England > Ryman Prem Ante-post 2008-09

[Shipsupstreets]

Ryman Prem

[Shipsupstreets]

A couple of season's back, when the bookies were pretty clueless about non-league betting, we'd see a section like this priced up based on last season's finishing positions. But there has been more head-scratching going into these prices. Sutton United, for example, who got relegated with something to spare and who rolled over most Saturdays like a Croydon tart, are priced among the favourites. That proves that the compilers have been doing what non-league punters have been successfully doing on here for a few seasons now: they've been keeping their ear to the ground. New boss is Paul Doswell, who didn't have great success at Eastleigh, but has a fund of knowledge at this level. Their best player from last season, Warren McBean, is probably on his way (Chalmers can correct me on this!), but in have come some very decent players - Steve West (player coach) is well known to Ryman watchers, as is Steve McKimm from Margate and Dean Palmer from Chelmsford. Steve Watts, Matty Hann and Adam Wilde have played at a higher level, and Craig Davis was a key member of Bashley's excellent season in the Southern Prem. There's half a dozen more. I am a bit tempted by the 8/1 at Bet365, but would like to get a sense of what things are like on the field before I do. Initial signs, though, point to an excellent season.

AFC Hornchurch are leading the pack and they will surely go well this season. Lee Hodges has come in from Billericay and Mark Goodfellow from the fallout at Margate, but they are not the most spectacular of signings, and yet they offer bags of experience. It's a pretty strong squad, with Simon Parker, Mark Janney and Jamie Richards still there. Continuity is essential for sides that nearly did it the previous season (AFC Hornchurch were play-off losers), but I'm firm believer that four or five need to come in to freshen things up. For me, I can't quite figure them as favourites just yet.

The value on Dover Athletic has gone, but there might be some mileage in the 7s at Corals - the initial 10s was an excellent price. They are well backed and have an enviable sense of focus at the moment. They can also boast the most eye-catching signing in the Ryman for a while: midfielder Sammy Moore from Brentford. Defensive signings Ollie Schultz and Dean Hill have come in from Ramsgate. Jimmy Dryden is now at Folkestone, so the strikeforce will need to be reshaped, but if Dover have a secret weapon it's boss Andy Hessenthaler: a top manager can make a good side great, and Dover are a good side already.

Staines Town - massively unlucky to lose out in the play-off final to AFC Wimbledon - have drifted to 10s, and they will have their backers. Mark Nwokeji has gone, but some decent larkers have come in - Davis Haule, Darti Brown, Craig Vargas and Rob Ursell. With cup money to burn, Steve Cordery will probably add more during pre-season, but I'm not seeing much more pace in defensive areas. That was what has let the best footballing side in the section down in recent seasons.

I'm no expert on Dartford but they look a 'need another season' side to me. Jay May has gone, and the signings don't really set the heart buzzing. They'll be competitive and hard working, and decently backed off the field, but compared to Dover they are lacking a touch of quality. I don't yet seem them as real challengers.

Tonbridge Angels had a cracking end to the season, and were a very luctative play last season on here after Christmas. They have added some good players, including Ale Olorunda and Jamie Cade, and I don't think they'll struggle early season. I also expect Billericay Town to have a decent season - Ashley Dumas, Tim Cole and Steve Ferguson are good signings.

There's little to split the sides in the bottom half of the table, and the relegation battle should be as fiesty as last season. Only reprieved Boreham Wood, who have been packing the squad with kids, and Hastings United, who've lost the guts of their team, look like obvious strugglers.

[Shipsupstreets]

Skybet have Dover Athletic at 9s. It's a curious list, full of misprices: Hastings United, Boreham Wood, and Margate (who have dismantled the squad) are all woefully short.

[ivor1875]

Yes tis true indeed that the bookies are a lot more clued up than they used to be.However much of this is not down to their own investigations.It is so easy to scroll down onto this board and by and large a lot of their questions are answered for them.

I doubt very much that the odds compilers are out watching the game like most on these boards.

It is getting harder indeed to get an edge on the compilers,week by week.

Already looking ahead to the season,there look like a few candidates for the runcorn/redbridge/leyton of the new season.

i will be amazed if luke nightingale's old club, to give but one example, manage to stay up and they will have the mother of all jobs just to stay afloat.Perhaps we will be able to get a few early season paydays on this one.

I sometimes wonder whether there is too much easy and free information given out on here to the bookmakers.I am going to be more circumspect this season.

[Shipsupstreets]

Fair points, Ivor. The nature of the beast - an accessible and totally free forum like this - will always serve as a source of news. But it's important to remember that there are a host of other news sources out there. Dover and Chelmsford were being widely tipped on fans' sites before the threads were posted here. There are two national weekly newspapers devoted to non-league football, an internet site that has about 30 news stories from the non-league every day, greater coverage in local newspapers, and half a dozen forums devoted to the key leagues which always discuss betting. That's a totally different state of affairs from a few seasons ago. No one is going to turn the tide back.

The easy profits of a few seasons ago won't be repeated, but that doesn't mean that profits won't come.

[WHUPUNTER]

Ill have a few quid on my local side Billericay. I dont know all that much about non league football but when im not at West Ham, im always over New Lodge. I dont know what the usual standard of football is at this level to be honest, but Billericay play some good stuff. They always create a hatful of chances and with Woods-Garness stays they have the firepower. They were unlucky in my opinion not to reach the play offs last season (the cup run and the sacking of Matt Jones mid season was the main reason) and they were too inconsistent but with a few decent signings and another solid home record theres no reason why the Blues cant be up there come the end of the season. Ill have some of the 15/1 thank you very much.

[ivor1875]

A cracking fixture awaits us all at imperial fields on bank holiday monday,as chalmers boys take on the mighty tooting and mitcham,august the 25 th.

This is agreat weekend of footie as it's fisher /havant,on the saturday and tooting on the monday..

I reckon with a decnet day's weather,and if sutton have a good start we could be looking at a crowd of 7/800,can't wait.

[Chalmers (SUFC)]

Pre season has started well for Sutton, a good win at Bromley yesterday and a side that has lots of options, Dos loves wingers and Hann and Wilde are both looking good, albeit not having great success in finding the strikers when the hard work of getting to the byline is done, early days yet though. With a few subs made we grabbed a couple of quick goals by playing more narrow and got thru the middle quite easily. We'll be a good attacking side this year but may conceded a few. We haven't seen anything of a couple of players yet but some youngsters from the reserves and youth of last season have been given a chance and all looks promising.

I think this will be a very tight league this year also, so hard to call, if we the supporters and watchers of these teams are struggling to find the pick of the bunch, maybe we'll get some value from fixtures coming up as the compilers aren't going to be too sure either.

[Shipsupstreets]

Dover Athletic's excellent pre-season continues, and while that doesn't tell us that they are going to romp to the championship, I think it suggests that last season's momentum is set to continue. They are still looking for a target-type forward to complete the squad. They are going to have a terrific battle with Sutton U. I've sided with Dover at this point in part because the prices have been better - even the widely available 7s is pretty decent. But I also rate manager Andy Hessenthaler very highly, though as with any talented and ambitious young boss at this level there is always the danger that he'll be cherry-picked by someone higher up the food chain. But if someone comes in for him, it'll mean Dover are having a terrific season, and among the clubs who might go for him it's hard to see who can offer much more forward potential than Dover.

[Chalmers (SUFC)]

To stop the talk of our budget going thru the roof we signed Chukki Eribenne and Gavin McCallum yesterday!!!

[MrJol]

Dismiss Dartford at your peril, the new signings are settling in nicely and Lee Noble will be a star this season.

[Shipsupstreets]

I won't be writing off Dartford, MrJol, as they have plenty of momentum coming into this season. I have to confess that I haven't seen much of Lee Noble, but everything indicates that he can make the step up with ease. But for me they'll be a team to back in selected matches, rather than on the outrights. They don't have the depth of personnel that Sutton and Dover can call on, and it's essential to have cover that won't embarrass you when key players are missing. On balance I think they have a reasonable chance of making the playoffs, but the tight odds make even an EW punt antepost look beyond the reach of the value hunter.

The RP supp this morning goes for Dover in the outrights. Space restrictions are probably the reason that Sutton United don't even get a mention. It looks set to be a cracking season, and the latest signings outlined by Chalmers above just add weight to their challenge. I'm happy, though, to be on Dover - the key factor for me is the focus that Andy Hessenthaler brings.