L1 and L2 Ante-Post Tips: Back County over Wrexham and Orient glory

• Football League season returns this weekend

• A 33/1 and 50/1 pair for League One antepost

• Wrexham and Notts County way ahead of rivals?

League One Winner - Back Bristol Rovers each-way

Minus Sheffield Wednesday for the new League One season, Derby County are the de facto number one; as a big team playing in the wrong division, but we saw the Owls implode last term by almost blowing their chance only to rescue themselves in the dying moments at Wembley.

Are the favourites Derby County at 4/15.00 as strong a bet as Wednesday were 12 months ago? My answer would be emphatically no, and this looks an ante-post play worth chancing a couple of bigger prices.

Portsmouth 17/29.50 and Peterborough 9/110.00 have had enough chances from me in the past, and Posh look weaker considering their financial reset and departures. Frankie Kent has left for Scotland, while highly prized asset Ronnie Edwards is a wanted man. Last year's skipper and leading scorer Jonson Clarke-Harris is on the the transfer list, and in short, I cannot see it - not at 9/110.00.

Barnsley are 17/29.50, but they've been charged with multiple breaches of regulations so it's impossible to get involved with last term's beaten play-off finalists as they could incur a points deduction, and same for Reading, a crisis club in freefall.

Quite why anyone should see the Royals as a bet at 9/110.00 in the Winner Market is beyond me. They are under a transfer embargo, and like Barnsley, cannot seriously be considered as a bet.

I toyed with the idea of Wycombe again at 22/123.00, but I am unsure about Matt Bloomfield, but I am happy with a couple of big prices here each-way.

Bristol Rovers at 33/134.00 might give us a chance of hitting three places at 1/4 of the odds, but a lot depends on whether they keep hold of Aaron Collins.

The Welshman is wanted by a host of clubs, and his manager Joey Barton has stated that it will take a bid of "Scott Twine" like proportions to prise him away from the Mem - which would be around £5million. Take note Stoke and Coventry.

Collins has registered 16 goals and 11 assists in each of his last two seasons and is happy in a front three - usually playing on the left. If he stays, we hopefully have a runner.

Barton himself has promised tactical breakdowns and a chance to "unlock the mind of a footballing maverick" on a paid for Twitter platform. An interesting concept given that Rovers' own Twitter (X) account has a reach of 2.1 million less than Barton's.

Barton took Fleetwood to the play-offs and if they keep Collins, they have a chance.

Back Leyton Orient each-way @ 50/151.00 League One Winner Market (three places)

I've waited a long time for Leyton Orient to return to the glamour and riches of League One, and I have been granted my wish - and in some style from last season.

The east Londoners started strongly last term with their pass and dominate style in League Two and were champions with three games to spare.

With the division looking wide-open this term, as always, Orient have a good manager in Richie Wellens, who seems to have found his home in Leyton after disappointing spells elsewhere - including in League One with Doncaster.

The gap and chasm between League One and Two isn't huge, and with Joe Piggott in from Ipswich and Martin Ling doing such a fine job, I will go with them to outrun their odds.

Plus, I played in central midfield once with Ling in a charity game at Brisbane Road, and Ling called me the greediest player he ever saw. Thank you.

Back Notts County to win @ 15/28.50 League Two Winner Market (three places)

League Two promises to be even more exciting than usual with the inclusion of Hollywood's Wrexham, but also Notts County from the National League.

Both of these were different class with over 200 points between them last term, although the Magpies had to take the long route via Wembley.

It says much about the quality of League Two that both Wrexham 7/24.50 and Notts County 15/28.50 are first and third in the betting.

In truth, with their spending power and pull, they could walk the division.

David McGoldrick has left Derby to join County - which says plenty about their budget, and County also have Macauley Langstaff - a forward who hit a record 42 goals in the National League last term.

I was very impressed whenever I saw him on BT, especially with his one touch skills in the box and finishing.

With Wrexham losing Paul Mullin to a punctured lung in a recent US game against Manchester United, his absence and goals could gift a quicker start to County.

I like Luke Williams as a manager and considering they scored 117 goals last term, I like their price at 15/28.50.

Of course Wrexham could win it, but there's too much of a circus around the club.

Bradford look the Top 7 Finish bet at 11/102.11, but whether you want to tie money up for 10 months for a near evens poke is unlikely, but Mark Hughes did well last term, as did Andy Cook who topped the goalscoring charts with 28.

I cannot see MK Dons doing anything at 16/117.00, and Bradford in the winner market at 12/113.00 look a better bet.

But with Notts County returning to the EFL in such blistering fashion last term - they have a lot going for them.