Vanarama National League 2023-24: Back Chesterfield and Gateshead for promotion at 48/1

• Favourites Chesterfield looking the part

• Mike Williamson's Gateshead worth considering at 18/119.00

• Combine both to be promoted in 48/149.00 double

An exciting season ahead

Maybe nothing will top the 2022-23 Vanarama National League campaign.

We had a record-breaking promotion race involving Wrexham and Notts County, a play-off campaign that saw two fixtures go into extra-time and finish with a penalty shoot-out and a relegation scrap that saw three sides go on late winning runs to throw everything into the open.

However, that doesn't mean that 2023-24 won't also be a blast to follow. After all, we didn't stop enjoying Premier League football after Liverpool and Manchester City's phenomenal title battles.

Chesterfield, Oldham Athletic, York City and Eastleigh are spending good money to realise their EFL ambitions. Boreham Wood, Barnet, Bromley and Woking are looking to go one better.

Rochdale and Hartlepool United will want an immediate return and several others will look to follow in the footsteps of Harrogate Town, Sutton United and Macclesfield Town by blowing the division out of the water.

Paul Cook's Chesterfield rightful favourites

Paul Cook should not be managing in the National League and if any club other than Chesterfield asked, he wouldn't be. After all, this is a 56-year-old manager with three EFL promotions in the last decade and was managing in the Championship just over a year before returning to Derbyshire.

After some early struggles, Cook was backed by the Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust, who own the club, to make wholesale changes in the summer of 2022 to his squad. What followed was a 3^rd place finish, 1.83 points per game and further improvements to the squad.

Last season allowed Cook to set the culture and identity he wanted from his coaching and playing staff, as well ensuring everybody understood exactly how he wanted the game to be played - he famously loves a 4-2-3-1 system.

It means this summer has been about fine-tuning and the signings of EFL stalwarts Tom Naylor and Will Grigg such provide a level of quality and reliability that was occasionally missed last year, not to mention sorting their goalkeeping situation out with Everton youngster Harry Tyrer.

Gateshead could stun the league

Predicting who could win promotion from the National League is tricky - that's why there are 13 clubs priced between 4/15.00 and 10/111.00. With Wrexham, Notts County and Stockport gone, so many believe this could be the year they realise their EFL ambitions.

One of the clubs not in that group is Gateshead, available at 18/119.00 for promotion and 40/141.00 to win the title. They're a club with a small fanbase, a stadium that does little to attract punters and limited resources compared to others. Being written off is nothing new to them - they were 20/121.00 shots to win National League North in 2021-22.

What they do have is ex-Newcastle United centre-back Mike Williamson as manager. He has fostered a real sense of togetherness and community with his backroom and playing staff meaning that while their club remain relatively small, everybody involved is united to their cause.

Most importantly, they're a really good football team. Their summer business was done before pre-season started and that included a number of loanees that played such an important role last season.

No National League side recorded better xG for numbers from Boxing Day onwards, including Wrexham and Notts County, owing to their brand of high-intensity, possession-heavy style.