Pre Season Predictions

[S74Blade]

1. Peterborough United
2. Portsmouth
3. Bristol Rovers
4. Oxford United
5. Luton Town
6. Southend United
7. Barnsley
8. Accrington Stanley
9. Plymouth Albion
10. Rochdale
11. AFC Wimbledon
12. Doncaster Rovers
13. Burton Albion
14. Charlton Athletic
15. Fleetwood Town
16. Wycombe Wanderers
17. Sunderland
18. Shrewsbury Town
19. Coventry City
20. Bradford City
21. Scunthrope United
22. Gillingham
23. Walsall
24. Blackpool

My moneys on Plymouth Albion

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Would be a very poor season for us indeed if we are to finish below Plymouth Albion.

Not really, I doubt Charlton will put out a strong egg-chasing team unless you merge with Blackheath.

 

[womble76]

Thought I would bounce this back to the top as it's becoming more relevant.

 

[Maple Hatter]

Unlike the PL the championship, leagues one and two are very difficult to predict. Always a few surprises which makes it far more interesting. Anyway like everyone else this is no more than guess work based losely on signings, last seasons form and money available to make repairs should it all go tits-up. Will not look anything like this come the end of the season.

1. Barnsley
2. Sunderland
3. Peterborough United
4. Portsmouth
5. Charlton Athletic
6. Luton Town
7. Bradford City
8. Plymouth Argyle
9. Bristol Rovers
10. Oxford United
11. Southend United
12. Coventry City
13. Doncaster Rovers
14. Shrewsbury Town
15. Burton Albion
16. Scunthorpe United
17. Fleetwood Town
18. AFC Wimbledon
19. Gillingham
20. Blackpool
21. Accrington Stanley
22. Rochdale
23. Wycombe Wanderers
24. Walsall

 

[Posh Hammer]

1. Sunderland
2. Portsmouth
3. Barnsley
4. Charlton Athletic
5. Peterborough United
6. Southend United
7. Scunthorpe United
8. Plymouth Argyle
9. Burton Albion
10. Shrewsbury Town
11. Fleetwood Town
12. Coventry City
13. Bristol Rovers
14. Bradford City
15. Doncaster Rovers
16. Luton Town
17. Oxford United
18. Blackpool
19. Gillingham
20. Accrington Stanley
21. AFC Wimbledon
22. Rochdale
23. Walsall
24. Wycombe Wanderers

 

[Fedora Dale]

Go on then...

1. Posh (Made some good signings, competent if unlovable manager)
2. Barnsley (best of the 3 relegated clubs, have enough to bounce)
3. Charlton (Bowyer got them going last season, more of the same)
4. Luton (We'll Score One More Than You attitude just might work)
5. Bratfud (Competent, made useful signings)
6. Dale (Porquoi que non? )
7. Sunderland (Huff and Puff, but no domestic demolition)
8. Coventry (Good young team, shame about the owners)
9. Gas (Solid, but need a striker)
10. Pompey (Did well last year, might need to regroup this time)
11. Plymouth (Inconsistently talented)
12. Southend (Get a good start and they could be a lot higher up. Good manager.)
13. Accy (Underestimate at your peril!)
14. Oxford (OK, but prone to silly defeats)
15. Gills (Improving. Eaves is a donkey, mind)
16. Shrews (Hangover from last year)
17. Donny (Don't see much improvement under McCann)
18. Blackpool (Very good manager will keep them up)
19. AFC Womble (Battlers, won't lie down for anyone)
20. Burton (Seem to be sleepwalking into the new season)
21. Wycombe (Not sure they'll have quite enough to stay up)
22. Scunny (Seem to be on their down cycle atm. 2019/20 L2 Champions?)
23. Warsaw (May do better if they actually sign the odd player)
24. Fleetwood (After Barton is sacked in December, caretaker Steve Eyre will doom them)

 

[Pugwash]

1. Not fussed
2. Cods
3. Cods (if we have a bad run)
4. Not fussed, but would like Accy for a championship derby
5-22 Also rans
22-24 To go bust

 

[GFC4EVA]

1. Sunderland
2. Peterborough
-----------------------
3. Portsmouth
4. Charlton
5. Bradford
6. Barnsley
-----------------------
12. Gillingham
-----------------------
21. Scunthorpe
22. Wimbledon
23. Walsall
24. Wycombe

 

[Bottega Don]

1. Sunderland
2. Barnsley
3. Charlton
4. Peterborough
5. Portsmouth
6. Southend
7. Luton
8. Coventry
9. Bradford
10. Bristol Rovers
11. Plymouth
12. Oxford
13. Shrewsbury
14. Burton
15. Blackpool
16. Rochdale
17. Blackpool
18. Gillingham
19. Wycombe
20. Fleetwood
21. Walsall
22. Accrington
23. Scunthorpe
24. Wimbledon

 

[Kenneth E End]

So this is my prediction, 7 days from the start of the season...

1. Sunderland
2. Peterborough United
-----------------------------------
3. Charlton Athletic
4. Portsmouth
5. Luton Town
6. Fleetwood Town
-----------------------------------
7. Bradford City
8. Oxford United
9. Barnsley
10. Southend United
11. Doncaster Rovers
12. Plymouth Argyle
-----------------------------------
13. Coventry City
14. Shrewsbury Town
15. Bristol Rovers
16. Scunthorpe United
17. Burton Albion
18. Blackpool
19. Wycombe Wanderers
20. Accrington Stanley
-----------------------------------
21. AFC Wimbledon
22. Gillingham
23. Walsall
24. Rochdale

 

[Bobbin']

We won’t be anywhere near the play-offs.

 

[True_Blue2]

So this is my prediction, 7 days from the start of the season...

1. Sunderland
2. Peterborough United
-----------------------------------
3. Charlton Athletic
4. Portsmouth
5. Luton Town
6. Fleetwood Town
-----------------------------------
7. Bradford City
8. Oxford United
9. Barnsley
10. Southend United
11. Doncaster Rovers
12. Plymouth Argyle
-----------------------------------
13. Coventry City
14. Shrewsbury Town
15. Bristol Rovers
16. Scunthorpe United
17. Burton Albion
18. Blackpool
19. Wycombe Wanderers
20. Accrington Stanley
-----------------------------------
21. AFC Wimbledon
22. Gillingham
23. Walsall
24. Rochdale

Dale will be well clear of the bottom 4 this season. Hill has made some shrewd signings in the close season, and has managed to secure the services on longer term contracts of all the players he wanted to retain. They could be sniffing round the edge of the playoffs come April 19. Confidence is high, and they have won 5 of 5 pre season matches.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

1. Sunderland
2. Barnsley
3. Charlton
4. Peterborough
5. Portsmouth
6. Southend
7. Luton
8. Coventry
9. Bradford
10. Bristol Rovers
11. Plymouth
12. Oxford
13. Shrewsbury
14. Burton
15. Blackpool
16. Rochdale
17. Blackpool
18. Gillingham
19. Wycombe
20. Fleetwood
21. Walsall
22. Accrington
23. Scunthorpe
24. Wimbledon

I know you don’t like us but it’s a bit mean to not put is in the table

 

[Bottega Don]

I know you don’t like us but it’s a bit mean to not put is in the table

Oops, put Blackpool twice rather than you. Replace Blackpool in 15th for Donny.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Cheers

 

[Kenneth E End]

Dale will be well clear of the bottom 4 this season. Hill has made some shrewd signings in the close season, and has managed to secure the services on longer term contracts of all the players he wanted to retain. They could be sniffing round the edge of the playoffs come April 19. Confidence is high, and they have won 5 of 5 pre season matches.

A lot is relied on Ian Henderson (now 33) right? And for a team that scored 1 goal per game last season, surely signing more than a 38 year old striker is what was required for such an upturn in fortunes?

Oh and Calvin fucking Andrew. I still struggle to understand how a striker who has scored 41 in nearly 400 games, retains a career mostly at League One level?

 

[DearneValleyRover]

To be fair dale were one of the best teams we played last season but for some reason it just didn’t click, they have made some good signings and kept a couple of their best players who I thought would leave.

 

[Loyal Dale]

A lot is relied on Ian Henderson (now 33) right? And for a team that scored 1 goal per game last season, surely signing more than a 38 year old striker is what was required for such an upturn in fortunes?

Oh and Calvin fucking Andrew. I still struggle to understand how a striker who has scored 41 in nearly 400 games, retains a career mostly at League One level?

Hendo is probably one of the fittest players I've ever seen...and knows where the goal is, apart from penalties. No worries whatsoever about his age.

Whilst Calvin was a figure of fun at most of his previous clubs, he is an extremely valuable member of our team....never prolific, but always puts 100% effort in and works very hard. He is also very good when defending set pieces. Looks like yet another who Hill gets the best out of where other Managers haven't.

I'll say that we will be nowhere near the bottom four, based on our form after Xmas and some good signings, plus retaining players who in previous years would have left. Obviously, that'll jinx us now, but I'm much more confident than this time last year.

How many times did you see us live last year in order to make such a sweeping statement Kenneth?

 

[Don Tonberry]

I think this is the toughest division out of the four in the Football League to predict.

Barnsley and Sunderland are the outright favourites but the former have employed a manager who has no experience real experience of English football and the latter were an absolute mess last season and that will still take time to clean up, no matter how much money they might have.

Charlton look good but the ownership issues are still a cloud and there are still some doubts about Bowyer as he enters his first full season in charge (even if he is still a temp), Peterborough have lost their top scorer and could lose Maddison yet whilst I don't think Shrewsbury or Scunthorpe will repeat last season's feats.

As for Pompey, I think we're a player or two short of challenging for automatics but finishing 7th would be a failure given that this league doesn't look as strong as last year. None of the three relegated sides look as strong/settled as Blackburn and Wigan whilst the four promoted sides don't look as strong as the quartet that got promoted the year before.

Here's my table, for what it's worth...

1. Barnsley
2. Sunderland
-----------------------------------
3. Charlton Athletic
4. Portsmouth
5. Peterborough United
6. Plymouth Argyle
-----------------------------------
7. Bristol Rovers
8. Luton Town
9. Southend United
10. Burton Albion
11. Bradford City
12. Oxford United
13. Blackpool
14. Rochdale
15. Shrewsbury Town
16. Coventry City
17. Fleetwood Town
18. Doncaster Rovers
19. AFC Wimbledon
20. Accrington Stanley
-----------------------------------
21. Scunthorpe United
22. Gillingham
23. Wycombe Wanderers
24. Walsall

 

[Kenneth E End]

How many times did you see us live last year in order to make such a sweeping statement Kenneth?

What sweeping statement?

You need to score more goals to get towards the play offs - I dare say if you only score 50 again, you'll be struggling at the wrong end of the table. The team that scores the most goals, tend to win the most games. It's just a fact.

 

[Loyal Dale]

Well, you have us 24th in your guess at the final table, and you seem to think that Hendo is past it and that Calvin has never had it.
Sweeping enough in my view... perhaps you might wait a while before trying to back up what is after all, merely a guess.

Quite a few on here praised our performances after Christmas, and I think our second half form was top 7 or so, admittedly after an awful start.

For what it's worth, I think we'll be in mid table... And Luton will be 10th (see what I did there... i made a guess at your finishing position without knowing anything much about you, apart from you score and conceed plenty.)

 

[FiRTHYY]

Oh look, it’s the annual prediction thread where fans get upset at each other’s predictions.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Well, you have us 24th in your guess at the final table, and you seem to think that Hendo is past it and that Calvin has never had it.

I didn't say "Hendo is past it" at all. I said a lot was reliant on him. He's a top player at this level. Aaron Wilbraham is 38 and hasn't scored double figures in the last 3 seasons. Calvin Andrew has gone his whole career scoring 1 in 10. Where are the goals outside Henderson coming from?

Look, this division is incredibly tough to predict - anything can happen. At a guess, I'd say Rochdale haven't got the resources to go and sign these top level players?

 

[womble76]

1 Sunderland
2 Barnsley
3 peterbo
4 burton
5 pompey
6 southend
7 bradford
8 oxford
9 Donny
10 charlton
11 plymouth
12 rochdale
13 Coventry
14 Bristol rovers
15 luton
16 Scunthorpe
17 fleetwood
18 wimbledon
19 Blackpool
20 shrews
21 accrington
22 gillingham
23 wycombe
24 walsall

 

[PuB]

Damn you guys. DAMN all of you

 

[WatermansArms]

Wouldn’t disagree with your prediction for us

Would disagree with Charlton 3rd.......not unless The Belgians are gone....Bowyer did a great job last year and has bought well with Darren Pratley and Lyle Taylor coming in..at best a scrape to 6th again

 

[Fedora Dale]

I didn't say "Hendo is past it" at all. I said a lot was reliant on him. He's a top player at this level. Aaron Wilbraham is 38 and hasn't scored double figures in the last 3 seasons. Calvin Andrew has gone his whole career scoring 1 in 10. Where are the goals outside Henderson coming from?

Look, this division is incredibly tough to predict - anything can happen. At a guess, I'd say Rochdale haven't got the resources to go and sign these top level players?

Other goalscorer is likely to be Brad Inman. Got 8 (I think) last year, and now he's signed permanently appears to be fitter and faster.

 

[Shrimper92]

Prediction for League One this year;

1. Sunderland
2. Peterborough
3. Barnsley
4. Portsmouth
5. Southend
6. Plymouth
7. Bristol Rovers
8. Bradford
9. Scunthorpe
10. Shrewsbury
11. Oxford
12. Blackpool
13. Burton
14. Charlton
15. Coventry
16. Luton
17. Rochdale
18. Doncaster
19. Wycombe
20. Stanley
21. Wimbledon
22. Fleetwood
23. Gillingham
24. Walsall

 

[Don Tonberry]

Just listened to the Not The Top 20 podcast and this is their predicted table. (Link below):

https://soundcloud.com/ntt20pod

1) Barnsley
2) Luton Town
---------------------------------------
3) Sunderland
4) Portsmouth
5) Peterborough United
6) Southend United
----------------------------------------
7) Fleetwood Town
8) Charlton Athletic
9) Bristol Rovers
10) Oxford United
11) Bradford City
12) Coventry City
13) Shrewsbury Town
14) Plymouth Argyle
15) Rochdale
16) Scunthorpe United
17) Accrington Stanley
18) Wycombe Wanderers
19) Burton Albion
20) Gillingham
---------------------------------------
21) Doncaster Rovers
22) AFC Wimbledon
23) Blackpool
24) Walsall

 

[Mighty_Bantam]

Happy to see we're going under the radar somewhat after last year's horror show.

Actually feel our starting eleven is as strong as it's been in a while. Lacking real depth, but what L1 side isn't?

All comes down to our gamble with a rookie boss for us.