Good morning and welcome to another edition of A Look at the Lower Leagues, where the hoddle takes a glance at the lower levels of the English football pyramid. Sure, it’s fun watching the Premier League (this season not included), but it can also be fun to see what clubs like Cardiff City are up to.
If there’s one thing I know, it’s how much you all crave your Leagues One and Two content on the day Tottenham are supposed to play in the Premier League. So, here you go.
League One:
Last we checked in here, Bradford City were battling it out for the automatic spots. Now, after winning just two of their seven games in 2026, they’re barely hanging on to the playoff spot. The question is whether or not former Wrexham star Paul Mullin, who is now at the club on loan, can revive their promotion hopes.
Otherwise, it appears Cardiff have strengthened their grip at the top. They’ve got a game in hand on third-place Bolton and currently sit eight points clear.
Top six:
Cardiff (63 Pts, +26 GD, 30 MP)
Lincoln City (61 Pts, +22 Pts, 30 MP)
Bolton (55 Pts, +12 GD, 21 MP)
Stockport (53 Pts, +7 GD, 30 MP)
Huddersfield (49 Pts, +11 GD, 31 MP)
Bradford City (49 Pts, +4 GD, 29 MP)
Bottom four:
Burton (32 Pts, -12 GDm 30 MP)
Wigan (31 Pts, -10 GD, 29 MP)
Rotherham (31 Pts, -12 GD, 29 MP)
Port Vale (22 Pts, -18 GD, 28 MP)
League Two:
Poor Harrogate Town. Hoddle Headquarters has a soft spot for this small club, which currently sits dead last in the league. All hope’s not lost, though. They’re only three points away from safety. Nothing else in the league looks terribly exciting to me. Barnet are in a good run of form and solidly 12th, just three points away from the playoff spots. That’d be a fun story to watch if it continues to develop.
Top seven:
Bromley (62 Pts, +22 GD, 30 MP)
Notts County (57 Pts, +16 GD, 30 MP)
Swindon Town (55 Pts, +16 GD, 3o MP)
MK Dons (54 Pts, +26 GD, 30 MP)
Cambridge United (53 Pts, +15 GD, 29 MP)
Salford (52 Pts, +6 GD, 29 MP)
Walsall (49 Pts, +7 GD, 30 M)
Bottom two:
Newport Coutny (21 Pts, -25 GD, 29 MP)
Harrogate Town (21 Pts, -28 GD, 31 MP)
National League
Can Scunthorpe make a return to the English Football League? The Irons were relegated from League Two in 2022, ending their 72-year run in the Football League. They followed that up with a second straight relegation, sending them to the National League North. They were promoted back to the National League via playoffs last season, and now sit in third place in the league. With Rochdale and York City battling it out for the lone automatic bid, Scunthorpe will be pushing to make the return via the playoffs.
Top two:
Rochdale (70 Pts, +36 GD, 28 MP)
York City (68 Pts, +49 GD, 30 MP)
Fitzie’s track of the day: See No Evil, by Television
And now for your links:
The Athletic ($$): “Luka Vuskovic: Tottenham’s hottest prospect, but when will he actually play for them?”
Alasdair Gold: “Every word Thomas Frank said on worrying Kulusevski update and if Spurs are in a relegation battle”
The Independent: “Thomas Frank ‘desperate’ for Tottenham wins as relegation battle looms”