The Opposition – League One Season Preview (Part Two)

After already looking at the strengths and weaknesses of five clubs in the division we continue our preview of the up-coming season by looking at fallen-giants and “a small club in Essex” amongst others and promotion contenders to relegation fodder.

Charlton Athletic

It’s a question of thinking back to ‘the good old days’ for Charlton fans. It was only four seasons ago that ‘The Addicks’ were playing in the Premiership, now, much like Leeds’ fall although slightly less dramatic, they find themselves plying their trade at League One level and financial problems appear to be on the horizon. Nicky Bailey, the club’s star, left this summer to join Middlesbrough and stave off the financial worries for a little longer and Deon Burton, a major goal-threat for Charlton last season, also departed. After suffering play-off heartache last season ‘The Addicks’ are amongst the favourites to be in the automatic promotion spots this year with the bookies, however this may be due to their high reputation, the quality of players brought in this season by Phil Parkinson has not been as high as many off their promotion rivals. Charlton will be around the promotion spots for most of the season, their fans will demand this, but in the end a lack of quality may well mean that they do not even reach the play-offs. Prediction: 10^th

Ins: Akpo Sodje (Sheffield Wednesday), Gary Doherty (Norwich), Alan McCormack (Southend United), Johnnie Jackson (Notts County), Simon Francis (Southend United), Pawel Abbott (Oldham), Kyle Reid (Sheffield United)

Outs: Chris Dickson (Released), Leon McKenzie (Released), Matt Spring (Released), Dean Sinclair (Released), Tony Warner (Released), Jack Clark (Released), Darren Randolph (Motherwell), Stuart Fleetwood (Hereford), Frazer Richardson (Southampton), Nicky Bailey (Middlesbrough), Lloyd Sam (Leeds)

Peterborough v Charlton – Saturday, November 13^th 2010

Charlton v Peterborough – Saturday, February 12^th 2011

Colchester United

Being a Colchester fan last season most have been painful. After looking certainties to qualify for the play-offs, an automatic spot wasn’t off the cards, for most of the season a dramatic turn of form towards the end of the season meant that Colchester slipped down the table and finished, disappointingly, 8^th, one place off the play-off spots. The summer has also been rather worrying for Colchester fans. Aidy Boothroyd left to join Coventry and John Ward was given his chance as manager after being promoted from assistant to Boothroyd. Ward’s transfer activity has been relative quiet with no new ‘big name’ arrivals, Colchester, after losing some major players, look set for a comfortable mid-table season. Prediction: 13^th

Ins: Andy Bond (Barrow), Brian Wilson (Bristol City), Lloyd James (Southampton), Ben Coker (Bury Town)

Outs: Scott Vernon (Released), Matt Lockwood (Released), Sam Corcoran (Released), Russell Malton (Released), David Fox (Norwich City), Phil Ifil (Released), David Prutton (Swindon Town), Clive Platt (Coventry)

Peterborough v Colchester – Sunday, 26^th December 2010

Colchester v Peterborough – Friday, 28^th January 2011

Dagenham & Redbridge

What a story last season was for Dagenham and Redbridge. A club that had never spent more than £10,000 on a player, one that was playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division – one division below the Conference South – just 14 years ago are now playing against teams of the elk Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Southampton on a regular basis. John Still’s role in this cannot be underestimated, buying the best non-league players around and giving them their chance as a professional; the philosophy couldn’t have worked any better, without risking the club’s finances they have shot up the leagues. Adding to the squad was Still’s main priority this season and he has done so without losing many of the players that were the catalysts in Dagenham’s fairytale last season like Paul Benson and Danny Green. Not all fairytales have a happy ending though and this may just be a step too far for this “small club in Essex”. Prediction: 24^th

Ins: Stuart Lewis (Gillingham), Gareth Gwillim (Histon), Damien Scannell (Southend), Gavin Tomlin (Yeovil), Luke Williamson (Portsmouth), Femi Ilesanmi (Ashford Town), Duran Reynolds (Southend)

Outs: Mark Nwokeji (AFC Wimbledon), Alex Bentley (Released), Hakeem Araba (Released)

Dagenham & Redbridge v Peterborough – Saturday, 18^th December 2010

Peterborough v Dagenham & Redbridge – Saturday, 7^th May 2011

Exeter City

‘The Grecians’ had to fight for survival last season, saving themselves from relegation on the final day with a win against Huddersfield Town. Since then Paul Tisdale has been busy replacing the players he felt weren’t good enough for the club; 8 departures and 4 arrivals later the club look set for the 2010-2011 campaign. The club is run by their Supporter’s Trust and doesn’t have a huge budget which means staying in this division is an achievement. Exeter City fans may be in for another roller-coaster ride this season but with the added quality in the division they may find themselves struggling to keep up with the pace. Prediction: 23^rd

Ins: Artur Krysiak (Birmingham City), Billy Jones (Crewe), Jake Thompson (Southampton), John O’Flynn (Barnet), David Noble (Bristol City), Daniel Nardiello (Blackpool)

Outs: Neil Saunders (Released), Barry Corr (Southend), Joe Burnell (Released), Alex Russell (Released), Lewis Tasker (Released), James Berry (Released), Craig McAllister (Crawley), Manny Panther (Released)

Exeter City v Peterborough – Saturday, 18^th September 2010

Peterborough v Exeter City – Saturday, 5^th March 2011

Hartlepool United

Remember Jeff Stelling’s antics on the final Soccer Saturday of last season? That’s because Hartlepool were fearing the worst as they had to fight to save themselves from the drop. Luckily for ‘The Monkey Hangers’ they did just that. Surprisingly though manager, or Director of Sport as he is flamboyantly named, Chris Turner has been quiet throughout the transfer window so far with only two new signings being made. With so few additions the squad looks thin and with a distinct lack of quality another season at the foot of the table is to be expected, although just like last year, Hartlepool may just survive at this level for another season. Prediction: 20^th

Ins: Andy Rafferty (Guisborough), Evan Horwood (Carlisle United)

Outs: Ben Clark (Gateshead), Ritchie Jones (Oldham), Mark Cook (Released), Alan Power (Rushden and Diamonds), Jonny Rowell (Released), Matty Tymon (Released)

Hartlepool United v Peterborough – Saturday, October 9^th 2010

Peterborough v Hartlepool United – Saturday, January 22^nd 2011

Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town look like a team that are perfectly capable of playing at a higher level. The players, manager, chairman and stadium all appear to have an ambition to better themselves and compete in the Championship and possibly even beyond. Manager Lee Clark has further strengthened his squad through the transfer window making a lot of noteworthy additions to add the quality already there in players like Anthony Pilkington, Lee Novak and Jordan Rhodes after a disappointing play-off defeat to Millwall last season meant ‘The Terriers’ could not fulfil their ambitions. Huddersfield seem likely to push on again this season and an automatic promotion spot is a possibility. Prediction: 3^rd

Ins: Scott Arfield (Falkirk), Joey Gudjonsson (Burnley), Gary Naysmith (Sheffield United), Ian Bennett (Sheffield United), Lee Croft (Derby), Jamie McCombe (Bristol Rovers), Joe Garner (Nottingham Forest), Graham Carey (Celtic)

Outs:  Dean Heffernan (Melbourne Heat), Phil Jevons (Morcambe), Robbie Williams (Released), Simon Eastwood (Oxford), Lewis Nightingale (Released), Tom Denton (Wakefield), Joe Skarz (Bury), Andy Butler (Released), Krystian Pearce (Notts County), Michael Collins (Scunthorpe), James Berrett (Carlisle), James Spencer (Morcambe), Lee Franks (Oxford), Jack Hunt (Chesterfield), Lionel Ainsworth (Shrewsbury)

Peterborough v Huddersfield – Saturday, 21st August 2010

Huddersfield v Peterborough – Saturday, 9th April 2011