The League Two season starts on Saturday with every match live on Sky Sports+.
Sky Sports looks at some of the most important storylines prior to the big kick -off …
Notts County enters Brave New World
Notts County has done things a little differently since Brothers Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz took over the club in 2019 – they are going one step further this season.
The ambitious owners have used their background as co-founders of the Analysis Company Football Radar to find a lead over their opponents in recruitment and on the field.
They fired head coach Stuart Maynard in May after their play-off semi-final defeat against AFC Wimbledon and appointed Martin Paterson, whose limited management experience only includes a short stint in Burton Albion.
He will be supported by coaches Andy Edwards and Sam Slocombe and a newly formed “technical board”, including the three, the owners, director of Football Roberto Gagliardi and director of Implementation Dr. David Rhodes.
The group will “discuss the football strategy, team and player performance, data insights and other matters” and meet the pre-match to share opinions about “tactical approach and team selection”.
Paterson will have “ultimate decision-making responsibility”, although he has to explain in-game decisions during meetings after the game, where a data overview of the game will be presented.
What might go wrong …
Brennan's buzzing bees want to continue to rise
Because automatic promotion from the National League to the EFL was introduced in 1986, a club has never been relegated in their first League Two season – and Barnet has plans to keep climbing.
“This is the first step in our plan to conquer League Two,” said chairman Tony Kleeantrous in May after binding manager Dean Brennan to a three -year contract. “First we keep the manager, then we keep the players, then we sign new players, and then we will promote again.”
Barnet stormed to the National League title with 102 points last season and, as Kleantous promised, has retained important players such as Danny Collinge, Idris Kanu and 20-target-forecast Callum internship.
They then made promising signing sessions, such as bringing Manchester United Joe Hugill on loan, Gillingham striker Oli Hawkins, midfielder Scott High and FC Halifax Town Center-back Adam Senior.
Brennan rejuvenated the club that fights relegation when he took over in September 2021 with his recruitment and man management, and now stands for his biggest challenge so far.
Cook rustling promotional box
Chesterfield was the favorites to win promotion last season after they came as National League champions, and they were well supported again to do it this time.
Injury destroyed their campaign, but a series of just one defeat in their last 13 games hit them in the play-offs, where they lost from Walsall.
The loss of Dilan Markanday when he was recalled in January did not help, but he is now permanently signed to participate in a powerful front line that includes Will Grigg, Armando Dobra and Lee Bonis, who has signed for a non -known compensation from The Hague.
Boss Paul Cook shoots for his fifth promotion and his second with Chesterfield from League Two, 11 years after his first. And they are well placed to reach it.
Will the wounds of Walsall heal?
The Walsall dream season turned into a nightmare-how they worked together to blow a 12-point lead, to win only three of their last 19 games, miss automatic promotion with fewer than 40 seconds to play on the last day and then lose in the play-off final?
It is a question that had still been to many in the club this summer, and the boss Mat Sadler, against whom fans could deal in the midst of their collapse, will need a positive start to place that nightmare behind them.
Stoke, who reminded of striker Nathan Lowe in January, was one of the reasons why their season imploded. Walsall has praised that he signed Jonny Stuttle this summer, on loan from Bournemouth, and Stevenage's Aaron Presley to share the load with the 12-goal Jamlle Matt.
Walsall's tricky August starts at home against Swindon, for traveling to Gillingham and Barnet, followed by home furnishings against Grimsby and Salford, and completed by visiting MK Dons.
How Walsall navigates a lot will reveal whether the scars from last season are really healed.
Seventh time happiness for Salford?
Will this finally be the Salford City Escape League Two season?
After winning four promotions in five campaigns to rise by Non-League after the class of the takeover of '92, few would have seen the rise of the club in the EFL.
In the Play-Offs, Salford finished only once in their six League Two seasons, failed by a point in previous term, which has increased the hope that head coach Karl Robinson can launch a correct promotion-push in his second full year.
The club revealed in May that it was taken over by a new property group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville, with new shareholders who have promised to “invest” considerably.
Their recruitment this summer does not suggest a spending spree, with right back Kallum Cesay and Centrum-back Adebola Oluwo signed at Wealdstone and Barnet respectively.
Jay Bird, an attacker from Huddersfield, and Hearts -midfielder Jorge Grant have also joined Salford to end their long -term stay in the fourth level.