Football League 2013-2014

Here is our guide to how the outright markets are shaping up in the Football Leagues for the 2013/14 season and some thoughts on where the early value lies.

Bookmakers have QPR as the 11/2 (youwin) favourites to win the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League. Ask fans of Bolton, Blackburn and Wolves and they will confirm though it is not an easy task to go straight back up and you would have to be crazy to want to back them at this price.

Leicester are 10/1 (GENERAL) second favourites and although they did make the play-offs a real concern would be the way they ended the last season. Reading are 11/1 (CORAL) for the Championship and have a manager in Nigel Adkins who is experienced at this level. The Royals seem to have been preparing for this stage for the last few months of the last season and it will be interesting to see what moves they make in the transfer window.

Bolton 12/1 (188BET) are another who caught the eye and could go well under manager Dougie Freedman who played a huge role in building the Crystal Palace side that got promoted. The Lancashire side ended the season in good form and with a few additions could be the team to beat. Another side who ended the season well are Nottingham Forest and with a full season under Billy Davies could be in the mix at 14/1 (SKYBET), play-off finalists Watford can be backed at 16/1 (bet365/BETVICTOR/188BET) while Brighton are a best priced 16/1 (boylesports/william hill) and Leeds are available at 16/1 (GENERAL).

The best bet though has to be Charlton at 40/1 (bet365/william hill/betway) as the Addicks ended the season in great form losing just one of their last 11 games. This is an amazing price considering they ended the season just two points behind Forest yet can be backed at almost triple the odds.

After a terrible two years that has seen them relegated twice Wolves fans will hope that they can follow in the footsteps of Norwich and Southampton and use a season in League One to turn their fortunes around. Wolves can be backed at 5/1 (sportingbet) to win the division. Peterborough were also relegated last season and are 10/1 (GENERAL) to win the title. Sheffield United are always highly fancied and are 10/1 (GENERAL) while Bristol City can be backed at 11/1 (youwin).

I like the look of Brentford who came so close last season and if they can keep manager Uwe Rosler and key players then this year could be the one for them. The Bees were undone last season by one unlucky penalty against Doncaster and then pushed Yeovil to the limit before losing at Wembley in the play-off final. Brentford are available at 14/1 (SKYBET/BWIN).

At even bigger price keep an eye out on Walsall 40/1 (BETVICTOR) and Crawley 40/1 (BETVICTOR) both of whom slipped under the radar last season, the Saddlers in particular ended the season in great form although a lot will depend upon keeping talented Will Grigg.

In League Two the betting is headed by Portsmouth who will hope to start to ammend the slide that has seen them freefall to this division when playing in the Premier League just a few years ago. It has hard to side with them at such a short price of 11/2 (CORAL) Others expected to go well are Chesterfield 10/1 (GENERAL), Bristol Rovers 14/1 (188BET/betway), Fleetwood 14/1 (sportingbet) and Scunthorpe 14/1 (GENERAL). Burton just missed out on automatic promotion by two points so look big at 25/1 (bet365).

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Brentford EW to win League 1, 14/1 (SKYBET)
SILVER: Charlton EW to win Championship, 40/1 (bet365/WILLIAM HILL)
BRONZE: Burton EW to win League Two, 25/1 (BET365)

Go To bet365

#Ad

30/05/2013     © Frixo 2026