Gab Sutton Weekly: Three League One clubs making me eat humble pie

Following on from his weekly column looking at three Championship clubs that have made him eat humble pie, EFL pundit Gab Sutton looks at three teams in League One that are proving him wrong, and for all the right reasons – with his ante-post picks for 17th, 19th and 20th all flying high inside the top six.

#1 - Stevenage

Despite having been League One’s third-lowest goalscorers last season, Stevenage went into 2025-26 with a quiet confidence that much of the improvement they required would happen organically.

The Boro created chances at a higher rate than their output would suggest in the 2024-25 season. Although they’ve added pace, flair, and guile in Bez Lubala, Phoenix Patterson and Chem Campbell, as well as signing another striker in Gassan Ahadme late in the window, they largely banked on Jamie Reid rediscovering his form.

The Northern Ireland international had a quiet season last year, netting just eight goals in the league, but he hadn’t had a full pre-season and he was always playing catch-up; this year, he’s found sharpness right from the off, and has five league goals to his name already.

In other words, Alex Revell’s side have built on the solid foundations they’ve established over the last three years, adding new layers in terms of pressing and quality of football.

They’re a club that’s been on an adventure – and, with the team sitting top of League One, it’s an adventure that might just have one or two more chapters left.

#2 - Bradford City

2025 has been the dream year for Bradford City. The Bantams dropped as low as 11th in League Two at one stage of December, but thanks to a fantastic sequence of 14 wins in 18, they won automatic promotion, via a dramatic Antoni Sarcevic winner against Fleetwood on the final day – and now they’re flying in second in League One!

Even the more optimistic Bantams would’ve struggled to anticipate such a positive opening quarter of the campaign, which speaks to excellent recruitment and an ability from Graham Alexander to make tough decisions.

Take Richie Smallwood, for instance. The experienced midfielder captained the promotion-winners of 2024-25, and was regarded as one of their most important players. Alexander made the tough decision to go back on his initial suggestion of a new deal being offered.

That can’t have been easy, and may have compromised his personal relationship, but four months down the line, Smallwood is looking less than mobile at Tranmere in League Two – so clearly League One would have been a huge ask – and Max Power has proved an inspired acquisition in City’s wonderful start.

Elsewhere, Will Swan, Stephen Humphrys, Josh Neufville, Ibou Touray, Matt Pennington and Curtis Tilt have all proved excellent additions, vindicating the judgement of Director of Football David Sharpe, who has revolutionised the Bantams’ internal processes.

Early days, but if 75 points gets you top six, then Bradford only need 51 from 35 games; the equivalent of winning 15 of them and drawing six, which is more than doable based on what they’ve shown so far.

#3 - Wimbledon

The biggest surprise around Wimbledon’s excellent start, if 22 points from their first 12 games isn’t a big enough shock in itself, would be how many goals they’ve scored.

The Dons won promotion on the basis of their defensive strength, as finishing with four straight 1-0 wins when it mattered most epitomised their USP: their organisation, industry, and collective resolve.

Johnnie Jackson’s side had been less than free-scoring in the second half of the season, though, with target man Omar Bugiel looking jaded through a demanding club and international schedule, and poacher Matty Stevens running out of steam – and they’ve since lost flying wing-back Josh Neufville to Bradford.

And yet, this season, the Wombles have scored a respectable 17 goals, only drawing blanks against Luton, Cardiff and Bolton.

Stevens has rediscovered his magic touch, grabbing five goals already. Danilo Orsi and his ‘horsey’ celebration got off the mark with a brace in the 2-0 victory at Blackpool, with 10 different players getting among the goals.

At the other end, meanwhile, Nathan Bishop’s excellent start to his tenure as Owen Goodman’s replacement between the sticks re-emphasises once again the value of goalkeeping coach Ashley Bayes, who has committed his future to the club.