Neil Warnock drops exciting MK Dons, Gillingham and Chesterfield prediction | OneFootball

Neil Warnock has backed MK Dons, Gillingham and Chesterfield to win promotion from League Two next season.

Former Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock believes MK Dons, Gillingham and Chesterfield will all win promotion from League Two next season.

Despite being tipped as one of the promotion favourites, it was an incredibly underwhelming campaign for MK Dons last season as they finished 19th in the table, just 10 points clear of the relegation zone, and three different managers took charge of the team in Mike Williamson, Scott Lindsey and Paul Warne.

Gillingham were another of the big underachievers in League Two last season as they recorded a disappointing 17th-placed finish, but after the sackings of Mark Bonner and John Coleman, the Gills ended the campaign in strong form under Gareth Ainsworth following his shock move from Shrewsbury Town in March, with the 52-year-old winning three and drawing six of his first nine games in charge.

While MK Dons and Gillingham failed to live up to expectations, it was an outstanding season for Chesterfield as they finished seventh in the table in their first year back in the EFL, but the Spireites missed out on promotion as they were beaten 4-1 on aggregate by Walsall in their play-off semi-final.

Neil Warnock drops MK Dons, Gillingham and Chesterfield promotion prediction

As they look to climb the table next season, it has been an eye-catching summer of recruitment for MK Dons, and Warne has managed to poach players from Championship and top-end League One clubs, as well as from one of their potential League Two promotion rivals.

While the Dons' transfer activity has dominated the headlines in the fourth tier, Chesterfield have done some impressive business of their own, with Zach Hemming, Devan Tanton, Adam Lewis, Matt Dibley-Dias, Ryan Stirk, Luke Butterfield, Dilan Markanday and Lee Bonis all arriving at the SMH Group Stadium this summer.

It has been a slightly quieter summer for Gillingham, with only four new signings joining the club in Andy Smith, Lenni Cirino, Seb Palmer-Houlden and Sam Vokes, but they already have a strong squad in place, and Ainsworth has previously won promotion from the division with Wycombe Wanderers.

When asked for some of his League Two predictions for the upcoming campaign, legendary former manager Warnock, who currently works as a football advisor at National League South side Torquay United, backed MK Dons, Gillingham and Chesterfield to win promotion.

"Paul Warne and MK Dons, I think they'll win the league this year," Warnock said on talkSPORT.

"He's a good manager, Paul.

"Gillingham and Chesterfield will be close as well."

Paul Warne will be under pressure to deliver promotion at MK Dons next season

It is difficult to disagree with Warnock that MK Dons, Gillingham and Chesterfield will all be among the promotion contenders in League Two next season.

After reaching the play-offs last season, another top seven finish will be the minimum target for Chesterfield, and an automatic promotion push should not be ruled out, while Gillingham will likely have a much-improved year under Ainsworth, who has yet to suffer defeat since taking charge at Priestfield in March.

Given their summer spending, MK Dons will be expected to win the title next season, but it remains to be seen how Warne and his players will handle that level of pressure, and his direct brand of football is a big shift away from the possession-based style the club have become known for in recent years, so it is not guaranteed that they will simply walk the league as some have suggested.