League 2 season preview 2013/14 – Too tight to predict?
Accrington Stanley are the bookmakers favourite to face a drop into non-league this season, but at 9/2 with Ladbrokes and 4/1 among many others in the market, does this show the old Division 3 to be unpredictable – possibly even something worth keeping an eye on over the next nine months?
I certainly think so, even if it’s nothing more than neutrals having a ‘soft spot’ for sides such as Newport County, Portsmouth or AFC Wimbledon. Even Southampton fans (sort of) sympathise with Pompey over their struggles in what has been a terrible 5 years for them… no more South Coast Derbies for a long time in the league.
Of those relegated from League 1, Bury and Hartlepool are looking at mid table mediocrity, possibly a pinch of a fight to stay up, but nothing more. The same cannot be said for most other teams in their division… generally, the rest are dreaming of pushing up a level or clinging onto Football League status. Although, it has to be said that every modern success story starts somewhere, usually here on the edge of non-league.
As you go down the football pyramid, clubs in the same league become increasingly similar in terms of quality. League 2 is a league with fully professional teams, now blessed with a wide diversity of playing styles and the odd ‘fallen giant’ – which adding it all together means for much more entertaining matches. With an average of 2.56 goals per game last season, slightly more than League 1, it’s clear the fourth tier still has much to offer. Who would have thought a few years back that Portsmouth would be battling it out with Fleetwood to win League 2? Well that’s what many people see the title chase looking like.
Whilst celebrating the 125th year of our Football League structure, we’re bound to be in for a treat.
Tell you what though; the Premier League has nothing on this.
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