Bromley are closing in on an extraordinary first League Two title. But with three automatic places and four play-off spots still in play, the real story is how tight the chasing pack remains – and who faces the cruellest fate at Wembley.
By Erik Williams · March 31, 2026
League Two · Analysis · 7 min read
| Table leader | Bromley — 68 pts from 34 games |
| 2nd place | Cambridge United — 64 pts from 34 games |
| 3rd place | MK Dons — 62 pts from 34 games |
| 4th (play-off) | Swindon Town — 62 pts from 35 games |
| 5th (play-off) | Notts County — 61 pts from 34 games |
| 7th (borderline) | Salford City — 55 pts from 33 games |
| 8th (out) | Chesterfield — 53 pts from 34 games |
| Season ends | 25 May 2026 |
When Bromley entered the English Football League for the first time in their 132-year history in 2024, nobody seriously suggested they would spend their second season on the verge of the League One. But here they are — top of the Sky Bet League Two table on 68 points from 34 games, four points clear of Cambridge United with just twelve matches remaining.
It is a remarkable achievement for Andy Woodman’s side. Bromley entered the season as a newly-promoted club from the National League, with a squad built for consolidation and a budget reflecting their status. What they have produced instead is the most consistent first half of a season in the club’s history as a Football League side — and a sustained challenge at the summit that no one in the division has been able to dislodge.
The Automatic Places: How It Stands
Three clubs will earn automatic promotion to League One — and as things stand, the top three looks like this: Bromley lead on 68 points, Cambridge United sit second on 64, and Milton Keynes Dons hold third on 62. MK Dons have the best goal difference in the play-off contention group, a stat that could prove decisive if the table tightens further.
Swindon Town sit fourth on 62 points but have played one game more than MK Dons — a complication that makes their position marginally more fragile. Ian Holloway’s side began the season as one of the most attacking in the division, and their 57 goals scored remain evidence of that ambition. But 41 conceded is a number that has cost them points at critical moments, and automatic promotion now looks a more difficult route than the play-offs.
Notts County are fifth on 61 points — close enough to automatic that their remaining fixtures carry enormous weight. Martin Paterson took charge in the summer after Stuart Maynard left for York City, and has quietly built one of the most technically accomplished squads in the division. Matthew Dennis has contributed 14 league goals; Alassana Jatta 12. If Notts County are going to make a late surge for the top three, they have the firepower to do it.
The Play-Off Picture: Four Spots, Seven Contenders
The play-off picture is where the most compelling drama of the final weeks will unfold. Six clubs finishing 4th through 7th qualify for the semi-finals — and as of 28 March, the gap between 4th and 8th is just nine points.
| Club | Pts (Games) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Swindon Town | 62 (35) | Play-off zone |
| Notts County | 61 (34) | Play-off zone |
| Crewe Alexandra | 56 (35) | Play-off zone |
| Salford City | 55 (33) | Play-off zone |
| Chesterfield | 53 (34) | Outside — 9 pts back |
| Barnet | 53 (35) | Outside — 9 pts back |
| Walsall | 53 (33) | Outside — 9 pts back |
The cruelty of this situation is that Chesterfield, Barnet, and Walsall are all on 53 points — the kind of tally that in many previous seasons would have been enough to secure a play-off place comfortably. In 2025-26, it leaves all three on the outside looking in, with the games in hand they hold not guaranteeing them anything given the fixture difficulty remaining.
Salford City have had a productive season under Karl Robinson, but their 55 points from 33 games means they still have the most work to do. The gap between themselves and Chesterfield — currently 7th — could disappear or widen in the space of a single weekend. That volatility is what makes this play-off race one of the most absorbing at League Two level for several seasons.
Bromley’s Historic Opportunity
For all the drama lower in the table, the most remarkable story remains at the top. Bromley’s 16-game unbeaten run — the longest in the division this season — came during the middle phase of the campaign and effectively transformed their promotion challenge into a dominant one. Their 79 points from 39 matches as of late March put them in company that historically has almost always ended in promotion: 31 of 33 sides reaching that threshold at that point in the season have gone up.
| “When my confidence is this high and the team’s playing well, you’re more than likely going to get chances. The manager has given us freedom and we’re thriving off it.” — Aaron Drinan, Swindon Town — though the sentiment applies across every promotion-chasing squad in the division |
Andy Woodman’s tactical discipline has been central to the achievement. Michael Cheek, with 16 league goals, has provided the firepower. Cieran Slicker, third in the clean-sheet standings, has provided the foundation. For a club that was playing in the National League eighteen months ago, the scale of what Bromley are on the verge of completing is extraordinary.
The question is no longer whether Bromley will be promoted — it is whether they will win the title and go up as champions. A four-point lead with twelve games remaining is not insurmountable for Cambridge United or MK Dons. But it would require Bromley to suffer a collapse in form that nothing in their season so far suggests is coming.
What the Final Weeks Will Decide
The period between now and 25 May will resolve five significant questions. Will Bromley close it out as champions, or be caught? Will Cambridge United and MK Dons both hold automatic places, or does one of them slip? Which of the play-off contenders confirms their position, and which falls out? Can any of Chesterfield, Barnet, or Walsall mount a late charge from 8th? And ultimately — who will stand on the Wembley pitch in late May for the play-off final, and what will be at stake?
League Two promotion races do not always resolve themselves neatly. The compressed nature of the final run, the fixture congestion, and the momentum swings that come with every away result in a congested table mean that the picture in late April could look very different from what it does today. That unpredictability is what makes this one worth following to the final whistle of the final day.
For the full League Two table, fixtures, and ongoing promotion race coverage, see our League Two hub page.
League Two Promotion Race 2025-26: Who Goes Up, Who Misses Out?
Bromley are closing in on an extraordinary first League Two title. But with three automatic places and four play-off spots still in play, the real story is how tight the chasing pack remains — and who faces the cruellest fate at Wembley.
By Erik Williams · March 31, 2026
League Two · Analysis · 7 min read
| Table leader | Bromley — 68 pts from 34 games |
| 2nd place | Cambridge United — 64 pts from 34 games |
| 3rd place | MK Dons — 62 pts from 34 games |
| 4th (play-off) | Swindon Town — 62 pts from 35 games |
| 5th (play-off) | Notts County — 61 pts from 34 games |
| 7th (borderline) | Salford City — 55 pts from 33 games |
| 8th (out) | Chesterfield — 53 pts from 34 games |
| Season ends | 25 May 2026 |
When Bromley entered the English Football League for the first time in their 132-year history in 2024, nobody seriously suggested they would spend their second season on the verge of the League One. But here they are — top of the Sky Bet League Two table on 68 points from 34 games, four points clear of Cambridge United with just twelve matches remaining.
It is a remarkable achievement for Andy Woodman’s side. Bromley entered the season as a newly-promoted club from the National League, with a squad built for consolidation and a budget reflecting their status. What they have produced instead is the most consistent first half of a season in the club’s history as a Football League side — and a sustained challenge at the summit that no one in the division has been able to dislodge.
The Automatic Places: How It Stands
Three clubs will earn automatic promotion to League One — and as things stand, the top three looks like this: Bromley lead on 68 points, Cambridge United sit second on 64, and Milton Keynes Dons hold third on 62. MK Dons have the best goal difference in the play-off contention group, a stat that could prove decisive if the table tightens further.
Swindon Town sit fourth on 62 points but have played one game more than MK Dons – a complication that makes their position marginally more fragile. Ian Holloway’s side began the season as one of the most attacking in the division, and their 57 goals scored remain evidence of that ambition. But 41 conceded is a number that has cost them points at critical moments, and automatic promotion now looks a more difficult route than the play-offs.
Notts County are fifth on 61 points – close enough to automatic that their remaining fixtures carry enormous weight. Martin Paterson took charge in the summer after Stuart Maynard left for York City, and has quietly built one of the most technically accomplished squads in the division. Matthew Dennis has contributed 14 league goals; Alassana Jatta 12. If Notts County are going to make a late surge for the top three, they have the firepower to do it.
The Play-Off Picture: Four Spots, Seven Contenders
The play-off picture is where the most compelling drama of the final weeks will unfold. Six clubs finishing 4th through 7th qualify for the semi-finals — and as of 28 March, the gap between 4th and 8th is just nine points.
| Club | Pts (Games) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Swindon Town | 62 (35) | Play-off zone |
| Notts County | 61 (34) | Play-off zone |
| Crewe Alexandra | 56 (35) | Play-off zone |
| Salford City | 55 (33) | Play-off zone |
| Chesterfield | 53 (34) | Outside — 9 pts back |
| Barnet | 53 (35) | Outside — 9 pts back |
| Walsall | 53 (33) | Outside — 9 pts back |
The cruelty of this situation is that Chesterfield, Barnet, and Walsall are all on 53 points – the kind of tally that in many previous seasons would have been enough to secure a play-off place comfortably. In 2025-26, it leaves all three on the outside looking in, with the games in hand they hold not guaranteeing them anything given the fixture difficulty remaining.
Salford City have had a productive season under Karl Robinson, but their 55 points from 33 games means they still have the most work to do. The gap between themselves and Chesterfield — currently 7th — could disappear or widen in the space of a single weekend. That volatility is what makes this play-off race one of the most absorbing at League Two level for several seasons.
Bromley’s Historic Opportunity
For all the drama lower in the table, the most remarkable story remains at the top. Bromley’s 16-game unbeaten run — the longest in the division this season — came during the middle phase of the campaign and effectively transformed their promotion challenge into a dominant one. Their 79 points from 39 matches as of late March put them in company that historically has almost always ended in promotion: 31 of 33 sides reaching that threshold at that point in the season have gone up.
| “When my confidence is this high and the team’s playing well, you’re more than likely going to get chances. The manager has given us freedom and we’re thriving off it.” — Aaron Drinan, Swindon Town — though the sentiment applies across every promotion-chasing squad in the division |
Andy Woodman’s tactical discipline has been central to the achievement. Michael Cheek, with 16 league goals, has provided the firepower. Cieran Slicker, third in the clean-sheet standings, has provided the foundation. For a club that was playing in the National League eighteen months ago, the scale of what Bromley are on the verge of completing is extraordinary.
The question is no longer whether Bromley will be promoted — it is whether they will win the title and go up as champions. A four-point lead with twelve games remaining is not insurmountable for Cambridge United or MK Dons. But it would require Bromley to suffer a collapse in form that nothing in their season so far suggests is coming.
What the Final Weeks Will Decide
The period between now and 25 May will resolve five significant questions. Will Bromley close it out as champions, or be caught? Will Cambridge United and MK Dons both hold automatic places, or does one of them slip? Which of the play-off contenders confirms their position, and which falls out? Can any of Chesterfield, Barnet, or Walsall mount a late charge from 8th? And ultimately -who will stand on the Wembley pitch in late May for the play-off final, and what will be at stake?
League Two promotion races do not always resolve themselves neatly. The compressed nature of the final run, the fixture congestion. The momentum swings that come with every away result in a congested table mean that the picture in late April could look very different from what it does today.
