England > BlueSQ North 2009-10 Antepost

[Shipsupstreets]

	AFC Telford United	6	6	6
	Fleetwood Town	6	11/2	6
	Alfreton Town	6	7	6
	Southport	7	7	6
	Droylsden	11	12	10
	Stalybridge Celtic	11	12	10
	Gainsborough Trinity	12	14	14
	Harrogate Town	14	12	14
	Eastwood Town	14	16	20
	Corby Town	22	16	20
	Hinckley United	25	20	16
	Northwich Victoria	14	25	12
	Ilkeston Town	22	28	18
	Blyth Spartans	28	33	33
	Farsley Celtic	33	33	25
	Workington	33	25	25
	Gloucester City	28	33	40
	Vauxhall Motors	25	40	33
	Hyde United	50	50	50
	Redditch United	50	50	33
	Solihull Moors	50	50	40
	Stafford Rangers	50	66	25
Place terms ( Highlight E/W )		3 1/4		3 1/4

[Shipsupstreets]

Ladbrokes list has Fleetwood at 9/1, which will tempt me into a dabble (Southport, Alfreton and AFC Telford are joint favourites at sixes.)

[Shipsupstreets]

Fleetwood have come in to 8s at Ladbrokes. Regulars will remember I was keen on them throughout last season, though they began very shakily and for while it was looking like a very embarrassing call. But under Micky Mellon they improved quickly, and remained a form horse until the end of the season. The squad is full of creative and goalscoring talents and I doubt if they'll be outgunned this season. They've worked hard on the defence in the transfer market, though they're never a side that'll be happy with a 0-0.

[Shipsupstreets]

Ladbrokes' 9/1 about Fleetwood Town didn't last. I'm happy to be backing them at that price.

[Shipsupstreets]

A glimmer of good news at Stafford Rangers tonight, with a much-needed injection of finances as some fresh blood joins the board. 66/1 has already come in at Bet365 but is available at Corals. They've an awful long way to go, and they are starting very late, but they are ones to keep an eye on.

[Shipsupstreets]

It's looking like Farsley have disappeared from this section, subject to appeal.

BlueSQ's first weekend match prices have one interesting play for me: Gainsborough Trinity away at Vauxhall Motors at 6/4. I'm not convinced that Trinity will be challenging at the very highest reaches of the section - there's just not enough pace in the side for me. But with the exciting Ryan Semple and Luke Beckett up front they'll be a handful going forward. Vauxhall's ended the season - a great one overall - with five straight defeats, and with some key bodies already moving on it could be tough start to the season.

[Shipsupstreets]

Prices on the outrights are firming up, with five books in the market now. Fleetwood Town's 9/1 recommended above lasted barely an afternoon after being tipped on here, and they are a best of 6/1 at BlueSQ.

Corby Town have been quite a mover too. I have been championing the work of boss Graham Drury on here since his Stamford days, and I wouldn't put anyone off an EW tickle, though it's not one for me just yet. They are well backed off the park, but they'll be starting the season - as Drury likes to - with a squad that's bigger than anything else in the section. Gradually, he'll trim it down until he gets to a core squad about Christmas. It's an interesting if expensive philosophy, but there's no doubt that it did the job at Stamford, and also (just) worked at Corby last season. I'm not sure that this season, where the standard of football is that much more intense, there will be much room for excess baggage in the squad early season.

[Shipsupstreets]

Skybet's first-day prices are out. They've already had to slice Northwich Vics, but even at 5/2 there's a 98% book with their prices and BlueSQ's out. They play at Eastwood Town, and the home side will no doubt be strong but the turnover of players has been pretty heavy and I'm not, as yet, going to back them in the opening round. But BlueSQ go 11/8 Eastwood and that's pretty tempting.

[stodin]

I like the price on Eastwood (both for the league and to win the 1st game). Money has been thrown at the club by the poker club owner and he has pledged his support for the long run (well for at least another 5 years or so)

A friend has been training with them, with a view to signing, and he has nothing but good things to say about the bunch of players they have there. Very hard working, focused and dedicated, which is more than could be said of the other clubs he has been at.

I am having a bit of that

[Shipsupstreets]

That's good info, Stodin. You better get your mate to play a blinder in his trial period and bag a contract so you can keep Punter's Lounge informed of what's going on there!

The 20/1 is still available at Ladbrokes on the outrights and it is interesting as an EW play. A good deal of talent is coming into the club, and the players on contract are a solid bunch as you say. Paul Cox - a full-time manager - has done really well (and I say that not just because he made me a pile last season), and I'm sure they're not far off mounting a challenge. I'll definitely take the 11/8 against Northwich Vics on the opening day at BlueSQ.

[stodin]

Originally Posted by Shipsupstreets

That's good info, Stodin. You better get your mate to play a blinder in his trial period and bag a contract so you can keep Punter's Lounge informed of what's going on there!

Funnily enough thats exactly what I said to him

[bartonbank]

Farsley now reprieved and will start in this section on -10

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...nf/8142178.stm

[Shipsupstreets]

A sensible and honourable decision - am I really saying that about football administrators? Let's hope Farsley aren't up before the financial beak sometime after they get knocked out of the cups.

[Shipsupstreets]

Have taken Ladbrokes 20/1 EW about Eastwood Town. And continuing my policy of looking for rather handy multiples, I'll put them in an EW double with Stevenage at 8/1.

[Shipsupstreets]

There could be some choppy seas at Ilkeston, where owner Chek Whyte is in personal financial difficulties, according to the local press. They have had one stroke of luck: the structure of ownership at the club means that they are not tangled up too closely in financial terms. However, it's hard to believe there won't be implications for the running of the club somewhere along the line, although so far boss Kevin Wilson has been building his squad pretty much on the cheap anyway this summer.

I don't, as yet, think this is a case of meltdown. On the excellent BlueSQ North forum, there has been much bearish talk about Ilkeston's chances this season. But even though I am no fan of Kevin Wilson as a manager - he messed up at Corby with a big budget to spend - his organised, hard-running and bland football probably gives them a better chance of survival than the alternative: an overpriced squad who would be jumping ship at this point. But they are ones to watch: they've certainly moved closer to the top of any list of teams that might end up with a -10.

[stodin]

Further to my earlier post in this thread, I will be watching the Hucknall v Eastwood pre season friendly tonight. Partly cos Hucknall are my team and partly to have a look at my investment. I realise pre season friendlies are not neccessarily good yardstick to judge the coming season but they often give you something of an indication.

My friend is no longer at Eastwood but is hopeful of signing a contract at Hucknall so I will be looking for some inside info on the Unibond prem this season.

[Shipsupstreets]

Originally Posted by stodin

My friend is no longer at Eastwood but is hopeful of signing a contract at Hucknall so I will be looking for some inside info on the Unibond prem this season.

Good stuff, Stodin. The way things are shaping up in the Unibond at the moment, the punter is going to need all the help he can get this season!

[Shipsupstreets]

BlueSQ's North section handicap prices are of some interest. Fleetwood are scratch, which is no surprise (I'm delighted with the 9/1 outright price recommended above). AFC Telford +1, Alfreton +1 and Southport +3 follow, and of those I can really only think of Southport as major contenders, though +3 is too skinny an addition. I've remarked on Gainsborough Trinity's remarkable raft of signings this season, and +9 will have lots of people interested. I recommended them above at 6/4 away on the opening day, a price that has now gone, and I think they will do just fine in the league, but I'm mostly drawn to 16/1 Eastwood Town getting +12. I think there's a good chance they can finish the season within a handful of points of the leaders, and it certainly looks a half-decent play EW. Corby Town will have their followers at +11, and I am very tempted with that too. I will give these some more thought, and I haven't bitten yet, but it's Eastwood I'm favouring.

[stodin]

Eastwood beat Hucknall 3-1 last night. Although they were not overly impressive the Eastwood players did look very fit, sharp and played as a solid unit. I saw nothing to suggest that any investment in them is a good or bad thing.

Talking of investments in Eastwood I have noticed they have been matched with Corby in the BlueSq season match bets. Eastwood @2.0 and Corby @1.73. Now I like a season long 'lump on' at about evens and have been successful with these in the past backing Hinckley to finish above Hucknall in the last 2 season and that Aaron ramsey would not score for Arsenal last season (all were posted on PL so I am not after eventing)

[Shipsupstreets]

A little surprising to see that Andy Bell has been put on the transfer list by Micky Mellon at Fleetwood Town. It's fair to say that he can't be guaranteed first-team football all season with the players they have on board, but he can't have been expecting it because he wasn't always a starter last season, but it's brave management to show the fans' favourite the door this early in the season. (Perhaps just as surprising is that Bell has been linked with a move to FC Halifax.) I have to say I'm a bit concerned at the way Fleetwood's preparations for the season are going, but perhaps Mellon feels to need to get the impression across early that he wants a professional attitude from the off, and slaying a few sacred cows is a good way of doing that. That's no bad thing when expectations are high - too many favourites at non-league level have failed to live up to the hype because they think believing the hype is enough. They're a best of 11/2 now and I think that's far enough - it doesn't sparkle with value at that price. If the recommended 9/1 appeared again, I'd snaffle some more, however.

If Fleetwood do wobble - and I hasten to underline that I don't think they will - I am glad to be covering with an EW on Eastwood Town (which Ladbrokes have brought in from 20s - they're a best of 16s now). I'll also take Gainsborough Trinity on the handicap at BlueSQ, as they look in for a decent season.