Plymouth Argyle
Last year: 17th
Ground: Home Park
Capacity: 20,134
Manager: Bobby Williamson
THE PILGRIMS spectacular fall from grace was one of the
sights of the season, but they arrested the decline
just short enough of rock bottom to stay in the Championship Another campaign of consolidation
should be the aim. Certainly Argyle have few reasons
to hope for more, with a weak squad shored up
rather than enhanced by some quirky summer signings
- take a bow Taribo West. Only the relegated teams
had worse away records than Bobby Williamson’s men,
and goals look likely to be at a premium though last
season’s top-scorer Paul Wotton
- a defender of course - has stayed.
The Pilgrims rank among the dozen or so teams who
are just a couple of results away from the drop
though there doesn’t seem to be a betting angle at
the prices.We say: 20th 100-1
Preston
Last year: 5th
Ground: Deepdale
Capacity: 21,412
Manager: Billy Davies
(12 months, W23, D12, L13)
BILLY DAVIES has rightly
drawn plaudits as a manager, but he’s making bricks
without straw if Preston fail to boost their squad
in the last weeks of the close season.
North End have built a reputation for solid defence,
but no team in the top 16 conceded more away goals.
Of course, home form was the Lilywhites’ strong suit
and was flagged up in the Outlook Index last season,
giving followers a profitable hint long before
Preston’s charge into the top-six.
They are huge Odds-on in my book to fall short of
the guaranteed promotion places again. There are at
least half a dozen stronger Outfits in the race, and
another half dozen of similar quality.
Preston are battling for a Play- Oft’ berth at best,
which makes their promotion odds easy to resist.
We say: 8th 20-1 |
