League 1 Relegation Odds: Can the Dons avoid the drop?

Shrewsbury Town, Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers and Crawley Town were all relegated from League 1 last season, but who will follow in their footsteps in the upcoming campaign?

Below are the League 1 Relegation Odds for the 2025/26 season, which you can check out below.

AFC Wimbledon @ 1/1

As the 2024/25 League 2 play-off winners, it's understandable that AFC Wimbledon are favourites to drop back down to the fourth tier of English football. The Dons were on cloud nine at Wembley on May 26 after beating Walsall 1-0 in the final, but the top brass, as well as the players, will have realised the task at hand on their return to the club in pre-season.

With Cardiff City, Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle all suffering relegation from the Championship, and the likes of Bolton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town still around, there are some really big clubs at this level for the Dons to pit their wits against.

Results in pre-season haven't exactly been encouraging, either, with just one win from six, and three consecutive losses without a goal to finish off.

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Influential wing-back, James Tilley, who scored four goals and provided seven assists in 2024/25, has also left on a free to Wycombe.

Meanwhile, four of the last six League 2 play-off winners have been relegated from League 1 the following season.

Still, head coach Johnnie Jackson will hope the spirit in his squad will see them to safety, and a few more savvy additions would also act as a big boost to their survival hopes.

Northampton Town @ 5/4

Second in the relegation list are Northampton Town, who finished 19th in League 1 last season, just five points above the drop zone.

The Cobblers made an awful start, winning just four of their first 18 games, and manager Jon Brady paid the price on December 5 as he was relieved of his duties.

After Ian Sampson stepped in as interim for the majority of the month, Kevin Nolan was appointed as Brady's successor two days before Christmas Day, and after a 4-1 thumping at Reading on Boxing Day, the former Bolton and West Ham United midfielder oversaw a three-game unbeaten run which helped to stem the flow after three consecutive defeats.

There was no real consistency to results, with Nolan achieving back-to-back wins just once, but just four defeats from the final 13 matches proved crucial.

Northampton's summer incomings have been restricted to frees and loans, which doesn't smack of a club with big ambitions in the league, while Burnley loan star Dara Costelloe, who struck six times in 15 outings after joining in February, has signed for Wigan Athletic.

However, Nolan can, for now at least, rely upon the Cobblers' two top goalscorers last season, Cameron McGeehan (10) and Sam Hoskins (seven), so all hope is not lost ahead of the upcoming campaign.

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Burton Albion @ 7/4

Burton Albion were the only team standing between Northampton and 21st-placed Crawley Town, who were one of four clubs, alongside Bristol Rovers, Cambridge United and Shrewsbury Town, relegated to League 2 last season.

Like the Cobblers, the Brewers made a managerial change in 2024/25, with Mark Robinson fired on October 23 after failing to preside over a win in the first 11 league games. Tom Hounsell was placed in interim charge before Gary Bowyer was parachuted in as permanent successor on December 17, tasked with turning around the club's fortunes.

What an impact the former Blackburn Rovers boss made as, after a six-game wait for a win, he secured three victories in a row, ending the campaign with nine to his name, which proved just enough as Burton stayed up by a single point.

Bowyer is remaining realistic, though, over his side's chances this season, admitting "financially we are probably bottom two". He said: "Our target is to be competitive in every game. We have to focus on what we can control, and that is making sure every game is competitive."

The recent departure of 11-goal forward Rumarn Burrell, who has joined Queens Park Rangers, certainly hasn't helped the cause.

Exeter City @ 7/4

Exeter City enjoyed a more comfortable season in 2024/25 than Northampton and Burton, finishing 16th, 10 points above the relegation zone, but the Grecians are joint-third in this list, priced the same as the Brewers.

Boss Gary Caldwell had led Exeter to 14th and 13th in his first and second seasons, respectively, at the club, and appears to have suggested that better times are ahead. He said: "We do look like a team, especially in transition, both defence and attacking, who are much better than we've been in previous years, which is a big aspect of League 1."

Nevertheless, the odds aren't kind to them, perhaps explained by three of their four top goalscorers last season no longer plying their trade at St James Park.

Port Vale @ 2/1

The second-highest of the four promoted clubs on this list, Port Vale were runners-up in League 2 last season, helped by a sensational start that saw the Valiants win 10 of their first 16 games.

A big wobble followed, though, as they went without a victory in their next eight outings, forcing Darren Moore's side to click back into gear in the new year, which, to their credit, they did. Can they now raise their level again in League 1?

Stevenage @ 5/2

Stevenage were another middle-of-the-road side in the third last season, ending the campaign 14th; however, they were 21 points off the play-offs, and only 11 ahead of the drop zone, so it's probably fair to include them in relegation talk.

The Boro are, though, one of the more stable clubs in the division, having finished ninth in League 1 in 2023/24, and head coach Alex Revell, in his second spell in the dugout, has been in charge since mid-April 2024, so consistency could be key in their fight for survival; bigger things may even be on the agenda.

League 1 Odds

Mansfield @ 11/4

Mansfield finished 17th last season, eight points clear of relegated Crawley, and the Stags have retained the services of 14-goal top scorer Will Evans.

However, 10-goal veteran Lee Gregory, proud owner of a one-in-two record last term, is yet to decide whether he will continue his playing career with the club after recovering from a knee injury.

Still, Town are guided by Nigel Clough, who has been in charge since November 2020, and his experience on the touchline could prove crucial again this season.

Clough's links to Nottingham Forest also appear to have come in handy, with three of the Premier League's young guns, Kyle McAdam, Joe Gardner and Jamie McDonnell, all joining on loan earlier this month.

Peterborough United @ 11/4

Peterborough United have, traditionally, been one of the most-fancied sides for promotion from League 1, but there are much richer and established clubs knocking about now, and an 18th-place finish last season was a real slap in the face for owner Darragh McAnthony.

As usual, some of their best players have departed, with Ricky-Jade Jones, Kwame Poku and Emmanuel Fernandez joining St. Pauli, QPR and Scottish giants Rangers, respectively.

Significant money has been spent on Declan Frith (Thun) and Brandon Khela (Birmingham City), though, while David Okagbue has arrived on a free from Walsall.

I have to say, I'm finding it difficult to imagine the Posh being one of the four worst teams in League 1 this season, but never say never.

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