League One playoffs: Fleetwood Town look best bet for promotion to Championship

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the Sky Bet League One playoffs.

Best bet

Fleetwood Town
1pt 5-2 Betfred

Playoff preview

Fleetwood have come a long way in a short space of time and can secure promotion to the Championship for the first time in their history via the League One playoffs.

The Cod Army were a Conference North outfit as recently as 2010 but they have risen rapidly through the divisions, and after five campaigns in the third tier they may be ready to write a new chapter in their history under promising manager Joey Barton.

There is not much to separate the League One quartet on paper - there was only one point between them in a campaign which was cut short - and it is a similar story in the market with little between trio Portsmouth, Fleetwood and Oxford.

Wycombe, who were among the favourites for relegation in pre-season and were rewarded with a playoff place having played fewer matches than Peterborough and Sunderland, are rightly outsiders of the four.

The Chairboys finished third on the points-per-game model but they look the weakest of the foursome and Fleetwood should readily outclass them over the course of two legs in their semi-final showdown.

Barton has made Fleetwood a difficult side to beat - only champions Coventry suffered fewer defeats than their seven - and they finished the League One campaign on a run of 12 games unbeaten and were making a late surge for automatic promotion.

That sequence included wins over Wycombe, Peterborough and Portsmouth, as well as draws with Sunderland, Coventry and Pompey in Fratton Park's fixture, and it is worth chancing they return in similar vein despite the four-month layoff.

Given the way they stepped forward as the season progressed and the fact they have the clearest chance of securing their place at Wembley at Wycombe expense, there must be some juice in their promotion price at 5-2.

Portsmouth fell at the first hurdle of last season’s Sky Bet League Two playoffs but they warrant favouritism simply due to the attacking options Kenny Jackett has at his disposal.

However, getting past Karl Robinson’s U’s is unlikely to be a straightforward task and backing Barton’s improving Fleetwood rates a much safer investment.

Not got a bet365 account? Sign up today and get up to £100 in bet credits.

Up to £100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport