The teams Blackburn Rovers will face in League One in 2017/18

WIGAN ATHLETIC

Ground: DW Stadium

Distance: 22 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-0 Wigan, Saturday, March 4 2017

2016/17 League position: 23rd Championship

Hopes for 2017/18: Paul Cook joined Wigan just 25 days after guiding Portsmouth to the League Two title. Cook has had success at this level, guiding Chesterfield to the play-offs in 2014/15 before leaving for Fratton Park. The Latics proved too strong for League One in their last season at this level, and will be pushing the top six again.

ROTHERHAM UNITED

Ground: ASSEAL New York Stadium

Distance: 85 miles

Previous league meeting: Rotherham 1-1 Rovers. Saturday, February 11 2017

2016/17 league position: 24th Championship

Hopes for 2017/18: Will need to heavily rebuild after a disastrous season in the Championship saw them pick up just 23 points.  Rookie boss Paul Warne faces a big job to get the Millers challenging for an immediate Championship return.

SCUNTHORPE UNITED

Ground: Glanford Park

Distance: 103 miles

Previous league meeting: Scunthorpe United 1-1 Rovers Tuesday, April 24 1973

2016/17 league position: 3rd League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Rocked by the departures of goalkeeper Luke Daniels and captain Stephen Dawson already this summer. May need ex-Rover Josh Morris to recapture his form in the first half of the 2016/17 season if they’re to challenge the top six once again.

FLEETWOOD TOWN

Ground: Highbury

Distance: 35 miles

Previous league meeting: None

2016/17 league position: 4th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Their fairtytale rise up the leagues took them to the brink of promotion last term. Keeping that team together may be difficult, but retaining the services of manager Uwe Rosler could well be their most important bit of business. Should be in the top half again.

BRADFORD CITY

Ground: Northern Commercials Stadium

Distance: 42 miles

Previous league meeting: Bradford 0-1 Rovers. Saturday, April 14 1990

2016/17 league position: 5th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Back-to-back fifth place finishes for the Bantams.  Didn’t lose on their home patch last term, will be looking to continue that form again. Nineteen draws cost them a shot at automatic promotion, but they will need to be canny in the transfer market following the departures of James Meredith, Billy Clarke and Mark Marshall.

SOUTHEND UNITED

Ground: Roots Hall

Distance: 257 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 2-2 Southend Tuesday, March 10 1992

2016/17 league position: 7th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Went within minutes of making a play-off spot, but a big improvement for Phil Brown’s side who improved seven places on their 14th placed finish in 2015/16. Have lost Will Atkinson and Adam Thompson, while they will be keen to fend off Championship interest in influential midfielder Ryan Leonard.  Will still be looking upwards of mid-table.

OXFORD UNITED

Ground: Kassam Stadium

Distance: 189 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-1 Oxford. Saturday, February 29 1992

2016/17 league position: 8th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Fell short in their pursuit of back-to-back promotions, andleft Wembley disappointed after losing in the Checkatrade Trophy final for a second successive year.  Pre-season plans have not been helped by the departure of manager Michael Appleton to become Leicester City’s number two.

ROCHDALE

Ground: Spotland

Distance: 19 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 3-1 Rochdale. Saturday, April 20 1974

2016/17 league position: 9th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Their pre-season took a huge lift with news that manager Keith Hill had agreed a new five-year deal.  Perennial overachievers, have now finished eighth, 10th and ninth in their last three seasons. Much of that has been built on strong home form and expect them to be in the top 10 once again. 

BRISTOL ROVERS

Ground: Memorial Stadium

Distance: 189 miles

Previous league meeting: Bristol Rovers 3-0 Rovers. Saturday, March 7 1992

2016/17 league position: 10th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: No-one in the top half of League One won fewer matches on the road than Gas’ five, and only two sides conceded more on their travels. They are statistics they must improve on, but a bright young manager in Darrel Clarke sho-uld keep Rovers clear of the drop.

PETERBOROUGH UNITED

Ground: ABAX Stadium

Distance: 169 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 2-3 Peterborough. Saturday, March 2 2013

2016/17 league position: 11th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Chairman Darragh MacAnthony was left dissatisfied by Posh’s season of underachievement last term.  Will need to become more consistent, while the future of star man Marcus Maddison could be key.

MK DONS

Ground: Stadium:MK

Distance: 180 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 3-2 MK Dons. Saturday, February 27 2016

2016/17 league position: 12th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Will be looking to continue their improvement under boss Robbie Neilson next term, but must improve their home record, where the lost 13 time in 2016/17.  Playmaker Ben Reeves will be a big miss should he decide to move at the end of his contract.

CHARLTON

Ground: The Valley

Distance: 247 miles

Previous league meeting: Charlton 1-1 Rovers. Saturday, January 23 2016

2016/17 league position: 13th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Will do do well to keep hold of 13-goal attacker Ricky Holmes but will be targeting a top six spot following the arrivals of Bradford’s Billy Clarke and Mark Marshall and Tarique Fosu from Reading.

WALSALL

Ground: Banks’ Stadium

Distance: 102 miles

Previous league meeting: Walsall 1-1 Rovers. Tuesday, October 26 1999

2016/17 league position: 14th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Were always going to struggle to match their play-off finish of 2015/16 following the departures of Tom Bradshaw, Romaine Sawyers and Rico Henry.  Manager John Whitney will need to galvanise a young squad if the Saddlers aren’t to slip further down the table. 

AFC WIMBLEDON

Ground: Kingsmeadow

Distance: 245 miles

Previous league meeting: None

2016/17 league position: 15th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Stuttered over the finishing line, winning just one of their last nine games, and failing to score in eight of them.  That won’t be helped by the departure of 13-goal marksman Tom Elliott who has joined Millwall.  The Dons will be hoping Kwesi Appiah’s arrival from Crystal Palace can fill that void.

NORTHAMPTON TOWN

Ground: Sixfields Stadium

Distance: 160 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 3-0 Northampton. Saturday, April 22 1967

2016/17 league position: 16th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Likely to be a summer of change at Sixfields following the departures of first-team regulars Adam Smith, Zander Diamond and Gabriel Zakuani.  Sam Foley, Daniel Powell and Leon Barnett are promising additions, while they will hope Billy Waters can add goals to their forward line after arriving from Cheltenham. 

OLDHAM ATHLETIC

Ground: Boundary Park

Distance: 29 miles

Previous league meeting: Oldham 1-2 Rovers. Saturday, December 11 1993

2016/17 league position: 17th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: John Sheridan appears to have the Midas touch at Boundary Park, moving the Latics to a comfortable finish with nine wins and seven draws from his 22 games in charge.  But if Oldham aren’t to be involved in another relegation battle, they must improve on their record of 31 goals last term.

SHREWSBURY TOWN

Ground: Greenhous Meadow

Distance: 106 miles

Previous league meeting: Shrewsbury 1-1 Rovers. Saturday, January 14 1989

2016/17 league position: 18th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Improved two places on their 2015/16 position of 20th.  With one of the league’s smaller budgets, Hurst will need to do plenty of good deals if the Shrews aren’t to be at the wrong end of the table again. 

BURY

Ground: Gigg Lane

Distance: 19 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-2 Bury. Saturday, May 3 1980

2016/17 league position: 19th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: Survived on the final day of the season but have been quick to add Joe Muprhy, Jermaine Beckford, Stephen Dawson, Callum Reilly, Phil Edwards, Jay O’Shea, Adam Thompson, Joe Skarz and Eoghan O’Connell to their ranks.  Lee Clark will be desperate to keep hold of 24-goal striker James Vaughan.

GILLINGHAM

Ground: Priestfield Stadium

Distance: 266 miles

Previous league meeting: Gillingham 1-1 Rovers. Sunday, May 6 2001

2016/17 league position: 20th League One

Hopes for 2017/18: One point separated the Gills and the dropzone.  Unlikely to keep hold of 2015/16 League One player of the year Bradley Dack for another season so must find a way to replace his goals and creativity. 

PORTSMOUTH

Ground: Fratton Park

Distance: 268 miles

Previous league meeting: Portsmouth 0-0 Rovers Saturday, April 3 2010

2016/17 league position: 1st League Two

Hopes for 2017/18: Snatched the League Two title on the final day, but have since lost manager Paul Cook to Wigan. Will hope new boss Kenny Jackett, who won promotion from the third tier with Wolves four years ago, repeat the trick.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

Ground: Home Park

Distance: 306 miles

Previous league meeting: Plymouth 1-2 Rovers. Saturday, May 2 1992 

2016/17 league position: 2nd League Two

Hopes for 2017/18: Bounced back from the disappointment of missing out in the 2015/16 play-offs to achieve automatic promotion last term. The Pilgrims will need to add some League One experience to their side and face a fight to keep hold of out-of-contract star man Graham Carey.

DONCASTER ROVERS

Ground: Keepmoat Stadium

Distance: 89 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-0 Doncaster. Saturday, January 11 2014

2016/17 league position: 3rd League Two

Hopes for 2017/18: Made it a short stay in League Two after winning automatic promotion.  Their home form could well be key, as will keeping hold of 26 goal Jon Marqui.

BLACKPOOL

Ground: Bloomfield Road

Distance: 31 miles

Previous league meeting: Rovers 1-1 Blackpool 1. Saturday, February 21 2015

2016/17 league position: 6th League Two

Hopes for 2017/18: Will be looking to stabilise in League One on their return to the third tier following back-to-back relegations.  Ten players have left and Bowyer will need to strengthen.