Sky Sports pundits drop exciting Luton Town, Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County predictions | OneFootball

Jobi McAnuff and Curtis Davies have picked out a League One trio they expect to be in the promotion mix

Sky Sports pundits Curtis Davies and Jobi McAnuff have tipped Luton Town to win the League One title next season, with Greater Manchester pair Stockport County and Bolton Wanderers also backed to join the Hatters in the promotion mix.

The new EFL season is set to get underway in just a few short weeks, with the transfer window currently occupying a key part of pre-season at the moment.

Clubs are preparing for the opening weekend, with the first game set to involve Luton hosting AFC Wimbledon on 1 August.

Curtis Davies makes Luton Town & Stockport County promotion predictions for League One

Curtis Davies, a former Luton player no less, has tipped the Hatters for the League One title, suggesting that they can finish in top spot if they can keep most of their squad together - despite losing the likes of Carlton Morris and Thelo Aasgaard already.

The ex-Derby County man has also named Stockport as the team that he thinks will join Luton inside the top two, claiming their near-miss experience in the play-offs last year will stand them in good stead in the upcoming campaign.

“I will go with Luton Town,” said Davies, via the EFL's Instagram account.

“A former team, but I’d expect them, if they manage to retain most of their squad, to be there or thereabouts.

“Stockport. I think they were one of the best teams in the way they played.

“I think the experience of this year, having lost out in the play-offs, I think they’ll be ready to go and mount a charge.”

Jobi McAnuff tips Bolton Wanderers to go well in League One in 2025-26

Another Sky Sports pundit in the form of former EFL winger Jobi McAnuff has also picked Luton for the League One title, as he believes they were unlucky to be relegated in the first place.

However, he has steered away from Stockport as his runner-up, tipping Bolton Wanderers under Steven Schumacher to return to the Championship in 2026 - they were last in the second tier in 2018-19.

“My favourites to win the league are going to be Luton Town,” McAnuff said.

“Really unlucky to get relegated right on the last day last year, I think Matt Bloomfield, with his experience at this level, will get them going.

“I think for automatic promotion, I’m going to throw Bolton Wanderers in there.

“Again, Steven Schumacher, someone I think will do a fantastic job there.”

Bolton sacked Ian Evatt midway through the 2024-25 season after form and results tailed off, and they ended up finishing in eighth position in League One under Schumacher - 10 points behind Leyton Orient who occupied the final play-off spot.

League One promotion battle should be closer in 2025-26 after runaway Birmingham City success

Birmingham ran away with the League One title last year after a summer of big spending, and it is very unlikely that their 111 points tally will be matched this coming season - although stranger things have happened.

Bolton and Stockport will also be confident of pushing for a top two spot thanks to their early summer trasnfer business, but the competition will be even stiffer for that honour.

The other relegated clubs in Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City will also surely be in the mix, as well as the likes of Huddersfield Town, who have massively strengthened already with Championship and League One quality.

There could also be some surprise packages, but the general consensus from pundits right now is that Luton should be the clear favourites to finish in top spot - football doesn't always work out in that way though.