League Two: Pompey can thrive under new ownership
Published:Portsmouth are 4/5 favourites to gain promotion from League Two next term, and with 17 players now on their books they have a squad that looks capable of challenging for promotion.
Club captain and last season’s leading player Jonny Ertl has signed a three-year deal, and they are looking evermore likely to challenge for promotion next term after some astute player recruitment from manager Guy Whittingham.
Fleetwood enjoyed a relatively positive debut season in League Two, and were sitting third in the table after 10 games. They ultimately finished 13th, which was perhaps not a terrible effort considering the club enforced a managerial change in December, with Graham Alexander assuming the helm.
The club are 2/1 to gain promotion to League One, a price they look good value for considering their proactivity in the transfer market.
Steven Schumacher has signed from Bury after scoring 10 goals from midfield in League One last season, while other notable additions include Stewart Murdoch from Falkirk and Jeff Hughes, who has dropped down a division after rejecting a new contract at Notts County.
The club has further demonstrated its ambition in allowing 12 players to leave, with a further three placed on the transfer list.
With Keith Hill back at the helm Rochdale present a tempting outside bet at 4/1. He was the man who took Dale up to League One in the 2009/10 season, before equalling their best ever achievement when they finished ninth the following season.
His overall record bodes well for the Lancashire club’s hopes next term. Prior to gaining promotion he twice reached the play-offs, and left the club having won 101 of his 231 games in charge, losing just 71.
Rochdale lost just two of their final 11 games last term, winning four of their last six. Should they continue this form they can be confident of mounting a challenge.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
