TFT Podcast Ep 61

The Premier League season finally got underway last weekend and there were plenty of goals and one or two surprises at which to marvel.

Chelsea continued an emerging habit and switched up a gear to turn a 2-0 game against lesser opponents into a 6-0 without breaking sweat. Manchester United were just as comfortable, if a little less ruthless, against Newcastle United on Monday. Aston Villa beat West Ham United 3-0 at Villa Park in their first competitive game without Martin O'Neill.

Blackpool perhaps shocked us most, not with the fact that they beat Wigan at the DW but the sheer scale of the scoreline at 4-0. Wolves banked a deserved three points after a noteworthy victory over Stoke, while Everton once again bombed on opening day with a 1-0 defeat at Blackburn that will live long in the memory of Tim Howard.

Manchester City, as always, have been in the news this week. They have Joe Hart to thank for a goalless draw against Tottenham, and TFT favourite Mario Balotelli (it's not like an O'Neill favourite - we like other players too) for a win in Europe. In between, the exit door has been swinging at the City of Manchester Stadium. Craig Bellamy has headed for Cardiff after being frozen out by Roberto Mancini's squad list, and Stephen Ireland, the man many City fans will have hoped might survive the billionaire cull, signed for Villa.

While the door was open to let out Ireland, Villa's James Milner snuck in to complete a deal between the two clubs which, if Ireland demonstrates his form of two seasons ago, is almost ludicrously weighted in Villa's favour.

Chris Nee and Gary Andrews are joined in the studio by journalist, pie appreciator and City supporter Will Dean to discuss the first weekend of the Premier League, all the comings and goings at the club and, more importantly, their prospects for the season ahead.

In amongst all the Premier League bluster on Saturday, another competition clattered into action. The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round began on Friday, with a huge fixture list on Saturday and replays earlier this week. I'm sad to say that Wembley were knocked out. Elsewhere, Gary watched Bethnal Green United take apart Basildon United and our second guest this week, Simon Barnett of The Real FA Cup took in two matches. You'll find out which ones in the show (it wasn't the 10-2).

Also on the agenda this week are the first leg of the Champions League qualifiers, Arsenal Fanshare and - of course - Major League Soccer.

Please leave your comments below, follow us on Twitter, be our fan on Facebook and send your questions and comments to twofootedtackle[at]googlemail[dot]com - we also want audio contributions to the show, so feel free to get in touch about that.

You can listen to the latest episode below:
Download link (mp3, 53mb, 77 mins)

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Joyless football and the Age of Information Overload

How's this for nerdy? On my journey home last night, my mind began wandering and eventually settled on a lengthy consideration of the Age of Information Overload in football. Something that's been bothering me lately, both in football and in other areas of life, is supply outstripping demand. Or, more specifically, suppliers creating demand. Take 3D TV. Nobody asked for it, barely anyone really wants it. There was certainly no desperate mass clamour and the technology itself doesn't feel like a natural evolution in the same way as high-definition did.

And yet, here we are, with plotless movies being launched left, right and centre just because they look pretty, 3D TV sets being forced down our throats and - unfortunately - 3D being the next great technological development in the displaying and viewing of the beautiful game. Fine, if we'd all been champing at the bit to have El-Hadji Diouf gob at us. But we hadn't. It's being pushed, not pulled.

Sometimes, a PR person really thinks they've got a story, and approach bloggers in exactly the right way, but something about what they're selling just doesn't quite sit right. I'm going to pick on an outfit that I've got a lot of time for here, somewhat unfairly. Before the World Cup, ITV launched ITV Live. I'm a defender of ITV. They haven't got quite their TV football offering right and seem prone to serious error, but the football people there are genuine football people who I like a lot. They get it.

ITV Live itself is a stunning piece of technology and worked well, give or take an iffy opening night. It provides instant replays, chat functions, stats and facts - all sorts, and all at the click of a mouse while you watch the match live on your laptop or your TV, something they initially tested in another form for the 2009 FA Cup Final. It's brilliant. I didn't use it.

The Guardian created a Fans' Network for South Africa 2010, pulling in tweets from fans all over the world, including me. Again, the intention was to create greater interaction, particularly during matches. Again, it was excellent, save for my non-football tweet that contained both a naughty word and the name of a participating country and the stern talking-to that resulted. Again, I didn't touch it.

These two media firms are not the only ones to target football supporters. Countless companies I shan't name have created tools targeted (that's an important word) at fans that we just don't need. Some of them are impressive in isolation from their objectives, some of them are total bollocks. But almost all of them seem to be feeding this apparent need football supporters have for more information, more interaction.

I've been asked about this kind of thing at work and it always amazes me that people think that supporters (a) need to be told how to watch football and (b) are incapable of dictating and creating their own interaction during a match.

The question of supply and demand applies here, because I truly don't believe that anybody wanted or needs any of the above. Except, that is, the people who created them on the back of a fan engagement brief.

What football supporters want online is evident elsewhere. Take Zonal Marking, for example. Jonathan Wilson, given an amazing level of insight, a noteworthy book and a platform to voice his knowledge, helped fuel a fashion for molecular tactical analysis. ZM, blessed with a similar eye, is meeting that demand. Wilson helped whet the appetite and create demand, and the site that best meets it is now riding the crest of a wave. I wonder how a certain company's "pub-finder" website is getting on.

And finally, the straw the broke the camel's back. This week, a brand I won't name because they did everything right except for having a product, or rather an experience, that makes me want to punch football in the face, approached me to try out their in-game football information overload offering. Like ITV Live and all these other "making football more interactive" products, this particular set-up is designed to bombard football supporters with information about the game they're watching.

I finally cracked, but I'm pleased to say I was very polite to the PR in question. This wave of information, this constant industry-created desire for interaction, it's all guff. It's no way to watch football. I'm not a luddite. I'm a complete Twitter evangelist, and I credit it with the continuing existence of this very site. I watch games online like it's going out of fashion.

But I can arrange all that for myself, do my own statistical research, talk to the people I choose to talk to. I don't need a big brand to create some kind of interactive web cocoon for me and then plaster ads all over it.

My broader concern, though, is not one of push marketing, but of the joyless way people are beginning to watch the game. Given the choice between having my brain jammed full of passing percentages and historical results by a big brand-sponsored piece of dazzling technology or sitting in the rain drinking Bovril, there's no contest. Get out of the internet, people. Enjoy football, analyse but don't over-analyse it. It's supposed to be a game, remember?

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Match Report: Bethnal Green United 4-0 Basildon United

Aficionados of Britpop may remember Blur's iconic Mile End Stadium gig in 1995, but while there's precious little evidence of music in the air in East London today the venue is seeing another small piece of history.

Bethnal Green United were only formed in 2000 as a community club designed to give young men from the impoverished borough of Tower Hamlets a chance to stay away from gangs and use football as a force for something positive. They've been slowly building small milestones since then and today sees their first ever FA Cup tie at Extra Preliminary Round level.

While Bethnal Green are a team very much on the up, their opponents, Basildon United, have seen better days. The Bees were formed in the late 60s and made it as high as the Isthmian Division One in the 80s but have been kicking around the Essex Senior League since and show little sign of reclaiming past glories.

It's unlikely too many teams at this level have their turnstile in the reception of a leisure centre, but Mile End Stadium is a decent enough home for Bethnal Green, even if there's no hut for half-time teas. Spectators in need of refreshment have to make do with vending machines instead.

Fans also have to contend with the dreaded athletics track, although compared with the Withdean and Don Valley, Mile End is positively cosy and there's a small amount of atmosphere made by a group of women and their children in one corner of the rustic wooden slat seated stand. How many of them are wives, friends or relatives is a moot point but it adds to the atmosphere.

The initial ten minutes see both teams sussing each other out but it quickly becomes clear that Basildon's tactic is to hoof it long and hope to muscle the Bethnal Green defenders out of it. Sadly, the hoofing is of poor quality and Basildon are leaving gaping holes between midfield and attack, meaning the home side can easily mop up loose balls.

Bethnal Green soon have the measure of their opponents and dispense with balls over the top in favour of a slick passing game, which the well-kept pitch allows and wouldn't be out of place at a higher level.

With so much possession, an opening goal for the home side is somewhat inevitable and it's impressive stuff when it arrives. The midfield engage in a spot of one-touch football before sliding the ball to the left winger, who beats a couple of men, cuts inside and squares the ball to the number 10 who finishes crisply beyond the Basildon goalkeeper.

A second soon follows after Bethnal Green's number 10, who's causing the defence all sorts of problems with his movement, break free down the right-hand side. From the byline, he cuts back an impressive ball for the onrushing Bethnal Green player to slam home emphatically.

Basildon briefly rouse with a few hopeful balls off the pitch and a succession of corners, which are cleared less than convincingly by the home side, but the attacks lack conviction and the half time whistle can't come quick enough.

The anger from the Basildon players can audibly be heard by anybody who heads to the toilets at half time. The facilities are next door to the dressing rooms and many variations of the word "f*ck" can be heard echoing down the corridor.

This shouting lasts about seven minutes which is when @flashboy, occasional TFT pod contributor and one of two companions to the game, heads to the bathroom. Instead he bumps into Bethnal Green's number 7 at the urinals.

Any hope Basildon had of getting back into the game quickly fades when Bethnal Green add a slickly-worked third soon after the break, and the contest is as good as over.

Nobody seems to have told Bethnal Green though, who continue to press, harry, tackle and attack as if they're one-nil down with five minutes to go, and even with their foot off the gas, the ball spends much of the time in the away half.

Basildon, meanwhile, are showing the effects of fielding a team who look the wrong side of thirty and don't get down the gym as regularly as they should. Balls are regularly lost on the centre of the park, with the offending player stopping for a breather rather than tackling back.

Indeed, the whole side has the air of a Sunday veterans team who've been on the receiving end of a hammering by a bunch of kids and can't wait to get down the pub for a post-match pint. Their only respite is when shots miss the target and the goalkeepers have to run over the athletics track and to the edge of the stadium to retrieve the ball.

Eventually Bethnal Green add a fourth late in the second half and the game is all over, although neither side stays on the pitch that long due to the heavy rain that's been on and off during the game.

On the way out of the stadium, what appears to be the mother of one of the home players asks about the final score and there's visible shock on her face when she's told just how empathic the victory has been.

It is, then, a day for celebrating in East London. The team that are billing themselves as Tower Hamlets' premier side have achieved a historic first FA Cup victory and will face either Kentish Town or Stanstead FC in the Preliminary Qualifying Round.

There's no doubt the club is going places - in the programme notes, the chairman talks about gaining promotion to the Conference within ten years.

This may be a touch ambitious, especially given the work that would need to be done to the stadium, but there's a real community vibe, in keeping with the club's aims, and, unusually for a match at this level, nearly half the crowd (and by far and away the most vocal section) is female.

The football is certainly good enough to grace a higher level though, and Bethnal Green's main priority will be climbing up from the Essex Senior leagues. If their opposition is anything like Basildon, they may just achieve it.

[Apologies for lack of names - I couldn't find a teamsheet for love nor money. Photo via flashboy @ Twitgoo]

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The twofootedtackle season preview: The Conference

It's non-league Jim, but not as we know it. Gone are the days when most Conference teams could be relied on to field at least one postman in their side. Today's Conference, or Blue Square Bet Premier if you will, feels much more like a version of League Two from the 1980s.

Yes, there are some resolutely non-league clubs, led by Forest Green Rovers, currently the side with the longest unbroken spell in the division (just), but there's a lot of big ex-league clubs who've fallen on lean times and are champing at the bit to escape back to the League. As Exeter, Oxford and Torquay will tell you, this is no easy feat.

But for all that, the Conference is a reasonably competitive league where a few of the smaller teams can, with a bit of nous, punch above their weight. There's also the obligatory financial collapse, although with the departure of Chester, Grays and Ebbsfleet, non-league's top flight is looking a little less insolvent. Only a little, mind.

Winners

This could be the exact same wording from last year, as Luton Town, the biggest team in the League, make a second go at trying to get out of the Conference. Widely tipped as favourites last season, the Hatters discovered what many an ex-league team before them had painfully found out: The Conference is a hard league to get out of.

Luton go into this campaign with the wise head of Richard Money in charge and a very strong squad. Inspirational midfielder Keith Keane will pull the strings while there's plenty of league experience. In honesty, this team is good enough for League Two. In reality, it'll be a tight fight.

Play-offs

Crawley Town used to be a solid mid-table Conference team always on the verge of a financial crisis, but last season's takeover at the Broadfield has seen them flashing the cash and then some. Matt Tubbs has arrived from Salisbury for £70,000 and Sergio Torres from Peterborough for £100,000. Yes, you read those sums correctly. They've also had six figure bids for Lee Tomlin and Danny Kedwell turned down. The Red Devils are like the Manchester City of non-league, only, with Steve Evans in charge, infinitely less popular. If the squad gel, they'll be pushing hard for the title.

Grimsby Town are preparing for life in the Conference after a rapid decline that saw them drop out of the League despite a late rally. The Mariners have kept faith with Neil Woods and have the advantge of not being in financial turmoil. Captain Lee Peacock has stayed with the club and Grimsby have a decent defence. An immediate return may be beyond them but the Mariners are a good bet for the play-offs.

York City were beaten play-off finalists last time around but crucially have so far kept hold of star striker Richard Brodie, while Alex Lawless and Neil Barrett provide the creativity in the centre of the park. Martin Foyle has created a great team spirit around the Minstermen and providing them can avoid a play-off hangover a top five place once again beckons.

In the Conference, money often talks and new boys Fleetwood Town have plenty to say. Last season's Blue Square North play-off winner have cash to burn thanks to chairman Andy Pilley while manager Mickey Mellon has made one of the signings of the summer in former title winner with Accrington, Ian Craney. Brazilian Magno Viera will provide muscle up front as The Cod Army chase a second successive promotion.

Fighting chance

Darlington's preparation for the season has been far from ideal. First manager Simon Davey resigned, went incommunicado, and turned up at Hereford. Then Davey's replacement, Ryan Kidd, resigned just eleven days into the job. But chairman Raj Singh's appointment of former Kettering and Peterborough boss Mark Cooper is a sensible one and he'll be out to prove he deserves a chance to manage at a higher level.

Paul terry should prove a decent signing at this level, while teenager striker Curtis Main is generating no small amount of excitement. For all that, though, the Quakers may have to rattle around in their giant stadium at this level for at least another season.

Cambridge United endured a frustrating season under Martin Ling last season, not helped by boardroom instability and a big rebuilding job following two unsuccessful play-off finals. This season should see progress made but the strength of the league means they may have to settle for flirting with the play-offs. Poaching goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt from Histon was a masterstroke and should shore up a back line, although Ling has taken somewhat of a gamble with Conference legend Daryl Clare and fellow forward Wayne Gray. On paper, the front line should have goals in it, but this is by no means guaranteed.

Relegation

This will be the season when Histon's meteroic rise catches up with them. After stunning Leeds and making the playoffs two seasons ago, the Stutes slid down the league amid turmoul in the boardroom and on the pitch, with rumours of cash flow problems floating around. Former assistant boss John Beck is back and in charge but he has one of the smallest budgets in the division and has lost the majority of Histon's best players. Lanre Obyebanjo and Antonio Murray may be at the Glassworld but the squad looks weak and the village team look set to tumble back down the pyramid.

Bath City manager Adie Britton admitted the club was about a year ahead of schedule with promotion and that may show on the pitch. Ken Loach's favourite team will be delighted to have made it to the Conference and, in Scott Murray and Lee Phillips, have two proven performers at this level, but the Romans shouldn't expect anything other than a season of struggle. 20th place would be an excellent finish for them.

Hayes and Yeading impressed many observers with with 17th place finished last season and United are now a full-time club in all but name, but they've lost some excellent players along the way and summer signings have been sluggish. Garry Haylock's team were written off last season as well only to escape the job, but they'll have their work cut out to achieve the same feat again.

Gateshead have also made the step to full time which, depending on your viewpoint, is either ambitious of foolhardy, considering they play in front of some of the smallest crowds in the division. Manager Ian Bogie has had to do plenty of wheeling and dealing to replace players who couldn't commit to full time. Johnny Allan, a summer signing from Northwich, knows what it's like to score goals in a struggling team and that's probably what he'll have to do if the Heed's on the pitch performances are to match the ambition off it.

Waving, but not drowning

Forest Green Rovers were nailed on for the drop a few weeks ago but energy millionaire Dale Vince has confirmed he will be investing in the club and manager Dave Hockaday has followed this up by seven signings. Reprieved after Salisbury were expelled last season,Vince's investment may just have come in time to save the Nailsworth team from relegation and possible adminstration. They will be struggling though.

Tamworth had a solid first season back in the Conference under Gary Mills but the squad currently looks very bare. Ex-Leicester midfielder Stefan Oakes can still cut it as this level and the Lambs will need every inch of his experience if they're not to suffer a second season hangover. Injuries could severely hurt Mills' team.

Eastbourne Borough continue to defy the odds and yet again will be favourites for the drop, but long-serving boss Garry Wilson has a strong central pairing of Gary Elphick and Matt Langston while well-travelled striker Richard Pacquette will be leading the line. The Sports are never going to be challenging at the top of the table but have a strong enough squad to stay out of trouble.

And the rest...

Rushden and Diamonds did a fantastic job to reach the play-offs last season but the loss of Lee Tomlin to Peterborough on the eve of the season is a blow for Justin Edinburgh's team. Rushden are a solid side but it's tight up the top and there may be no room for them to squeeze into the play-offs.

AFC Wimbledon have gone full-time over the summer but have the same budget as last year, which has meant somewhat of a clearout. Andre Blackman could be one of the signings of the season and expect the Dons to be strong, although they may have to settle for a season of consolidating in the top half of the table.

Mansfield Town impressed in fits and starts last season and David Holdsworth's tem look set for more of the same. Not strong enough for the play-offs and too good for relegation.

Wrexham need to push on under coach Dean Saunders having underachieved for the past two seasons. Dragons fans are optimistic, but Saunders still doesn't seem to know his best team or even have confidence in his signings. There may be an improvement at the Racecourse ground, but it'll be a gradual one.

Newport County won the Conference South in style and are dark horses for a run at the play-offs this season. Chris Todd will lend experience to Dean Holdsworth's defence and the Exiles should have a comfortable first season in the Blue Square Premier.

Kettering's good finish last season owed much to the form under former boss Mark Cooper. Lee Harper now faces a tough season as the Poppies may struggle to replicate their top half finish. Having an unpredictable chairman in Imraam Ladak doesn't help either.

Southport are back in the Conference after a three year absence, although top scorer Ciaran Kilheeney has left the Soundgrounders as he was unable to commit to Conference football. Liam Watson is a sensible manager and it should be an uneventful season at Haig Avenue.

Altrincham have ridigly refused to break thier budget and this stability is slowly leading to process for the Manchester club. Graham Heatcote's men will be hard to beat, although losing striker Colin Little means the Robins will need goals. Mid-table.

The Barrow rollercoaster will continue this season with unpredictability the name of the game. Last season the FA Trophy victory proved the Bluebirds could beat anybody over one game but couldn't put a run together. A bottom half finish is likely but don't rule out more cup heroics, especially a few teams will relish the long trip north.

Kidderminster Harriers should be where they always are in the Conference, mid-table looking up at the play-offs. Steve Burr may need another season before he can get the Harriers challenging for a return to the league.

And that is the entirity of England's top five divisions previewed. twofootedtackle will continue to give non-league as much coverage as we can and we strongly urge you to get along to support your local club at some point this season. On Saturday the Premier Lague is back and non-league is back and, for very different reasons, we've missed them both. Bring it on.

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The first rule of FA Club...

Back when tickets first went on sale for the rebuilt Wembley Stadium the idea of splashing out for ten years' worth of Club Wembley access horrified me, not just because of the expense but because I'm no advocate of football's commercialisation and I certainly don't favour anything that treats the action on offer as some primitive, dumbed down form of theatre.

I swore there and then that I'd never set foot inside Club Wembley. I'm a football traditionalist and a football traditionalist I shall remain. To this day, I've been true to my word. Er...sort of.

On Wednesday night, thanks to our friends at Umbro, I leapfrogged Club Wembley and headed straight into another world, a world where football is a mere sideshow and leggy blonde teenagers are paid to smile at and hold doors open for the great and the good. And, for one night only, a couple of sarcastic and cynical football bloggers. The FA Club (pictured) is a phenomenon I had no idea existed within our national stadium. Despite an enjoyable evening in wonderful company, I wish I still didn't.

The FA Club experience is one so surreal that I'm certain I'll look back on it in weeks to come and convince myself that the free booze came from a not-free hotel minibar and I'd actually spent the evening hallucinating in a pool of gravy and urine about tiny food and Martin Keown's strangely polished and yet slightly awkward stage manner.

After going through a good three or four levels of security, we were handed a bottle of a well-known lager on the way into the grand room; this was a trend that continued throughout the evening. Pool, table football and air hockey were all on offer (and on the FA, of course) along with an impressive selection of what can only be described as pick-and-mix food. Sweet chilli chicken noodles and miniature bangers and mash do not a tasty partnership make, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Bizarrely, The FA Club clientele doubles up for the majority of the evening as a live studio audience for another odd FA enterprise, namely the television football experience in person. Jake Humphrey ably anchored the night, squeezing the occasional bit of useful punditry from BBC colleague Martin Keown and nothing at all from Sky's Chris Kamara except another seamless plug for that oil company that paid him to change his name in the summer.

Add in an insightful couple of minutes from ITV's Clive Tyldesley pitchside and we'd been treated to a heady supergroup of football punditry that left me unsure about my feelings towards these men being in the FA's employ. I'm pretty sure Toby Anstis recorded the public announcements in there too.

The serious point, of course, is that the Football Association has to do this kind of thing because without it, Wembley simply can't exist. North-west London's white elephant has caused the FA to embark upon a desperate scramble for money. Why does the FA Club exist? In part, it's so that Trevor Brooking, Peter Ridsdale and unbearable TV twat Ben Shepherd have somewhere to be before the game, although I think Sir Trev slinked off in a dignified way before proceedings really began.

But really, it's the same reason we have to put up with mind-bogglingly expensive tickets and FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley: our governing body needs to pay for a truly disastrous project. Still, at least the pitch looked decent.

There was a football match too, of course. I faintly remember it happening between a brief interview with Connor Wickham and a phenomenal pie so small that I'd have pretended to be a giant were I not in sophisticated company.

The game itself has been analysed to death elsewhere, so I'll be brief: the performance was as disjointed as you'd expect from a side with new players after a bad tournament, but I'm glad I was there for two breath-taking goals and good individual performances from Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and, in flashes, Theo Walcott and Ashley Young. Adam Johnson and Kieran Gibbs looked comfortable too.

As for the FA Club, I had fun and I'll probably do it again, but it's no way to watch football on a regular basis, especially if you care deeply about the outcome. I may have had a great time, but I'm itching for the Ryman Premier to start so I can get back to gritty, balls-out reality. This is the dichotomy that will come to dominate modern football.

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TFT Podcast Episode 60: Chris Lines

After almost exactly a month, the twofootedtackle is back to discuss the salient issues from the world of football. It's been a big news week ahead of the Premier League kick-off, and it's not all been good news. Adam Stansfield, a pod favourite and especially admired by Exeter supporter Gary Andrews, passed away earlier this week after battling with bowel cancer. He was just 31.

Top of the mainstream media's agenda is, of course, the beginning of the Premier League season tomorrow. It's not often Aston Villa hog the headlines in the days leading up to season start, but the resignation of Martin O'Neill has caught the imagination. As information leaks out of the club, it seems as though O'Neill must take his fair share (i.e. most) of the blame for a complete breakdown in his relationship with Randy Lerner.

If indeed the dispute centres on the need to reduce the wage bill, a growing minority of Villa fans won't be sad to see the back of him. The timing of his departure is, for many, the final insult from a man who displayed nothing but contempt for supporters during his time at the club. In modern football, where match-going supporters are last on the list of priorities, that kind of behaviour is beginning to grate.

Villa kick off under a caretaker manager against West Ham United on a weekend which sees Arsenal travel to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur take on Manchester City. There is already no room for error.

Joined in the studio by AFC Bournemouth supporter and Narrow The Angle author Chris Lines, we preview the Premier League campaign and predict success for Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea.

But it's not all billionaires at TFT, oh no. We also look ahead to the season in the next four divisions. In the Championship, Middlesbrough are the favourites to take the title but that's by no means a certainty. The promotion race is very open this year, with no stand-out team that looks capable of dominating. It will be interesting to see who proves me wrong.

League One sees Chris L's Bournemouth and Gary's Exeter look to establish themselves in their first and second seasons respectively in the third division. Southampton are clear favourites to top the table despite an opening day slip-up at home to Plymouth Argyle, but half the division will be hoping to pick up at least a spot in the playoffs.

In League Two, it's arguably Wycombe Wanderers who will lead the way but the pod is in agreement that Stevenage, under Graham Westley, might have what it takes to raise a few eyebrows this term. The relegation battle, for once not twisted beyond recognition by either a spate of points deductions or an obviously collapsing outfit like Darlington, is alarmingly open. It will be a nervous season as teams look to avoid the two gaping holes at the bottom of the Football League.

We also take a dip into non-league and the Football Conference's top flight, now known as the Blue Square Bet Premier. York City, Cambridge United and Luton Town will be listed as likely candidates for a League return but upstarts Wimbledon will fancy a go too.

And they're not the only ones. There is significant investment behind Fleetwood Town and particularly Crawley Town that could really throw a spanner in the works for the big boys.

Steve Evans at Crawley has been tasked effectively with buying promotion and the fact that he appears to be able to pay six-figure sums up front has helped him bring in a number of players capable of influencing just that.

You can hear us discuss all that and more, including a very quick glance back into Major League Soccer and what's been happening during our break, on the twofootedtackle Podcast.

Please leave your comments below, follow us on Twitter, be our fan on Facebook and send your questions and comments to twofootedtackle[at]googlemail[dot]com - we also want audio contributions to the show, so feel free to get in touch about that.

You can listen to the latest episode below:
Download link (mp3, 62mb, 67 mins)

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The twofootedtackle season preview: Premier League

Last week, Gary Andrews shared his pre-season thoughts on no fewer than 72 football clubs, taking the TFT readers through League Two, League One and the Championship in detail ahead of the big kick-off on Friday and Saturday.

This coming weekend, the Premier League is back for the 2010/11 season and the media powers that be are in the process of whipping us all into a frenzy. With that in mind, it must be Premier League preview time. This one's a little different from Gary's because it has a dual purpose: as well as looking ahead to the season, we've some news.

I am delighted to formally announce that twofootedtackle will, over the next couple of weeks, be relaunched with a brand new look (professionally designed and built by top men...TOP. MEN.) and, most importantly, a team of talented, football mad writers. You'll know some of them from other blogs, others not so, and you might have met one thanks to his habit of talking to anyone in the street in the name of broadened horizons.

So, ahead of the Premier League's start this weekend, we asked a few of them to share their thoughts on the pertinent top flight questions for 2010/11. You'll be hearing from all these guys and a few more on a regular basis over the course of the season as part of the all-new twofootedtackle. Enjoy!

Who will win the Premier League?

Terry Duffelen: Arsenal (subject to securing a top class goalkeeper) - Cesc's final season will be a glorious one for the Gunners.

Lara O'Reilly: I’m staying loyal - Arsenal.

Ian Walsh: For me, it has to be Chelsea. Not set reason as to why, without being cliched. By far the strongest team last season, and haven't really lost their core unit of players. I think Arsenal will give them a good challenge, and possibly even the Manchester City juggernaut that is coming up in the rear-view mirror.

Mat Rodger: Chelsea - but they'll be pushed harder.

Kirsten Schlewitz: Man United.

Gary Andrews: Chelsea, somewhat inevitably. They are aging but they're also still probably the best, most consistent side around. Benayoun and Ramires are good additions and I can see them doing a few more seven goal victories. Ancelotti's team remain the side to beat.

Alex Callaghan: Tottenham Hotspur will win the Premiership on the basis that it's their turn. If Chelsea or Manchester United show as much commitment to playing football as they do selling replica shirts to people in the Far East they may also be in with a shout.

Who will finish in the Champions League spots?

TD: Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool - Hodgson will reinvigorate Liverpool with some innovative tactics and grab fourth spot.

LO: Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.

IW: Arsenal, Man City and Man United.

MR: Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City. City have too much quality and far too much money to fall short this season.

KS: Arsenal, Chelsea, City.

GA: Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City, although don't ask me in what order. As ever, there's a depressing predictability about the top of the table that it's hard to get excited about. Arsenal look strong, although they'd be a better bet for the title next season.

United can never be ruled out but certainly aren't the team they once were. It'll be interesting to see how Herdandez does in attack. City could push Chelsea all the way, or they could just scrape fourth, but they should be in the Champions League spots. Possibly.

AC: Aside from Spurs, I would have to say Chelsea and the two Manchesters.

Who'll finish in the Europa League spots?

TD: Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur - Spurs will struggle to repeat that success from last season. City will come close, but will not be consistent enough to maintain a UCL spot.

LO: Liverpool, Tottenham, Fulham.

IW: Liverpool, Spurs, Aston Villa

MR: Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton - even with Joe Cole on board and Torres staying put, I can't see Liverpool improving much on last season.

KS: Spurs, Liverpool, Villa (I hope).

GA: Spurs are the obvious ones here, although much depends on their Champions League campaign. The better they do in Europe, the worse they may do in the League, and vice-versa. Their squad is impressively strong and deep, though, and they'll make life uncomfortable for the teams above them.

Liverpool will probably finish in sixth. They won't be embarrassed under Hodgson, but may have to accept this will be a season of stability with one eye on next year rather than getting back in the Champions League this season. They should be more consistent than last season.

Everton will probably be pushing as David Moyes continues to enhance his reputation, while I can see either Bolton or Fulham flirting with Europe this season. Villa will go backwards.

AC: There's something strangely apt about the multinational creche known as Arsenal becoming Europa League candidates. The final place will go to the best team in Liverpool, which is Everton.

Who'll get relegated?

TD: Blackpool, West Brom and Blackburn Rovers - With precious few additions for Big Sam to work with it will be last call at the Rovers.

LO: West Ham, West Brom, Blackpool.

IW: Sorry Blackpool, but I am afraid you are up the creek without a paddle. West Brom will continue their typically yo-yo form, and one controversial one, West Ham.

MR: Blackpool, West Ham, Wolves.

KS: Birmingham City. No? Ok, Blackpool, West Brom, and West Ham

GA: Much as I'd love Blackpool to defy the odds, I can't see them finishing anywhere other than in the bottom three. Ian Holloway's a fantastic manager and will spring a few surprises, but the squad just isn't Premier League material.

West Brom will probably continue their yo-yo season again, although should put up much more of a fight than their last season in the Premier League, and Di Matteo won't be afraid to order his team to get stuck in if it isn't going their way. They'll just fall short though.

Finally, this is the season when Wigan's Premier League adventure will come to an end. They're far too inconsistent and tend to lose their best players. You never know quite what Wigan will turn up and they might stumble into the bottom three without really knowing how they got there.

AC: It's difficult to look past Blackpool. I don't think Wolves have strengthened sufficiently this season. Fulham could slip down.

Which team, if any, will be a surprise package?

TD: West Ham - Avram Grant will take the Hammers into the top half and no one will be quite sure why.

LO: Arsenal. No major signings over the summer, but Arsenal will be the product of years of development this season. Players like Gibbs, Wilshere and Ramsey will be the new Winterburn, Vieira and Parlour. Arsenal will prove this season that the more money spent in the transfer window doesn’t necessarily convert into the more points gained in a season.

IW: Sunderland - it sounds like an odd choice, but Steve Bruce has done quite a lot of team building since becoming manager and has brought in some quality players, certainly, they will be looking to finish above the top ten this season. It may be predictable, but I also think that Manchester City could surprise a lot of people.

MR: Newcastle United. Buoyed by the success they found in the Championship, having remembered how to win football matches and with a decent team spirit, I predict them staying up easily and even pushing for a top-half finish late on. They could, of course, resume normal service and be rubbish. Either way, they'll be one of the stories of the season.

KS: Wigan. Roberto Martinez. I have faith in that man.

GA: As mentioned above, I quite fancy Bolton to do well. Martin Petrov is a great addition and their squad is reasonably strong. Owen Coyle's knows how to get the best out of a team that might not quite be the sum of its parts and I can see them able to mix it up and play a slightly more attractive brand of football. They have the potential to upset a few bigger names along the way.

AC: I think that Blackburn, Stoke and Bolton will develop from scrappy, pugnacious teams winning by a single goal margin into...er...scrappy, pugnacious teams winning by a single goal margin.

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Adam Stansfield: 1978 - 2010

Exeter City striker Adam Stansfield sadly passed away on Tuesday 10th August. He was just 31.

The striker, who wore the number 9 shirt, was born in Tiverton and started his career first with local sides Cullompton Rangers and then Elmore, where his goalscoring exploits attracted the attention of league clubs.

After trials with Exeter and Torquay, he signed for Gary Johnson's Yeovil Town and was their top scorer in his first season with 15 goals, but missed the whole of the following season after breaking his leg in the first game of the new season.

In 2004, he moved to Hereford United, where he scored 20 goals in his first season, and a further five the next season. After playing in their play-off final victory over Halifax Town, he moved 'home' to Exeter City, where he became an instant success, scoring 39 goals across all competitions.

'Stanno' was a hugely popular striker at Exeter, both because he was a local player, but also because of his workrate and refusal to give up lost causes, often covering every blade of grass on the pitch.

Off the pitch, Adam was a true gentleman, softly spoken, intelligent and rarely seen without a smile on his face. I had the privilege of interviewing him on a regular basis and he was a genuine, down-to-earth person, happy to use his experience to help guide the younger players at the club.

His last game for the club was in March 2010. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in April.

Our thoughts at twofootedtackle are with Adam's family and friends.

RIP Adam

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O'Neill walks out on Villa

Aston Villa are managerless following the resignation of Martin O'Neill just days before the start of the season. The reaction, dominated by fingers pointed at chairman Randy Lerner, is one of shock and gloom, but there is more to O'Neill's departure than meets the eye. The 2010/11 season for Villa is now effectively a write-off, but you can be sure that any backwards movement will be blamed squarely on the American owner.

The reality is that decline for Villa this season is inevitable. O'Neill managed to guide his side to sixth place again last term but a repeat would have been nothing short of miraculous in the current circumstances. His replacement will do well to finish in the top half of the Premier League, but any assumption come May that O'Neill would have done better will be delusional. Villa, O'Neill or no, were always heading for a crash this season.

The transfer investment required to arrest that drop will form the essence of most assumptions over the coming days. Pundits outside the club have already decided that it is gospel truth that Randy Lerner, and by extension Aston Villa, is skint. Without money, the sad reality of the Premier League is any club is unlikely to succeed or even stand still. If the club is in genuine trouble then I've been suckered in by Lerner's admittedly smooth public relations, but I really don't think that is the case.

O'Neill has been supported well in the transfer market, bringing in players other managers can only dream of. However, he has also squandered much of the money he's been allowed to spend. Quite frankly, if the transfer budget is restricted not because Lerner is out of cash but because he no longer trusts O'Neill to spend it wisely, I fully support the chairman's view. The number of players brought in by O'Neill for relatively large fees and who rarely feature in the first team is a disgrace. I wouldn't give the man a penny more to waste.

A number of those players are tied to contracts that have angered those in power at Aston Villa, owing to the fact that players are being paid to be frozen out by their boss. As an acquaintance of mine said yesterday, let's not assume the club is in financial trouble - it's more likely that it's taking steps to prevent it. A quick glance at the Villa squad will put you into one of two camps: you'll either think that O'Neill was right not to play the players he omitted consistently, or you'll think he should make better use of his squad. After almost exactly four years in the job, he was responsible either way.

Some of those players have apparently been appallingly treated at Villa. Luke Young, easily the best full back at the club, fell out of favour and watched on as Carlos Cuellar, an excellent centre back, did an average job on the right. Curtis Davies would be justified in being upset at seemingly being played with an injury and then ignored completely upon his return from the treatment he was finally allowed to have.

Nigel Reo-Coker's situation is more complicated and the player himself must accept the part he reportedly played, but there have been times he could have been just what Villa needed.

The ins and outs of O'Neill's man-management will be picked over for weeks, I'm sure. Lerner's benevolence will be continually questioned, and his choice for manager judged against a predecessor who, despite his failings and a tendency to stall late every season, got it right for the most part on the field. Game to game, O'Neill is a frustrating man. He appears entirely tactically illiterate, loves square pegs in round holes and seems stubborn beyond belief.

That said, if O'Neill were another manager, one who'd not lost my respect on a personal level, I'd be more inclined to be saddened by his choice to leave Villa Park. He is clearly passionate about the game, hates losing and has ultimately turned in final positions that were more than acceptable, even if this season's would - and will - almost certainly be lower.

But as football becomes more expensive to watch, more clubs become playthings of the mega-rich and the top clubs can pluck the best players from even Europa League clubs without a second thought, the importance of treating supporters with respect grows but its execution dwindles. Sadly, O'Neill's been a prime exponent of the attitude that has driven me into non-league. It costs a fortune to follow a top flight football team in 2010, and O'Neill - despite his paying "tribute" to the supporters yesterday - has upset rather a lot of us in the last two years or so.

For some, Villa's infamous trip to CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Cup was the final straw, not helped by the fact that the team's quest for fourth then fizzled out with months to spare. But for me it was O'Neill's comments regarding booing that lost him my respect and ultimately led to my positivity in the light of his resignation.

Villa supporters now have a reputation for booing their own players and it simply isn't justified. A year ago, Villa hosted Wigan Athletic in the opening game of last season after a dismal run that saw the team end 2008/09 with fewer victories in '09 than is remotely acceptable. Typically slow in the summer transfer market, O'Neill sent out a team whose performance was worrying reminiscent of what had gone before. Frustrated, the supporters booed.

It wasn't right and it wasn't particularly clever to boo the team after the first game of the season, but as a non-booing attendee that day I can say with absolute certainty that it resulted from the fact that the calendar year 2009, either side the summer break, was thoroughly unacceptable. It wasn't a reaction to one game, it was a response to several months. It also, no matter what you're told elsewhere, wasn't any more unusual than the booing that happens at every other club in the country. Sorry to spoil the illusion.

Where O'Neill irritated many supporters including myself was in his response to the events that day. He had his say after the game and with that I'm entirely comfortable. If fans can boo, managers can have a swipe back. They're not robots. But Villa's next game was a trip to Anfield, where Villa won 3-1 with a gritty if unstylish performance in front of vocal travelling support.

A perfect time, if ever there was one, to draw a line under the ugliness of the previous match. A win at Anfield, before it became clear how Liverpool's season would turn out, was no mean feat. The club should have been unified, O'Neill should have said the matter was over and done with, and the club should move on together after a brilliant result. Instead, he continued to give this booing nonsense airtime and in doing so lost the support of myself and many of the fans I know who were already teetering.

He also cemented our reputation as a booing club, when in actual fact we're no worse than any other set of supporters. In this day and age, when football offers so little to its true supporters, the least I expect is for some respect from the man in charge of my club. I know others felt the same.

Couple that with the occasionally turgid and always predictable fare on offer, and you can be sure I'm not the only one who isn't distraught to see him go. For some, the timing of his resignation - and I do sincerely hope it is for football rather than family reasons, which would sadden me greatly - is questionable. For me, it's the final insult.

However, the reasons for his departure fill me with trepidation. Why now? I'd like to think it's because he's decided he can't go on without the backing of the chairman and that that backing is lacking because he can't be trusted with it. I worry that something more serious is at play, and the identity of O'Neill's replacement might well say a lot about the stability of Aston Villa.

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Cassano, Rossi and Balotelli in as Prandelli begins Azzurri makeover

Three cheers, ladies and gentlemen, for Cesare Prandelli.

For Italian football enthusiasts, the former Fiorentina coach might just be the man who can bring the sexy back to the national team. Marcello Lippi's final squad selection, the 23 players who represented the Azzurri at the World Cup in South Africa, was so staid and predictable that its stale stench reached even me in London. Sure enough, Italy thoroughly disappointed, exhibiting limited firepower and the defending of exhausted legs.

Lippi's replacement is a lover of attractive football, moulding the Viola into a flowing, attacking side and without doubt one of the best to watch in Serie A. If his teams in Florence were anything to go by, Prandelli values pace, skill, passing and goals as well as ill-fitting jackets. The great hope for national team supporters and Italian football buffs after Italy's dismal showing earlier this summer is that Prandelli will take the squad forward by doing away with some of the old regulars and rebuilding it in his image.

Three of the big European countries disappointed badly in South Africa, but anybody lumping Italy in with France and England as a crisis country could be in for a surprise. Italy will bounce back, and with Prandelli in charge they might just do it in some style. The talent is plentiful, and it's to Lippi's enormous discredit that he ignored so much of it.

The new Azzurri is an exciting prospect and Prandelli's first squad selection is a very encouraging step in the right direction. Italy face the Ivory Coast in an international friendly on Tuesday at Upton Park, of all places, and the squad has rather a fresh feel.

A quick look through the list brings one's attention to AC Milan defender Luca Antonini, Palermo's Mattia Cassani and Antonini's team-mate Marco Borriello. The experienced players that remain make sense, too. Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus is going to be a crucial influence over the team under Prandelli, as is Daniele De Rossi. Riccardo Montolivo, Fabio Quagliarella and Simone Pepe have all the attributes to be effective as they bridge the gap between the young players and those with more experience. Montolivo is a trusted charge of Prandelli's and will likely be given huge responsibility.

The headlines, though, centre not on reliable and talented midfielders but on two utterly unpredictable livewires and one Italian-American striker whose World Cup dream was dashed by Lippi's risk-averse World Cup selection. At Villarreal, Giuseppe Rossi has emerged as one of Italy's brightest hopes and has been called back into the squad by Prandelli. Goalscoring forward? Check.

Vying with Rossi and Quagliarella for a place up front are two of the Azzurri's biggest characters for years. Antonio Cassano, the sublime Sampdoria forward, has vowed to dedicate his life after football to sex and food. For now, though, he's got unfinished international business to attend to. A campaign to get him to South Africa faltered and he got married instead. Many Italians, and certainly thousands of football geeks, will welcome him back into the fold with open arms.

Also making a pleasing return is Inter Milan's testy but talented teenager Mario Balotelli. Balo's summer has been dominated by transfer speculation as Manchester City's unfathomable wealth hunts for A-listers to add to City's quest to emerge from United's shadow. His selection for the Azzurri will be an attractive distraction and may indicate that Prandelli shares the great hope that Balotelli's talent will overcome his temperament. His attitude - often in the face of severe provocation, it should be said - threatens to turn Balotelli into an unmanageable enigma.

There's been a lot of talk lately about the love in football, based on the defensive strategies employed by many sides in South Africa. In all honesty, I'm not sure how much love for the game there is in Cassano and Balotelli. The Brat from Bari certainly appears to be one of those players who simply sees football as a career. Balotelli doesn't much seem to love anything about the game. But by God, I love watching them.

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England return with friendly against Hungary

The World Cup may prove to be a watershed in the way we both run and follow football in this country. The competition exposed some glaring problems with our methods, highlighting, amongst other things, both that our coaching doesn't seem capable of producing players with the flair and technical ability found elsewhere and that our league is structured and scheduled in such a way that it will prevent the England team from succeeding unless significant reform is carried out.

As supporters, we are becoming less forgiving of the players we pay through the nose to watch every week. The salaries being handed out in the Premier League have progressed into the obscene rather than the merely ridiculous. While clubs are increasingly becoming playthings for billionaires, punters are expected to stump up a portion of the playing costs through inflated ticket prices.

But what do we expect? The 'fan' - the guy in some far-flung country who sits watching games on Justin.tv in his official replica shirt and only goes to games when one of the so-called Big Four happens to be on tour - is the Premier League's target market. Supporters are meaningless.

Despite this, and even with England's dire performance in 2006 relatively fresh in the memory, the more optimistic among us still felt that World Cup 2010 would be different. It'll be a welcome break from the domestic game, we told ourselves. They play well for their clubs so we might do okay if they keep their form up. Those days are over.

The backlash was striking, if inevitable. Reputations have been punctured, tolerance destroyed. If top level football has abandoned its supporters - and it has - then the players can no longer get away with giving anything less than their all, whether that's the effort and hard work we'd expect from well-paid professionals or the quality we all know they have but was so frustratingly absent in South Africa. I'd already decided before the end of last season that my relationship with the Premier League should end. In June, the England team was added to the list, at least in its current framework.

Strange, then, that I find myself now less than a week away from England's first post-World Cup friendly and I have a ticket. Okay, I didn't pay for it, but still. Next Wednesday, Fabio Capello's side will step out onto the Wembley turf and into what I can only presume will be a vocal and forthright response from the supporters present. We might be a pushover, but we'll damned well protest roundly for a few seconds if you wrong us!

This friendly against Hungary borders on the utterly pointless and one can only presume it was arranged...you know, just in case. It's angered Premier League managers, most notably Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill (although seeing him search for excuses is like watching a pig hunting for truffles), who bemoan its timing just before the all-important Premier League season kicks off in a bluster of undeserved and cringeworthy bombast next weekend.

Now, it serves just one possible purpose aside from the crowd's - sorry, Mr Scudamore, the audience's - noisy guard of dishonour. It remains to be seen whether Capello's squad will shed any of the old guard, those players experienced in achieving absolutely nothing at international and assured of their places as a result.

We can but hope that the Italian boss sees this game as an opportunity to begin the process of scraping the surface. The under-21s face Uzbekistan the night before the Hungary fixture, and a handful of absences from that squad give cause for hope that Capello will bring the likes of Lee Cattermole and Jack Wilshere into his squad and begin to plot the end for a number of senior players who've now let us down for the best part of a decade.

A true solution requires much more. It needs a cultural shift, it needs better support for coaches and it needs Burton. The task of Capello and the England coaches for the next ten or fifteen years is to bridge the gap between World Cup 2010 and the day a home-grown 5'6" playmaker creates a yard of space and chips a match-winning pass over a defence in a World Cup match.

The best option we have now is to make the most of the not unsubstantial young talent we have and make room for them by dispensing with the spent forces that were taken on holiday to South Africa this summer. That process should begin now, and if it does I'll be there to see it.

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The twofootedtackle season preview: The Championship

This season's Championship promises to be one of the closest and more fascinating yet. Usually you can base your predictions on one or two big spenders plus last seasons relegated clubs for the top spots, but this season has a slightly different feel to it.

Hull and Burnley are by no means nailed on for a return to the Premier League, let alone challenge for promotion and as for Portsmouth, well... we don't really need to go into their problems again do we?

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest, Swansea and Cardiff haven't exactly strengthened, while newly-promoted Leeds, Norwich and Millwall will all be competitive - there's no indication any of them will do a Peterborough.

So, the big names jostle among the not-so-big names and reputation counts for nothing. This could be one of the most competitive Championships in years. Or one team could well walk away with it all...

Winners

Middlesbrough are the bookies favourites and there's certainly a buzz around the Riverside that has even the most pessimistic Boro fan looking towards the top of the table. After last season's damp squib, Gordon Strachan has been rebuilding Middlesbrough in his image.

Nicky Bailey, Kris Boyd and Stephen McManus have the chance to prove their credentials for a shot at the Premier League, although we'll soon find out if signing most of the Scottish Premier League's best players was an inspired move or a very stupid one. If they're not the team to beat, they'll probably self-implode, languish in mid-table and Strachan will be down the job centre.

Promotion

Leicester City fans are probably still ruing the one chipped penalty in last year's play-offs, but while manager Nigel Pearson has departed for Hull, new boss Paolo Sousa has been quietly adding to the squad.

With a bit of momentum behind them, and a relatively weak chasing pack, this could be the year the Foxes finally return to the Premier League. Jack Hobbs has turned into an absolute rock at the back, while if Matty Fryatt can stay injury free,he stands a good chance of finishing as the Championship's top scorer.

Plus, there's even more good news for Leicester fans - Yann Kermorgant is out on loan for the whole season.

Play-offs

Who would have thought that, at the start of last season, Burnley would end up being the best placed club to bounce back to the Premier League? Yet the Clarets have a great chance to show that they're worthy of another shot at the top flight.

Steven Fletcher and Robbie Blake are big losses, but if Chris Iwelumo can replicate his form from two seasons ago, they could well have the firepower to attack the top spots. With such a tight league, Burnely will never have a better chance to bounce back. Now is the time for Brian Laws to prove the doubters wrong.

A do or die season for Sheffield United awaits. The Blades are now starting their fourth Championship campaign and there's a feeling that Kevin Blackwell needs to take the club into the play-offs to avoid becoming a middling Championship side.

Losing Darius Henderson and Simon Walton to long-term injuries won't help, but there's enough firepower with Ched Evans and Daniel Bogdanovic up front, while Nyron Nosworthy is a good Championship addition at the back. If they can get some consistency going, the play-offs are not beyond them.

Six months ago, Reading looked odds on for relegation but such has been the turnaround under Brian McDermott that they're among the promotion favourites, and with good cause.

Up front Shane Long, Noel Hunt and Simon Church are a handful, while McDermott is getting the best out of the mercurial talents of Jobi MCAnuff and Jem Karacan. Make no mistake, this is a strong, cohesive squad that will give as good as they get this season. A top six finish is theirs to throw away.

With a level - and some may say weak - Championship, the promoted teams have a great chance to carry their momentum on and Leeds United could well sneak into the play-offs. Simon Grayson's team have the pressure off having won finally escaped League One, which may help solve their occasional tendency to freeze.

Jermain Beckford may be gone, but this too could free up some of his team mates to step into the limelight. Billy Paynter has big boots to fill up front, but Lloyd Sam should provide him with delicious crosses. With Robert Snodgrass and Patrick Kisnorbo to return from injury later this season, Leeds have an impressive squad.

Fighting chance

Bristol City have made the headlines by signing England keeper David James but the appointment of Steve Coppell as manager is a far more important signing. Coppell excels at getting the best from teams, although he made need several months for the squad to settle.

Nicky Hunt is a good signing in defence, while Nicky Maynard should continue to impress up front when he returns from injury. The Robins may have to wait another season before launching their promotion bid but they'll be competitive this year.

Many have Nottingham Forest down to launch another assault on the automatic places but not all is well at the City ground. Manager Billy Davies has been waging an open war of words with the board and has been quiet in the transfer market.

There will be plenty of expectation at Forest but without freshening up the squad other clubs could fly past. The continued rehabilitation of Robert Earnshaw's career and the permanent signing of Radoslaw Majewski are reasons to smile though.

Will this finally be the year Queens Park Rangers come good with all their millions? To be honest, probably not, but with Neil Warnock in charge, it should be a lot more entertaining than in previous seasons.

Jamie Mackie will add pace to the front line, while Akos Buzsaky, Adel Taarabt and Martin Rowlands is a midfield full of creativity. If QPR can resist doing something daft, like sacking Warnock three months into the campaign, they could add that bit of steel they've been so badly lacking.

Whisper it, but Norwich City could be dark horses for a play-off spot. Paul Lambert has constructed an excellent squad who'll be hungry to prove they can cut it in League One.

Canadian hotshot Simeon Jackson has a chance to make his mark at this level, although he'll have to displace the untested at this level but potentially lethal pairing of Grant Holt and Chris Martin. Wes Hoolahan will, as ever, be a joy to watch on the wing. The Canaries will fear no one this season, and nor should they.

Relegation

Nigel Adkins performed heroics to keep Scunthorpe in the Championship but faces an even bigger fight this time around. The Iron won't go down without a fight but losing Gary Hooper and Paul Hayes leaves a hole in the attack and it's a big ask for new signings Chris Dagnall from Rochdale and Bobby Grant from Accrington Stanley to replace them.

Adkins squad has the look of a side already being prepared for next season, but expect them to pull off a few surprises and go down with dignity.

Which is more than can be said for Portsmouth. At the time of writing, they may not even make it to the start of the season and even then Steve Coterill will mostly be relying on youth players. At this rate John Utaka may end up playing in every position on the pitch. By himself. The sad saga continues.

Crystal Palace are slowly emerging from the financial wreckage of last season and George Burley has been making smart additions to the squad.

But when Alan Lee's the focal point of the attacks, the onus is on the midfield to score and there's only so much superhuman effort Darren Ambrose and Neil Danns can put in.

Palace may we play some attractive football, but this will count for nothing if they lack a cutting edge and last season's last-day heroics may have just delayed the inevitable.

Waving, if not drowning

Watford are also severely hampered by their finances and while Malky Mackay is slowly proving himself as a manager, the Hornets have little in the way of budget to play with.

There's no Tom Cleverley on loan this season, so Mackay will have to conjure up another gem from the loan market. This could be a nervous season in Hertfordshire.

Mark Robins was one of the Championship's most impressive managers last season, coaxing Barnsley well away from relegation.

The relative size and budget of the club means that survival will always be their first priority but while there may be a few hairy moments this season, Robins should have it in him to steer his team away from relegation and then some.

And the rest...

Cardiff City may have to settle for a spot in mid-table after coming so close to promotion to the Premier League last season. Dave Jones is a fine manager but the Bluebirds ongoing financial difficulty and the loss of Joe Ledley have tied his hands somewhat.

Coventry City did very little of note last season, although did occasionally flirt with relegation. Aidy Boothroyd's team won't be pretty to watch, but they should do very little of note much more effectively this time around. Lower mid-table.

Derby County should do better than their more recent league finishes suggest. Nigel Clough isn't renowned for rushing promotion projects, but Rams fans shouldn't expect too many thrills this season. The middle of most mid-table sides.

Doncaster Rovers should consolidate their reputation as one of the more attractive and effective sides this season. Sean O'Driscoll's men may fancy the play-offs, but they may be just out of reach. Top ten is a possibility if Donny get off to a good start.

Hull City could surprise a lot of people, and Nigel Pearson is a shrewd appointment. With plenty of debt in the background, the Tigers need to aim for a return to the Premier League, but may have to settle for a spot just out of the play-offs.

Ipswich Town should improve on last season, just, but expect the same old problems of too many draws and Roy Keane failing to know his best side to resurface. Mid table, then, for the Tractor Boys, who will probably have to stomach Norwich surging past them.

Millwall may be the bookies favourites to return to League One, but Kenny Jackett has built a strong, effective team, while the New Den could become somewhat of a fortress at this level. Safe from relegation, it could be a rather quiet season for the Lions.

Preston North End are no longer the regular play-off contenders and could be in for another season of struggle. Calum Davidson and Sean St Ledger will keep their defence solid but it's hard to see where the goals will come from.

Swansea City were severely hampered by an extended search for a manager that saw rejection after rejection. After challenging for the play-offs in recent seasons, 2010/11 looks likely to be a season of consolidation. The potential for another crack at promotion is there but it may have to wait a year.

And that, as they say, is that. The Championship, as ever, will be a tight and exciting league, and well worth a watch if the Premier League is starting to grate on you. As ever, tell you if you think we've been too kind or harsh on a team - we relish the disagreements.

Next week, we employ the wisdom of the TFT crowd as we give you our Premier League predictions, plus we'll be previewing non-League's top flight, with a look at the Conference.

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The twofootedtackle season preview: League One

League One is much like a downmarket suburb, where a mixture of people who've had to downsize and those who've come from humble roots as they try to better themselves come together. There's a mixture of big name ex-Premier League teams such as Southampton and Charlton, who've fallen from grace, while the likes of Dagenham were only promoted to the league three years ago.

In short, it's a league where the disparity between the top and bottom is much more visible than other divisions but also you can still get the likes of Exeter City beating Leeds United on any given Saturday.

With several of the bigger names with higher budgets leaving for the Championship, while some of the weaker, more financially stricken teams have been relegated, League One promises to be a tight, tense race. Don't be surprised if any one of a large number of teams will be battling relegation or fighting for the final play-off place on the final day of the season.

And with that, here's TFT's predictions:

Champions

Southampton will be the team to beat this season. Richer than any other club in the division by some distance, Alan Pardew (pictured) has been spending big but buying sensible, proven players.

Goal machine Rickie Lambert will lead the attack with either Lee Barnard or David Connolly supporting while Rahdi Jaidi lends Premier League experience to the back line. Would have comfortably made the play-offs without a ten-point deduction last season and should take the title, although much will depend on how the Saints cope with the tag of favourites.

Going up

Most eyes will be on the relegated clubs or the ex-Premier League teams, but it would be a brave man who writes off Huddersfield Town's chances. Manager Lee Clark has taken the Terriers on a steady upward curve and 4-0 hammerings of opposition weren't uncommon at the Galpharm last season.

Town have one of the best young strikers in the division in Jordan Rhodes, while Alex Smithies is far too good a keeper for this level. Stability off the pitch could be the key to seeing off some of their more famous rivals.

Play-offs

Relegation to League One wasn't in the masterplan for Sheffield Wednesday, but they find themselves back in the third tier just five years after clambering out, and with a winding up order to boot.

But the Owls have a potentially lethal strike force of Clinton Morrison and Neil Mellor and shouldn't find goals hard to come by. It remains to be seen just how heavy their relegation hangover will be but Wednesday have enough quality to be challenging at the top of the table.

Peterborough United have had plenty of time to prepare for life in the third tier after a disastrous Championship campaign. Wily operator Gary Johnson has set about overhauling the team but crucially has kept onto Posh's holy attacking trinity of George Boyd, Aaron McClean and Craig Mackail-Smith. It's unlikely they'll stroll to promotion as they did two years ago, but Johnson's men are certainly good enough to sustain a promotion challenge.

Of last season's also-rans, Brighton & Hove Albion look best placed to break into the play-offs. The Falmer stadium is finally under construction and Gus Poyet is proving adept in the managerial hotseat.

The Seagulls steadily improved last season and have a strong defence marshalled by the outstanding Tommy Elphick. Brighton would dearly love to christen the new stadium with Championship football next season.

The final play-off place is incredibly tough to call, and while we've gone for Swindon Town there's any one of a number of teams who could finish 6th.

Much will depends on how the Robins adjust to the loss of Billy Paynter to Leeds, but Charlie Austin is still in Wiltshire while David Prutton is a good signing for this level. Danny Wilson has a small squad though, so injuries could take their toll.

Fighting chances

Don't be surprised to see Brentford hovering around the play-offs. The Bees had a steady campaign back in League One last season and talented young manager Andy Scott has strengthened the side that finished 9th.

Meanwhile fellow Londoners Charlton Athletic could find this season hard going. Many of their best players, including captain Nicky Bailey, have left the Valley and with budget cuts the order of the day the Addicks could miss out on the play-offs.

MK Dons could also be in the mix but a lot rests on the shoulders of 29-year-old manager Karl Robinson, untested at this level. Appointing the rookie could either be a stroke of genius or backfire badly. Some quarters will be hoping it's the start of their descent into ignominious obscurity.

Going down

It looks set to be a long season for Hartlepool United. Chris Turner has seen his budget shrink even further and with many of the relegation contenders strengthening over the summer, Pools look set to be left behind.

James Brown aside, there's little cause to feel good around Victoria Park. Expect many glum moments from Jeff Stelling on Saturday afternoons this season. It will be a miracle if they stay up.

Tranmere Rovers spent much of last season battling to repair the mess that John Barnes left behind but while former physio Les Parry did a sterling job to keep Rovers up, he'll face an even bigger battle to avoid relegation this time around.

Ian Thomas-Moore will be their main threat but there's a lack of quality in the squad and fans will be hoping that Parry is building a strong team spirit. He'll need it.

The fairytale for Dagenham and Redbridge might well come to an abrupt halt this season. John Still will continue to work wonders in front of some of the smallest crowds in the division and it won't be a shock to see them take a few famous scalps over the course of the season, but staying up may just be a step too far.

Paul Benson needs to stay fit to give the Daggers a chance of staying up, although Damien Scannell and Gareth Gwillim should be good signings.

Finally, Oldham Athletic could find themselves staring at the trapdoor this season. Paul Dickov is untested as a manager and Pawel Abbot has departed for Charlton and will be filled by a mixture of raw youngsters and the low scoring Warren Feeney. Their defence may yet keep them up but Boundary Park could get colder than usual this year.

Waving, but nearly drowning

It's worth saying that it's highly likely that at least a third of the division will be caught up in the relegation fight and a team is only a few bad results away from being sucked in.

Rochdale will be hoping their 35-year absence from the third tier doesn't resume after just one season as Keith Hill battles to keep his promotion winning side together. Hill has a habit of getting the best out of an unattractive set of players and Dale will be no pushovers.

Meanwhile, if Eddie Howe keeps Bournemouth safe, it will be nearly as big an achievement as promotion last season. A small squad will again test the bright young boss, who'll be out to prove the detractors wrong.

Yeovil Town always seem to be hanging in there and Terry Skiverton surprised many with a good job last season. But with the budget tightened, he'll have to work hard to get the best out of his team this season. The Glovers have enough to stay out of trouble if they can stay focused.

And the rest...

Bristol Rovers should be comfortably in the top half of the table although may lack the consistency to trouble the play-offs.

It should be more of the same for Carlisle United this season. Last season they finished 14th and, bar an injury disaster, should finish roughly the same this time around.

Colchester United will be hoping for the play-offs but may find the going tougher this season and could take a while to find their feet, scuppering any hope of a top six finish.

Exeter City have made some impressive summer signings, especially Daniel Nardiello. While they could be vulnerable at the back if captain Matt Taylor is injured or sold, expect the Grecians to progress away from the drop zone.

Leyton Orient won't rip up any trees in League One but if Great Escape specialist Russell Slade continues to work his magic, the O's should be safe in mid-bottom-half territory.

Notts County have a bright young manager in Craig Short and have held onto many of the expensive signings who led them to promotion. Safety should be an issue but finishing above mid-table may be.

Plymouth Argyle are heavily in debt and believe Peter Reid is the man to lead them back to the Championship. Draw your own conclusions.

And finally Walsall may just fly under the radar and surprise a few people this season. Don't expect fireworks but a top ten finish is very likely.

And that's League One done and dusted. It should be a tight scrap all the way with plenty of shocks. As ever, if you're a fan of League One club and you think we've underplayed or even talked up your chances too much, now's the time to put us right.

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The twofootedtackle season preview: League Two

Last season, Notts County may have given rise to the idea that you can spend your way out of League Two, but this is also a league where a good manager and a tactically aware set of players can punch above their weight - just ask Bournemouth and Dagenham & Redbridge.

This time around promises to be another close fight for the title and promotion. Any one of half a dozen sides will have their eye on the title while many more stand a good chance of reaching the playoffs, making the job of predicting a winner very hard indeed. Meanwhile the bottom of the table is populated with clubs treading water and the usual financial basket cases.

Granted, there may not be many glamour names in League Two, but it's also extremely competitive and should make for a compelling season. Here, then, is our rough guess as to what'll happen in the basement division.

Champions

Wycombe have had plenty of time to prepare for this season after a poor start to their League One campaign saw them mired in the drop zone for most of last season. But manager Gary Waddock (pictured) is intelligent and knows what it takes to build a title winning team, having led Aldershot to promotion to the League.

Former Shots keeper Nikki Bull is possibly the best goalkeeper in the division while Ben Strevens and Jon-Paul Pittman should provide the goals. It's a tough league this year, but Waddock may just have the nous to lead the Chairboys to the top.

Going up

It seems somewhat lazy to tip the relegated teams to bounce straight back up but Gillingham are also looking impressive this season. Andy Hessenthaler is back in the hotseat after taking Dover to within touching distance of the Conference, and has made some impressive signings.

Biggest of these, in every possible sense, is goal-machine Adebayo Akinfenwa, while many of the Gills better players have stayed with the club. But after failing to win a single game on the road last season, the Kent club will need to overcome their severe travel sickness if they're to bounce back up.

One match to watch out for this season is when Aldershot welcome Wycombe to the Recreation Ground. Not only does this bring former boss Gary Waddock back but it could be a fight between two title contenders.

Kevin Dillon has continued the Shots steady progress after Waddock's departure and few teams will fancy the trip to the very noisy Hampshire ground. The Shots have a mean defence, marshalled by Ben Herd, while Marvin Morgan will be a handful up front.

Play-offs

Rotherham United are fast becoming the nearly men of League Two. Last season they lost out to Dagenham in the play-off final, while the season before they would have been promoted but for a somewhat unfair points deduction.

Millers legend Ronnie Moore is at the helm and will again be relying on Adam Le Fondre's goals. Rotherham have a strong discipline running throughout the squad but it remains to be seen if there's a post-play-off hangover around the Don Valley Athletics Stadium this season. Automatic promotion is not beyond them though.

Bradford City are by far League Two's biggest underachievers - on attendances and history the Bantams are comfortably the biggest team in the division but constantly fail to live up to their billing.

With ex-England and Leicester boss Peter Taylor in charge, many bookies have Bradford down as favourites for the league. Certainly with the young talented striker James Hanson firing the goals, they have every chance of the play-offs but Taylor needs to do some form of rebuilding job after last season's 14th place and the automatic places may be just beyond them.

After the lows of 2009, Port Vale have been on the up under manager Micky Adams and there's no reason why they can't continue their upward trajectory.

Last season they flirted with the playoffs and Adams has cannily added to his squad, with Gary Roberts set to provide much-needed creativity to the middle of the park there's a sense around Vale Park that the squad, providing it isn't stretched by injuries, could go one step further this time around.

Morecambe may find the going a little bit more difficult than last season's 4th place finish, as Sammy McIlroy is still in the process of building his squad. But the Shrimps boss has had them consistently pushing on.

Much will depend on how they settle in their new home after leaving Christie Park last summer. They'll be challenging for a play-off spot but it'll be hard work holding onto 7th.

Fighting chances

Shrewsbury Town have been building a strong looking squad under ex-Hereford chief Graham Turner. There's a lot of new faces at the New Meadow, both young and experienced. The Shrews will fancy their chances but may need a couple of months to completely gel.

Meanwhile Chesterfield, like Morecambe, have a new stadium and will be looking to christen it with promotion, while don't rule out Conference play-off winners Oxford United continuing their good form and making a surge for a play-off place, especially if James Constable continues with his scoring form.

Relegation

Accrington Stanley continue to survive with some of the lowest crowds in the league and while other teams move forward, Stanley appear to be standing still and have been hampered by an ongoing transfer embargo.

John Coleman has worked miracles to keep them competitive in League Two but with two strong Conference teams promoted and last season's strugglers beefing up, it could be a long season for the Lancashire team.

Macclesfield have been among the perennial strugglers in League Two in recent seasons and Gary Simpson has a big job ahead of him if the Silkmen are to draw away from the relegation zone this season. Their squad is a mixture of promising youngsters and signings from non-league, with the odd experienced old head like Paul Morgan in defence.

If Simpson makes them gel, they could exceed expectations but it is a big if and another battle against relegation looks likely. This one may end in failure.

Waving but nearly drowning

Southend United have had a torrid pre-season that's most consisted of winding up orders and transfer embargoes. Ex-Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock has taken charge but is having to cobble together a squad, with most of last season's better players having left for pastures new. The Shrimpers reintroduction to League Two could be a painful one.

Meanwhile Hereford United will be hoping that new boss Simon Davey hits the ground running, after a poor 2009/10. The former Barnsley boss is still rebuilding a squad and it could take the Bulls some time to get going.

Cheltenham Town will also be hoping that last season's flirting with the bottom two was just a one off, with Mark Yates bringing in several new faces. The Robins have a small squad though and injuries could see them struggle.

And the rest....

Barnet should improve this season under Mark Stimson, after last season's unexpected relegation battle. Mid-table anonymity awaits.

Burton Albion have continued to make steady progress and could be on for a top ten finish.

Bury will be eyeing the playoffs but may find too many good teams ahead of them. Gigg Lane will be a tough place for any team to visit though.

Crewe Alexandra desperately need to improve and Dario Gradi should keep them safe without ever being spectacular. Much rebuilding is needed at Gresty Road.

Lincoln City have been tipped as outside bets for the playoffs and while they'll definitely improve on last season's 20th place, the top seven will be beyond them.

If Northampton Town can get a bit of stability, they could well crash the play-off party, but only if they're consistent enough.

Stevenage will be confident of a good campaign in their first season in the League and Graham Westley has got a strong, settled squad in place. A top half finish certainly isn't out of the question.

Stockport County are slowly emerging from one of the darkest points in their history but will probably be looking towards the wrong end of the table for much of the season.

And finally, Torquay United won't be an easy team to beat but may have to settle for the comforts of mid-table this time around.

And that's League Two out of the way. Tomorrow we'll look at League One, but in the meantime, let us know if you agree of disagree or if you think we've done your club a disservice. We'll be here all season...

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