We preview the new League 1 season, last season saw a big gap between the top 5 and the rest of the league with the three clubs gaining promotion all having a lot of help in their achievements due to a lot of investment. With the relegated clubs from the Championship having to cut their budget and the promoted teams from League 2 being seen as punching above their weight it is potentially a very open League next season.
Bournemouth - Every season a side has a play-off hangover and with most of the players who brought them such success last season gone it looks to be a season of struggle for the Cherries this season.
Brentford - Have seen a lot of investment into the club recently with new board members and Uwe Rossler has managed to make a couple of handy signings with their main goal threat being Clayton Donaldson who scored 28 times in 48 appearances for Crewe last season.
Bury - They have a good young squad and a young manager, but we've seen it time and time again when a club loses its manager whilst on the way up they don't feel the effect until the following season.
Carlisle - Seem to of strengthened their squad which finished 12th last season so there will be no surprise to see them up there, but that could be said about a lot of teams this season.
Charlton - They started well last season but dropped off towards the end but they have strengthened their squad this time around so that when the legs get tired towards February time there is a big chance they can improve the squad.
Chesterfield - There appears to be a feel-good factor around the club at the moment with 5000 season tickets sold and the promise of better times ahead, but it appears that Shez has failed to strengthen the side which won the League 2 title last season and we all know how an Allott and Whittaker central midfield partnership can go missing in the big games.
Colchester - They appear to of cut the budget like many other clubs in the league, they started well last season but the key to success in this league is having a strength in debt and they are very much like the rest of the teams in League One in 2011-12.
Exeter - After being many people’s tip to go down the last couple of seasons they seem to of established themselves and expect more of the same during 2011-12.
Hartlepool - The new ticketing scheme has brought over 5,000 sales and a general feel-good factor around the place and every year there is a dark horse which is usually fuelled by a feel-good factor.
Huddersfield - I suppose most Latics fans have had a bit of a chuckle at their failure last season but surely those chuckles won't continue this time round as it's got to be their year. Ok they've lost a few players but they always had that strength in depth to replace those players, something that most sides in the Division can't compete with.
Leyton Orient - A club that have been in the same boat as Latics over the years but they went on a very good run towards the end of next season, but having lost a few players involved in that run it may be difficult for them to match that feat.
MK Dons - As much as people despise them you have to admit that they are a very well-run professional outfit, their failure in the play-offs was mostly down to them facing a very inform Peterborough side and expect the same sort of challenge from them this season.
Notts County – They should be able to do a lot better than last season, this time around. They have bought some good players thanks to having investment which most sides in the league don't have and as much as some people hate Martin Allen he's done well with sides before in this League.
Oldham - Well we've seen it for ourselves, the promise of some quality signings doesn't seem to of materialised so pretty much more of the same is predicted, we all know that on a good day that Dickov can get a team to beat anyone at this level. But the lack of quality in the side and strength in depth is the potential stumbling block.
Preston - They have struggled to bring in any players in pre-season and they've had to cut their wage bill. The signing of Clarke Carlisle may come in handy but there appears to be a rift between the management and the board. There will be no surprise if Preston fail to bounce straight back up.
Rochdale - A nightmare came true to a lot of Latics fans last season and the Dale finished above us in the table. The chance of this happening next season may be unlikely as the key to their recent success in recent seasons Keith Hill has left to manage Barnsley and taken a few of their better players with him.
Scunthorpe - Spent a lot of time at the foot of the Championship last season, although they made a slight recovery towards the end it wasn't enough to save them, so time will tell.
Sheff Utd - They may be another fallen giant, but there is a lot of turmoil around Bramhall Lane at the moment, with the appointment of Danny Wilson and the rumoured massive cut in the wage bill, their main aim in 2011-12 will be to stop the rot.
Sheff Weds - They're trying to put right where they went wrong last season by strengthening their squad, with a change in ownership and the biggest following in the Division surely it's time for things to go right at Hillsborough.
Stevenage - Teams who have gained back-to-back promotions from the Conference don't particularly have a good track record when it comes to survival in this Division, they will need to strengthen if they hope to stay in this Division.
Tranmere - Our friends from the Wirral seem to be in a worse situation than us at the minute when it comes to bringing in players, and crowds in decline, expect nothing less than more of the same next season.
Walsall - Really struggled at times last season but they appear to of strengthened their side and certainly hope to do better than they did last season.
Wycombe - They appear to be the yo-yo team between the two Divisions, they did well last season under Gary Waddock but there appear to be turmoil around the club behind the scenes and we've seen for ourselves how these things can escape onto the pitch.
Yeovil - The whole Scouting on the Internet thing suggests that the management are struggling to move this club on, we've seen many times how they've survived at League One level but they seem to be one of many and one team has to slip the net this season.
Predicted Table
1st Charlton
2nd Huddersfield
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3rd Sheff Wednesday
4th MK Dons
5th Brentford
6th Hartlepool
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7th Notts County
8th Sheff Utd
9th Scunthorpe
10th Carlisle
11th Chesterfield
12th Preston
13th Orient
14th Exeter
15th Oldham
16th Bournemouth
17th Colchester
18th Tranmere
19th Walsall
20th Rochdale
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21st Yeovil
22nd Bury
23rd Stevenage
24th Wycombe
Chesterfield will go down
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