EFL Predictions...

Just under 3 weeks until the lower leagues kick off the 25/26 season so I have been looking at the odds for each title...

Championship
Wrexham are the headline act in the second tier and are looking for a 4th consecutive promotion. However they have kept their powder dry this window and that is reflected in the odds, as they are 25/1 outsiders to win the Championship. You can get 11/2 on them to go up.
Typically the bookies favour the relegated sides, and Ipswich and Southampton are leading the way with odds of 4s and 5s respectively. The Saints have already been busy in the transfer market, bringing Damion Downs and Joshua Quarshie in. A few have gone but they have so far kept hold of most of their star men. Ipswich lost Liam Delap, so replacing him will be vital.
Birmingham City won League One ahead of Wrexham last season and aren't exactly shy in splashing the cash. Jay Stansfield will be central to their hopes, and they have added Demari Gray and 2 Japanese stars in Furuhashi and Fujimoto among others in a busy summer. They are 7/1.
For a lot of last season Sheffield United were in the fight for the title but fell away at the end. At 8/1, the bookies expect them to be there or thereabouts again. They have replaced Wilder with Ruben Selles as boss, but the loss of Vini Souza may hit hard.
Frank Lampard has a very good record at this level, and took Coventry City from flirting with the relegation zone to the play-offs last season after taking over. 12/1 to win the league, but 9/2 to go up shows the bookies think maybe after a few close misses this season could be the one where they return to the top flight.
Also at 12s are the third relegated side Leicester City. The longer odds reflect the time it took to change manager, Marti Cifuentes coming in, and an inactive transfer window where they lost club legend Jamie Vardy and have bought no-one yet. What they do in the rest of the window may see the odds drop, so could be a good price. Ironically Cifuentes sealed Leicesters last promotion as his QPR teams 4-0 win over Leeds confirmed promotion...
Rob Edwards, Liam Manning and Ryan Mason are all new managers for this season as they take charge of Middlesbrough, Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion. Norwich as currently 16/1 while the other 2 are 20/1.
Between 25/1 and 33/1 you can get Bristol City, Millwall, Stoke, Swansea and Watford.
Derby County can be found at around 40/1. Despite finishing just 2 points outside the play-offs last season, Blackburn Rovers are 50/1 to win the league and 14/1 to go up. Hull City are around the same, with Portsmouth, Preston North End and QPR 66/1. The outsiders are Charlton, the third promoted side at 80s, Oxford United (100/1) and seemingly no-hopers Sheffield Wednesday who are a mammoth 150/1. 15 players left the Owls at the end of June, including influential Barry Bannan, as the club floundered in turmoil. Wages not paid, transfer embargo, the likelihood the boss will leave, and almost certainly a points deduction. If you believe in miracles you can get 40/1 on Wednesday going up. 4/7 on them going down.


League One
Two years after celebrating promotion to the Premier League, Luton Town go into the 25/26 as favourites for the third tier. Despite losing a few key players from their journey to the top, including Kaminski and Morris, and dealing in free transfers, they look a strong squad at 7/2.
Fellow relegated sides Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle are 8/1 along with Huddersfield Town. All 3 go into the season with new managers (the only teams to do so as things stand).
I quite fancy Bolton Wanderers, who finished a very disappointing 8th last season after just missing out in 23/24 with 3rd. They are 11/1, and Blackpool are 12s.
Stockport County, Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton Orient all missed out on promotion in the play-offs, with the first 2 around 14s and Orient at 20s this season to win the league. Reading are also around this section, at 16/1. Seemingly more stable financially, and a transfer embargo lifted, they are expected to be quite busy in the next couple of weeks building the squad so could be one to watch. They are 4/1 to go up, and after missing out on the play-offs by just 3 points despite the off-field issues, look a half decent bet.
The mid-field bets, ranging from 25/1 to 40/1 includes Barnsley, Wigan Athletic, Rotherham Town, Bradford City, Peterborough, Lincoln City and Doncaster Rovers. Bradford and Donnie lead the way for the promoted clubs, with fellow new-comers AFC Wimbledon massive outsiders at 125/1, and Port Vale also unfancied at 80/1,
Exeter City and Northampton Town are also long shots at 100/1, while Mansfield Town, Stevenage and Burton Albion can be got at between 50/1 and 80/1.

League Two
Milton Keynes Dons were my unwise pick for this division last season, finishing 19th. However, they are favourites at 7/2 this time. Chesterfield are 15/2, but I like the looks of Gillingham at 12/1 this time out. Goal-scoring was their big issue last season, and they have signed the experienced Sam Vokes to help out. Along with them at 12/1 are Salford City and Bristol Rovers. Salford only finished 9 points off automatic promotion but didn't even get a play-off place, while Rovers were relegated from League One.
Notts County came up from the National League with Wrexham, but have been unable to follow the Welsh side up and out. Play-off disappointment last season, to go up this time they are 3/1 (14s to win the title).
The story of Walsall Town 24/25 season is baffling. From nailed on title winners in January to missing out on top 3 and then losing in the play-off final. They are 16/1 to win League 2 this time out.
National League winners Barnet are 20/1 after a very impressive campaign last year. Fellow promoted side Oldham Athletic are 25/1.
Other mid-field picks include Cambridge United and Colchester @ 20s, Grimsby Town, Crawley Town and Shrewsbury Town, all 25/1.
Rank outsiders are Newport County, who finished 22nd last term and are 100/1, while Harrogate Town and Accrington Stanley are also unfancied at 80 and 66/1. In my books, a half decent long shot to go up are Bromley, who you can get at around 9/1 for promotion and 50/1 to win the league. A respectable 11th in their first league season, just 4 points off play-offs.

Non-League
Carlisle are 5/2 favourites for the National League, with York City 3/1 after falling just short last term. Forest Green, Rochdale and Southend are also fancied.
Ebbsfleet at 14/1 look good odds for the National League South, while Kidderminster are favourites in the North at 3/1, ahead of Chester at 7s.



I am not going to commit just yet, but at this point I am edging towards a triple of Sheffield United, Bolton Wanderers and Bristol Rovers which is about 1400/1. For those unsure how betting works, it means if you put £10 on that bet you will get fack all back because at least one of those will be a truly awful bet.