The Football League 2013/14: League 1

One of the biggest bets of the year has been Wolves to jump straight back up from League 1 but it seems like one for those with short memories based on their disastrous slide from fortune and there’s much better value to be found in this year’s League 1 title race.

It’s understandable that with the addition of Kenny Jackett – who has reached three play-off finals in three full seasons at this level and did a fine job with Milwall - seems to have bought some more harmony at least to a club that desperately needs some sort of unity, and there are other positive signs, but the massive support for them – they are the most well backed side outside of the Premiership – seems misplaced.

This time last year Wolves were generally expected to come straight back upto the Premiership after a dreadful season but they crashed and burned in the Championship, playing even worse football than they did when dropping from the Premiership – if that seemed possible.

The expelling of Cristophe Berra, Slyvain Ebanks-Blake, Jody Craddock and Karl Henry is a sign of a ‘new era’ if it can be called that, and the new influx of youth, headed by Danny Batth, David Davis and Jake Cassidy, does have genuine talent, but at only 7/2 there are far more questions than answers for a new look team which could potentially take a long time to gel fully. While the last favourite to win League 1 was 18 years ago, since 2006-07 the biggest priced winner has been 14/1 with three at single figures – and plenty of the favourites places that day - best of the front bunch might be Brentford.

This is an obvious shout and one that’s been put up by every man, his wife, his baby and his dog, but it’s worth having. Talk about last day drama and most people will tell you about Aguero’s amazing last minute goal to steal the title away from Manchester United but Brentford’s is if anything, more thrilling and more heart-breaking. Brentford seemed set to leapfrog promotion rivals Doncaster into League One's second automatic promotion place but substitute Marcello Trotta crashed a last-minute penalty against the crossbar and the opponents hurtled straight down the other end for Jamie Coppinger to score with the last kick of the game, making them Champions to overtake Bournemouth, who were held by Tranmere on the last day, all infont of the highest crowd in twenty years. The heartbreak was doubled in the play offs, when they lost the final to Yeovil, making it seven playoffs without success, but there’s good reason to believe that won’t need to be the case this time around.

Rosler’s improved the side by the small margin of 12 points in just two seasons and while Harry Forrester, in a painful irony, has departed to Doncaster, while Simon Moore would be missed in goal, but this is still a side well on the up and one that can make amends in style this season. Back them at a best priced 9/1 for the title, getting +7 points on the season handicap with Betfred and also to beat Wolves over the course of the season at a tasty 13/8 with Hills.

From a whole ramp of contenders Peterborough were extremely tempting thanks to the blistering nature of their attack, which saw them score more goals than Hull despite going down last year in a far better campaign that Wolves’s for example, but their defence is still a slight point of worry. That said, the yo-yo club are more than good enough for this level- Promotions from this league in 2008-09 and 2010-11 have been followed by relegations back to it in 2009-10 and 2012-13 – and keeping Lee Tomlin could be the key to another challenge. They certainly have a brighter future this season than Bristol City, who were miles drift of them in the Championship, and the 5/6 they finish above them this season looks worth taking.

Sheffield United have been there or thereabouts for the last two seasons and will be again but there’s a feeling that they haven’t really replaced Ched Evans in the goalscoring department and that could cost them. MK Dons could find a few too good although they’ll have an army of followers this time around, and that leaves us with Preston as our second title contenders.

Only fourteenth last season, Preston have had two seasons to get over their relegation of two years ago and look ready to strike, being led by the 36 year old Kevin Davies. With Simon Graham now in charge, Preston can at the very least build on just three losses in their last 14 and are value for a title push and on the handicap.

Advice – Outright

1 pt each/way Brentford (9/1 Totesport)

1 pt each/way Preston (14/1 general)

Advice – Handicaps

1 pt each/way Brentford +7 (16/1 general)

1 pt each/way Preston +10 (18/1 Bet Victor)

Season match bets

5 pts Brentford to finish above Wolves (13/8 Hills)

3 pts Peterborough to finish above Bristol City (4/5 Hills)

3 pts Brentford to finish above Bristol City (8/11 Totesports)

4 pts Preston to finish above Rotherham (8/11 Paddy Power)