Alan Curbishley believes League One next season will be a 'very difficult' division to get out of next season with the number of ex-top flight teams approaching double figures.
The third tier of English football boasted several former Premier League teams in it this season, including the likes of Curbishley's former club Charlton Athletic, as well as Bolton Wanderers, Ipswich Town, Portsmouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland. Champions Wigan Athletic have spent time in the top flight too.
Sunderland could remain in the division if they lose this weekend's play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers. Two more former top flight sides set to be in League One next season after dropping down from the Championship include Derby County and Barnsley.
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Former Addicks and West Ham United boss Curbishley has had his say on the third tier of English football and believes it is a 'very difficult' division to get out of with the sheer amount of former top flight sides which call it home. He believes the plight of the likes of Sunderland in recent seasons in failing to get out of the division, as well as the Owls falling short in the play-offs this season, are evidence of the strength of the league.
Speaking to OLBG, Curbishley said: "When I last looked at the League One table, there were 10 former Premier League clubs in that division.
"It's so difficult to get out of, we've seen Sheffield Wednesday fall short and you just need to take a look at Sunderland over the past few years, although they have a chance this year in the playoffs.
"The teams coming down as well such as Derby, it makes the division very difficult to get out of."
Cubrishley's former club Charlton finished the season in 13th and are currently without a manager after Johnnie Jackson departed the club and has subsequently joined AFC Wimbledon. The former Addicks boss believes his old club must get their recruitment spot on to get out of League One before they can think of former glories and get back to the Premier League.
He continued: "The owners have admitted that the recruitment hasn't been good enough and there's been situations that haven't been ideal for managers coming in.
"But recruitment will be the biggest thing for the club and the supporters, but firstly they've got to get the right manager in.
"I'm sure there will be plenty of applicants and maybe some surprise applicants for the job because it's such a big club.
"Someone said to me recently that in the all-time Premier League table, Charlton are 26th which proves that they are a big club.
"They've got the potential to be a Premier League club again, but the first job is to get out of League One which isn't easy."
