Scottish Championship 2019-20: season predictions and best bet

Dundee United can end four years in the wilderness by winning the Ladbrokes Championship and securing their return to the top flight.

The Tannadice club have fallen short in the playoffs for the last three, with last season's penalty shootout defeat to St Mirren the most painful yet as they missed every spot kick in Paisley.

However, with the dependable Robbie Neilson at the helm United have a manager who knows what it takes to get out of this league. Neilson guided Hearts to the second-tier title by 21 points ahead of Rangers and Hibernian four years ago.

And crucially, they also now have a proven goalscorer in Lawrence Shankland. If the striker stays fit, United should win the league at a canter.

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The capture of prolific scorer Shankland from Ayr was both a surprise and a game changer. He netted 34 goals for Ayr last season and almost single-handedly took them to the top of the league before injury caught up with him.

Adam King and Liam Smith should also be solid additions for United and they have clearly got the best squad in the league.

If they can cut out their tendency to drop points in ridiculous situations they should be too good for the rest.

The rest include city rivals Dundee, who are under new management with James McPake as boss and the intriguing appointment of Gordon Strachan as technical director.

It's impossible to think the former Scotland boss won't be involved, despite his protestations to the contrary, but the Dens Park club were so woeful last season that it's hard to mount a case for them.

The addition of the likes of Jamie Ness, Shaun Byrne and Declan McDaid should comfortably see them finish in a playoff spot, but that could be the height of their ambitions.

Partick Thistle and Inverness could be the other two teams who reach the playoffs. The Jags are an interesting proposition under Gary Caldwell and with a reported Amercan takeover imminent. They have also persuaded veteran striker Kenny Miller to join their cause.

Caley Thistle have a good manager in John Robertson and could again feature in the top four.

Morton could be the dark horses of the league under new boss David Hopkin. He steered Livingston to successive promotions from Ladbrokes League One to the Premiership before an ill-fated move to Bradford City. He commands plenty of respect and the Greenock side could go well.

Dunfermline and Ayr United should steer clear of trouble and may even be in the playoff shake-up given a good run of form.

That should leave Queen of the South - who are almost entirely reliant on an ageing Stephen Dobbie, who bagged an incredible 43 goals last season - and Arbroath and Alloa to fight out relegation.

The departure of Jim Goodwin to St Mirren may see the Wasps finish bottom.

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Dundee United
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