In The Mixer: Experts combine for 622/1 EFL opening day acca!
Sports Journalist at FST, Gareth qualified as a journalist after graduating from university and spent over a decade as a freelance broadcast journalist, commentator and tipster before joining FST. Now living in Manchester, he is a long suffering Bolton Wanderers fan who also enjoys boxing, the NBA, tennis and rugby league.
In The Mixer is FST’s weekly column where we catch up with seven experts in football betting and get their opinion on the hot topic of the week.
After the release of the EFL fixtures, this week we sat our team of experts down and got them to pick out their early best bet ideas for the first load of games in the Championship, League One and League Two.
We did a similar thing with the Premier League last week and their selections combined for an 18/1 accumulator. With a lot more to go at this time, our team have put together a huge 622/1 accumulator for the first batch of Football League fixtures.
Canaries tipped to struggle on Championship return
Mark Langdon
Head of sport content at Racing Post
There seems to be this almost acceptance that Norwich will bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt because they have become the ultimate yo-yo club, but things might not be so simple this time around.
A trip to Cardiff on the opening weekend is definitely not an easy starter and the Welsh club could make hay as outsiders in a capital that will still be buzzing following the national team qualifying for the World Cup.
It’s also worth remembering Norwich lost two of their opening four matches the last time they were in the Championship and were also knocked out of the League Cup, so it might take time for the Canaries to find their wings.
James Milton
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Wigan are back in the Championship after winning League One last season but their title success was largely based on a ruthless record against the weaker teams in the third division.
The Latics won only two of their ten games against the rest of the top six in League One and that suggests they may struggle at a higher level, beginning with their opening fixture at home to Preston, who are almost 2/1 for victory.
North End had a solid second half of the season after the appointment of Ryan Lowe as manager in December. They ended 2021-22 with a 3-1 win at Barnsley and a 4-1 home victory over Middlesbrough and are a tempting price to kick off the new season in similar style.
Ian Wilkerson
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Luton overachieved in finishing in the top six of the Championship and while such a standing may prove beyond the Hatters this season, I fancy them to get the better of Birmingham in their opening second-tier clash.
The Hatters were unable to dominate possession in many of their outings last term, but Nathan Jones’s side lost just four league games on their own patch last season and should be confident against the Blues, who seem to have been struggling for a number of seasons.
Lee Bowyer’s side won just one of their final ten league games of last term and it is difficult to see them hitting the ground running.
Promoted pair appeal in League One
Tom McGarry
Sports journalist at ICS
Bristol Rovers and Forest Green both celebrated promotion from League Two last season, but while the Gas look well placed to build on that momentum, FGR could well be starting from scratch after losing boss Rob Edwards and key players such as Kane Wilson and Ebou Adams over the summer.
No team took more points in League Two than Bristol Rovers over the second half of last season and Joey Barton’s side also boasted one of the best home records in the division.
Momentum certainly appears to be with the Gas and they should be able to start their campaign with a victory in front of an expectant home support at the Memorial Stadium.
Bobbie Jackson
Sports journalist at ICS
Exeter will be playing in League One for the first time since 2012 next season and there’s every reason to believe they can kick off the campaign with a win at Lincoln.
Matt Taylor has done a fine job with the Grecians, leading them to a second place finish last term and, so far, he has managed to keep the nucleus of that squad together.
It’s quite the opposite at Lincoln with new boss Mark Kennedy drafted in to replace Michael Appleton and he’s already lost key figures in John Marquis and Conor McGrandles.
Exeter will undoubtedly want to make a positive start to life in the third tier and there’s plenty to like about their price when they head to the LNER Stadium on July 30th.
League Two promotion contenders can start strongly
Aaron Ashley
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Northampton finished 25 points above Colchester in League Two last season and the Cobblers should make a winning start to the campaign against the Essex-based visitors at Sixfields.
Early business has been good from Jon Brady’s men and their home ground was a fortress last season with them suffering defeat just five times in 23 league games.
The Cobblers narrowly fell short of securing promotion last term, with only goal difference leaving them out of the top three before they lost Mansfield in the playoff semi-final, but another productive campaign should be on the cards.
Colchester may improve on last season’s 15th-placed finish but they won only eight of their 23 away games and it is tough to see them troubling the promotion places.
Gareth Freeman
Sports journalist at FST
At first glance, there is a lot to go at in the first round of Championship games and home wins for Luton and Blackpool against Birmingham and Reading respectively look good options – with both priced at around evens. However, I’m going to delve into League Two for my best opening round bet and the 13/8 on Swindon to raid Harrogate stands out.
Swindon had the best road record in the league last term with 43 points from 23 games, while Harrogate lost 10 of their home assignments. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the same again next year but you have to view the visitors as promotion contenders after their play-off defeat to eventual winners Port Vale last term, while the Sulphurites would probably view mid-table as a success, so looking at the early prices a win for the Robins appeals.
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