League One Preview

League One football is back after an absence of three months and this year the middle tier of the Football League promises to be as exciting as ever. The division harbours four former Premier League clubs, all of whom will be hoping to taste champagne at the end of the season, as opposed to the bitter taste of disappointment.

Here, in this blog, journalist Andrew Webb, gives us his thoughts on the upcoming season and tells us which players may make an impact in League One this term.



LEAGUE ONE


Promotion - After two near misses in the last couple of years, I believe Huddersfield Town will be right in the promotion mix once again this season. Despite losing a couple of key players in Kevin Kilbane and Anthony Pilkington, the Terriers still possess enough class to trouble any team in this league. As long as Lee Clark can galvanise his troops and the club don't suffer a play-off hangover, I expect the League One trophy will be heading to the Galpharm Stadium come the end of the season.

Can Huddersfield finally banish the bad memories from recent campaigns?
(Huddersfield Examiner)

It may very well be the case that another Yorkshire team celebrates automatic promotion from League One this season as well. Both the Sheffield clubs have had their troubles of late, yet still have squads easily capable of challenging for promotion and the steel city derbies are sure to be ferocious encounters.

However, I have a strong suspicion that it will actually be Charlton Athletic who steal second spot. Chris Powell has been at the club long enough now to lay some solid foundations for a promotion push. New arrivals Paul Hayes and Danny Hollands are really astute signings who will compliment good players like Bradley Wright-Phillips, Scott Wagstaff and Johnnie Jackson that are already at the club, and it is really hard to envisage the Addicks being outside of the promotion places.

VERDICT: Huddersfield Town and Charlton Athletic.

Play-offs - As already said, I expect both Sheffield clubs to be in the promotion picture, which essentially leaves two play-off places that are up for grabs. Teams I expect to challenge for these positions are Brentford, Chesterfield, Colchester United, Milton Keynes Dons & Walsall. On the subject of the Saddlers, I was really impressed with how well Dean Smith marshalled his troops last season and got them away from what seemed to be an inevitable relegation at one stage.

The Steel City derby is back on the fixture card once again
this season. (Daily Mail)

If pushed as to which two teams I would go for to finish in the play-off positions, then I would choose Chesterfield and Brentford. Since moving to the b2net stadium, the Spireites have become a really difficult team to beat. Although they have lost players important players such as Craig Davies during the summer, John Sheridan's squad still possesses some outstanding talent that will be enough to see them acquire a top six position.

Brentford, meanwhile, have a new manager in Uwe Rosler and I feel he is probably the right man to take the club in a new direction and build on the fantastic work of Andy Scott. The likes of Jonathon Douglas and Clayton Donaldson are two superb signings and the addition of Harry Forrester will help them to be a real force to be reckoned with in this league.

As for other teams, then very much like Sheffield Wednesday last season, I believe it could be a season of transition for Preston North End. With the loss of a number of first team players over the summer and a cut in the wage budget, I can't see Phil Brown's men challenging for promotion this time around. The same goes for last season's play-off semi-finalists AFC Bournemouth, who despite having retained Danny Ings, perhaps over-achieved last term.

Phil Brown could be in for a long season? (Guardian)

VERDICT: Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Chesterfield and Brentford.

Relegation - With the exception of Chesterfield, I can see all the other sides promoted from League Two last season struggling in a higher division this year. Stevenage arrive in League One following back-to-back promotions and Graham Westley has built up a great work ethic and team spirit, but will that be enough this season? I can't see it myself, so they would be the most obvious choice for the drop.

Moving on to Wycombe Wanderers and Bury, I think both sides will try to play good football, which could be key to survival for either side. The Lancashire side will be hoping that Andy Bishop and Ryan Lowe score the goals they need to survive and I am confident both players will have a good season. Wycombe, like Bury, have some effective players and have recently signed Elliot Benyon on a season long loan, which I believe is a fantastic acquisition for them. However, make no mistake about it, it is going to be tough in League One this season for both of these teams.

Wycombe fans tasted relegation from League One
just 15 months ago.

Yeovil Town and Tranmere Rovers are also obvious choices for teams that may struggle. The Glovers are perrenial strugglers these days and also the bookmakers favourites for the drop this season and Terry Skiverton is faced with a tough task in trying to defy the odds. As for Tranmere, I think we may learn very early in the season as to what direction the club is going. Les Parry has done a fantastic job since taking the reigns a couple of seasons ago, but his task seems to get harder with each passing season.

A couple of clubs who I cannot see getting caught up in relegation trouble, despite being underdogs in this league, are Hartlepool United and Oldham Athletic. The Pools have impressed me during the summer with the players they have bought. Nolberto Solano is the player that has got everybody talking, but their best buy could be Colin Nish. Despite not being the most mobile of strikers, the target man is a handful for any defender and had a couple of Championship clubs looking at him not so long ago.

Victoria Park - Nobby Solano's new home ground. (Sky Sports)

It will also be interesting to see how Rochdale respond to the departure of Keith Hill to Barnsley. I can't see them getting caught up in too much relegation danger, but his replacement Steve Eyre could have been given an easier job for his first ever managerial role.

VERDICT: Stevenage, Wycombe Wanderers, Yeovil Town & Tranmere Rovers.


Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see my predictions on who the movers and shakers will be in League Two this season. Can Torquay United recover from play-off heartache? How will Paolo Di Canio fare at Swindon Town? And which two teams will face the indignity of relegation out of the Football League at the end of the season. You can read my thoughts on the League Two from tomorrow.