Most Improved defenders in League Two 26/27
The most improved defenders in League Two in 26/27, ranked on Field Insider.
At a glance
J. Stephenson of Crewe is the standout for raw talent across defenders in League Two, with a Field Insider Rating of 71.8, and J. Robson has been the form player this season, grading 50.3, and Lewis Shipley leads the scoring with 3 goals.
The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: K. McFadzean has improved his Season rating most, up +23.4 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.
By our market-value index, W. Sutton of Oldham is the most valuable name in this group at 6.
50 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
| Player | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. McFadzeanCentre-back |  Chesterfield | 39 | +23.4 24/25→25/26 | 30±0% | 9±0% |
| 2 | J. RobsonFull-back |  Oldham | 28 | +19.3 23/24→25/26 | 50±0% | 28±0% |
| 3 | J. TomkinsonFull-back |  Cheltenham | 24 | +18.2 24/25→25/26 | 27±0% | 32±0% |
| 4 | A. SmithFull-back |  Gillingham | 25 | +16.3 24/25→25/26 | 28±0% | 322.5% |
| 5 | W. BoyleFull-back |  Shrewsbury | 31 | +15.9 23/24→25/26 | 32±0% | 2112.6% |
| 6 | D. HallCentre-back |  Rotherham | 25 | +15.9 24/25→25/26 | 25±0% | 42±0% |
| 7 | J. TuckerCentre-back |  Colchester | 26 | +14.9 24/25→25/26 | 24±0% | 32±0% |
| 8 | J. FitzwaterCentre-back |  Exeter City | 29 | +14 24/25→25/26 | 26±0% | 3212.2% |
| 9 | J. BurroughsFull-back |  Northampton | 25 | +13.1 24/25→25/26 | 17327.5% | 392.6% |
| 10 | P. FarquharsonFull-back |  Crawley Town | 29 | +12.9 24/25→25/26 | 16±0% | 20±0% |
| 11 | L. OffordCentre-back |  Crewe | 26 | +12.3 24/25→25/26 | 36±0% | 333.1% |
| 12 | C. McJannetCentre-back |  Grimsby | 28 | +11.1 24/25→25/26 | 38±0% | 309.4% |
| 13 | C. DunkleyCentre-back | Chesterfield | 34 | +9.7 24/25→25/26 | 18115.5% | 106.6% |
| 14 | Joel McGregorFull-back |  Swindon Town | 20 | +9.3 24/25→25/26 | 2276.2% | 334.5% |
| 15 | J. SimpsonCentre-back | Chesterfield | 29 | +9 24/25→25/26 | 199.5% | 308.2% |
| 16 | H. RodgersFull-back | Grimsby | 29 | +8.3 24/25→25/26 | 35±0% | 25±0% |
| 17 | J. ConnollyCentre-back |  Walsall | 24 | +8.3 24/25→25/26 | 22±0% | 342.7% |
| 18 | C. McCarthyFull-back | Northampton | 28 | +8.2 24/25→25/26 | 1794.3% | 3117.5% |
| 19 | L. GibsonFull-back |  Harrogate Town | 29 | +8.1 24/25→25/26 | 13172.3% | 1811.7% |
| 20 | L. BillingtonFull-back | Crewe | 22 | +7.7 24/25→25/26 | 24±0% | 37±0% |
| 21 | B. CooperCentre-back |  Salford City | 26 | +7.5 24/25→25/26 | 2640.5% | 3031.1% |
| 22 | P. SweeneyFull-back | Cheltenham | 32 | +6 24/25→25/26 | 249.5% | 2620% |
| 23 | Lewis ShipleyCentre-back |  Barrow | 22 | +6 24/25→25/26 | 11127.7% | 317% |
| 24 | J. SweeneyFull-back | Grimsby | 24 | +5.7 24/25→25/26 | 19±0% | 32±0% |
| 25 | E. TurnsCentre-back | Exeter City | 23 | +3.6 24/25→25/26 | 1824.3% | 412.4% |
| 26 | L. HooleCentre-back | Shrewsbury | 24 | +3.6 24/25→25/26 | 29±0% | 31±0% |
| 27 | J. Lawrence-GabrielFull-back |  Port Vale | 28 | +2.2 24/25→25/26 | 15±0% | 3412% |
| 28 | J. WillisCentre-back | Northampton | 32 | +1.3 24/25→25/26 | 721.3% | 1729.4% |
| 29 | L. GordonCentre-back | Chesterfield | 25 | +0.6 24/25→25/26 | 20±0% | 31±0% |
| 30 | K. BalmerFull-back |  Bristol Rovers | 26 | +0.5 24/25→25/26 | 16±0% | 298.1% |
| 31 | L. CassCentre-back | Harrogate Town | 26 | +0.3 24/25→25/26 | 142.2% | 2512.8% |
| 32 | W. BurrellCentre-back | Harrogate Town | 36 | +0.2 24/25→25/26 | 171.2% | 81.2% |
| 33 | C. RaglanCentre-back | Barrow | 33 | -0.1 22/23→25/26 | 160.6% | 1255.3% |
| 34 | C. NormanFull-back |  Newport County | 30 | -0.2 24/25→25/26 | 22±0% | 196.2% |
| 35 | N. SmithCentre-back |  Tranmere | 30 | -0.3 24/25→25/26 | 20±0% | 22±0% |
| 36 | T. JamesFull-back | Bristol Rovers | 30 | -1.6 24/25→25/26 | 169.6% | 269.1% |
| 37 | S. RooneyFull-back |  Fleetwood Town | 30 | -1.7 24/25→25/26 | 15±0% | 17±0% |
| 38 | E. BristowFull-back | Harrogate Town | 24 | -3.2 23/24→25/26 | 731.4% | 2713.3% |
| 39 | A. McGowanFull-back | Port Vale | 30 | -3.2 24/25→25/26 | 1518% | 1940.8% |
| 40 | F. PotterCentre-back | Fleetwood Town | 22 | -4.2 24/25→25/26 | 16±0% | 32±0% |
| 41 | S. RaggettCentre-back | Colchester | 33 | -4.5 24/25→25/26 | 37.1% | 726.7% |
| 42 | T. LeesFull-back | Harrogate Town | 35 | -5 24/25→25/26 | 1623.5% | 1038.3% |
| 43 | D. TharmeCentre-back | Grimsby | 27 | -5.5 24/25→25/26 | 938.2% | 2325.6% |
| 44 | T. MullarkeyCentre-back | Fleetwood Town | 30 | -5.8 24/25→25/26 | 938.2% | 1651.7% |
| 45 | A. MacDonaldFull-back | Barrow | 33 | -6.9 24/25→25/26 | 654.8% | 858.4% |
| 46 | J. TomlinsonCentre-back | Cheltenham | 26 | -7.2 24/25→25/26 | 10±0% | 299.1% |
| 47 | B. HeneghanFull-back | Port Vale | 33 | -8.1 24/25→25/26 | 1436.2% | 1610.9% |
| 48 | J. GuthrieCentre-back | Northampton | 34 | -8.7 24/25→25/26 | 11±0% | 10±0% |
| 49 | K. CameronCentre-back | Newport County | 29 | -9.1 24/25→25/26 | 16±0% | 2418% |
| 50 | Sonny AljofreeCentre-back | Rotherham | 21 | -10.1 24/25→25/26 | 1037.8% | 334.8% |