English Football League / Alan Dudman / 06 August 2009 /

Alan Dudman tells us about his relatively uneventful summer before previewing this week's opening fixtures in League One.

Well it's great to back here. My summer has been largely uneventful - other than BBC fashion guru Jeff Banks giving me a fashion critique at Royal Ascot, and I quote: "Nice fitted black suit, very good shoes, but the top is in disarray...stubble, hair all over the place and a tie that has a mind of it's own." Well, whatever the appearance may be, the mind is certainly not in disarray as we tackle the opening weekend of fixtures in League One.

I love this time of year, over the past six weeks I have been moping around like a Yorkie without a hole to dig (obviously a Yorkie in disarray). But with a some big teams relegated there is something very exciting about seeing the names Norwich, Southampton, Leeds, Charlton et al (is this really League One?). So enthused am I, I feel like a young, exciting, virile Elvis.

Southampton [2.16] versus Millwall [3.65], the draw [3.40]

Live on Sky, Saturday 12:45

New owner, new team, new boss, and a live Sky game to kick-off the season. I love it!
If my summer was uneventful, events at St Mary's have been anything but. New
manager Alan Pardew has been handed the task of guiding the Saints back in to the
Championship at the first time of asking. It really has been turbulent stuff down on the
coast - and Pardew has only been in the job a matter of a couple of weeks.

Their pre-season has gone ok. They actually played alright against Ajax, but got stuffed
at QPR last weekend. One major problem was the defence - that has been addressed -
signings of Graeme Murty and Dan Harding, with the imminent arrival of Radhi Jaidi have
given the team a much more experienced, solid look. However goals look a problem - Stern John has left the building, and it's unlikely Rasiak and Saganowski are going to feature on Saturday.

Overall the Saints squad is very young, and they have lost a lot of players. But praise indeed for veteran keeper Kelvin Davis, who turned down a move to West Ham to stay and aid the fight. I like you Kelvin.

Millwall on the other hand are the litmus paper for the division. Tough, hard working, very honest. They were mighty unlucky to lose out in the play-off final.

Kenny Jackett has signed a new deal, the nucleus of the squad has also followed suit. And having watched them a fair bit last season, they will not give Southampton a moment's peace. The midfield can bite and hassle, and I think they will play Southampton just right. Millwall's defence is also rock solid, and very good at dealing with aerial threats.

The Lions have an impressive spine - Forde is excellent in goal, Whitebread solid (but is
wanting a move to the Championship), and Alexander a bull up front. The Lions could
be seriously underrated here, and I think there could be a bit of value siding with the away team.

Recommendation: Back Millwall @ [3.65]

Charlton Athletic [1.68] versus Wycombe Wanderers [5.60], the draw [3.6]

What a shock for Charlton to be mixing it in League One, and taking on newly
promoted Wycombe Wanderers at The Valley to boot.

Boss Phil Parkinson has built up no rapport with the Robins fans at all, and the pressure
is seriously on. Their squad is looking slightly better with a couple of recent additions,
but they've lost some big names from last season.

Charlton are expected to roll over Wycombe, well the fans will be expecting that anyway,
but I just cannot see any value at all with Charlton at that price. We don't know anything
about them at the moment, so we seriously cannot go in at [1.68].

Newly-promoted Wycombe wobbled a bit towards the end of last season, but here they
are and they have the perfect manager in Peter Taylor - a man who has coached at the
very top. Pre-season hasn't been great, there have also been one or two off-field ownership issues. It all appears sorted now, but Taylor will be without Docherty, Westlake, Hunt and Spence.

I expect Charlton to be the nervier of the two, with Wycombe to keep the ball better than
expected. I would be tempted to throw a couple of quid at the away side for value, but
the prudent Dudman tells me to back the draw.

Recommendations: Back the draw [3.60]

Carlisle United [2.38] versus Brentford [2.96], the draw [3.40]

Carlisle have lost Danny Graham, his 18 goals last term were crucial for the Cumbrians -
although he lost his way a bit in the battle for survival.

Brentford new signing Ben Strevens has broken his leg and Andy Scott has moved to sign former £7million man Carl Cort. Cort's best days are well behind him but Carlisle have got no strikers. And as Persius was once told: "Divine gifts should never be questioned, just accepted".

I cannot see any goals in this at all, and am all over the under 2.5 goals.

Recommendations: Back 0-0 [12.00], back under 2.5 goals [1.80]

Weekend best bets:

Back under 2.5 goals Carlisle v Brentford @ [1.85]
Back the draw @ [3.65] Charlton v Wycombe
Back Millwall to beat Southampton @ [3.65]

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: