League One team of the season: By The Gazette's Blackpool FC writer Matt Scrafton

With the football season on an extended pause and the EFL pondering how to complete the campaign, it’s also a time to reflect on some of the outstanding performers seen in League One so far this season.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
Read More
Blackpool sacking was tough to take for Simon Grayson

GOALKEEPER: Robert Sanchez (Rochdale)

The Spaniard, on loan from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, enjoyed an impressive game in the goalless draw against the Seasiders at Spotland in August.

Ivan Toney is the division's top scorerIvan Toney is the division's top scorer
Ivan Toney is the division's top scorer

The 22-year-old made a string of fine stops to deny the Pool what would have been a deserved win. Sanchez has kept six clean sheets for Dale this season.

RIGHT-BACK: Fankaty Dabo (Coventry City)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 24-year-old was in impressive form during Coventry’s 3-2 win against Blackpool at St Andrew’s in September.

An attacking full-back, the former Chelsea academy graduate has played a leading role in Coventry’s impressive campaign, the Sky Blues sitting top of the table, seven points clear of Oxford United in third.

CENTRE-BACK: Michael Ihiekwe (Rotherham United, left)

The 27-year-old has been an impressive figure for the Millers this season, helping Paul Warne’s promotion hopefuls keep 10 clean sheets in League One.

The centre back, whose defensive partners include former Seasiders Curtis Tilt and Clark Robertson, has made 38 appearances this season, scoring four times.

CENTRE-BACK: Rob Dickie (Oxford United)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A ball-playing defender, Dickie is instrumental to the way Oxford like to bring the ball out from the back.

The 24-year-old’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed either, with Championship high-flyers Leeds United rumoured to be interested in his services. Dickie has made 46 appearances this season.

LEFT-BACK: Joe Jacobson (Wycombe Wanderers, left)

A goalscoring full-back, Jacobson is a free-kick specialist who has 10 goals to his name in all competitions.

Impressively, that makes him Wycombe’s joint-leading scorer alongside the ‘beast’ Adebayo Akinfenwa. Jacobson even managed to score a hat-trick in a win over Lincoln City in September.

MIDFIELD: Liam Walsh (Coventry City)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A calm and collected performer, the Bristol City loanee has been one of Coventry’s standout individuals so far this season.

The diminutive midfielder, who came through the youth ranks at Everton, has five goals to his name this season from his 35 appearances. He performed well in Coventry’s win against Pool in September.

MIDFIELD: Matt Crooks (Rotherham United)

An imposing figure at 6ft 4ins, Crooks is the ideal midfielder for Rotherham’s more physical and direct style of play. A constant nuisance from set-pieces and long throws, the 26-year-old has an impressive 11 goals from his 39 appearances this season. Destined to play higher up the pyramid.

MIDFIELD: Ben Whiteman (Doncaster Rovers, left)

The box-to-box midfielder has been in eye-catching form for Doncaster this term, scoring five goals in his 39 appearances. Whiteman recently penned a long-term contract with Doncaster to warn off reported interest from numerous Championship clubs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hull City are believed to have bid in the region of £1m for his services last summer.

FORWARD: Marcus Browne (Oxford United)

The forward scored both of Oxford’s goal during Blackpool’s 2-1 defeat at the Kassam Stadium in February and was a constant nuisance throughout the game.

The 22-year-old has only been with Oxford since January, when he joined on loan from Middlesbrough. The 22-year-old made the move to the Riverside after impressing for Oxford on loan from West Ham.

FORWARD: Morgan Ferrier (Tranmere Rovers)

The striker might only have nine goals to his name from his 28 appearances this season but the 25-year-old’s campaign has been majorly disrupted by a knee ligament injury. Ferrier terrorised the Seasiders – and Ben Heneghan in particular – in both games this season, scoring on both occasions.

FORWARD: Ivan Toney (Peterborough United, left)

This one takes no explanation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Toney leads the scoring charts in this division by some distance with his 24 league goals, putting him ahead of Blackpool’s Armand Gnanduillet, who has 15.

The 24-year-old has 26 goals in all competitions from his 39 appearances, helping the Posh to sixth in the table.