Carlisle
Ground: Brunton Park
Capacity: 18,202
Manager: Greg Abbott
Carlisle are a mixed bag really that can either gatecrash the play offs or suffer another miserable season like last…given their transfers this summer im afraid its the latter and would expect Abbott to be the first managerial casualty.
In’s:
Reece James (Manchester United; loan), Josh Gillies (Gateshead; tribunal fee TBC), David Amoo (Tranmere Rovers; free), Alex Salmon (professional contract), Jack Lynch (professional contract), Lewis Guy (St Mirren; free)
Out’s:
Adam Collin (Rotherham United; free), Mathieu Manset, Peter Murphy, Frank Simek, Rory Loy, Jon-Paul McGovern, Tony Caig (retired), Andy Welsh (Scunthorpe United; free)
Vital Walsall Prediction – 22nd
Colchester
Ground: Colchester Community Stadium
Capacity: 10,084
Manager: Joe Dunne
Colchester are very much like Carlisle that I dont expect their boss to be around too long in the new season however they havent done too bably in the transfer market, however it remains to be seen whether the youngsters from Arsenal and Chelsea can make the grade. Still think its a season of struggle but they should just survive.
In’s:
Craig Eastmond (Arsenal; free), Sanchez Watt (Arsenal; free), Mason Spence (Milton Keynes Dons; free), Daniel Papoe (Chelsea; loan), Sam Walker (Chelsea; loan), Ryan Dickson (Southampton; free)
Out’s:
Matt Heath, Jackson Ramm, Bradley Hamilton (Concord Rangers; free), John White (Southend United; free), Jack Compton (Hartlepool United; free), John-Joe O’Toole (Bristol Rovers; Undisclosed fee)
Vital Walsall Prediction – 20th
Coventry City
Ground: Sixfields,Northampton
Capacity: 7,653
Manager: Steven Pressley
Under a transfer embargo they have only managed to offer pro deals to 4 youngsters and with the remaining staff unsure where they will be come August 31st it remains to be seen whether Steven Pressley can perform a minor miracle!
In’s:
Out’s:
Richard Wood (Charlton Athletic; free), Jordan Stewart (San Jose Earthquakes; free), Danny Philliskirk, Stephen Elliott, Nathan Cameron (Bury; free), Cody McDonald (Gillingham; free), Will Roberts, Joe Henderson, Shaun Jeffers, Josh Ruffels (Oxford United; free)
Vital Walsall Prediction – 19th
Crawley Town
Ground:Broadfield Stadium
Capacity: 5,996
Manager:Ritchie Barker
Crawley must have one of the smallest squads in League 1 and given the fact they have only made two new signings would make you question their thinking given how testing League 1 is. They surprised everyone last season with their highest ever league placing of 10th but I think they will come crashing back down to earth this year, straight back down into League 2.
In’s:
Andy Drury (Ipswich Town; free), James Hurst (Valur; free)
Out’s:
Richard Brodie (Gateshead, free), David Hunt (Oxford United; free), Shaun Cooper, Matt Sparrow (Scunthorpe United; free), Mustapha Dumbuya (Notts County; free), Lateef Elford-Aliyu
Vital Walsall Prediction – 21st
Crewe
Ground: Gresty Road
Capacity: 10,153
Manager: Steve Davis
Crewe are a side very similar to Walsall, they rely on the sales of top raw talent to generate enough money to compete with the bigger boys of League 1, like Walsall they have tasted Division 1 football in the past and like Walsall I think they will be in League 1 again for 2014/15. Despite losing captain Luke Murphy to Leeds, Crewe will have enough to avoid the drop and a taste of mid table mediocrity will be on the agenda.
In’s:
Vadaine Oliver (Lincoln City, Undisclosed fee), Thierry Audel (Macclesfield Town; free), Lee Molyneux (Accrington Stanley; free), Anthony Grant (Stevenage; free)
Out’s:
Joe Gorman (Inverness Caledonian Thistle; free), Luke Murphy (Leeds United; Undisclosed fee), Andy White, Harry Clayton, Brendon Daniels, Paris Bateman, Brandon Moores, Liam Wilson, Toby Appleton
Vital Walsall Prediction – 12th
Gillingham
Ground: Priestfield Stadium
Capacity: 11,582
Manager: Martin Allen
Gillingham surprised many last season to win the League 2 title and under Martin Allen you expect tough and physical opposition, however apart from a play-off push with Brentford quite sometime ago, Allen does tend to find League 1 a little tough. I just hope Gillingham don’t rely on Akinfenwa for the goals to push them higher up this league. I do expect a season of struggle for the Kent side who are back in League 1 for the first time since 2010.
In’s:
Joe Gritt (Hayes & Yeading United; free), Amine Linganzi (Accrington Stanley; free), Antonio German (Brentford; free), Adebayo Akinfenwa (Northampton Town; free), Cody McDonald (Coventry City; free), Tommy Forecast (Southampton; free)
Out’s:
Jack Evans (Tamworth; free), Andy Frampton (AFC Wimbledon; free), Lewis Montrose (York City; free), Jack Payne (Peterborough United; Undisclosed fee), Deon Burton (Scunthorpe United; free)
Vital Walsall Prediction – 24th
Leyton Orient
Ground: Matchroom Stadium
Capacity:9,271
Manager: Russell Slade
Leyton Orient achieve beyond anyone’s expectations last season and still had a chance of a play-off spot heading into the final month of the season, however I don’t expect them to challenge this season. Slade isn’t thought of highly at Orient despite all he has achieved and you wonder if they start a run of poor results, supporters will get restless – abit like our time under Hutchings. Orient, along with Crawley have one of the smallest squads in this division and the winter months will take its toll.
In’s:
Jake Larkins (West Ham United; free), Shaun Batt (Millwall; free), Yohann Lasimant (Unattached)
Out’s:
Jimmy Smith (Stevenage; free), Michael Symes (Burton Albion; free), Charlie MacDonald (Oldham Athletic; free), Anthony Griffith (Port Vale; free), Lee Cook, Leon McSweeney, Martin Rowlands, Lee Butcher
Vital Walsall Prediction – 15th
Tomorrow we turn our attentions to M,N,O and P.
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