League One: Four promoted clubs have chances rated
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Making up the League One new boys are the four teams coming up from the fourth tier and there are mixed expectations for the season ahead.
Champions Chesterfield and play-off winners Fleetwood are expected to go well, while Scunthorpe and Rochdale could struggle.
Last year’s League Two champions are the joint-shortest price of the promoted clubs to go up again but their preparations for the third tier have proven a mixed bag so far.
High scoring 4-1 and 5-1 wins over Matlock Town and Alfreton Town respectively were a cause for optimism, but a 1-1 draw with Buxton and the 2-0 defeat to Shrewsbury were a cause for concern.
And,while not much can be gleamed for the pre-season schedule, the Spireites lack of transfer activity thus far means a second successive promotion could be just a pipe dream.
Last year’s play-off winners have wasted no time in boosting their ranks with Blackburn Rovers’ Josh Morris, Huddersfield’s Keith Southern, Crawley’s Jamie Proctor and Macclesfield’s Danny Andrew adding to the Cod Army’s blend of youth and experience.
Manager Graham Alexander is putting his players through a rigorous pre-season training camp in Austria and his efforts have seen his side given a short price for back-to-back promotions.
The experience of players like Morris and Southern means League One rivals will take Town lightly at their peril.
Like his Fleetwood counterpart Scunnie boss Russ Wilcox has boosted his squad in a bid to consolidate his side’s status in the third tier.
Jennison Myrie-Williams arrives from Port Vale and having netted in double figures last term clearly has what it takes for League One. Wilcox also pounced on the uncertainly at Blackpool to bring in the Tangerines’ Neal Bishop, while Sheffield United man Lyle Taylor has also moved to Glanford Park.
While consolidation would have to be deemed a success bigger things could be on the horizon if the trio immediately gel.
After failing to win five of their last seven games last year Dale almost let promotion pass them by, hence their outsider odds of 14/1 to be promoted.
The 2-1 pre-season defeat to Halifax Town last time out also did little to improve confidence in the Spotland outfit.
Ian Henderson has the ability to score goals at this level but he’ll be firing his side to safety rather than the top end of the table.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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