Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 4-5

Ten draws: Millwall v Middlesbrough, Sheffield United v Swansea, Wigan v Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry v Scunthorpe, Portsmouth v Luton, Bury v Yeovil, Port Vale v Cambridge, Aberdeen v Rangers, St Mirren v Dundee, Forfar v Airdrieonians.

Best draws: Sheffield United v Swansea, Wigan v Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry v Scunthorpe, Portsmouth v Luton, Aberdeen v Rangers.

Best weekend away bets: Derby (Friday), Nottingham Forest, Plymouth, MK Dons, Partick, Brechin.

Best weekend home bets: Birmingham, Brentford, West Bromwich, Barnsley, Fleetwood, Crewe, Exeter, Grimsby, Swindon, Ross.


Pick of the draws: Swansea appointed Graham Potter as manager after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed. Potter worked wonders at Swedish club Ostersund last season and is expected to do well at Swansea. He could have had easier opponents to start with than Sheffield United but Swansea can come away with a point. Wigan were not only promoted but ended their Division One campaign as champions. I suspect they will adjust quickly to the Championship and should be good enough to frustrate Sheffield Wednesday, who often flatter to deceive. Coventry, up from Division Two, are another promoted club who are capable of further progress and I'm backing them to share the spoils with Scunthorpe. After last season's disappointment Portsmouth need to hit the ground running but may struggle to defeat a Luton team moving in the right direction. Rangers will be boosted by the appointment of Steven Gerrard as manager and I believe he'll begin his new career in the Scottish Premiership with a point at Aberdeen on Sunday.

Away days: Derby, now managed by England centurion Frank Lampard, kick off the Championship season with a visit to Reading on Friday evening and after Reading's troubles in 2017-18 he'll be confident of three points. No club has signed more players in the summer than Nottingham Forest. Their away record left much to be desired last season but I believe they'll get off to a flier with victory at Bristol City, who faded badly in the run-in. Plymouth, who qualified for the League One play-offs last season, have more going for them than their hosts Walsall and are well worth a punt. MK Dons are determined to bounce straight back after relegation to League Two and have a winnable fixture at Oldham, as do relegated Partick at Ayr in the Scottish Championship. Brechin will probably be relieved to return to Scottish One football after their disastrous experience in the Championship last season when they failed to win a game. I'm tipping them to win at Stenhousemuir.

Homes sweet homes: Birmingham finished last season's disappointing Championship campaign with a flourish and are fancied to start 2018-19 by beating Norwich, who failed to rise above mediocre. Former tough guy midfielder Joey Barton is cutting his managerial teeth with League One Fleetwood, who host Wimbledon. Whatever the season has in store for the controversial Barton, I'm taking Fleetwood to gain all three points on Saturday. League Two looks a good division for home selections this weekend and the two who most appeal to me are Crewe (v Morecambe) and Grimsby (v Forest Green).