Hearts

Saturday 10th December

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hearts

Celtic have transformed their season in recent weeks and will be hoping to continue their good run with a victory over an out of sorts Hearts side at Celtic Park.

It wasn’t so long ago that Celtic were 12 points behind in second place and there were more than a few supporters who were calling for Neil Lennon to be sacked as manager. Fast forward a month or so and things are looking a lot brighter for the Bhoys. Having won their last five league matches they have cut the gap to just four points which makes the form side in the SPL. Their recent good form has been the result of some key players coming back from injury and getting a run of games under their belt. Gary Hooper is a prime example as the striker was out of sorts for much of the season because of niggling injuries whereas now he has hit the kind of form he was in last season, scoring five goals in his last three league games, including a hat-trick the last time Celtic played an SPL match at home against St Mirren. Hooper is now joint top scorer in Scotland and Lennon will be keen for his star man to continue his good form, especially as Celtic are due to play league leaders Rangers at the end of December.

Hearts started the season brightly enough despite Jim Jefferies being sacked. Paulo Sergio was installed as his replacement and the initial signs were good however there has been a total lack of consistency recently and the pressure seems to be affecting the manager as he has had several outbursts at referee’s and the other match officials. The other problem facing Sergio is discontent amongst his players who have been failed to be paid once again this season. The players must try and remain professional but they are also human and if their is no guarantee of their wages being paid before Christmas, it’s bound to have an effect on the field. Last weekends 2-1 home defeat to St Johnstone was a real low point and was their seventh defeat of the season already. They travel to Glasgow knowing that the last time they played Celtic they ran out 2-0 winners at Tynecastle in October so they will be aware of what level of performance it will take in order to repeat such a feat.

Celtic’s recent form has been impressive in terms of results and performance. The 5-0 demoltion of St Mirren two weeks ago was a signal of intent from Lennon and his men and the first half performance last Sunday away to Dundee United was also much more like they way they can play. Beram Kayal is in much better form alongside Victor Wanyama in the middle of the park and it’s their partnership which has provided more protection for the much maligned defence. This has been evidenced in the amount of goals they have conceded in recent weeks compared to earlier in the season with the opposition managing to breach the defence just twice in the last six SPL games.

Hearts have lost four of their last six matches in the league and the fans are beginning to get restless as the performances have dropped in recent matches. Sergio is a passionate person and will be hoping that his passion rubs off on his players heading into Saturday’s match as it looked lacking at times last Saturday. When they defeated Celtic in October the players were all up for it and they never stopped fighting for every ball and closing Celtic down at every opportunity. It’s now about transferring that kind of performance from Tynecastle to their travels as they have won just one match on the road all season.

Celtic are without doubt in much better form than the last time these two sides met and Hearts are regressing. Hooper and Stokes have 20 goals between this this season and will be a handful for the visitors defence whilst Kayal, Wanyama and Forrest in the midfield are full of energy and enthusiasm at the moment meaning it will be be difficult for the Hearts midfield to get a hold of the game. There is only one winner of this match for me and I can see it being a comfortable one at that.

My Selection: Celtic (-1) to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 21/20 available with Bet365

English Championship

Burnley v Portsmouth

Burnley have come from behind twice in the last fortnight to win away from home, this week they entertain a Portsmouth side yet to win away from home.

Eddie Howe came with a big reputation for such a young manager when taking over from Brian Laws last season. The former Bournemouth manager had been used to success and winning games when at his former club but it’s been a slightly different story at Turf Moor. Fans would have been disappointed after missing out on the play-off’s last season whilst this season, they have been unable to string a run of form together meaning they have been towards the wrong end of the table for much of this season. Signs are there, however, that Howe and his players are beginning to turn things around. After losing two late goals to Leeds resulting in a fourth successive defeat could have been a crushing blow but they have dusted themselves down and put a run of three wins together. They were behind against both Hull and West Ham but showed a new resilience and came back to win both matches. In between those games, they destroyed Ipswich at home which was arguably one of their most impressive wins of the season to date.

Portsmouth done the column a favour last weekend when they were successful against struggling Coventry but they face a different proposition against Burnley away from home. As mentioned, Pompey have not won an away game this term with a record of three draws and six defeats. They are one of only two sides who hold such a record so Michael Appleton definitely has his work cut out as he strives to improve his new club’s fortunes on the road. Last weekend’s victory was massive for a couple of reasons; they off-field drama seems to be never-ending at Fratton Park so the players showed how professional they are by gaining all three points and it was also the first win under the new manager. He will be hoping to build on that and ensure that Portsmouth can stay clear of the relegation zone as it’s getting very congested towards that end of the table. A win tomorrow, however, would mean that they would be just one point behind the Clarets.

Burnley’s home form has been patchy due to their inconsistency this season. They have won three, drawn three and lost the other four so if they do hold ambitions of being compeititive for a play-off spot they need to start winning more games at home. Last time out at Turf Moor their crushing win over Ipswich would have done a lot for confidence as it was also at home where they let slip a lead to lose 2-1 to Leeds late on the game beforehand. On loan striker Sam Vokes has been a breath of fresh air since moving from Wolves and he provides a different option upfront. His header last weekend which gave his new side victory showed his class and if they can retain his services to enhance their chance of promotion to the Premier League.

Portsmouth have lost six of their last seven away games in the Championship with their only point coming against Crystal Palace a couple of weeks ago. Their biggest struggle seems to be scoring goals as they have only managed one goal in their last six on their travels. Appleton may look to adopt slightly different tactics tomorrow but his hands are tied in terms of personnel as he is working with such a small squad. His options will be boosted tomorrow however as Liam Lawrence, Hayden Mullins and Luke Varney are all set to declare themselves fit after missing out last weekend.

Burnley don’t have a great home record by any means but they are hitting a bit of form and with Portsmouth so poor and toothless away from home, the selection is a home win.

My Selection: Burnley to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 21/20 available with William Hill

English League One

Walsall v Charlton

League leaders Charlton travel to Walsall on Saturday hoping to continue their excellent run of form which has left them seven points clear at the top of the table.

Walsall are currently in the relegation zone after a dismal run of form which has seen them fail to win any of their last six games in League One. Their last win was a 1-0 home victory over Preston back in October which was only their third win all season. Dean Smith has been in charge for just under a year but he is under pressure to get results and with the festive period coming up, he will be hoping his team can get some sort of confidence heading into one of the busiest periods of the season. Two of their three wins have come at home but they have also lost five matches at the Bescott already. In order to climb the league they need to make it harder for teams to take points off them, the visit of Charlton may well not be the type of team they will look forward to facing but if they were to get something tomorrow, it may well act as a catalyst and get their season going.

Chris Powell will be delighted with the start his Charlton side have made this season after so many coming’s and going’s during the close season. More than 20 players have been brought to the Valley under Powell but the supporters will not be caring about that so long as they continue to steamroll through the League One opposition. With just one defeat all season, an incredible eight wins in a row in all competitions and the top scorers in the division, the plaudits they have earned thus far have been well deserved. Their last league match was arguably the biggest of the season to date in England’s third tier as they came up against a Huddersfield side who had not been beaten for over 40 matches in the league. This Charlton side don’t care much for reputation or records though, and they accounted for them rather comfortably in the end, winning 2-0.

Walsall know that if they can string a couple of results together then it will mean a move out of the relegation zone. It is tight at the bottom of League One but the longer they go without winning, the harder it becomes to climb the table. Jon Macken is one of the most experienced players in the division and Smith will be hoping that his striker can put that experience to good use and prevent others around him for panicking as it’s the worst thing that could happen at this stage.

Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of the most inform strikers in England never mind League One. The former Manchester City trainee has 14 league goals to his name already including seven goals in his last six league matches. He is certainly capable of playing at a higher level but his attitude has been called into question at previous clubs. If Powell can keep his mind on his football and ensure he keeps putting the effort in, there is every reason to believe that he could finish up top scorer out of all the divisions in England this season.

Charlton are bang in form, Walsall are totally out of sorts so the away win looks the only wager here.

My Selection: Charlton to beat Walsall

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Coral

Sunday 2nd October

Scottish Premier League

Hearts v Celtic

The chances are Celtic will be ten points behind Rangers when they travel to Edinburgh to face Hearts so despite it only being October, it becomes a must win game for Neil Lennon’s men.

Paulo Sergio is not everyone’s cup of tea at Tynecastle and has work to do in order to win over the Hearts faithful. After replacing Jim Jefferies in August, the former Sporting Lisbon manager has failed to build on the success that Jefferies had last season. The odd good performance, mainly at home, has been undone by half hearted displays on the road, most recently against St Johnstone last weekend when they lost 2-0 in a match that they never looked likely to get anything from. It was the fifth away game in the league for them this season and they are still without a win on their travels. They’re still fourth in the table but with only three wins to their names it’s simply not good enough for the club who are supposed to be the third biggest in the country. That said, they have won three out of four at Tynecastle, including their last three without conceding a goal, so they are strong on their own patch.

Neil Lennon’s men had victory snatched from them on Thursday night in the Europa League when a late penatly denied them all three points against Udinese. Most fans consider tomorrow’s match to be the biggest game of the week however as last months defeat to Rangers, added to the fact that their will have played two league games since Celtic’s last match at home to Inverness, means there is little margin for error, even this early in the season. Celtic have stuttered at times this season even when winning matches. Last Saturday’s 2-0 win at home was not without a few scares as the centre of defence looks anything but solid. The Hoops have won every other away game apart from at Ibrox so they are strong on the road but they usually find it difficult in Edinburgh.

The last time these sides met back in May, Lennon was attacked by a Hearts supporter whilst celebrating Celtic’s second goal. It provided proof, if there was a need for it, that this game can bring the worst out in supporters as well as the staff. There is a poisonous element amongst the Hearts support when Celtic visit which does not seem to be prevelant against any other SPL team. Lennon will be the first to say that his concentration will be solely on his side gathering all the points as opposed to matters off the field.

Joe Ledley is a doubt for Celtic as he came off at half time against Udinese whilst Scott Brown still remains out due to injury. It means that even more responsbility will be heaped on the shoulders of Beram Kayal as the stand in captain looks to lead his players to a victory which would boost everyone in and around the club. Hearts may well look to John Sutton upfront despite the striker being out of favour for much of the season. Sergio has stated that he is not a fan of the Englishman but his strong style of play could unsettle a Celtic defence who have been exposed several times already this season.

Celtic ran out comfortable winners in May despite all the troubles and events off the park but they’re not playing as well at the moment. That being said, it really is a must win game for the Bhoys. If they lose then the minimum deficit would be seven points and that’s huge to claw back when the competition is so thin on the ground. I can’t see the title race being over in October so for that reason alone, I’m siding with the away team to take all three points.

My Selection: Celtic to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 8/11 available with PaddyPower

Sunday 28th August

English Premier League

Manchester United v Arsenal
The season has barely started yet there is a massive match in store at Old Trafford on Sunday as Champions Manchester United take on their old rivals Arsenal who have had a hectic start to the season.

United followed up their opening day victory against West Brom with an emphatic 3-0 success over Tottenham on Monday night. The second half especially was full of invention and craft from the youthful Red Devils. Danny Wellbeck especially came to the fore with a goal and an excellent assist which should cement his place in the side for tomorrow’s match. Wellbeck was one of several young players who have impressed in pre-season and the new Premier League season. Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Johnny Evans and Ashley Young all started on Monday night which bodes well for not only the coming season, but the long term future as well. Sir Alex Ferguson loves nothing better than bringing through young players so Monday’s result and performance will have given him immense pleasure.

Arsenal have sold two of their best players in the first fortnight of the season; taken just one point from their first two matches; they have lost several key players through injury; and failed to strengthen their squad sufficiently as yet. Is Arsene Wenger pancking? No! Wenger is as defiant as the day he took over and nothing will change that. He will have been delighted by his side’s performance on Wednesday night when they defeated Udinese 2-1 on the night to progress to the group stages of the Champions League. They came from behind that night and showed a fighting and determined spirit which has been lacking in recent seasons. Of course it’s just one game but Wenger will be hoping that it’s a catalyst for the coming weeks and months ahead. With just four days left of the transfer window, there is not much time for Arsenal to bring in a host of new players, which many fans believe they need, but there are few shrewder judges than the French Master so Gunners have no option other than to trust him.

United suffered a rare recent defeat against Arsenal the last time the two sides met in May but before then, they had won seven of their last nine encounters with their North London rivals. Arsenal have not won at Old Trafford since 2006 so they have it all to do tomorrow with such a depleted squad. Jack Wilshere is still out because of injury whilst the Gunners have three players suspended, including Gervinho and Alex Song.

It would have been difficult for Arsenal going to Manchester with a full strength squad but the fact they are missing so many players does not bode well for them. I cannot see anything other than a comfortable home win for United tomorrow.

My Selection: Manchester United(-1) to beat Arsenal

Best odds available: 7/5 available with Stan James

Scottish Premier League

Hearts v Hibernian

The first big derby of the SPL season takes place at Tynecastle on Sunday afternoon as Hearts entertain their city neighbours Hibs.

Paulo Sergio is due to experience his first taste of the Edinburgh derby as his side look to get their season back on track after a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to Tottenham 10 days ago. It will be their first match at Tynecastle since that match so they owe their supporters a performance and a result. Since then they have played out two goalless draws with Spurs and away to Kilmarnock last Sunday. With just one league victory to their name thus far, it’s been a disappointing start to the season for Hearts and their supporters. Of course, Sergio is the second manager to try his luck at Tynecastle this term after the sacking of Jim Jefferies at the beginning of the month. Hearts were, at one point last season, challenging the Old Firm for the league title so the quality is there, it’s now about finding a consistency to go with it.

Hibernian have also won just one match so far in the league so they too will be disappointed with the start to the season they’ve made. Colin Calderwood was the subject of much speculation before the start of the SPL season as he was being linked with jobs down South. As yet, he’s still the manager of Hibs but he is already under pressure to get results so he could yet find himself elsewhere soon enough. Last weekends home defeat to St Mirren after taking the lead was a sore one to take. They came back strong with a 5-0 rout of a lower league side in the League cup during the week but tomorrow’s match will be a different test altogether. Hibs will have some extra firepower to help their case tomorrow as they brought in Leigh Griffiths from Wolves on loan. The former Dundee and Livingston striker could go straight into the first XI to partner the Hibees top scorer, Gary O’Connor.

This match is normally explosive and there are often red cards galore. The fact that both sides have not done much in the new campaign will only add to the tension as they are both desperate to kick on and get some momentum going. Hearts will look to John Sutton to bully the fragile Hibs’ defence as the big striker is normally reserved for home matches where his physical nature is a real advantage. Hibs will have trouble dealing with him as they have been soft in the centre of defence for a while now. Sutton may be the key tomorrow.

Hearts have an excellent record against their rivals of late and with the game at Tynecastle, I am backing them to edge it. I wouldn’t put anyone off backing there to be a red card tomorrow either such is the fiery nature of fixture.

My Selection: Hearts to beat Hibernian

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Coral

Saturday 11^th September

English Championship

Queens Park Rangers v Middlesbrough

Top of the table QPR host the pre season title favourites Middlesbrough who are desperately looking for a kick start to their stuttering season. 

Neil Warnock has went about his transfer business quietly over the summer and has sought to bring in players who he knows and trusts. Paddy Kenny played under Warnock for years at Sheffield United and was brought in as Rangers’ new number 1 whilst Shaun Derry was Warnock’s captain at Crystal Palace and has been brought in to add a bit of steel in the middle of the park. Other signings include Bradley Orr at full back, Clint Hill at centre half and Jamie Mackie upfront. These signings were added to on deadline day at the end of August with the purchase of Rob Hulse from Derby and the loan signing of Tommy Smith from crisis club Pompey. Both attackers are proven at this level and look set to excel in a side that are full of confidence and play with a purpose. QPR remain unbeaten after the first 4 games with 3 wins. Both home games have been straightforward, routine victories against Scunthorpe and Barnsley. They have yet to concede a goal at Loftus Road but will face their biggest test yet with big spending ‘Boro visiting tomorrow.

Gordon Strachan is under big pressure to succeed after spending millions over the summer and recruiting big names from the SPL. Despite taking over last season with the club in the play-off positions, Strachan endured a poor start and never really recovered. This season hasn’t been much different with just 4 points from a possible 12. Their two defeats have came against Ipswich and Millwall, two sides at the top end of the table. Their sole victory was in their most recent league match at home to struggling Sheffield United. It was a very disappointing match with little creativity on either side. Strachan will know that the quality and consistency will have to improve if his side are to challenge for play-off position, let alone automatic promotion. He will be looking to the likes of Barry Robson, Scott McDonald and Kris Boyd to provide the quality after all 3 came South with SPL winners medals with Celtic and Rangers. One man whose confidence will have been given a boost is Stephen McManus. The big centre half scored Scotland’s winning goal on Tuesday night in the 7^th minute of injury time. He, and Boro supporters, will be hoping it’s a catalyst for his club form.

The last times these sides met at Loftus Road the home side were on the wrong end of a 5-1 drubbing from Strachan’s charges. It was a game which turned out to be manager Jim Magilton’s last home match as he was subsequently sacked later that month.

Tomorrow’s game should be an entertaining match with the attacking options on show for both sides but Middlesbrough have rarely been entertaining under the stewardship of Strachan. He tends to set his sides up with two solid banks of four and the two strikers. It’s likely he’ll go with this again but his side will have to show some more attacking ambition soon if they wish to turn their season around.

Neil Warnock knows this league inside out and will realise the pressure Strachan is under at the moment. An early goal for the home side could make things exceedingly difficult for his counterpart so it would be no surprise if his side come out flying. With the extra quality upfront in Smith and Hulse, added to the likes of Taarabt and Mackie, I think the home side will be too strong for Middlesbrough. It may not be a classic but QPR should do enough to stay on top of the league for another week.

My selection: QPR to beat Middlesbrough

Best odds available: 11/10 with several bookmakers including Betfred

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hearts

Both Celtic and Hearts put their unbeaten records on the line at Celtic Park tomorrow in what is always a keenly contested encounter.

Neil Lennon has still yet to drop a single point in the SPL since taking over as Celtic manager in March. His record is currently: Played 11, Won11. It’s a fantastic effort and one which he’ll aim to ensure is further enhanced tomorrow. Celtic have been impressive in the league to date and have still yet to concede a goal. It’s basically a brand new team the manager has to play with the introduction of 11 new first team players. Most of these signings have taken up positions in the first eleven as well with only a select few players from the previous season remaining. Scott Brown, Shaun Maloney and Jos Hooiveld are the only three who look likely to command a regular starting slot in the coming months. Celtic’s last signing of the transfer window was Anthony Stokes from SPL rivals Hibernian. Stokes notched 23 goals last season for his previous club and he will be looking to be involved from the off against a side who’s fans will already loathe him from his time in Edinburgh.

Hearts have started the season solidly enough with two draws and a win from their opening 3 games. Jim Jefferies has started building from the back and made Hearts stronger as a team. He has done this with most of the players he had at the end of last season with the only difference being the introduction of Darren Barr from Falkirk. The right back has made the step up and has been impressive for his new club. Hearts, however, were dealt a massive blow in midweek with the news that Lee Wallace will be out for the best part of the season after injuring his knee in Scotland’s win at Hampden. Wallace has been exceptional for Hearts for the last 18 months and his absence will be massive for Jefferies as he looks to challenge for 3^rd spot.

Celtic will have Gary Hooper back in contention for the first time in the league this season. The striker injured himself in pre season and he will be desperate to play some part tomorrow to show the Celtic fans why Lennon paid over £2m for him. Fraser Forster will continue in goals for Celtic after debuting in their last game at Fir Park whilst the likes of Baram Kayal and Efrain Juarez will be looking to regain their starting places after being rested last time out.

Hearts will have Kevin Kyle leading their line once again and a lot of responsibility will lie upon his broad shoulders. Kyle is dominant in the air and will be looking to bully Celtic’s defence and cause them as many problems as he did for his previous club Kilmarnock. With Andy Driver still absent through injury, the creative influence will once again fall with Suso Santana. The tricky wide player has already scored this season and will be desperate to add to his tally tomorrow.

Celtic have an excellent record over tomorrow’s opponents at Celtic Park in recent years in the league with 4 wins from their last 5 encounters. Going by their domestic form already this season, I can see another 3 points for Neil Lennon’s Bhoys and it could be comfortable if they managed to get an early goal. The 2/5 on offer for a home win is decent enough, but I see value on the handicap as Celtic brushed aside St Mirren 4-0 in their only SPL home game thus far.

For anyone who likes coincidences then you need look no further than former Hibernian striker Anthony Stokes making his debut against their arch rivals Hearts for his new club Celtic. Stokes is a prolific goalscorer at this level and it would be just like him to score on his debut against a side who love to hate him.

My selections: Celtic (-1) to beat Hearts at best priced 15/13 with BWIN

            Anthony Stokes to score at Anytime at a best priced 11/10 with Bet365

First up, I can only apologise for last week’s dismal previews and advice. Unfortunately, the start of the season can throw results like that up. Hopefully I can point towards a couple of winners this time around.

Saturday 21^st August

English Championship

Burnley v Leicester

Both Leicester and Burnley harbour genuine hopes of being in the promotion mix up come the end of the season so tomorrow’s fixture at Turf Moor should give an indication of how far both sides are away from challenging.

After a pretty horrific second half of the season last term, Burnley and Brian Laws have made a quick start to this one with 4 points from 6. It’s an impressive opening considering they have played Nottingham Forest and Ipswich, two of the better sides in the division. Despite being in the bottom 3 for most of their debut season in the Premier League, the Clarets kept up a decent home record with 7 wins and 5 draws so they know how to win games at home. That being said however, most of this wins were under the stewardship of Owen Coyle and were aided by the likes of Steven Fletcher and Robbie Blake, all 3 have since departed. Laws has sought to replace the goals of Fletcher and creativity of Blake by bringing in Chris Iwelumo and Ross Wallace. Both are experienced and proven quality at Championship level.

It was a close season of upheaval for Leicester as they lost manager Nigel Pearson to Hull, replacing him with Paulo Sousa, on to his 3^rd Championship club in a couple of seasons, who will no doubt bring his own brand of football to the Walkers Stadium in time. Sousa was in charge of Swansea last season and they were renowned for their lack of goals and mean defence. His new side have not quite adjusted to this style as they have scored 6 goals and conceded the same amount in their 3 competitive matches to date. One player Sousa probably thought he wouldn’t be working with is DJ Campbell. The striker was on loan at Blackpool last season, helping them win promotion. He was expected to seal a permanent move over the summer but the clubs could not agree a fee and he finds himself playing in the 2^nd tier for another season.

Burnley have one of the best squads at this level with several influential attacking players. As well as Wallace and Fletcher, the likes of Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson and Wade Elliot would get into most sides in the league and they will need to keep them fit if they wish to return straightaway to the top flight. Their opening day win over Forest showed a mentality that was sadly lacking last year. Despite being on the back foot for a lot of the match, they stuck in and held on to their lead to gain all 3 points. The same mentality was evident once again last weekend when they went down to 10 men and lost a goal in the last minute only to equalise in injury time to remain unbeaten.

Leicester will be slightly disappointed with their start after such a good season in their return to the Championship. An opening day loss to Crystal Palace was followed up by a goalless draw at home to big spending Middlesbrough. Sousa would have been happy to rack up their first point of the season but they dominated the game and should have won the game, especially with chances missed in the first half.

Laws has done a good job in replacing key personnel with seasoned, Championship professionals. He will know that if they are to stand any chance of promotion, his side will need to make Turf Moor a fortress, and that they will have to win the majority of games against fellow promotion candidates. Their opponents tomorrow will no doubt be hard to beat, but you get the feeling that they are still finding their feet under the new manager. Star striker Matty Fryatt returned from a long term injury against Palace but he was only a sub last week.

With this in mind, and the fact Burnley have a good record over Leicester over the years leads me to think that Brian Laws and his charges will be celebrating another home win tomorrow evening.

My selection: Burnley to beat Leicester City

Best odds available: 11/10 available at Bet365

Scottish Premier League

Hamilton v Hearts (12.00)

It’s little surprise that ESPN have snapped this fixture up to screen live tomorrow as games between Hearts and Hamilton, especially at New Douglas Park, are very entertaining.

Billy Reid had the chance to jump ship and become the new Swansea manager during the summer but he decided to stay loyal to Hamilton and try and keep them in the SPL for the 3^rd consecutive season. He will have to do without several players from last season’s squad however, including their key man, James McArthur. The little midfielder has joined James McCarthy at Wigan and it will be interesting to see how the Accies cope without him. Gary McDonald from Aberdeen was brought in to replace him whilst the likes of Jack Ross and Gavin Skelton have also been added to the ranks.

Jim Jefferies begins his first full season in charge in his second stint at Hearts manager. Jefferies replaced Czaba Lazlo, leaving Kilmarnock in the process, to steady the ship at a club where he enjoyed great success in his first spell. Over the summer he has attempted to bolster his attacking options with the signings of Steven Elliot and most notably, Kevin Kyle. Both strikers played together at Sunderland before moving in opposite directions. Elliot pottered around several Championship clubs whilst Kyle became a pivotal player for Kilmarnock under Jefferies. Calum Elliot, already at the club, clearly sensed competition for his jersey and notched last week at home to St Johnstone.

Hamilton had a dreadful start to the season as they were trounced 4-0 away to Aberdeen. The score slightly flattered the home side in the sense that 3 of the goals came from the penalty spot but it didn’t mask the fact that Hamilton looked slow at the back and toothless upfront. Hearts should have got the better of St Johnstone but only ended up with a solitary point.

Billy Reid had the best intentions when deciding to stay on as manager, and the loyalty is refreshing to see in this day and age, but it may well be misplaced. The loss of key players over the last year or so may well take its toll this season, and I believe the away side to be very good value to get the better of a poor Hamilton.

Kevin Kyle is likely to play from the start for the first time tomorrow and he will be a real handful for a shaky Accies backline. He was a real thorn in their side whilst at Killie and I expect him to pick up where he left off tomorrow.

My selections: Hearts to beat Hamilton

Best odds available: 8/5 available with William Hill

Kevin Kyle to score first at a best priced 8/1 available with Bet365

Saturday 8^th May

English League One

Millwall v Swindon Town

If Leeds win then this game is nothing more than a glorified friendly but both Millwall and Swindon will be going for the win in order to capitalise on any mistakes for the Yorkshire club.

Millwall looked odds on to go up automatically after winning 2-0 at Elland Road at the end of March only to slip out of 2^nd spot after losing 2 and drawing 1 of their last 4 matches in the league. As it stands now they can only hope Bristol Rovers do them a favour by getting something at Leeds but no matter what happens there, the Lions must take all 3 points against Swindon tomorrow afternoon. Kenny Jackett will probably rue the loss at Huddersfield as up until then, his side had been fantastic. They had only lost once in 2010 up until that defeat but ever since then, they have toiled and looked only half like the side they were beforehand.

Swindon have surpassed all expectations this season in what has been a surprise to many, if not all, in League 1. Danny Wilson has went about his business in a quiet manner for much of the season whilst his strikers, Billy Paynter and Charlie Austin have earned most of the plaudits with 44 goals between them. Swindon have also found pressure hard to cope with though, as they too had a slippery patch when it really mattered. They went on a run of 4 games without a win in April which saw them hand the advantage back over to Leeds in the hunt for automatic promotion. They must win tomorrow to give themselves any hope of finishing 2^nd, but like Millwall, they rely on a favour from elsewhere.

 It’s difficult to know how the game would go if news reached the New Den that Leeds got an early goal, but it’s pretty easy to guess the reaction if there was no news, or even better, if Rovers managed to get a lead. Both managers will send their teams out to get a win and a good start so the pressure reverts back to Elland Road.

Millwall have an excellent home record with just 1 defeat all season. It’s a fabulous record and one Jackett and his players can be very proud of. Swindon have lost just 5 games away from home all season however so it won’t be a case of turning up and expecting all 3 points. With everything that is at stake I expect a really open match as neither side has anything to lose, but they do have a lot to gain. They both require the 3 points to have any chance of going up so rather than predict a winner, I’m going to go for goals.

My selections: Over 2.5 goals at a best priced 10/11 available with Boylesports

                             Both teams to Score at a best priced 3/4 available with BlueSquare

Sunday 9^th May

Scottish Premier League

Hearts v Celtic

For the last two seasons, Celtic have been going for the title on the last day of the season, Rangers have long since wrapped that up this time around so there’s nothing other than pride to play for when they travel to Tynecastle on Sunday. 

Hearts welcomed home a former manager midway through this season in the shape of Jim Jefferies who took over the reins once again after Czaba Laszlo was sacked. He’s done relatively well by guiding them to a top 6 finish as well as notching two successive derby victories over arch rivals Hibernian. The close season will mean a rebuilding job with the club desperate to get rid of some of the high earners as Hearts reported a debt of over £30m earlier this week. Jefferies will look to youth to take Hearts forward and has blooded a plethora of teenagers already in his short time since rejoining.

Celtic also have a different manager to the one they started the season with. Neil Lennon took over from Tony Mowbray in March after Celtic slipped a massive 13 points behind Rangers. Lennon has steadied the ship and cut the gap to 8 points. He has won 7 successive league matches on the bounce including a midweek derby success at Parkhead. The one blot on his copybook will be the defeat to Ross County in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. It was a disgraceful performance and one that could count against him when the board decide who gets the job on a permanent basis.

Even though there is nothing much to play for, Sunday’s encounter will be a competitive affair – it always is when Celtic go through to Gorgie. Lennon will be demanding 8 wins from 8 whilst Jefferies will want to gain his first win over one of the Old Firm since returning to Edinburgh. With this in mind, both sides will be right up for it and you can expect a decent game with plenty of action. Celtic are in excellent form in the league and there looks to be far more unity and a lot more strength and determination about them under Lennon.

Robbie Keane plays his last game for Celtic before returning to Spurs in the summer so he too will want to go out on a high note. The Irishman has scored 15 goals since February which is an excellent return, especially when you consider how poor Celtic were under Mowbray.

I think Lennon will get his 8 from 8 but I expect plenty of goals and for it to be pretty tight throughout the match. I also believe Keane will get a goal as he bids goodbye to the Celtic family.

My selections: Celtic to beat Hearts at a best priced 8/11 available with Betfred

                             Over 2.5 goals available at a best priced 10/11 with William Hill

                             Robbie Keane to score anytime at a best priced EVENS with Extrabet

Apologies for the late post, I was holding off as much as possible to see which games will survive the horrific weather conditions in the country today.

 Saturday 19^th December

Scottish Premier League

St Johnstone v St Mirren

Gus McPherson takes his St Mirren side to MacDiarmid Park to take on St Johnstone in a match that will give the victors some much needed breathing space at the foot of the table.

The home side have earned many plaudits from other clubs managers and supporters for their exciting approach to the game. They have the 5^th highest goals for in the league which is no mean feat for a side who have just been promoted to the top league in Scotland. They have, however, conceded the most amount of goals in the league, with 29, 4 more than any other team. Their cause is not likely to be helped today with Derek McInnes’ missing at least 7 players for today’s match. One of those who is definitely out of the game is Collin Samuel. The striker is not only his teams top scorer, he’s also arguably their most important player. He leads the line well and gives them the option to go in behind with his pace.

St Mirren have struggled for wins off late, with none in their last 6 league matches. It’s a bit of surprise that they have struggled as much lately, especially after comfortable wins over Hearts and Falkirk in October. They have missed their talisman Andy Dorman in recent weeks as the Welsh International has picked up a long term injury. His absence has taken away a lot of the creativity from the St Mirren side. The emphasis for McPherson’s side is now more on getting the ball up earlier to their physical strikers, Michael Higdon and Billy Mehmet. Both were troublesome for the Falkirk defence last week, with the former netting a spectacular goal in the 1-1 draw.

The spoils were shared when these sides last met back in September. The parks were far better than what they are now, the players were fresher and there was still a surprise element to St Johnstone’s style of play. 3 month’s on, the parks are beginning to cut up, the  squads are  suffering from injuries and suspension and there is the suspicion that other teams are becoming wise to McInnes’ tactics. This is highlighted by a defeat to Kilmarnock in their last home match. Killie, much like St Mirren, were coming off the back of a poor run of form and their style of play is very similar to that of Gus McPherson’s side. With that in mind, and with the amount of key players the home side are missing, I just feel that St Mirren have the knack of winning against teams in and around them, especially when they’re not playing too well.

My selection: St Mirren to beat St Johnstone

Best odds available: 9/4 available with several bookmakers including Coral

English League 1

Norwich v Huddersfield

A match between these two sides at this time of year has all the makings of a Christmas cracker as Paul Lambert’s 3^rd placed City play host to 5^th placed Town.

Paul Lambert has transformed the fortunes of the Carrow road side since his appointment in August. He has got the team playing exciting and productive football which has catapulted them up the league table, sitting comfortably within the play-off positions and with a real chance of automatic promotion. He has built his side around his captain, Grant Holt. The prolific striker has already notched 13 goals this season since his move from Shrewsbury in the summer. It’s not just goals which Holt brings to the side; he is an excellent team player. He holds the ball up, he links up well with the midfield and is always willing to work back to help out his defenders. His performances, coupled with the consistent displays by his team-mates, have resulted in only 1 defeat in 16 league matches. This is a staggering run of form at any time in any league, but it’s even more impressive when it’s a new manager in such a fiercely competitive league.

I’ve previewed Huddersfield several times already this season so I think we all know what I think of them. I am a big fan of their attacking philosophy both home and away and I fully expect them to be in the promotion shake-up at the end of the season. Lee Clark will know that these games will be the true test of how far his team has come this season as Norwich have only lost 1 game at home all season, and that was under former manager Bryan Gunn. Town have let themselves down on the road this season, picking up just 8 points from a possible 30. They will know that they have to improve on their travels, sooner rather than later.

Having watched both sides on a couple of occasions this term, I think this will be an open match with more than a couple of goals and both sides scoring. The managers are attacking by nature and set their teams up to win games. Huddersfield showed a couple of weeks ago when drawing 2-2 at Elland Road that they are able to give anyone a game, home or away. Norwich, however, are very strong at home and I just think that Holt and Chris Martin will pose too much of a threat to a porous Huddersfield defence.

My selection:  Norwich to beat Huddersfield

Best odds available: 11/10 available with several bookmakers including Bet365

Sunday 20^th December

Scottish Premier League

Hearts v Celtic

This fixture has proved to be problematic for Celtic in recent times as they never get it easy when travelling to Tynecastle to take on suspension and injury ravaged Hearts.

Hearts have had a disastrous start to the season and currently find themselves in 8^th position, 6 points off of the bottom and 20 points off top spot. Their discipline has once again let them down, especially recently. They have had 3 red cards in the last 4 matches which has been extremely detrimental to their fortunes and results. They have only picked up 1 win in 9 league games which is basically relegation form in any league. For tomorrow’s match, they will be missing Ian Black and Suso Santana who are both suspended whilst Christian Nade is also set to miss out due to injury. This will likely mean a start for fit again Calum Elliot upfront which will mean even more reliance on their midfielders to get forward in support.

Celtic have turned their season around in recent weeks with 5 games unbeaten and some very encouraging performances in the process. 3 home wins in a row was followed by a come from behind victory away to Motherwell and then most recently on Thursday night, they secured a morale boosting 3-3 draw in Europe, despite being 3-0 down inside 20 minutes. In all 5 of these matches they have demonstrated a strong resolve as well as a will to win which was sadly lacking in some games at the start of the season. A lot of this will be down to a settled team, especially in the centre of the pitch. Marc Crosas has formed a very decent partnership with Landry N’Guemo in midfield whilst Gary Caldwell and Glenn Loovens are settled at the back as are Scott McDonald and Girgios Samaras upfront. This consistency has meant more impressive performances and improved confidence in the side. One man pushing for a start is Marc-Antoine Fortune. The £3.8m striker has scored 3 in his last 2 so will be hoping to dislodge Samaras, especially as the Greek is struggling with injury.

These games are very competitive and the midfield will play a big part for both sides. Aiden McGeady, despite being in danger of missing the derby match in January, will most likely play and he is in excellent form. He creates chances and has added goals in recent months, with 5 already in the league. Hearts have been very poor of late, but it would not be a surprise to anyone if they turn in a strong performance tomorrow. Even still, Celtic are in good form and will always score goals, with their increased confidence and key players finding form, I fancy them to win tomorrow.

My selection: Celtic to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 4/6 available with Totesport

Good Luck and Merry Christmas