2026-27 League Two Preview: A Team-by-Team Guide to the New Season

Head coach: Ian Watson

Previous season: Finished second in the National League and secured promotion by winning the play-off final

Notable arrivals: Laurence Maguire (MK Dons, free), Sam Sherring (MK Dons, free), Zain Silcott-Duberry (Sheffield Wednesday, free), Dajaune Brown (Derby County, loan), Jonny Smith (Wigan Athletic, free), Kaiden Wilson (Chelsea, loan), Nils Ramming (Brighton, loan), Cian Hayes (Peterborough United, undisclosed), Sam Waller (Harrogate Town, free), Jake Spaven (Wigan Athletic, free)

Notable departures: Kyron Gordon (Stockport, free), Liam Humbles (Altrincham, undisclosed), Aidan Barlow (Altrincham, free), David Tutonda (Accrington Stanley, free), Tarryn Allarakhia (Boreham Wood, free), Tyler Smith (Derry City, free)

What should supporters expect this season? A battle to remain in the division is the most realistic outlook. With a new coach introducing a different system and several fresh faces joining the squad, Dale’s main aim will be to establish themselves in League Two, although they may privately target something more ambitious.

They collected an outstanding 106 points in the National League last season but narrowly missed out on the championship on the final day. The team responded with determination, reached Wembley and recovered from two goals down in the play-off final before defeating Boreham Wood in a penalty shootout.

Which qualities could help the team meet its goals? The squad is youthful and ambitious, with enough speed and attacking width to create regular opportunities for Mani Dieseruvwe, who registered 28 goals in all competitions for Rochdale last season.

What problems might prevent them from succeeding? Although the campaign is still in its early stages, Dale’s defending has already raised concerns. Individual mistakes led to avoidable goals during pre-season and in the club’s opening two competitive EFL Cup fixtures.

That assessment should be tempered by the fact that injuries, along with the arrival of players who are not yet fully fit, have prevented Ian Watson from fielding what he considers his strongest starting side.

Which player could make a major impact this season? Dieseruvwe is an obvious candidate, but Zain Silcott-Duberry is another player worth watching closely.

He came off the bench and scored on his debut against Tranmere in the EFL Cup preliminary round, offering an early glimpse of his exciting ability. If the former Bournemouth player can perform consistently, he could cause serious problems for League Two defenders.