Brentford, Preston and Leyton Orient look the value in League One

League One gets underway Friday (August 2nd) and Wolves are the 4/1 (boylesports/BETVICTOR/betway) favourites to win the title. Kenny Jackett will be the fourth man at the helm since the club sacked Mick McCarthy in February 2011. Jackett is a good manager who left Millwall for a less stable side though one with greater potential if everything was to click back into place. I hope the Wolves fans are patient with him as he can and will get things right at the club. It could be a slow start as they get used to being the target side of the division though I expect them to come on strong late so keep an eye on the prices as they could get bigger.

At double the odds of Wolves (who they finished 13 points ahead of last season) Peterborough at 9/1 (GENERAL) look a better value bet. Posh were unlucky to be relegated from the Championship last season as they had 54 poins which was four more than their total the season before which placed them 18th. The end of the season form was good also with them losing just four of their last 19. The January loss of George Boyd and the summer loss of Dwight Gayle do mean a lot of pressure is on Lee Tomlin to get among the goals.

The headline selection is Brentford who are 10/1 (boylesports). The Bees were cruelly denied in freak circumstances on the last day of the season when they missed a penalty and opponents Doncaster ran up the other end and scored. In the play-offs they suffered further shoot-out heartbreak losing at Wembley to Yeovil. Uwe Rosler is a good manager though and the signing of Will Grigg to go along with Clayton Donaldson gives the Bees a goal threat that no other side has in the division, not even Wolves.

Sheffield United as always will be expected to be in the mix for the promotion places. I expect the Blades to be as competitive however I am a little wary of siding with them at 11/1 (SKYBET/ladbrokes) especially with a rookie manager in David Weir.

Sean O’Driscoll is another good manager at this level and he will have his Bristol City side playing football the right way. I think they will be in the mix though a few key players might be sold off before the end of August so hold off on backing them.

MK Dons are 14/1 (GENERAL) and after two finishes of fifth they dropped to eighth last season and you have to wonder if the side have missed their window for promotion. I can not help think that they will drop off the pace a little this season.

Preston are 16/1 (BWIN) for those wanting to back them outright or 14/1 (GENERAL) in the each-way market which is how I like to play them. Simon Grayson has already got three sides promoted from the divison and some impressive moves this summer mean North End might be the fourth. Declan Rudd, Tom Clarke, Kevin Davies have all been brought in and the Lancashire look to be worth adding to your portfolio.

Of those at the bigger prices though it is Leyton Orient who offer most appeal at 33/1 (GENERAL) in the each-way market. Orient finished seventh last season just three points from the play-offs. Russell Slade has moved well in the transfer window securing a long term deal for former loanee Shaun Batt, keeper Jake Larkins and French midfielder Yohann Lasimant. The vast majority of the side who ended the season with just two defeats from their last 15 games remain including defensive rock Mathieu Baudry and striker Kevin Lisbie.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Brentford, EW League 1, 10/1 (SKYBET/boylesports/STAN JAMES)
SILVER: Preston, EW League 1, 14/1 (GENERAL)
BRONZE: Leyton Orient, EW League 1, 33/1 (GENERAL)

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01/08/2013     © Frixo 2026