Joe McKee firing and Kieran Shanks should have plenty of chances. Give him chances and he'll score goals at this level. Scott Ross is a good addition, Stuart McKenzie is a safe pair of hands for League Two too, so they should be pretty solid at the other end. My big question mark is their co-managers, I suspect we'll know within the first quarter what they are made of.

5 - East Fife - I do expect the battle for the playoffs to be close. At the moment I don't see there being a lot between fourth and eighth. But I'll plump for East Fife to have enough for fifth. I thought they were excellent at the tail end of the season, a really good young side packed with talent. Unfortunately with Aaron Steele and the brilliant Alex Ferguson away. And Sam Denham long-term injured I think it could be a bit more of a struggle this year. Get Nathan Austin firing and they'll make the playoffs, struggle with an injury-plagued Nathan Austin and it'll be seventh place.

6 - Stranraer - Maybe it's the romance of one of my all-time favourite Sons players as a manager, but I really fancy Stranraer to do well this year. After a season without a striker they now have two solid League Two operators in Ben Armour and Tam Orr. I've always liked the look of the keeper they've signed from the WOSFL and wee Matty Grant has looked a terrific player every time I've seen him. As usual though there's not a lot of depth in their squad (for now at least) and I imagine it might be padded out a bit with regens who aren't really up to a full on playoff charge.

7 - Spartans - When I saw Spartans in the pyramid playoff final I thought they were garbage. And Bonnyrigg without the Crazy Gang seemed the ideal way of putting it. Fair play to them though, they've made three very handy signings in Danny Denholm, Ayrton Sonkur and the exceptional James Craigan who I've always admired. I think they are now better than Bonnyrigg and I think they'll finish comfortably safe, although they will go through a run of 10 games without a win at some point when they run out of steam for a period.

8 - Bonnyrigg Rose - Eighth doesn't look great, but I think Bonnyrigg will be far closer to the playoff places than relegation this year. I still think they lack League Two quality, but there's a very strong team spirit and they will be all the better for last season's experience. Their squad looked to shed a fair amount of timber over the course of the year, and New Dundas Park will be a pain in the arse for opposition teams. I've put them down for eighth. But I wouldn't be shocked to see them in fifth or sixth. And fourth might not be beyond them with a couple of good loanees.

9 - Clyde - They don't like quite as bad as I thought they might. But they really don't look great either. Last season both Clyde and Peterhead were some of the worst sides in the country, and I honestly believe they both would've struggled in League Two. Since relegation, Clyde seem to have kept a lot of the players who failed with them last season. They've kept Duffy to pull the strings (let's be honest here). And they've added some pretty uninspiring players. I love Ross Forbes, but I was shocked to see a League Two club signing him. Logan Dunnachie was reportedly rubbish in very brief outings for Forfar. Jack Leighfield and Jon Craig should be absolutely fine at this level. But don't set the pulses racing. Stuart Carswell was, by and large, a good player for Dumbarton. But when the chips are down his performances can drop to the level of those around him. Combine that with the hangover from last season and the general crisis club feel, and I think they'll struggle. Although I felt the same about us last season, and we did alright!

10 - Elgin City - There was always a feeling that, if you took Kane Hester out of that Elgin team, you had a very sub-standard husk of a squad with few players who were actually good enough for this level. A bit like Clyde when you removed David Goodwillie when they were in League One. And that substandard husk is going to be on full show unless they are able to get some major business done pronto. Draper's comments about taking his time with signings is giving me flashbacks to the Duffy era at Dumbarton, and suggests he's struggling to attract players. A few shrewd additions could change everything. But at the moment it's no surprise that almost everyone is tipping them for 10th.

[Jack Phillips]

1 - Dumbarton

2 - Stenhousemuir

3 - Forfar Athletic

4 - East Fife

5 - Peterhead

6 - Clyde

7 - Bonnyrigg Rose

8 - Stranraer

9 - Spartans 

10 - Elgin

Still early days and I will probs do an updated version closer to the start of the season when the squads are finalised but think Dumbartons squad is too strong and are defos favourites for the title, as long as they don't nose dive again. Stenny, Forfar and East Fife have added good quality and will do well I imagine. Peterhead always seem to do well when in league 2 so will not write them off and signing Conner Duthie from us and Joe Mckee from Dumbarton they look like they are constructing a good team. As for Clyde it's very hard to predict where we will finish, our signings don't fill me with much hope but I think if we add 2 more decent signings in attack we might be able to challange for playoffs but us signing 2 good players is a massive ask. I can't see anyone else but Elgin finishing bottom, with them not signing anyone yet and losing Kane Hester it looks to be a tough season for them. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Jack Phillips

[Dan Steele]

1 Stenhousemuir

2 Forfar

3 East Fife

4 Dumbarton

5 Stranraer

6 Peterhead

7 Bonnyrigg

8 Spartans

9 Elgin

10 Clyde

[Nigel Blackwell]

1. Stenhousemuir - wishful thinking, but confident of a top 4 place (at this stage)

2. Forfar - one of the stronger teams last season and don't appear to have significantly weakened

3. East Fife - ditto. On the face of it Austin will be a good signing if he stays fit

4. Dumbo - not quite sure how they managed to stay at the peak  so long last season as they were as mediocre as the rest, but they have made some decent signings.

5. Bonnyrigg - they certainly improved towards the end of the season and on that pitch they will continue to be tough to beat. Some good signings aswell. 

6. Clyde - some pretty honking signings (Ross Forbes for one), but not convinced they will be as bad as others think. 

7. Stranraer - they always surprise, although I wouldn't be pinning my hopes on Tam Orr. 

8. Peterhead - appreciate that they are probably not as bad as last season (not sure that would be possible) but the money pot isn't as full as it was so they appear to be struggling to attract better players from the central belt. Think it will be a long season.  

9. Spartans - they will struggle with first season syndrome; same as Bonnyrigg without the benefit of a sloping pitch.

10. Elgin - without Hester I fear for them. Which is a shame. Don't want or need any more Edinburghish teams in the league (looking at you Tranent).