Football Season Guide

Peterborough United recorded their lowest league finish in the EFL since 2008 when they were promoted from League Two. It certainly didn’t follow the expected script for outspoken owner Darragh MacAnthony or manager Darren Ferguson following defeat in a two-legged play-off semi-final in May 2024. Ferguson has lost his job previously following a similarly poor run of results but MacAnthony opted not to pull the trigger this time around. Posh have a very clear philosophy of signing young, talented players from clubs below them in the pyramid and selling them on for significant profit. This has proved successful, most notably for striker Ivan Toney, however the flaws in this plan were laid bare last season when too many of those players failed to realise their potential at the same time. They flirted with relegation before an upturn in form saw them finish in 18th place, five points above the drop zone. There was however an unlikely triumph in the Football League Trophy. Having won it in 2024 they returned to Wembley to retain the trophy, surprisingly League One Champions Birmingham City with a 2-0 victory. The summer has seen several key players move on and the loss of striker Ricky Jade-Jones to St Pauli was in particular a sickener for MacAnthony, who claimed to have lost out of third quarters of the fee the club would have received if he’d not moved to the continent. Significant sums have been banked however for centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez, winger Kwame Poku and striker Malik Mothersille. It leaves Ferguson with the task of rebuilding his squad again. He has brought in goalkeeper Alex Bass from Notts County and midfielder Brandon Khela from Birmingham City. Winger Declan Frith is something of an unknown quantity after signing from Swiss side FC Thun whilst further additions are both expected and needed before the window closes.