League One winner odds, relegation predictions and top scorer bets

Best bet

Barnsley
1pt each-way 25-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Already advised

Derby
2pts each-way 8-1 Hills

Peterborough
2pts each-way 10-1 BoyleSports

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League One promotion predictions

It's 25-1 bar the front three for the League One title where the winner really ought to be come from Plymouth, Ipswich or Sheffield Wednesday.

Those three have established a seven-point cushion and more over a chasing pack led by in-form Barnsley, and it's hard to imagine all three of them backing up.

The prices suggest Ipswich are the best of the three and League One observers do seem to be in general agreement that Town are the best team in the section, although unfancied Argyle deserves untold praise.

Ipswich have lost only three times this season and just don't do bad runs. Under Kieran McKenna they have lost six times in the league but never back-to-back. McKenna has also been promised more resources to strengthen an already strong squad in January.

Plymouth, who came close to make the playoffs last term, have suffered just one defeat since August, but one win in their last five – at home to Morecambe – is an untimely stutter.

Wednesday always looked like contenders and have done nothing to suggest they won't be in the thick of the title race come spring. Barry Bannan, their inspirational playmaker, is injured but not badly enough to have Owls' fans fretting.

For punters looking to dip back into the outright betting at this point, the promotion and relegation markets look to be more competitive than the title betting.

However, it is worth pointing out that 25-1 shots Barnsley, currently on a five-game winning streak, have already visited each of the top three as well as Bolton, Derby and Peterborough, and have two games in hand on the leading trio.

Michael Duff, November's manager of the month, has impressed in his first few months at Oakwell and a run to third round of the FA Cup appears to mean there's a few quid to be spent in January.

If they can hang on to arguably the division's best centre-back, Mads Andersen, the Tykes will be well set.

They'll be in an even better place if shining youngsters Luca Connell and Liam Kitching continue to progress, while there's no hint of a drop off in Herbie Kane's performance levels.

And what Barnsley fans wouldn't give to see James Norwood revitalised in the same way strike partner Devante Cole has been.

The top three do look strong, but the Tykes have spent 13 of the last 16 seasons in the Championship and only came down from the second tier in May. They were expected to challenge then and after finding their feet under Duff, maybe they will.

Matter of time before Pompey get it right

Best bet

Portsmouth top-six finish
1pt 13-8 Hills

Already advised

Bolton top-six finish
1pt 8-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Verdict

The fact that Portsmouth are no bigger than 11-8 to finish in the top six despite having crumbled in recent weeks, confirms the layers don't want to be taking any risks with Pompey.

Portsmouth's fans have turned on Danny Cowley and his team, who are on a rotten run of just two wins in three months.

Top of the table in August, they will resume in tenth place but if there's a side from mid-division capable of muscling their way into the top six, it's definitely Pompey.

As it stands they are five points adrift of the playoff places with games in hand on all the teams above them.

Cowley has been told he has funds to spend in January and the sense is the club are going to stick with him.

They have bags of scoring power with a frontline led by Colby Bishop – they have scored seven goals in three games against the three leading clubs – and just need a change in fortune.

It's a heavyweight sextet currently occupying the top six and Portsmouth can soon join that elite.

Addicks looking over their shoulder

Already advised

Burton Albion
1pt 3-1 Betfred

Verdict

Bookmakers have pretty much written off Morecambe and priced up Burton and Forest Green to accompany the Shrimpers down.

MK Dons are the one member of the current bottom four the layers think will escape the trapdoor, although quotes of 7-4 about them going down are hardly a raging endorsement of their survival skills.

What's so striking about the prices is that Morecambe have not been tailed off at all. In fact they are only six points from safety. And 21st-placed Forest Green, who have won two of their last three, are just a point behind Cambridge in 20th.

The relegation battle could easily turn into a proper scrap and if we know anything about Cambridge, Cheltenham and Accrington it's that they know how to scrap. But can we say the same about Charlton?

The one team being priced for relegation on reputation, Charlton are 22-1 for the drop which is utterly at odds with a team in crisis and just four points clear of the bottom four.

They are without a win in six in the league and hoping Dean Holden's arrival as manager, on the back of a gutsy League Cup success over Brighton, provides a much-needed upturn.

Charles could mount late Golden Boot charge

Already advised

Ryan Hardie
1pt each-way 25-1 bet365

Dion Charles
1pt each-way 20-1 bet365

Verdict

Peterborough's Jonson Clarke-Harris leads the top scorer charts with 12 and, despite being only one clear of the field, is a solid favourite.

He will no doubt be the subject of much January transfer speculation, although if the most promising of the rumours comes off – a move to Ipswich – he'll still be the man to beat.

The obvious danger is Portsmouth's Colby Bishop, who is currently on the nine-goal mark and set to storm past the 12 he bagged for Accrington last year.

Between Clarke-Harris and Bishop are Aaron Collins at Bristol Rovers, who has shown he can score goals at this level after doing so in League Two, and Burton's Victor Adeboyejo, who Hull like the look of.

Plymouth's Ryan Hardie (eight) and Bolton's Dion Charles (seven) were advised as value ante-post selections in July and there is no reason to not stick with them. Indeed, Charles could appeal to latecomers at 25-1 given he has found his scoring touch in recent weeks and could easily sustain that form in an attack-minded Trotters team.

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