Thirty teams have been relegated from the Championship during the last decade.

12/30 occupied the first seven places whilst relevant clubs (Norwich & Leicester) have won the title in the last two years.  Six teams have been promoted during the last ten years.

Just two of the thirty teams finished in the bottom four positions with Luton occupying bottom place in 2008.

Three of the six teams to have been relegated to Division One from the Championship in the last two years regained their places at the first time of asking.

Forty teams were promoted to Division One from the second during the last ten years.

Eight teams were relegated back down the following season though it’s worth noting that eleven clubs finished in the top eight. 

Seven teams finished in the top four with two clubs (Southend in 2006 & Brighton in 2002) winning the title.

Seven of the last ten favourites have finished in the first four though that said, Birmingham were the last favourites to win the title—sixteen years ago.

Southampton v Plymouth (Sky Sports 3—Saturday—12.15):

All time record (home and away):
Southampton: 19 (Equates to a price of 9/4)
Draws: 19 (9/4)
Plymouth: 24 (13/8)

Record since the Millennium season in league games at Southampton:
Southampton: 1
Draws: 2
Plymouth: 1
Goal difference: (1-2: Average goals per game: 0.75)

‘Since sector’:
Southampton win: 2
Drawn game: 0
Plymouth win: 1

Positive factor: Despite being relegated last season, Plymouth won more away games than eleven of the other teams in the Championship in the second half of the season.

Negative factor: Southampton are favourites to win this division.  Birmingham were the last market leaders to win this title—sixteen years ago.

Best Bets for the weekend in the Championship, League 1 & League 2:

What will be 10 months of exciting, dramatic & incredibly competitive football in the Championship, League 1 & League 2 kicks off this weekend & here are our views on what we believe to be the best bets in each of those leagues:

Best bets in The Championship:

Norwich City vs Watford – (Friday 7.45pm)
This match kicks-off the action in the Championship & both teams will be looking for a positive start but we are taking Paul Lambert’s Norwich City to get off to a flyer at home.

Norwich City were the class act in League 1 last season, playing quality, attacking football & we expect them to come into this season with great confidence & momentum and especially at home which could well be enough against a Watford side who struggled badly last season & face massive problems again this year.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Norwich City to win
Correct Score options: Norwich City to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Holt/Jackson/Martin
Scorecast options: Holt/Jackson/Martin to score 1st & Norwich City to win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: Norwich City H/T & F/T
 

Reading vs Scunthorpe – (Saturday 3.00pm)
This should be a fantastic open, flowing game of football as both teams love to play positive attacking football and we are taking Reading to come out on top in this one.

No team in the Championship finished last season in better, winning form than Reading & we have tipped Brian McDermott’s side as contenders for the Championship this season & we can see them getting off to a flyer by taking the 3 points here.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Reading to win
Correct Score options: Reading to win 2-1/3-1
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Long/Sigurdsson/Church
Scorecast options: Long/Sigurdsson/Church score 1st & Reading win 2-1/3-1
Double Result: Reading H/T & F/T

 

Coventry City vs Portsmouth – (Saturday 7.45pm)
Fascinating contest in prospect as both Coventry City & Portsmouth have new managers in charge this season but we fancy Aidy Boothroyd’s Coventry City to start with a home win here against Steve Cotterill’s Portsmouth.

Chris Coleman did a very good job as Coventry City manager & left the club in a very stable position and we believe Aidy Boothroyd is the right type of manager to get everybody at the club totally motivated & progressing while Portsmouth still face the same massive problems that got them relegated and it is hard to envisage them doing anything apart from struggling this season.

Aidy Boothroyd has proven he has what it takes to get teams promoted as he did a great job with Watford & we are taking Coventry City to get off to the best possible start by taking the 3 points in this one.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Coventry City to win
Correct Score Options: Coventry City to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Jutkiewicz/Eastwood/McSheffrey
Scorecast options: Jutkiewicz/Eastwood/McSheffrey score 1st & Coventry City win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: Coventry City H/T & F/T

Predictions for other Championship fixtures:

BRISTOL CITY to beat Millwall, 2-0/2-1
QPR to beat Barnsley, 2-0/2-1
CARDIFF CITY to beat Sheffield United, 2-0/2-1

The following fixtures look prime candidates for competitive scoring draws in our view:

Burnley vs Nottingham Forest, Leeds United vs Derby County, Crystal Palace vs Leicester City
Hull City vs Swansea, Middlesbrough vs Ipswich Town, Preston vs Doncaster Rovers

Best Bets in League 1:

Southampton vs Plymouth – (Saturday 12.15pm)
Southampton are our & indeed most people’s idea of the banker team for the League 1 title this season & so the pressure is firmly on Alan Pardew’s side & it’s vital they start with a good win here but Plymouth need to bounce back after relegation so this should be a good game to kick things off.

Southampton were excellent last season & no other side in League 1 finished in better, stronger form with their home form exceptional and we are taking Southampton to start what is a massively important season with a big home win here.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Southampton to win
Correct Score options: Southampton to win 2-0/2-1
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lambert/Barnard/Lallana
Scorecast options: Lambert/Barnard/Lallana score 1st & Southampton win 2-0/2-1
Double Result: Southampton H/T & F/T

 

Notts County vs Huddersfield Town – (Saturday 3.00pm)
A football match for fans of positive, attacking football here as both Notts County & Huddersfield Town only really go out to play one way & that is to attack & score goals so this could well be a real cracker to start their season off.

Notts County were sensational in the last 6 months of the League 2 season & stormed through in the end to win League 2 in great style scoring 96 league goals along the way & although they have stepped up a level, they will have the confidence & belief to stick to their principles and have a real go.

Huddersfield Town were also excellent last season, finishing a very good 6th & not far off an automatic promotion place that will surely be their target & theirs for the taking as long as Lee Clark’s team reproduce the football they did last season.

This should be an excellent game of football as Notts County will want to start with a home win & Huddersfield determined to get the confidence boost that an away win will give them so anything is possible & it will be competitive so on balance an entertaining scoring draw appeals as the value call here.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: DRAW
Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Hughes/Rhodes/Kay
Scorecast options: Hughes/Rhodes/Kay score 1st & 1-1/2-2
Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T
 

Swindon Town vs Brighton – (Saturday 3.00pm)
Swindon & Brighton are forecast to be two of the main promotion contenders in League 1 so this should prove to be a fascinating match to watch as both will want to get off to a good, positive start.

Danny Wilson will want to make sure there is no Play-off final hangover for Swindon after their defeat against Millwall & he will want to make sure that Swindon hit the ground running this season & turn those negative experience into positive ones.

Gus Poyet faced an incredibly tough job when he took at Brighton last season but he managed to steady the ship & towards the end of the season Brighton did develop far more consistency & certainly improved their form and that end of season form marks them down as promotion potential for this year.

This should be a really good, competitive game as both Swindon & Brighton will want positive starts and both will look for the win so anything is possible but they could well both cancel each other out & a scoring draw looks the value bet to take in this one.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: DRAW
Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Austin/Murray/O’Brien
Scorecast options: Austin/Murray/O’Brien score 1st & 1-1/2-2
Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

Predictions for remaining League 1 fixtures:

ROCHDALE to beat Hartlepool, 2-0/2-1
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY to beat Dagenham 2-0/2-1
WALSALL to beat MK Dons 1-0/2-0
PETERBOROUGH to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1/3-1
CHARLTON to beat Bournemouth, 2-0/2-1
LEYTON ORIENT to beat Yeovil, 2-0/2-1

The following fixtures look prime contenders for scoring draws:

Carlisle vs Brentford, Exeter vs Colchester, Tranmere vs Oldham

Best Bets in League 2:

Chesterfield Town vs Barnet – (Saturday 3.00pm)
Chesterfield & Barnet were seperated by a gap of 22 points last year as Chesterfield had another solid season to finish 8th while Barnet only just survived and in our mind this looks an ideal for Chesterfield to get off to a winning start.

Chesterfield Town are regarded as one of main contenders for League 2 glory this season & they will be looking to celebrate moving to their new stadium by achieving promotion and their form in their new stadium will be the absolute key to that so this is a massively important match.

Barnet’s aim for the season will again to be do their best try & survive so they will probably view any result as a positive one here & that might well mean that a draw will do for them but whether they can achieve that is in doubt.

We are expecting Chesterfield to signal their intentions for the new season by being really positive here & going for the win and in our view they do look a solid bet to beat a Barnet side that may well struggle again this season.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Chesterfield to win
Correct score options: Chesterfield to win 1-0/2-0
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lester/Small/Mattis
Scorecast options: Lester/Small/Mattis score 1st & Chesterfield win 1-0/2-0
Double Result: Chesterfield H/T & F/T
 

Gillingham vs Cheltenham – (Saturday 3.00pm)
Interesting match here as it brings together two teams who had miserable seasons last year, Gillingham got relegated & Cheltenham only just survived so both will be looking for much better this season.

Gillingham will be totally determined to bounce back & regain promotion to League 1 so we are expecting them to be extremely motivated & positive from the start and we think they can start the season in the perfect way by beating a Cheltenham side who are generally poor away from home.

Betting Recommendations:
Outright Match Result: Gillingham to win
Correct Score options: Gillingham to win 2-0/3-0
First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Akinfenwa/Maher/Barcham
Scorecast options: Akinfenwa/Maher/Barcham score 1st & Gillingham win 2-0/3-0
Double Result: Gillingham H/T & F/T

Predictions for remaining League 2 fixtures:
BURTON to beat Oxford, 2-0/2-1
BURY to beat Port Vale, 1-0/2-0
CREWE to beat Hereford. 2-0/2-1
ROTHERHAM to beat Lincoln City 2-0/3-0
MORECAMBE to beat Wycombe, 2-0/2-1

The following League 2 fixtures look prime contenders for scoring draws:

Stevenage vs Macclesfield, Torquay v Northampton, Accrington vs Aldershot,
Shrewsbury vs Bradford, Southend vs Stockport

Those are our views on all the games in the Championship, League 1 & League 2 this weekend & the bets that we feel offer value but we wish you all the best with whatever football bets you have

2010/2011 season Ante-post betting preview for the Championship, League 1 & League 2

The new domestic football season kicks off this weekend with what is certain to be 10 months fantastic quality football, excitement, passion, drama & all off that will combine to give millions of football fans great pleasure.

The Premier League action starts in 2 weeks time but this coming weekend is all about the tens of managers, the hundreds of players & millions of fans that make up the 72 teams in the football league & it is their big chance to shine in the spotlight.

English football is the most competitive in the world & that is certainly the case within the Championship, League 1 & League 2 as every year it becomes an ever increasingly difficult task to assess the leagues with confidence & deciding who will win the leagues, who will be promoted & who will be relegated can almost be described as mission impossible for punters.

While the task of finding the league winner is tough, we at http://www.bettingpreview.co.uk/blog/ have had a good look at the betting markets for the Championship, League 1 & League 2 and here are our own independent views on the teams we feel are worth following & who offer betting value at this stage:

The Championship:

Last year the ante-post market for the Championship had a rather obvious look to it with Newcastle United & West Bromwich Albion looking the two most obvious contenders for the title & promotion and so it proved to be no surprise that they both achieved automatic promotion.

This season, there does not look to be anything obvious about the ante-post scene in the Championship and the general consensus is that this is going to be one of the most wide open Championship seasons ever.

The general opinion in the football world is that anything up to 15 teams have a fair chance of at least reaching the Play-offs & even promotion and the way the market is framed we have to agree with that theory as well.

Middlesbrough have been the team for money during the last few weeks, with their price coming in from 10/1 to a general 6/1 and they are certain to start the Championship season as favourites so command respect with Gordon Strachan investing heavily in the squad but they don’t represent any value in our eyes & we are going elsewhere for a bet.

Next in the market behind Middlesbrough come Billy Davies’s Nottingham Forest who had a fantastic season last year in the Championship, finishing 3rd & in our view they represent the most solid bet in the Championship and certainly better value than Middlesbrough.

Admittedly Billy Davies & Nottingham Forest have not had the best of pre-seasons with players leaving to weaken the squad slightly but we were very impressed by the fantastic management of Billy Davies & his ability to generate such a solid, committed team spirit that made Nottingham Forest a hard side to beat & strong force to resist.

All those characteristics combined are what tempt up get stuck into the general 8-1 – 9/1 available for Nottingham Forest & we believe Nottingham Forest are an excellent each way value shot as they certainly have an outstanding chance of at least being in the first 3 & as stronger chance than most of winning the Championship.

Next on our list of value ante-post bets comes Brian McDermott’s Reading who were the form team in the Championship for the last 3-4 months of the season & that excellent form marks them down as serious contenders for this season in our view.

Brian McDermott had an immediate & emphatic response after he took over as Reading manager & he turned Reading into a really positive & potent attacking team who took on all comers which saw them finish the season with tremendous momentum including fantastic wins over Premier League opposition in the cups.

That combination of tremendous end of season momentum, confidence & Reading’s positive, attacking style looks a really tempting value proposition in our view & we believe they are well worth an each way interest at around the general 12/1 – 14/1 quoted as we write this.

Our final betting option for the Championship is admittedly ‘a bit of a flyer’ & may generate a ‘what are you talking about’ type reaction but we genuinely believe Coventry City have the potential to be a proper force & live outsider in the Championship this season & the main reason for that is their new manager Aidy Boothroyd.

Coventry City are a very well run club with a proud history & they are also a big club with the facilities & overall set up to handle Premier League football & in our view Aidy Boothroyd is a no nonsense manager who is proven at this level & he is exactly the right type of manager to take on everything that being Coventry City manager entails & making a real success of it.

Chris Coleman did an excellent job at Coventry City & he certainly built a solid enough base from which Aidy Boothroyd can improve things & priced at around 50/1 in the market, Coventry City represent each way value in our opinion and definitely worth a small investment in a league that is completely wide open.

Championship Summary:

Middlesbrough have been the team for the big betting money in recent weeks & they command great respect but the question is whether they can handle the expectancy & pressure while the likes of QPR, Sheffield United, Cardiff City, Burnley, Ipswich Town, Bristol City, Leicester City & Swansea will all believe they have an excellent chance of promotion and they all do warrant respect.

There is no doubting how fierce the competition will be in the Championship this season with so many massive clubs taking each other on & absolutely anything is possible this season as this genuinely looks the most wide open Championship for quite a few years but we are taking Nottingham Forest & Reading as our main each way value bets & rock solid promotion contenders while we also believe Coventry City are a massive priced each way value outsider & those three teams will hopefully give us some fun this season.

Championship Betting Recommendations:

Nottingham Forest each way, Reading each way & Coventry City each way

Nottingham Forest & Reading for Outright Promotion.

 

League 1:

League 1 is always fiercely competitive & it really is a tough test that any team has to pass & pass well if they are to win the League and that will definitely be the case again this season but we do believe one team do look outstanding contenders to take the main prize.

Those outstanding contenders in our view are Alan Pardew’s Southampton side who were absolutely magnificent last season & certainly would have stood a fine chance of promotion last year had they not incurred a 10 point penalty at the start of the season.

Southampton were the form side in League 1 for the last 4 to 5 months of the season and we believe that fantastic momentum & positivity can really drive them on to success this season & they do look the most solid option in League 1.

Admittedly the general price of 5/2 for Southampton is short for such a competitive League as League 1 but they have everything in their favour: great stadium, excellent manager, sound financial structure, the best squad in League 1 & importantly the extra motivation to get back to the Championship because there is no doubt they still believe they were hard done to by the F.A. & Football league authorities.

League 1 is obviously not a 1 team race though & our other main each way value contenders for the prize are Lee Clark’s Huddersfield Town & Gus Poyet’s Brighton and we do believe both of those teams will give Southampton a real run for the prize & certainly do look solid promotion contenders as a minimum.

Lee Clark’s Huddersfield Town finished 6th in League 1 last season but they were only 6 points behind 2nd place, only 5 points off 3rd & 4 points from 4th & we do believe they represent a very solid each way bet again this season with more improvement to come built around the basis of their incredible home form & their positive approach will see them win far more than they lose.

The case for Brighton is not so obvious as Gus Poyet’s team finished 13th, 36 points of the eventual winners & 21 points short of the play-offs so obviously they require massive improvement but we believe their is every chance that improvement will come.

Brighton were a much improved side for the last few months of the season & now Gus Poyet is totally settled into the job, we do believe a good, positive start for Brighton will give them the momentum they need & they do look great each way value in our opinion.

League 1 Summary:

Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday, Peterborough & Swindon are all teams who command respect & teams we expect to be in the mix but we do believe Southampton are the clear, outstanding contenders to win League 1 while Huddersfield Town & Brighton both have young, progressive managers and they can bring about the improvement required to see them challenge as strongly & consistently as any other side in League 1.

League 1 Betting Recommendations:

Southampton to win League 1, Huddersfield Town & Brighton each way

Southampton, Huddersfield Town & Brighton each way on the Handicap market

League 2:

Our feelings for League 2 are quite simplistic but entirely accurate in our view as we believe League 2 is & always has been a complete lottery & puzzle that looks almost impossible for punters to solve.

We have heard it said that the National Lottery would be entirely appropriate sponsors for League 2 because the chances of correctly & confidently predicting the winners of League 2 before a ball has been kicked are similar to the chances of winning the lottery.

Ok, that is an exaggeration on our part but a valid one as it perfectly portrays the difficulty in deciding which team or group of teams will go well in League 2 this season & fight their way to success through what must be the toughest & most competitive league anywhere, we certainly can’t think of another league that comes close.

The honest truth with League 2 is that all the teams are capable of beating each other, home or away, and that has always been the case in this incredible league.

The betting market is headed by Bradford City & closely followed by teams such as Rotherham, Gillingham, Wycombe, Morecambe, Stevenage, Torquay, Port Vale & Chesterfield and indeed they are all solid contenders with excellent managers whom all have the potential to challenge for promotion & win League 2 but the three teams we like as value each way shots are Northampton, Aldershot & Bury.

Aldershot, Bury & Northampton are all priced around the 14/1 – 16/1 mark and in our view that is the minimum price range which should be considered when betting in League 2.

Alershot finished 6th last season, Bury 8th & Northampton 10th and we believe a little improvement from all three sides will see them firmly involved in the mix for League 2 and are worthy of a small stakes each way bet.

League 2 Betting Recommendations:

Northampton, Aldershot & Bury all each way for League 2
Those are our own independent views on what we believe to be the best value betting options in the Championship, League 1 & League 2 and we hope they provide ideas & indeed betting success for the season ahead.

Whatever ante-post football bets you choose to go for, we of course recommend that you shop around for the best prices & best terms and we at http://www.bettingpreview.co.uk/blog/ of course wish you all the best of luck with your football bets for the season.

There is a full programme of matches in League 1 & League 2 taking place on tuesday night and here our thoughts on the games that catch our eye & betting recommendations for the remaining fixtures:

League 1:

Charlton vs Brignton – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

3rd place Charlton welcome 3rd bottom Brighton to what should be a competitive match with both teams desperate for points.

Charlton have struggled slightly in recent weeks but bounced back to form with a solid 2-0 home win over Yeovil & they will be looking to follow up with another home win here.

Brighton are having a terrible run of form at present with the threat of relegation hanging over them & they needs points & wins quickly so they have to be positive for this one.

Charlton have got an excellent home record so they will be confident & Brighton have been much better away from home & very nearly won at Leeds on saturday so this should be a good game as both side will believe they can the result they want.

Charlton have let punters down in recent weeks when fancied at odds on to win only to fail so they are not a team to carried away with but nevertheless they should ultimatley prove too strong for a struggling Brighton side & Charlton look a fair bet to win this.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Charlton to win

Correct Score options: Charlton to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer options: Bailey/Shelvey/Mooney

Leeds United vs Oldham Athletic – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Not so long ago, Leeds United had just beaten Manchester United in the F.A. Cup & were 1/6 to win League One has they held a big points lead but their form has faltered badly & this match against and Oldham side who need the points will not be easy.

Leeds United go into this game in 2nd place 3 points behind Norwich City with a game in hand & the one, clear objective they have is to get back to winning ways.

Leed United’s recent form has been poor & inconsistent and they had to rely on yet another late goal to scrape a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Brighton at the weekend so clearly they have to improve.

That late goal will probably give the Leeds players a massive boost going into this game because it was very much a point gained in the end & we are expecting Leeds to really go for the win in this one because they need to start winning again to put the pressure on Norwich at the top.

Oldham sit 6th bottom of League 1 only 1 point outside the relegation zone so clearly they need all the points they can get right now.

The 1-0 defeat Colchester on saturday was their 8th away league defeat of the season from their 15 away games & worryingly for Oldham they have only scored 12 away goals so far this season.

That failure to score enough goals makes it tough to win matches but the one positive they have is that they are comparitively tight defensively & that gives them a chance to get draws & a draw at Leeds would definitely be a bonus.

The odds suggest this will be an easy win for Leeds United & while we don’t necessarily like taking long odds-on about teams with inconsistent form, Leeds United do look the obvious bet to win this & get 3 massive points in their title chase.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Leeds United to win

Correct Score options: Leeds United to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Beckford/Becchio/Snodgrass

Norwich City vs Southend United – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

This game represents a total contrasts in fortunes with Norwich City flying high at the top of the table while Southend struggle both on the field for form & have massive financial problems so it will be fascinating to see how it unfolds.

Norwich City have been absolutely fantastic this season playing fantastic, entertaining football & scoring goals for fun on their way to the top of the League 1 table.

67 goals is a fantastic return already & their style of play suggests they will score plenty more & they will certainly view this game as a perfect opportunity to do that & go for another vital win.

Grant Holt, Chris Martin & Wes Hoolahan have been the real stars for Norwich City this season & their combination plays up front will present a massive test for Southend’s defence & they definitely look like being the key players for Norwich City here.

The extra motivation for Norwich City is that this game gives them a great opportunity to bounce back after their disappointingt 2-0 defeat at home to Southampton & we are expecting a really emphatic response here.

Southend’s season goes from bad to worse as they slide down the table towards relegation & more seriously face the very real prospect of going out of business altogether so this is not a good time to be connected to Southend.

Obviously the Southend players cannot do anything about the financial situation & they have to get on with trying to keep Southend up but that looks tough as they sit only 1 point above the relegation zone & with confidence draining from the side week by week.

The real hammer blow to Southend in terms of their football came when they had to sell their top goalscorer Lee Barnard & that really has affected their ability to score goals & get results so it is going to be very tough for them.

Unfortunately from a betting perspective, Norwich City are long odds-on to win this but those odds are actually a fair reflection & they really do look a rock solid bet to win this with comfort & get amongst the goals again.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Norwich City to win

Correct Score options: Norwich City to win 3-1/4-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Holt/Martin/Hoolahan

Wycombe vs Southampton – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Another example of two teams experiencing vastly different seasons as Wycombe fight off relegation take on Southampton who are really pushing for a play-off spot so both teams are chasing the points & this should be a fascinating match.

Wycombe have had a nightmare season so far & in all honesty that nightmare looks set to continue right to the end of the season as relegation does look virtually certain for them as they sit 2nd bottom & 5 points adrift of safety.

A record that includes 17 defeats with 57 goals conceded already & with 9 defeats at home suggests they face a massive struggle for the rest of the season & particularly in this match against such a potent attacking side as Southampton.

Wycombe have at least been playing with spirit & determination recently and they do come into this match with the much needed confidence boost from beating Millwall 1-0 on saturday so that should at least make them competitive here.

Southampton have been fantastic this season with their open, attacking approach helping them to produce entertaining football & scoring goals wherever they go so they will fancy their chances in this one.

Their season achieved new heights on saturday with their fantastic performance to win 2-0 away at league leaders Norwich City & that win should give the Southampton players another massive confidence boost going into this match.

Lambert, Lalana, Waigo, Connelly & Barnard are all players who carry massive attacking threat & eye for goal for Southampton & their real strength is that they can get goals from all departments of the team.

Wycombe are desperate for all the points they can get so they are certain to scrap here but Southampton will expect that & be ready to deal with and in turn their extra quality should ultimately be the difference here and that makes Southampton a rock solid bet to win this.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Southampton to win

Correct Score options: Southampton to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lambert/Barnard/Lalana

Recommendations for remaining League 1 fixtures:

COLCHESTER to beat Brentford – 2-0/2-1 –
Platt/Wordsworth/Lisbie score 1st/anytime

Exeter City vs Bristol Rovers DRAW – 1-1/2-2
- Logan/Fleetwood/Heffernan score 1st/anytime

GILLINGHAM to beat Leyton Orient – 2-1/2-0
- Jackson/Howe/Weston score 1st/anytime

MK Dons vs Millwall DRAW – 1-1/2-2
- Easter/Wilbraham/Harris score 1st/anytime

SWINDON TOWN to beat Stockport – 3-0/3-1
- Austin/Paynter/Douglas score 1st/anytime

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN to beat Tranmere Rovers – 2-0/2-1
- Roberts/Kay/Rhodes score 1st/anytime

Hartlepool vs Carlisle Utd DRAW – 1-1/2-2
- Ansiyah/Harte/Boyd score 1st/anytime

WALSALL to beat Yeovil – 2-0/2-1
- Byefield/Deeney/Gray score 1st/anytime

International football takes centre stage again this weekend so the Premier League & The Championship action is suspended which means the domestic football focus switches to the action in League 1 & League 2.

League 1 & League 2 may well be the poor relations of the Premier League & The Championship in terms of financial strength, quality of teams & media coverage but nevertheless they are tremendously competitive & entertaining Leagues that provide great excitement & drama for thousands of people every weekend.

We enjoy the challenge of previewing matches from League 1 & League 2 because they are tremendously competitive leagues & that definitely makes our task more difficult but there is always plenty of value betting options available & after all that is what we are aiming to find.

We have had a good look at all the fixtures in League 1 this weekend & here are our views on the most interesting matches plus betting recommendations for all the other remaining fixtures.

League 1 Fixtures:

Brentford vs Millwall – (Saturday 3.00pm)

A good game of football is in prospect here with the added London derby element guaranteed to charge the atmosphere off the pitch & add to the intensity & competitiveness on the pitch.

This is a very important home game for Brentford as they look to bounce back after a few disappointing performances & results including a very poor 3-0 away defeat at Exeter City & only managing a 2-2 draw at non-league Gateshead in the F.A. Cup.

Brentford need positive results to start climbing back up the table again but clearly team confidence must be an issue coming into this match & they will have to defend much better than they have done in their last two games.

Millwall come into this match in great form & with team confidence high after excellent wins against in-form rivals Leeds United & Colchester United as well as good win in the F.A. Cup so we do expect Millwall to be very positive here.

Away form has been a concern for Millwall this season & clearly they have to improve on their record of only 1 win in 7 away matches so far but their form is so much more consistent now & they look a more solid, organised team now.

A positive of Millwall’s away form has been their excellent defensive record & now they are playing a more positive, attacking style that should give them the base to go for the win here.

We do like the look of this match & it should be a very competitive game with Brentford determined to put on a performance for the home fans but Millwall are in excellent form now & they do look a good bet to get another important win.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Millwall to win

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Correct Score options: Millwall to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Harris/Abdou

Double Result: Millwall Half Time & Full Time

Colchester United vs Exeter City – (Saturday 3.00pm)

Two teams meet here coming off the back of 4-0 wins in the F.A. Cup so both Colchester United & Exeter City should be positive coming into this match & we do expect a good game of football.

Colchester United are flying high this season sitting 4th in League 1 & currently enjoying a great run of form & even though they lost to Millwall recently, confidence within the Colchester United squad is high.

Colchester United have been fantastic at home this season winning 6 of their 7 games proving incredibly hard to break down & having too much quality in attack and we do expect the same again here.

Aidy Boothroyd has done a fantastic job since taking over as manager & he has clearly instilled his principles of work ethic & team spirit into the Colchester United squad & they do look a very decent side now with the solid, organised style of football.

Exeter City are not having a bad season but their form has tailed off of late & their very poor away form must be a big concern coming into this match.

Exeter City have only won 1 of their 7 away matches so far scoring only 4 goals & conceding 15 & that is bound to affect team confidence here.

This should be a good game of football as both sides like to be positive & that will suit Colchester United who are incredibly strong at home, in good form & do look a very solid bet to win again here.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Colchester United to win

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correct Score options: Colchester United to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Odejayi/Platt

Double Result: Colchester United Half Time & Full Time

Charlton Athletic vs MK Dons – (Saturday 3.00pm)

This clash of second place Charlton vs third place MK Dons is easily the biggest game in League 1 this weekend & certainly should be a very competitive fixture.

Charlton Athletic have struggled of late but they deservedly sit second in League 2 & a big basis of that is their excellent home form.

Charlton are unbeaten at home so far this season with 5 wins & 2 draws with only 5 goals conceded which indicates their strength & what makes them hard to beat at home.

Charlton need to bounce back after some poor results in league & of course the F.A. Cup when being knocked out by non-league opposition but nevertheless they will see this as a good opportunity to get back to winning ways.

That defeat in the F.A. Cup can be used in a positive way & the Charlton Athletic players will want to prove to their own fans their true ability & we expect them to go into this game very positive & confident of doing well.

Paul Ince’s side have really started to improve in recent weeks becoming a more solid team overall & generally proving too strong for teams.

MK Dons have got a decent away record with 4 wins & 1 draw from their 7 games and their record of 7 goals scored & 6 goals conceded shows how solid they are away from home so far this season.

Confidence is high amongst the MK Dons squad & that combined with their excellent away record will give them the belief they can definitely get a positive result.

This is a huge game in the context of League 1 & it is sure to be a very competitive but pressurised game with both teams wanting to win it but equally knowing they cannot afford to lose to a major rival.

The competitive & pressurised nature of this game makes us believe it will be a tight game & on that basis we feel the betting value definitely lies in backing a low scoring draw.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Draw

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correct Score options: 1-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Easter/Puncheon/Shelvey

Double Result: Draw Half Time & Full Time

Huddersfield Town vs Wycombe Wanderers – (Saturday 12.00pm)

Home sweet home seems the appropriate line to use when talking about sixth place Huddersfield Town given their impressive home record & bottom club Wycombe face yet another daunting task here.

Huddersfield Town are having a decent season so far & although their away form has been disappointing, their excellent home form as more than made up for that.

5 wins & 2 draws from 7 home matches is Huddersfield Town’s home record which is a good as any other team in League 1 & in terms of home goals they are the kings so far with 20 which is an average of almost 3 goals per home match.

Huddersfield Town are a very confident, positive side at home & they will certainly see this game against bottom club Wycombe as another great opportunity to get more goals & more home points.

Wycombe are having an absolutely terrible season with only 1 win in their first 15 league games & clearly that is a massive concern coming into this match.

Wycombe have a terrible away record with only 3 points out of a possible 21 & they will surely have to produce the performance of their season to get anything out of this match.

We have already highlighted Huddersfield Town’s strength at home & we really do rate them as a rock solid bet to get amongst the goals again & get yet another home win here.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Huddersfield Town to win

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correct Score options: Huddersfield Town to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Rhodes/Kay/Roberts

Double Result: Huddersfield Half Time & Full Time

Norwich City vs Tranmere Rovers – (Saturday 3.00pm)

This fascinating clash of Norwich City & Tranmere Rovers represents yet another quirk of the fixture list that has placed a high flying team in excellent form at home against a team that has struggled all season.

Norwich City started the season with a humiliating 7-1 defeat at home to Colchester but those bad memories have been well & truly banished since Paul Lambert took over as manager with Norwich City now going very well & looking like a very good side.

Currently situated in fifth place in League 1, Norwich City come into this game in excellent current form including a 7-0 win in the F.A. Cup last weekend so team confidence will be very high for this match.

Norwich City really do look a very well balanced, organised team who play positive, attacking football & they will definitely see this home game as another excellent opportunity to get 3 points.

Tranmere Rovers have endured a terrible start to the season which has left them 2nd bottom of League 1 with only 3 wins from their first 15 league games.

Tranmere’s away form has been horrendous with 6 defeats from 7 and only 2 goals scored while conceding 16 tells you all need to know about the task they face in this match.

Both Norwich City & Tranmere Rovers like to play positive, attacking football so it should be an open game & that will definitely suit the fluent style of Norwich City who should prove way too strong for Tranmere in this match & they can get another home win.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Norwich City to win

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correct Score options: Norwich City to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Holt/Martin/Hoolahan

Double Result: Norwich City Half Time & Full Time

Southampton vs Brighton – (Sunday 4.30pm)

What was already looking likely to be a a very interesting game between Southampton & Brighton has become even more interesting with the news that Gus Poyet is to take over as Brighton manager.

That appointment will really push the media focus onto this game & certainly will impact on the build up to it for everybody concerned & particularly the Brighton squad who should be boosted by the news.

What impact Gus Poyet will have at Brighton is unknown so it’s best to concentrate what we do know & that is coming into this game Southampton & Brighton are experiencing totally different seasons in terms of results & form.

The league table shows Brighton sitting a few positions & a couple of points above Southampton but the truth in terms of form & results but that is purely down to the 10 point deduction Southampton had at the start of the season.

The true picture is that Alan Pardew has taken over at Southampton & so far done a fantastic job in getting the club going in the right direction again.

Southampton are in a fantastic run of form & confidence levels within the team are very high which is helping them to produce entertaining, attacking football & scoring lots of goals in the process.

Southampton’s key strength at the moment is the range of goalscorers they have with the likes of Lambert, Lallana & David Connolly all regularly getting amongst the goals.

We expect Southampton to be very positive again in this match & they will feel Brighton’s fragile defence is there for the taking in this home game.

Brighton have had a nightmare start to the season with only 3 wins in their first 15 league games & that is a major disappointment for a team who had high expectations at the start of the season.

The appointment of Gus Poyet is very interesting & it will be fascinating watching what impact he has there but we do expect a very positive reaction from the players in this game because places in the team are up for grabs again with a new manager on the scene.

Brighton have actually not done too bad away from home with 4 draw & 1 win from their 7 games and they have played some of their better football away from home which should give them some confidence going into this away trip.

Brighton have been very fragile in defence & clearly that will be a major issue of concern against such a positive, attacking side as Southampton.

The appointment of Gus Poyet will boost the interest in this match & that could indeed have a very positive effect as both teams will be committed to going for a positive result making the game open which we feel will suit Southampton perfectly & they do look a cracking bet to win this & continue their excellent form.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Southampton to win

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Correct Score options: Southampton to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to Score anytime: Lambert/Connolly/Lallana

Double Result: Southampton Half Time & Full Time

Betting Recommendations for remaining League 1 fixtures:

Bristol Rovers vs Carlisle United – DRAW 1-1/2-2

Gillingham vs Oldham Athletic – Gillingham win 2-1/3-1

Hartlepool vs Leyton Orient – Hartlepool win 2-1/3-1

Walsall vs Stockport – Walsall win 2-0/3-0

Yeovil vs Southend – Southend win 2-1/3-1

Charlton VS Brentford–Live on Sky Sports (12.15 KO)

These two teams have not met reguarly from a league perpective, whereby you have to go back to 3rd April 1926 for Brentford’s last victory against their London rivals away from Griffin Park!

Brentford last earned a point on 29th October 1938 since when they have suffered four back-to-back defeats.

Charlton won the last encounter by an only goal margin on 13th March 1993 having won the three previous matches 3-1—2-1—3-0.

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With the belief that good early season form is important & a good guide to what can be expected for the rest of the season then both Walsall & Leeds United must both come into this match satisfied with their respective starts & their confidence levels will certainly be high so prospects of a good, entertaining game must be high.

Walsall have achieved 4 points from their opening two games & although they only just scraped a draw on saturday by scoring a last minute penalty, the fact they got the draw will give them renewed confidence & we do expect them to give Leeds a good test in this game.

Leeds United have started the new season in cracking form with 3 wins in all competitions including 2 league wins & clearly they come into this game with confidence levels sky high & expectations that they can get the win in this match so we expect them to be positive right from the start in this one.

Walsall are a tough side to break down & we do expect them to give Leeds United a good game but in our view Leeds United seem intent on living up to their billing as League 1 favourites & we think they are a good a bet to get another important away win in this match.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting:

Leeds United to win

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Correct Score options:

Leeds United to win 0-2/1-2

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First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime:

Beckford/Becchio

Double Result:

Draw Half Time & Leeds Full Time

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In our ante-post analysis of League 1, we nominated Huddersfield Town as one of our main bets for League 1 this season & also highlighted Brighton as a team with the real potential to be involved so this game has plenty of appeal to it & looks well worth covering.

Huddersfield Town have had a decent start to their League 1 campaign following up their 2-2 draw away at Southend with a convincing 3-1 win at home against Southampton on saturday and both of those performances highlighted the key strengths that we feel give Huddersfield Town a great chance of achieving success this year in League 1.

Huddersfield Town displayed great belief & character to come back from 2-0 against Southend to earn a draw & then against Southampton they displayed real clinical qualities & we do feel they will serve punters well this season.

Brighton have had quite a poor start to the season with no goals so far & only 1 point & facing a team of Huddersfield’s calibre they clearly do need to show improvement to have a chance of getting a result on tuesday.

Now when looking for value bets, bookmakers offers of odds on about a team winning don’t usually fit that criteria for us but in terms of this game, Huddersfield Town are odds on to beat Brighton & we have to concur that those odds are both realistic & do actually offer punters a bet that is worth taking with exciting talent Jordan Rhodes in such good goalscoring form.

Bet Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting:

Huddersfield Town to win

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Correct Score options:

Huddersfield Town to win 2-0/3-0

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First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime:

Jordan Rhodes/Antony Kay

Double Result:

Huddersfield Town Half Time & Full Time

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