Date: 14 January 2026
Topic: English League One & League Two Relegation Battles
As the January transfer window reaches its midway point, the panic button is being firmly pressed in boardrooms across the English Football League. While the promotion races capture the headlines, the real drama is unfolding at the foot of the tables in League One and League Two. With the 2025/26 season well past the halfway mark, the fight for survival has intensified, claiming managerial casualties and sparking desperate appointments.
Here is the state of play for the teams staring into the abyss this January.
### League One: The Valiants in Peril
The situation at Port Vale has transitioned from concerning to critical. Sitting rock bottom of the League One table and a staggering 10 points adrift of safety, the Valiants have turned to a new face to orchestrate what would be a miraculous escape.
Following the dismissal of Darren Moore—whose tenure ended after a dismal 5-0 Boxing Day drubbing by Huddersfield Town—the club has appointed Australian manager Jon Brady. Brady, who officially took charge on January 6, arrives with a reputation for resilience from his time at Northampton Town, but his task at Vale Park is monumental. The 50-year-old has been clear that his primary focus is “to retain League One status,” but with the team’s confidence shattered and a double-digit gap to bridge, he needs an immediate “new manager bounce.”
Joining them in the drop zone are Doncaster Rovers, who sit in 23rd place. Manager Grant McCann remains defiant, but the pressure is mounting at the Eco-Power Stadium. Rovers have been plagued by inconsistency, and while their FA Cup distractions (including a tie against Southampton) have kept morale alive, their league form remains the priority. McCann will be desperate to use the remainder of the window to add firepower to a squad that has struggled to turn draws into wins.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the season is the presence of Rotherham United in the relegation mire. The Millers, traditionally a “yo-yo” club between the Championship and League One, were expected to challenge for the playoffs. Instead, they find themselves in a scrap for survival under manager Matt Hamshaw. Hamshaw, who was given the permanent job in April 2025 after a successful interim spell, is now facing the toughest test of his young managerial career. The sight of a club with Rotherham’s resources languishing in the bottom four is a stark reminder of how unforgiving this division can be.
Burton Albion also remain in danger, though manager Gary Bowyer—who signed a contract extension last summer—has experience in navigating these waters. The Brewers are no strangers to defying the odds, but they will need to find consistency to pull away from the likes of Doncaster and Port Vale.
### League Two: The Christian Fuchs Experiment
In League Two, the narrative is dominated by a high-profile appointment at Newport County. The Exiles are currently propping up the entire Football League, sitting bottom of the table. In a bold move to arrest their slide, the club appointed Premier League winner Christian Fuchs as manager in November 2025.
The former Leicester City defender replaced David Hughes, but the turnaround has not been instant. Fuchs faces a baptism of fire in his first senior management role. With the club four points from safety and hunting for wins, the Austrian has publicly stated the need to “move fast” in the transfer market. His connections and profile might attract players usually out of Newport’s reach, but the reality of a relegation dogfight on a cold Tuesday night in League Two is a world away from the glitz of the Premier League.
Elsewhere, Harrogate Town are enduring a nightmare campaign. The Sulphurites have been in freefall, with a 15-game winless run dragging them deep into trouble. The club, often praised for its stability, is now facing its most precarious moment since joining the EFL.
Accrington Stanley are also looking nervously over their shoulders. After narrowly avoiding the drop last season, they have failed to kick on, and the familiar struggles of competing on a shoestring budget are biting hard.
Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers, relegated from League One last term, have not found life in the fourth tier any easier. Under the combustible Steve Evans, the Gas have struggled to mount a promotion push and are instead trying to ensure they don’t get sucked into a back-to-back relegation battle. Evans, never one to mince words, will be demanding significant backing this month to pull his side away from the danger zone.
### The Final Word
The next two weeks are definitive. For Jon Brady at Port Vale and Christian Fuchs at Newport County, the January window is not just about improvement—it is about survival. If they cannot recruit the right characters to fight in the trenches, two historic clubs could be slipping through the trapdoor come May.