With the new League Two season nearly upon us, Ian Lamont can't wait to see Swindon's Jermaine McGlashan back in League Two, where he thinks the Imps will be the ones to beat, but worries that Exeter will be all the worse without Paul Tisdale...
League Winner
End of Tisdale era spells mediocrity for Exeter
Who will get over last season's disappointment quickly or who will have a hangover? That's the question about every play-off loser that pundits and fans face at the start of the next season.
I wonder if Paul Tisdale might have stayed at Exeter had they gone up, having reached the League Two play-off final for the second year running? Ultimately, the fans serving notice on his contract seemed to grate, I believe, despite it being pretty odd that he had a two-year rolling deal.
The Grecians have been marked down by the layers, who seem to think therefore that it will take Matt Taylor, the 36-year-old under-23s coach promoted from within, time to reshape a squad to do as well. Or even to gain much momentum. The end of the Tisdale era will be a hard act to follow. Taylor admits he will look to get in an experienced adviser alongside him. Tisdale had the wisdom of 10 years at the helm and Steve Perryman, now retired, on tap if he really needed a sounding board.
I'm not sure that Jonathan Forte, brought in from Notts County, is the answer to Exeter's prayers up front while Tristan Abrahams could be the better solution, having been brought in on loan from Norwich for the season. Exeter's price of 22.00 suggests that the Devon side will take time to bed in, but any side with Jayden Stockley leading the attack should perhaps have a shorter price.
So what of Tisdale's new charges, MK Dons? They have signed three players from Exeter, Ryan Harley, Robbie Simpson and Jordan Moore-Taylor, but being pre-season favourites makes them an automatic lay in my book. At some point in a 42-game season they will be longer than 7.40. Of course, the manager knows this division inside out. But any relegated team will take time to settle. Only one of the four relegated League One teams went up again last season - Coventry, via the play-offs.
The team I fancy to win the division are not Notts County's unfortunate failures from last season - for whom automatic promotion looked assured at the turn of the year - but the progressive Lincoln City at 7.60.
As long as Danny Cowley continues to reject all overtures from higher clubs, the Imps have the funds and ambition to continue their climb up the football league. Unless, of course, they become too distracted by the cups. Two decent FA Cup runs in recent years have given them the confidence on the field and finances off it. And of course there was the glory of the Checkatrade and FA Trophy Finals at Wembley in successive years.
I just felt they lacked a bit of firepower. Now they have John Akinde, signed from relegated Barnet, and former Accrington inspiration Shay McCartan, on a season-long loan from Bradford. I've written off Akinde in the past, if he can avoid the injuries of last season - having bagged a hatful of goals for the Bees the year before - he should love the supply from the Imps' midfielders. A price of 9.00 fourth favourites is a good place to start looking for a season-long bet.
Mansfield can't be dismissed of course, even if David Flitcroft did manage to draw most of his games after taking over in the spring, before the end of the season. Some signings with higher level experience such as Neal Bishop from Scunthorpe, plus one of Yeovil's key players Otis Khan, makes them interesting at 11.00.
Promotion: McGlashan could hold key to Swindon's season
It's always with trepidation that you assess, this early in the summer, which team will kick on or fall away. Will Carlisle - at 6.00 in the to be promoted market - improve under John Sheridan, an experienced manager at this level, after Keith Curle gave them stability? Defender Gary Miller adds League Two winning experience (Plymouth) while George Glendon and Macauley Gillesphey know something of this level. But has Sheridan passed his best years as a manager?
Former Hull boss Phil Brown won promotion with Southend at this level, so will hope to repeat the trick with Swindon at 4.50. For me they have made the most livewire signing of winger Jermaine McGlashan. I hope he's still got the speed and skill he showed at Aldershot.
Harry Kewell has had time for his methods to bed in at Crawley who are 10.00, but they have lost Enzio Boudewijn to Notts County. The play-offs will be the Reds' upper limit.
Relegation: Bentley deserves a chance with a bigger budget
Morecambe have had a takeover and Jim Bentley seems to have been able to open the signing on book in style. Well, relatively speaking. He's certainly got the numbers in, with Andrew Tutte even signing a two year deal. And Liam Mandeville joining on a season-long loan from Doncaster to lead the line is remarkable, if only because it happens to be early and because he has signed for what the layers clearly think will be the Football League's bottom club.
You could get 300.00 on Morecambe to win the league, which makes them automatic relegation favourites at 3.50. If you ask me, Bentley deserves a bit of success and the chance to see what he can do with a bigger budget - and loyalty from the new owners Bond Group Investments - after his six years' service. So I'll be laying the Shrimps for relegation, possibly to case out in March if they look safe. They only stayed up on goal difference on the final day last season.
I expect Yeovil's struggles to continue with Darren Way seemingly putting out the marker last season by saying that survival is success. If he can spend the FA Cup run money then they might do better than 4.00 for relegation suggests, but having lost Otis Khan they are first on my list.
RECOMMENDED BETS
Back Lincoln City to win League Two @ 9.00
Lay Morecambe for relegation @ 3.50
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