Reviewing 2025/26

Nobody saw Wall producing the promotion push that materialised. Arguably unlucky not to go up automatically in the end, the Lions ended the season with the best away record bar none. 11 victories on the road in total and 41 points to boot. Incredibly, it was their home form that ended up costing them with silly defeats at The Den to Blackburn and Portsmouth standing out like sore thumbs.

They ended up 3rd after 46 games, an agonising one point behind Ipswich. That disappointment continued into the play offs and they were knocked out 2-0 on aggregate by Hull City.

Looking ahead to 2026/27

The Lions recorded their highest league finish in 36 years last term, missing out on two counts of promotion under the vastly-experienced Alex Neil. There'sno doubt they'll be hoping to go one better this campaign but it's a tougher division this time around. Last season was arguably the best chance they'll have for a while.

But it their transfer activity is anything to go by, they're not going to sit back and watch everyone else battle for it. Mathis Servais joins from Mechelen for £4m, Tairyk Arconte arrives from Rodez for £3m and Elkan Baggott, a centre back from Ipswich joins in a £1.17m deal. They've managed so far to keep hold of the talent they will have been hoping to, so it's defintiely in the realms of possibility for them to go again.

Court Offside Tip

I don't expect another promotion push this time out. A consolidation season with a comfortable top half finish is more likely although as the Championship has extended it's play offs to the top 8, a 9th placed finish would have them right on the cusp. The bookies have them down at 13/8 to get into that mix again but I don't see any value there.