With the League Two season coming to a close, discussion over the EFL’s players and managerial awards is beginning to take pace.
The League Two season has been full of surprises this season, with Bromley leading the way to the shock of many. At the same time, Barnet and Oldham Athletic are the latest promoted pair to pay tribute to the National League. Grimsby Town are leading the play-off charge at the time of writing. Meanwhile, Notts County, Swindon Town, MK Dons, and Cambridge United are in a shootout for the automatic spots.
And now with the business end of the season fast approaching, here are our picks for League Two’s top five managers of the season.
Andy Woodman – Bromley
An obvious pick for many, and it would be a surprise to see the 54-year-old not be awarded as the League Two Manager of the Season.
Bromley are in their second-ever season in League Two, after 130 years of history in the non-league pyramid. Going from milestone to milestone, the Ravens are enjoying a 21-game unbeaten run with a five-point lead over second-place MK Dons.
While Woodman does not enforce the most conventionally attractive brand of football, it has been extremely effective over the course of the season.
Resourceful, effective, and defensively stern, the Ravens have consistently answered every question, with their management of the different phases of play over 90 minutes incredibly admirable. And now, with League One football on the horizon, Andy Woodman is only further writing into history as the club’s greatest-ever manager.
Given the relative size of the club and weaker resources in comparison to the likes of MK Dons, Chesterfield, and Salford City, Woodman is a deserved frontrunner for Manager of the Season.
John Doolan – Accrington Stanley
Delving much further down the table, John Doolan has had an excellent season with Accrington Stanley.
While guiding a side to fifteenth is not the most impressive on first view, especially given the club’s recent history in League One, context matters.
It is no secret that Stanley operates on one of the lowest budgets in the division, even having to close their youth academy before the start of the season due to torrid financial worries.
Going into the campaign, the Lancashire side were heavy favourites for relegation, but are looking to have carved out a respectable mid-table finish with League Two football all but secured for the 2026-27 season.
Doolan has built a hard-working side with an admirable blend of both youth and experience. Led by experienced heads in Paddy Madden, Farrend Rawson, and club icon Shaun Whalley. Meanwhile, it would not be a surprise to see some of their younger players go on to bigger things, as Benn Ward has after his January switch to Reading.
League Two looked like an uphill battle for Stanley last summer, but thanks to Doolan’s lead, their place in the EFL looks more than assured for next year.
Martin Paterson – Notts County
A lot of negativity surrounded Notts County’s appointment of Paterson last summer, but they seem to have got that right.
County were heavily reliant on striker David McGoldrick and star shot stopper Alex Bass last year, so their departures seemed like they would be massively impactful this season. However, this current Notts team is one of their most well-rounded squads in years.
Not particularly reliant on any individuals as they were last year, and carrying a defensive resilience that hasn’t been seen at Meadow Lane for years, the Nottinghamshire side look the perfect fit for automatic promotion.
Currently sat fourth and two points adrift of third-place Cambridge United, a return to League One for the first time in over a decade could be on the cards for County. And this is fully to Paterson’s credit.
He has got the best out of several players at Meadow Lane this season, and is deserving of praise from fans and neutrals alike.
Ian Holloway – Swindon Town
When Holloway joined Swindon Town in October, the club was staring at relegation to the National League.
Their form after Holloway’s appointment was excellent last season, carving out a respectable 12th-placed finish after looking like a side sliding into the National League prior.
And this season, Swindon have only gone on to be better, very likely to secure a top-seven spot with automatic promotion still a possibility. But this has also been matched with their own difficulties, with star striker Harry Smith expected to lead the Robins’ frontline this season until injury saw the star out for the remainder of the campaign.
Additionally, the loss of loan star Finley Munroe appeared to be vital, but they have adapted well without him.
If a Swindon fan was offered their current position 18 months ago, they would have snapped your hand off. And now, League One football could be making a return to the County Ground under Holloway’s lead.
Micky Mellon – Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic are in the midst of one of their most exciting periods in years.
Winning their first promotion in over 25 years, the Latics have emerged as late contenders in the play-off chase in recent weeks with pivotal wins over promotion rivals Grimsby Town and Chesterfield.
Mellon’s side are stern at the back, boasting the second-best defensive record in the division with 31 conceded in 37 games. Their defence is marshalled by an experienced core of Manny Monthe, Donveron Daniels, and star shot-stopper Matthew Hudson.
And this comes after a dismal start to the campaign, which had many fans looking over their shoulders in the opening weeks of the season.
Neutrals and fans alike did not have Oldham down to challenge for promotion a second time, but now they are one of the most respected sides in the division with a defence worthy of their sudden charge for the final play-off spot.
