There has been a recent trend for teams relegated from the Championship to bounce back at the first time of asking.
But only ROTHERHAM UNITED (a best 12/1) of the three the fell through the trap door in May look well equipped for an immediate return.
Paul Warne’s side are, like South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley, fast becoming a yo-yo team between the second and third tiers of English football. They are a well-supported and well-financed club at League 1 level but don’t really have the resources to survive for long in the Championship and owners who wisely refuse to gamble the club’s future.
Relegation Odds – What next for Bolton and Bury
What BOLTON WANDERERS‘ new owners will do is anybody’s guess but this historic and once famous club is in a right mess. They start the new campaign with a 12-point deduction, having gone into administration, and barely any players. Those they have haven’t been paid. They have been given permission to start the season but Phil Parkinson faces an almost impossible task in preventing back-to-back relegations (a best 4/5).
BURY, just promoted, are in even more dire straits. They have not been allowed to start the season and there is now a race against time to save the Lancashire club from total extinction. Even if there is a last-minute reprieve, Bury barely have enough playing staff to make up a team. They have no training ground either. The Shakers, also starting on minus 12, are only 1/7 to be relegated but any bets will be voided if they go out of business.
League 1 Title Contenders
IPSWICH TOWN haven’t played in the third tier for many a year but rebuilding is needed at Portman Road. They were very poor last season and Paul Lambert’s hopes of strengthening the squad have been frustrated so we won’t be lumping on the 7/1 with William Hill for the Tractor Boys.
SUNDERLAND and PORTSMOUTH may be suffering a slight hangover from last season having lost out in the play-offs. Both looked on course for automatic promotion just weeks from the end of the season. In terms of attendances, resources and potential, they are two of the big guns in this league.
The Black Cats (a general 7/2) have brought in Marc McNulty to boost their striking options and simply can’t afford to fail again. Pompey (7/1 with Sportingbet) must also believe they can fill one of the top two spots this season and have spent their windfall from the sale of Matt Clarke on forwards Ellis Harrison and Markus Harness.
DONCASTER ROVERS were the other side in the play-offs last season but there has been a major turnover of players over the summer and a change of manager. Darren Moore’s biggest job is trying to persuade leading scorer John Marquis to stay. If he goes, Rovers will struggle to replace him and look set for a mid-table finish (25/1 for the title with bet365).
PETERBOROUGH UNITED are back under the guidance of former Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson for a third time. They’ve spent big again and are only a best 10/1 having just missed out on the play-offs last term. Posh should be a force to be reckoned with while you can get 20/1 about LINCOLN CITY with bet365 winning a league title for the third year in a row after promotion from the National League and League 2.
EFL League 1 Current Title Odds
Sunderland 7/2, Portsmouth 6/1, Ipswich Town 7/1, Peterborough United 11/1, Rotherham United 12/1, Lincoln City, Doncaster Rovers and Burton Albion 20/1, MK Dons, Oxford United and Fleetwood Town 25/1, Blackpool and Coventry City 28/1, Bristol Rovers 33/1, Gillingham and Shrewsbury Town 50/1, Tranmere Rovers 66/1, Rochdale and Wycome Wanderers 100/1, Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon and Southend United 125/1, Bolton Wanderers 250/1, Bury 1000/1
(Odds correct at 1.45pm July 30)
Brewers overpriced for promotion
Brewers overpriced for promotionBURTON ALBION have lost Markus Harkness but Nigel Clough has a tight-knit and talented squad at the Pirelli Stadium and they were strong over the second half of last season after suffering a relegation hangover in the first few months of the campaign. Value is what this column is about and the Brewers are a general 13/2 for promotion and a best 3/1 for a top six finish.
