The League One season starts in just a few days and strikers are on the agenda for every club. For some, they will believe they have the marksman to fire them to their goals. For others, it is the focus of their transfer business with little more than five weeks left in the window.
It sounds obvious, but goalscorers matter. The past two League One seasons have seen the top scorer come from one of the two sides to win automatic promotion. Jonson Clarke-Harris powered Peterborough United's second-place finish in 2020/21 with 31 goals and the golden boot, and Will Keane won the same prize a year later, with his tally of 26 leading Wigan Athletic to the title.
They are just as valuable at the other end of the table, too. Alfie May scored 23 for Cheltenham Town as they earned their highest ever third-tier finish, well clear of the relegation zone, while an immediate return to League Two would have been certain for Morecambe if not for the 23 goals belonging to Cole Stockton.
So clubs best be aware of the dangers of trying to make a go of it in League One if they are trying to deliver goals by committee; Bristol Rovers know the perils of that from the relegation season of 2020/21 when no player reached double figures.
This time around, the Gas appear better prepared for the challenge. John Marquis will be expecting to score at least 10 and Aaron Collins will be hopeful that his returns in last season's promotion-winning campaign in League Two translate as he steps up in levels. They are not fancied to compete for the golden boot, with Marquis rated a 40/1 shot by SkyBet while Collins is 50/1.
Unsurprisingly, former Gas striker Clarke-Harris is the favourite to regain his crown as the league's top marksman. He hoped to score more than the 12 he netted in the Championship last term, but it was a season of struggle for Peterborough United and the 28-year-old has proven himself to be lethal at League One level.
Michael Smith is second-favourite after choosing to stay in the third tier. He won promotion with Rotherham United last season, but he has opted to join Darren Moore's Sheffield Wednesday and the target man is sure to be effective again after netting 19 times for the Millers.
Another former Rovers player, Oxford United's Matty Taylor, is also well-backed to top the charts at 11/1, with Posh's Jack Marriott and Wednesday's Lee Gregory not far behind at 14s.
Here are the top 30 players in the running for the golden boot, according to SkyBet.
- Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough United) - 7/1
- Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) - 10/1
- Matty Taylor (Oxford United) - 11/1
- Jack Marriott (Peterborough United) - 14/1
- Lee Gregory (Sheffield Wednesday) - 14/1
- Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers) - 16/1
- James Collins (Derby County) - 16/1
- Joe Pigott (Portsmouth) - 16/1
- Mo Eisa (MK Dons) - 20/1
- Alfie May (Cheltenham Town) - 20/1
- Cole Stockton (Morecambe) - 20/1
- Sam Vokes (Wycombe Wanderers) - 20/1
- Freddie Ladapo (Ipswich Town) - 25/1
- Ryan Hardie (Plymouth Argyle) - 25/1
- Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) - 28/1
- David McGoldrick (Derby County) - 28/1
- Jayden Stockley (Charlton Athletic) - 28/1
- James Norwood (Barnsley) - 33/1
- Luke Jephcott (Plymouth Argyle) - 33/1
- Matty Stevens (Forest Green Rovers) - 33/1
- Oladapo Afolayan (Bolton Wanderers) - 33/1
- Will Grigg (MK Dons) - 33/1
- Chuks Aneke (Charlton Athletic) - 40/1
- Joe Ironside (Cambridge United) - 40/1
- John Marquis (Bristol Rovers) - 40/1
- Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday) - 40/1
- Kayden Jackson (Ipswich Town) - 40/1
- Matt Jay (Exeter City) - 40/1
- Victor Adeboyejo (Burton Albion) - 40/1
- Aaron Collins (Bristol Rovers) - 50/1
SIGN UP: To receive our free Rovers newsletter, bringing you the latest from the Mem
READ NEXT:
