Playmaker's League One Team of the Season

With the 2021/22 season now done and dusted, Playmaker has taken on the challenge of naming its best XI per division from across the top four tiers of English football.  

Following on from our Premier League XI and Championship XIs, we’re now training our sights on League One.

Let us know if you agree with our selection, or whether you think we've boobed and cast aside worthy candidates! Off we go...

Playmaker's League One XI (2021/22)

GK - Michael Cooper: The highly-rated Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper has confirmed this season that he is a safe pair of hands between the sticks. 

Cooper recorded the joint-most clean sheets (18) in League One this season as Plymouth just fell short of bagging a play-off spot. Across the top tiers, Cooper also set the record this season for most consecutive minutes without conceding (604 minutes):

An FA Cup performance against Chelsea was one of his more mainstream highlights, but the truth is that the 22-year-old goalkeeper has been doing it week in, week out for quite some time in League One.

DEF - Ryan Tafazolli: The imposing centre-half was an integral part of the Chairboys' promotion push this season, Wanderers' hopes of returning to the Championship undone by their L1 play-off final defeat against Sunderland.

Focused and alert, Tafazolli showed that he was one of the most reliable centre-backs in the division, ranking fifth for both aerials won and shots blocked among players in his position in 2021/22. 

A commanding campaign all told for the former Peterborough United defender.

DEF - Michael Ihiekwe: The 29-year-old defender was an absolute rock for Rotherham as the Millers clinched automatic promotion and bounced back into the Championship. Pacy, tenacious and reliable, Ihiekwe was involved in 21 of Rotherham's 23 clean sheets during the season - the Yorkshiremen registering more shutouts than any team across the top four tiers.

Also included in the League One official Team of the Season, Liverpool-born Ihiekwe was a stand out contender for our Playmaker XI.

DEF - Harry Darling: After clinching MK Dons' Young Player of the Year last season, Darling kicked on in a big way this season and was absolutely outstanding at the heart of the Dons' defence this term. 

Despite suffering the bitter low of losing out in the League One play-offs, the cultured defender was a shoe-in at the back for our 'Best of the Best'. Darling completed the second-most successful passes in the division in 2021/22 and also netted a hugely impressive 10 goals across all competitions. 

MID - Barry Bannan: The Scottish playmaker's performances this season for Sheffield Wednesday showed that he has the quality to play at least a division higher than League One. The Owls' campaign ended in play-off heartbreak, but Bannan was simply outstanding, scoring nine goals and supplying 12 assists, in addition to playing 125 key passes.

Individually it was a season to remember for the diminutive midfielder, who also scored a wonder goal against MK Dons to scoop the EFL Goal of the Season.

Barry Bannan has won the @EFL Goal Of the Season:
pic.twitter.com/t3xSCI6P2U

— The72 - We Love the #EFL (@_The72) April 24, 2022

FWD - Scott Twine: League One's Player of the Season absolutely has to feature after a simply sensational campaign that saw him score 20 goals and supply 13 assists. 

With his outrageous ability to score goals from long range, Twine is one of the hottest talents in the EFL at the moment, and despite MK Dons losing in the L1 play-offs, he looks destined to be playing at a higher level sooner rather than later. 

📈 20+ goals AND 10+ assists this season (top 4 tiers):

💥 Mo Salah (22G, 13A)
💥 Andreas Weimann (22G, 10A)
💥 Scott Twine (20G, 13A)#BristolCity @andiweimann #MKDons @Scotttwine10 pic.twitter.com/2WCtKwL4Y8

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) May 2, 2022

FWD - Cole Stockton: Not the biggest name in the division, Stockton deserves his place in our Playmaker League One XI after an absolutely monumental season.

In Morecambe's first-ever season in League One, the Shrimps managed to stay in the division and Stockton's 23 goals and four assists had a huge part to play.

Probably the most influential player in a single team in the third tier in 2021/22, Stockton scored goals from all angles - with 18 of them from open play, more than any other player in L1.

FWD - Will Keane: After fending off relegation the previous season, Wigan were reborn this season and Will Keane was huge for the Latics as they lifted the League One title.

The division's top scorer with 26 goals, the former Man Utd academy player finished level with Scott Twine as the most productive player in League One this season with 33 goal involvements and the rangy forward will now turn his attention to making an impact in the Championship next season.

🏆 #Playmaker's 2021/22 #LeagueOne Team of the Season:

1⃣ Cooper
6⃣ Tafazolli
2⃣0⃣ Ihiekwe
6⃣ Darling
1⃣0⃣ Bannan
4⃣ Barlaser
8⃣ Brannagan
1⃣1⃣ McConville
9⃣ Twine
9⃣ Stockton
1⃣0⃣ Keane#pafc #Chairboys #rufc #MKDons #swfc #OUFC #asfc pic.twitter.com/TTdZQmqvh3

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) June 1, 2022