League 2 Season Preview

The English football season gets underway this weekend and the bottom two tiers look as competitive as ever, we're looking to sort the wheat from the chaff in terms of the best value bets available. We discuss League 2 today with League 1 to follow tomorrow.

There are several imponderables in League 2 with the usual high turnover of players at many clubs and the big spending, runaway winners of the Conference, Crawley moving up to challenge. Crawley were talked of as the Man City of non-league football and often referred to as a League 1 team in terms of quality already, that theory will be put to the test and at a biggest price of 3/1 offer little value.

Swindon Town have come into the division the other way by being relegated in a miserable season last year, they've responded by hiring the controversial Paulo Di Canio in his 1st managerial role. The Swindon fans seem to be quietly optimistic with the teams progress so far in pre-season and it is highly likely that Di Canio will want them to play a more attacking brand of football this year. This likely attacking attitude means that there is a chance for one of their new signings, Alan Connell to shine. Connell has joined from Conference side Grimsby where he managed 25 league goals even though they only managed 11th place following a poor 2nd half of the season, he is likely to take free kicks and is slightly overpriced at 18/1 in the top scorer market.

We've already discussed that Crawley Town are a bit on the skinny side for the league but there is a chance that they could be too strong for the rest however with 4 places available for promotion (one through the playoffs) there is a good alternative in the to be promoted market. We fancy Oxford to improve over last year's showing where they played some attractive football but leaked too many goals at the other end but have now added some steel at the back with the classy veteran Michael Duberry plus the attacking left back Liam Davis joining, they have kept 6 clean sheets and remain unbeaten in their 9 pre-season matches. William Hill are the only bookies brave enough to go 3/1 on Oxford for promotion & we'll take that as Oxford can get off to a great start.

Selections

To be promoted - Oxford at 3/1 with William Hill
Top Goalscorer - Alan Connell (Swindon Town) each way at 18/1 with Blue Square (1/4 odds top 4 places)