So I've been a bit lax on this thing of late. However, I've decided that as of now on I'm gonna start making a bit more of an effort with it. There's plenty of times where I've had an idea for something regarding a blog but have never got round to committing it to the site. Bear with me because I'm gonna do my best to try and put things right.
Hopefully in the days and weeks ahead I should have a few things coming up be they on music, politics, life in general or whatever. But seeing as we've got a new season coming up, I thought I'd start by taking a look at what might be unfolding in the world of football over the next nine months.
So today I'm gonna start with League Two. Which is probably the division I'm best placed to comment on as I support a team that's in that division...just. More on that later.
Looking at the top of the table, I'm gonna go with the bookies and say that this will be Portsmouth's season. They've flattered to deceive the last few years but this time they've got a new manager in Paul Cook who knows the division well and has been promoted out of it before with Chesterfield. With some useful looking new signings, I think Pompey will be the team to beat this season.
Notts County and Yeovil have both rebuilt their squads extensively following relegation last season and should be up there challenging this time around. Plymouth have been slowly improving the last few years and will fancy their chances as well while Bristol Rovers, having bounced back from the Conference at the first attempt, may well be in the hunt if they can keep that forward momentum going.
My dark horse is Cambridge who've been spending big this summer. If those signings can gel, they could be a surprise package. I think Luton's best chance at getting promoted may have come and gone last season but they could be in the hunt again if they don't suffer another late collapse during the run-in. Wycombe did unbelievably well last season but I think they may be hard-pushed to repeat those heroics although they should still comfortably manage a top half finish. Stevenage made the play-offs last season but the appointment of an untried Teddy Sheringham as manager is a very risky one and I think they'll do well to repeat that performance.
At the other end, most of the clubs who were in relegation trouble last season seem to have learned their lessons and have rebuilt extensively - Dagenham and York both pulled away from the drop zone well before the season's end and should be much more comfortable this time around while Mansfield's investment in a massive fifteen new signings should ensure they don't suffer any of last season's nerves. For me, the two clubs who could be in real trouble are Oxford and Leyton Orient. Oxford managed to pull together a few points to move away from the drop zone last season but a lot of key players have since been sold and not replaced and that could spell trouble. Orient, meanwhile, have a pantomime going on behind the scenes with an unpopular board and players bailing out at an alarming rate following relegation and, as Tranmere showed last time around, it's very easy to plummet straight through League Two if you underestimate it.
Other likely strugglers include Carlisle who only just scraped home last season but they should have the physicality to batter their way to safety. Accrington seem to be tipped for the drop every season but always scrape home in the end and this season will probably be no exception while Wimbledon have at least managed to fend off interest in top scorer Ade Akinfenwa and his goals should keep them afloat.
Elsewhere, Northampton could be an outside bet but I think there's just a few too many better teams than them for them to make the play-offs. Exeter, Morecambe and Newport all did well to finish in the top half last season but may find it difficult to repeat those heights this time around. Barnet won the Conference in style last season but may have to settle for mid-table this time around while Crawley have undergone a huge squad overhaul following relegation and will do well to finish above halfway.
All of which just leaves my own team, Hartlepool. With ten players released and eleven coming in, it's safe to say that this is a very different team from the one that pulled off the great escape last season and a lot's going to depend on how those new signings gel. However, in Ronnie Moore we've got a manager who's tried and tested at this level and his experience will probably prove invaluable. Final prediction? Heart says third, head says mid-table with a promotion push in 2016-17.
ANDY'S PREDICTIONS
1. Portsmouth
2. Notts County
3. Yeovil
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4. Plymouth
5. Bristol Rovers
6. Luton
7. Cambridge
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8. Wycombe
9. Northampton
10. Dagenham
11. York
12. Hartlepool
13. Mansfield
14. Stevenage
15. Newport
16. Barnet
17. Exeter
18. Crawley
19. Morecambe
20. Wimbledon
21. Accrington
22. Carlisle
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23. Leyton Orient
24. Oxford
As it kind of has a bearing on League Two, I s'pose I should include some words on the Conference as well. It's rare for a relegated club to bounce back at the first attempt although Bristol Rovers managed it last season. For my money, I think Tranmere will make the play-offs but I think Cheltenham may just miss out.
Looking at last season's play-off teams, it's tempting to pick Grimsby but there's a long tradition of losing play-off finalists suffering a Wembley hangover the following season and unfortunately I think they'll be no exception. Eastleigh have the money to spare but with talk of their chairman potentially bailing out to head a takeover at Oxford (which is going to make my prediction for them to be relegated look a bit stupid if it happens) it could be too much of a distraction. Forest Green will almost certainly be in the reckoning again but I just can't bring myself to tip a rich man's plaything team with home attendances of 1,000 or so to get into the League (see also Fleetwood, Crawley et al). In a similar boat financially but with a bit more history behind them are Barrow who won the Conference North this season and are hoping their money can end a 40+ year exile from the League.
So who am I tipping then? Well as a Poolie, my ideal choice would be Gateshead as it'd give us the local derby we've been missing since Darlington went bust a few years ago but I think they may struggle to repeat their heroics of two years ago. It'd be nice to see Guiseley, where I lived for my childhood, do something but although I reckon they'll stay up, I can't see them challenging. More likely among the Yorkshire clubs are Halifax who I think stand a good chance at a play-off tilt. So my choice is gonna be Wrexham. They've got a load of new players and a skilled new manager in Gary Mills and I reckon they should end their exile with the Conference championship this year.
CHAMPIONS: Wrexham
PLAY-OFFS: Forest Green, Tranmere, Halifax, Barrow
Tomorrow, it's a look at League One so tune in...
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