The Opposition – League One Season Preview (Part Three)

After previewing eleven other teams in League One previously we move on to another set of team’s that will be competing in League One this season. This preview looks at some club’s who experienced the joys of promotion last year and others that felt the pain of relegation.

Leyton Orient

After fearing the worst last season Leyton Orient fans will be hoping for a much improved campaign this time round. Geraint William’s replacement, Russell Slade, appears to be a good appointment after success at Yeovil and Grimsby combined with a short spell a Brighton means he knows the lower leagues well and has a proven track record. After saving the club from the drop last season Slade immediately started work on improving his side and has made some impressive signings so far this transfer window, particularly the arrival of Elliot Omozusi from Fulham which looks an excellent piece of business for the club. It is likely that Leyton Orient will improve on last season’s performance but ultimately lack the quality to reach anything more than mid-table mediocrity. Prediction: 14^th

Ins:  George Porter (Cray Wanderers), Aaron Brown (Aldershot), Lee Butcher (Tottenham Hotspurs), Dean Cox (Brighton), Stephen Dawson (Bury), Terrell Forbes (Yeovil Town), Elliot Omozusi (Fulham), Alex Revell (Wycombe Wanderers), Matt Spring (Charlton)

Outs: Luke Ashworth (Rotherham), Jason Demetriou (AEK Larnaca), Tamika Mkandiwire (Millwall), Glen Morris (Southend United), Loick Pires (Welling United), Stephen Purches (Bournemouth), Harry Baker (Released), Andrew Cave-Brown (Released), James Scowcroft (Released), Sean Thornton (Released)

Peterborough v Leyton Orient – Tuesday, 23^rd November 2010

Leyton Orient v Peterborough – Saturday, 23^rd April 2011

Milton Keynes Dons

After a disappointing mid-table finish last season MK Dons will be looking to pick up the form that saw them challenge for back-to-back promotion in the years before that. It hasn’t been a calm summer for Milton Keynes fans though, with the departure, for the second time, of manager Paul Ince a somewhat lesser profile manager was appointed in Karl Robinson. Robinson, at 29, is the youngest manager in the Football League and has little managerial experience; it is almost a step into the unknown for MK Dons supporters. With Ince’s departure came another worry for the football club in the finance department; Ince stated he wasn’t able to achieve what he wanted to with the budget cuts, chairman, Pete Winkelman was implementing.  With an inexperienced manager, plenty of turbulence within the club and these budget cuts it is likely that ‘The Dons’ will be waiting a little longer to repeat the successes of previous years even with the arrival of some high profile players. Prediction: 15^th

Ins: Angelo Balanta (Queens Park Rangers), Lewis Guy (Doncaster Rovers), Dietmar Hamann (Free Agent), Gary MacKenzie (Dundee), David Martin (Liverpool)

Outs: David McCracken (Brentford), Sol Davis (Kettering), Lewis Gobern (Grimsby), David King (Released), Dean Morgan (Released), Darren Powell (Released)

Peterborough v Milton Keynes Dons – Saturday, 25^th September 2010

Milton Keynes Dons v Peterborough – Saturday, 19^th March 2011

Notts County

It was exciting times at Meadow Lanes at the start of last season. Billionaire investment, Sven Goran Eriksson arriving and Sol Campbell playing in a black and white striped shirt. Unfortunately for ‘County’ fans it was too good to be true. Luckily the squad produced at the start of the season was maintained, and strong enough to get the club promoted, even without investment, although it certainly harmed Notts County’s finances. Many of the club’s top earners have had to of been sold without the investment that was being provided and manager Craig Short has had to bring in players on free-transfers with little, if any, money available in the transfer fund. Even though many of the League Two stars have been lost Notts County’s team still looks strong for this level although all the comings and goings may stop any momentum that the club had. A mid-table finish looks likely. Prediction: 11^th

Ins: Rob Burch (Lincoln), Ben Burgess (Blackpool), Liam Chilvers (Preston North End), David Grof (Hibernian), Jon Harley (Watford), Matt Marshall (Elche), Stuart Nelson (Aberdeen), Krystian Pearce (Huddersfield Town), Kevin Smith (Dundee United), John Spicer (Doncaster Rovers)

Outs: David McCracken (Brentford), Sean Canham (Hereford), Jamie Clapham (Lincoln), Delroy Facey (Lincoln), Matt Hamshaw (Macclesfield Town), Johnnie Jackson (Charlton), Kevin Pilkington (Luton Town), Kasper Schmeichel (Leeds United), Ade Akinbiyi (Released), Ben Fairclough (Released), Russell Hoult (Released)

Peterborough v Notts County – Tuesday, 28^th September 2010

Notts County v Peterborough – Tuesday, 8^th March 2011

Oldham Athletic

After an un-remarkable 16^th place finish last campaign Oldham lost patience with, then manager, Dave Penney and sacked the former Darlington ‘boss’. His replacement, Paul Dickov, will go down as one of the riskiest appointments in recent times. Dickov comes as a player/manager and whether he will take up both roles remains to be seen but with a fiery temper and a playing style which, to put mild, ‘takes no prisoner’s’, it will be interesting to see if this Oldham team’s football is played in a similar style to his. Oldham, after losing many players, and with more on the transfer list still at the club, may well struggle this season and, with an inexperienced manager, may pay the price. Prediction: 22^nd

Ins: Dean Kelly (Crumlin United), Paul Dickov (Leeds), Warren Feeney (Cardiff City), Jason Jarrett (Port Vale), Ritchie Jones (Hartlepool), Rod McDonald (Stoke City)

Outs: Pawel Abbott (Charlton Athletic), Keigan Parker (Hartlepool), Danny Whittaker (Chesterfield), Hassan Aljofree (Released), Liam Dawson (Released), Michael McKerr (Released), Phil Ojapah (Released), Chris Rowney (Released), Rene Steer (Released)

Peterborough v Oldham – Saturday, 11^th September 2010

Oldham v Peterborough – Saturday, 26^th February 2011

Plymouth Argyle

After being relegated from the Championship last season ‘The Pilgrims’ will be targeting an immediate return this year. Peter Reid was given a chance to return to management at Plymouth for this season and he has been busy shifting a number of players – 10 in total – that he didn’t feel were good enough for the club this campaign, in turn reducing the wage-bill that would have been set on ‘The Pilgrim’s’ Championship budget, where they had been for six seasons previously. With the experienced Reid in charge, and the bulk of last season’s main star performers still remaining a play-off spot may just be within ‘Argyle’s’ reach although a upper mid-table season looks more likely. Prediction: 8^th

Ins: Rory Paterson (Glentoran), Lee Molyneux (Southampton), Bondz N’Gala (West Ham United), Anton Peterlin (Everton), David Button (Tottenham Hotspur)

 Outs: Ashley Barnes (Brighton), Jamie Mackie (Queens Park Rangers), George Donnelly (Stockport County), Yoann Folly (Aberdeen), Lloyd Saxton (Bradford), Gary Sawyer (Bristol City), Simon Walton (Sheffield United), Alan Gow (Released), David McNamee (Released)

Plymouth Argyle v Peterborough – Saturday, August 28^th 2010

Peterborough v Plymouth Argyle – Saturday, 16^th April 2011

Rochdale

Finally, Rochdale did it. After 36 long, consecutive, seasons in League Two ‘The Dale’ managed to achieve promotion to League One, something that feels like un-known territory, last season. With promotion has come a new found excitement around the club; they are finally out of “The Rochdale Division”. Keith Hill has immediately been busy, utilising the transfer window and the club’s new status to attract new arrivals who may not have favoured a move to Spotland before. This season will be an adventure for Rochdale fans and they shouldn’t be in danger of a swift return back to familiar surroundings just yet. Prediction: 17^th

Ins: Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro (Grimsby Town), Brain Barry-Murphy (Bury), Matt Done (Hereford), Anthony Elding (Ferencvaros), Alan Goodall (Chesterfield), Tom Kennedy (Leicester), Jack Redshaw (Manchester City), Joe Widdowson (Grimsby), Josh Lillis (Scunthorpe)

Outs: Kenny Arthur (Grimsby Town), Chris Dagnall (Scunthorpe), Michael Lee (Hyde), Kallum Higginbotham (Falkirk), Roy McArdle (Aberdeen), Nathan Stanton (Burton Albion), Ciaran Toner (Released)

Peterborough v Rochdale – Saturday, 11^th December 2010

Rochdale v Peterborough – Saturday, 30^th April 2011