Football Season Guide

Peterborough United have worked wonders to secure an instant return to the Championship via the League One playoffs. Boss, Darren Ferguson returned to the London Road hot-seat last season following the departure of Gary Johnson and has overseen the club’s second promotion to the second tier in three years. Striker Craig Mackail-Smith was an indispensable member of United’s promotion-winning side, scoring 27 league goals and causing havoc with his outstanding work-rate. The Scottish international left Posh this summer to join League One champions Brighton and Hove Albion, a switch which may have seemed like a sideways move by most Peterborough supporters. Replacing Mackail-Smith will prove a thankless task for Darren Ferguson, particularly with the club operating the smallest budget in the division. Attracting experienced, battle-hardened Championship players to London Road has proved difficult, with Ferguson having to call in favours from father, Sir Alex Ferguson as Ryan Tunnicliffe and Scott Wootton arrive on-loan.