| BLUE SQUARE PREMIER | BETTING GUIDE |
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Expect a big divide in the Blue Square Premier with the top six teams able to splash the cash leaving teams trailing behind. Biggest spenders have been Rushden who will be a good team this season. Stevenage who have tried so desperately to gain promotion have gone all out with some big signings, all strong and pacey. Wrexham will challenge for the title whilst both Cambridge and Oxford in particular giving a good account of themselves. FA Trophy winners Ebbsfleet United should be watched, much will rely on if they can keep star man John Akinde (top right). Mansfield Town suffered big internal problems during off-season but will still be good enough to challenge for the play-offs. |
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| All the newly promoted teams are expected to struggle with Lewes and Barrow in particular looking vulnerable. Eastbourne and Kettering should have enough but will be down there somewhere. Altrincham are the team to take on, amazingly still in this league after 3 reprievals on the bounce, Altrincham are destined for relegation this season. Woking are another team who could struggle under Kim Grant, an inexperienced manager. Much attention will go to the big guns, Rushden (bottom right), Stevenage, Wrexham, Oxford and Cambridge who could take points of almost every other team in this league. York City and Burton Albion could be a threat but need to be watched first. |  |
| BLUE SQUARE NORTH | |
| AFC Telford have a big chance to gain a long awaited promotion but will be met by fierce competition. Burscough released their manager Liam Watson who soon went to Southport taking 13 of his best players with him which puts Southport as big title contenders. Both have excellent strikers with Terry Fearns (right) for AFC Telford and Ciaran Kilheeny for Southport both expecting to be major hits. The league may be thrown wide open as both Harrogate and Farsley Celtic both have excellent credentials. Harrogate have made some great signings including Justin Whittle who has bags of league experience. Farsley Celtic did great in their Blue Square Premier debut last season, only a bad finish to the season got them relegated. |  |
| Stalybridge Celtic who enjoyed a good season last time out will again be tough to beat, both Droylsden and Stafford Rangers should be watched as both could go either way. Reports have been that the money has been flying around on Fleetwood Town who are looking for their third promotion in three years, some shrewd signings from rivals Witton have made Fleetwood look an interesting team. Vauxhall Motors could be whipping boys this season along with Blyth Spartans, Hucknall Town and Hinckley. Hucknall in particular avoided relegation with a reprieve and are expected to struggle. Solihull and Burscough are among others who are also expected to struggle but special attention will go to Vauxhall and Hucknall Town. |  |
| BLUE SQUARE SOUTH | |
| Havant & Waterlooville have been made title favourites which largely comes down to how they performed against Liverpool over two games in a triumphant FA Cup run although there haven't been many big names arriving. Chelmsford who won the Ryman Premier and AFC Wimbledon who won in the play-offs look set to be big threats. Chelmsford pulled off the biggest Non League transfer of the off-season with the signing of Dave Rainford (top right) from Dagenham. AFC Wimbledon cleared all their dead wood out during off-season and in came some big names ready to push the Dons on. Hampton & Richmond finished in 2nd place last season and will be in with a shout this season except they lost their two best players to AFC Wimbledon. |  |
| Bromley look a strong outfit with Mark Goldberg in charge and could spring a few supprises. Braintree have drafted in plenty of faces although a heavy 9-0 loss in pre-season suggests their back-up is not quite as good. Newport County will have to be watched as legend Dean Holdsworth has been given the chance to impress in charge. Fisher Athletoc will also be decent. Bognor Regis had a mass exodus with the cash run dry whilst Weston-S-Mare were spared relegation through a reprieve last season. Both these teams, Dorchester and Basingstoke should all be taken on in which could be a league to take on the bottom four on a regular basis. |  |
| RYMAN PREMIER | |
| AFC Hornchurch have supprisingly been made title favourites although this could come under question once the season begins. Sutton United who appointed Paul Doswell (right) as manager will have a big shout considering his contacts and the signings the club have made. Staines Town were excellent last season and will be up there again even though they have lost their top goalscorer Nwokedji. Newly promoted Dover and Dartford are in the running, both are well run clubs with excellent facilities, Dover in particular look good. Carshalton have made lots of signings and may cause a supprise whilst Tonbridge Angels finished last season like a steam train and have taken Hasting United's best players. |  |
| Ramsgate, Billericay, Hendon and Ashford Town will all be competitive whilst the team to watch is Horsham. They signed the highly talented Sam Page from the MK Dons, Page (right) won't be around for long but while he is there he will be an excellent asset. There could be a few whipping boys in this team with Margate relying on youth and management and Tooting & Mitcham vastly inexperienced at this level. Harrow, Harlow and Boreham Wood could all be strugglers also. The Ryman Premeir has a real mix of teams with many that could supprise. Out of all the leagues it is probably best to see which teams are performing in the first 10 games in this league. |  |
| BG SOUTHERN PREMIER | |
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The Southern league is a very interesting one that is wide open with the bookies placing four teams as favourites for the title. Halesowen finished the season in 3rd place after a huge push towards the end and will have a good chance again. Corby Town and Brackley have been the big money spenders although Corby finished in the bottom half of the table last season. Farnborough may be the ones to watch after re-vamping their club with a new stand and some excellent signings. Much depends on if Steve Richardson (right) the powerful forward stays. Cambridge City finished mid-table in the league above but were relegated due to internal problems so they should be able to apply themselves in the league below. |
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| Gloucester, Chippenham, Oxford City, Hemel Hempstead, Clevedon, Bashley and Yate are all teams that can take points off the better sides on their day just like last season. It seems highly unlikely any of these teams will challenge at the top but are advised to watch when taking them on. Bedford Town should have been relegated last season but were spared through a reprieve and will be big favourites for the drop. Newly promoted Stourbridge will struggle along with Hitchin, Swindon Supermarine and maybe Tiverton. Bookies have written off Clevedon who had a brilliant debut season last year, all in all the BG Premier will be highly competitive with form a key factor this year. |  |
| UNIBOND PREMIER | |
| The Unibond Premier looks set to be very competitive with a number of teams in the hunt for promotion. Boston United were playing in League 2 only 3 seasons ago but have been demoted 3 tiers for financial reasons and now amazingly playing the new season in the Unibond, although they must be fancied to bounce right back up especially with a classy Lebon (right). Bradford PA have spent lots of money and are infact the bookies favourites. Leigh Genesis totally re-branded their club in the off-season but also brought in some talented players and look to challenge. Buxton who suprrised everyone last season have picked up a classy player in Hume and should be as strong as last year after reaching the play-off final. |  |
| Eastwood, Guiseley and Marine should all pick up a decent amount of points and be tough to beat with the league contenders. FC United have shot up the leagues after reforming a club in anger of the Glazer ownership at United. This season is expected to be much tougher so watch with a keen eye on FC United. Ilkeston are a team to watch, bought out by a millionaire businessman and some quiet signings have taken place whilst bookies have totally written them off pre-season. Ossett, North Ferriby, Kendal and Worksop Town all look set to struggle and will definately be taken on when they come up against the better teams in the league. Witton Albion who finished 2nd last year should be avoided after a mass clear-out. |  |
| Written by Daniel Samson, July 2008 |
