Rotherham - Last season 9th - Bookies 20/1 7th - Boss Andy Scott has been particularly ruthless in the summer transfer dealings, dispensing with strikers Ian Thomas-Moore and Tom Pope with blunt words. Chris Holroyd comes in to partner Adam Le Fondre after Ryan Taylor's departure to the Championship, and it will be Le Fondre's long term future that probably will place the Millers in the top three or just as a play-off side. The in-demand frontman seems destined to leave before the transfer window closes, and his departure could be costly.
Shrewsbury - Last season 4th - Bookies 14/1 4th= - It's never usually Graham Turner's style to be picking up players from Aldershot and Accrington, but that has been the vast majority of his summer dealings. Offloading strikers Matt Harrold and Jake Robinson for Marvin Morgan and Terry Gornell might prove to be a mistake when the numbers are added up at the end of the season. Morgan hasn't scored since October, while the incoming pair scored eight less in total than the departing duo. The Shrews should be there abouts come the end of the season, but another play-off campaign beckons.
Southend - Last season 13th - Bookies 28/1 9th= - Despite losing £1million a season, the club are 'on budget' with their squad of 29. The 'Sainsbury Shrimpers' continue to be propped up by the supermarket chain as the Roots Hall development rumbles on. Any serious thought of promotion will probably be held up until that dream is realised, leaving fans to hope for a run into the play-offs. Paul Sturrock's ability to raise a passable team from scratch in a couple of weeks last summer will give them hope that he has been able to refine the squad sufficiently for improvement.
Swindon - Last season L1 24th (R) - Bookies 10/1 2nd - This season will either be a relentless march to triumph or a massive disaster for the Robins. The appointment of Paolo Di Canio looks, on the basis of his signings, to be leaning towards the latter. A mixture of journeymen from various semi-pro lower leagues in Europe doesn't look like promotion material, and their pre-season campaign featuring games against four part-time sides and a loss to Reading has done little to suggest they will be a force even though confidence is high at the club. Maybe Di Canio believes bravado is sufficient to win this division. We shall see, after all it was Graham Westley that coined the phrase 'Attitude is more important than ability'.
Torquay - Last season 7th - Bookies 40/1 14th= - The beaten play-off finalists has seen a large chunk of their squad, and their managerial team, depart over the summer leaving them to be cast as also-rans again. New manager Martin Ling has a track record of avoiding disaster and that is likely to be his target this season. In Rene Howe and Chris McPhee, Ling has two forwards with decent Conference records but the pair have struggled previously in the League and don't look a patch on the Chris Zebroski/Jake Robinson pairing they will replace.
Wimbledon - Last season Conf 2nd(P) - Bookies 33/1 13th - Having earned League status only nine seasons after forming is no mean feat, but the 'new' Wimbledon feel they have somewhat overachieved to get this far this quickly. A season of consolidation is likely, with their compact Kingsmeadow home likely to restrict future growth until their ultimate dream of a return to Merton can be achieved. The player-enforced sales of Danny Kedwell and Steve Gregory will hurt, with both replaced by players confident in the Conference. The whole squad is light on League experience but should step up and hold their own under their experienced manager.
Text at top (next game etc)
Next Game: Away At Scunthorpe In The League On Saturday 21st December At 3.00pm