League One sack race: Jack Wilshere and Liverpool-born rival could be axed next
Jack Wilshere and Ryan Lowe could be the next League One managers to be sacked as Luton Town and Wigan Athletic each go through poor patches of form.
League One is tight at both ends of the table as it stands, with just nine points separating Wycombe Wanderers in eighth and Doncaster Rovers in the relegation zone in 21st.
Seven third-tier managers have lost their jobs so far this term, with Lee Grant the last man sacked as he left Huddersfield Town on 17 January.
Clubs are now heading into the business end of the campaign, with both Luton and Wigan struggling to meet the goals they set out at the start of the season so far.
They each sit at different ends of the standings right now, but either Wilshere or Lowe look set to be the next League One bosses to be relieved of their duties.
Wilshere is under threat of being sacked by Luton
Former Arsenal and England star Wilshere was appointed as Luton’s new boss in October for his first full-time role in the dugout following a short spell as Norwich‘s interim boss in April.
He took over at Kenilworth Road with the newly-relegated Hatters sat 11th in League One after a poor start to the season under Matt Bloomfield, with the clear aim of taking them into promotion contention.
The 33-year-old enjoyed some strong form with his new side at the start of his tenure, with just two losses in his first 13 games in charge, but they have struggled to continue those performances over the last six weeks.
A 1-0 loss to fellow playoff chasers Huddersfield on Tuesday saw Luton lose a third game from their last four outings, with just three wins from their previous 12 matches across all competitions.
They are now six points from the top six, in ninth place as it stands, and the pressure is certainly mounting on Wilshere to turn his team into serious promotion contenders over the next few months.
Wigan’s Lowe should be the next League One manager dismissed
Wilshere may be feeling the heat at Luton, but one man who cannot escape it right now is Wigan boss Lowe, especially after their 2-0 loss to Wycombe on Tuesday night.
The Liverpool-born 47-year-old has been Wigan’s manager since March 2025, after he spent some time out of the game following a shock departure from Preston North End in August 2024.
He led them to a 15th-placed finish in his first few months at the helm, and fans expected more progress this term after a successful summer window saw Wigan sign Paul Mullin on loan from Wrexham, among others.
The Latics have seriously struggled so far, however, with seven wins from 27 games to sit 19th in the third tier and one point away from the relegation zone as it stands, while they have emerged victorious from just one of their last nine league outings.
They face two clubs in League One’s top 10 right now, Lincoln City and Peterborough United, in their next two games, and it certainly would not be a shock to see Lowe sacked if they suffer consecutive heavy losses to drop into the bottom four.