Football League One Preview

With Charlton and Sheff Wed gone many are claiming that this is the most open League One for a long time, who will book their place in the Championship for next season?

Love them or hate them you can hardly dispute the fact that the play-offs are unfair at times. Last season Sheff U finished third, just three points off second and some nine ahead of Huddersfield, yet it is Huddersfield who are currently preparing for life in the Championship. The Blades though should get it right this time as they look (excuse the obvious pun) a cut above the others in this league. Goals might be a little hard to come by this season without Ched Evans, but a combination of Shaun Miller, John Cofie, Richard Creswell and Chris Porter should be able to find the net at a regular basis and the signing of Tony McMahon and the retention of Kevin McDonald shows a great deal of ambition. At 6/1 (Stan James) they look the obvious bet for the title.

The nearest challenge should come from the MK Dons at 7/1 (general). No side has the firepower of the MK Dons in League One with Ryan Lowe added to a side that already featured Charlie McDonald, Dean Bowditch, Jabo Ibehere. Luke Chadwick is just one of a wealth of creative talent they have in midfield and they had the joint third best defence last season. The Dons will run the Blades close and I could put nobody off backing them. Swindon are 9/1 (general) third favourites and Paulo Di Canio will hope to lead his side to back-to-back titles. They have invested well in players this season including goal machine Andy Williams (16 at this level last season) and look certain to be in the mix come the end of the season.

Graham Westley has embarked on a complete overhaul of his squad and Preston could be anything at 12/1 (bet365/BetVictor). Big spending Bournemouth are 14/1 and Lewis Grabban, Josh McQuoid and Matt Tubbs should be a prolific front three. If I had one question mark though it would be over manager Paul Groves. This is the only second fulltime management job he has had and, like Preston, they remain a work in progress.

Portsmouth are once more in financial mess and will do well to stay in business, never mind in League One. Coventry are 12/1 (general) for promotion. The club look hamstrung financially and other sides appeal at bigger prices. Doncaster are 16/1 (Stan James/Coral) and have lost a number of players. They were lucky to scrape past York (just newly promoted to the Football League) in the League Cup and offer little appeal. Beaten play-off semi-finalists Stevenage are 40/1 (You Win) but they have lost a number of key players and manager Gary Smith will do well to finish top-half with them this season.

Three sides I am interested in are Brentford (16/1-BetVictor/Stan James), Notts County at 16/1 (general) and Carlisle at 33/1 (boylesports). These three sides spanned seventh to ninth last season and will hope to go better this season. Notts County have strengthed the squad well this summer and head an exceptional end to the season under Keith Curle, coming fourth in the second half of season form. Brentford looked solid last season, but struggled for goals. If either new signing Farid El Alagui or Clayton Donaldson find their scoring boots then they might be worth watching.

If you just want to play one of these then Carlisle at double the prices are the value. They have one of the strongest home records in the division and welcome back the influential Lee Miller who missed the last two months of the season.

Go To bet365

#Ad

19/08/2012     © Frixo 2024