Pools tips and best football bets for weekend of May 3-4

 Ten draws: Brighton v Newcastle, Leicester v Southampton, Coventry v Middlesbrough, Watford v Sheffield Wednesday, West Bromwich v Luton, Lincoln v Wrexham, Northampton v Wigan, Wycombe v Stockport, Grimsby v Wimbledon, St Mirren v Aberdeen. 

Five best draws: Leicester v Southampton, Watford v Sheffield Wednesday, West Bromwich v Luton, Grimsby v Wimbledon, St Mirren v Aberdeen. 

Weekend football's best bets: Six aways: Leeds, Birmingham, Salford, Walsall, Tranmere, Cove Rangers.

Ten homes: Everton, West Ham, Burnley, Derby, Norwich, Blackpool, Charlton, Reading, Bradford City, Colchester.

Pick of the draws: Two of the three relegated sides from the Premier League, Leicester and Southampton, play each other on Saturday. It's been a terrible season for both of them and neither can buy a win. I don't believe either will win at the weekend either. Watford v Sheffield Wednesday, in the Championship, has an end-of-season feel about it. These mediocre teams will finish mid-table and it's hard to pick a winner. A point at manager-less West Bromwich should be enough to enable Luton to avoid consecutive relegations. The Hatters have won their past three games. Automatic promotion to League One is now out of the question for Wimbledon but they can stop Grimsby from occupying one of the play-off places. St Mirren earned a creditable home draw with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership last Saturday and they can do the same against higher-placed Aberdeen.

Away days: Maximum points at doomed Plymouth on Saturday will ensure that already promoted Leeds finish as Championship champions, as well as ending the season with 100 points. Birmingham, the runaway League One title winners, have already racked up a century and will be overwhelming favourites at Cambridge, who are heading into League Two. Salford need a victory to qualify for the League Two play-offs and I'm sure they'll get it at Carlisle, who are exiting the Football League. Only three points will suffice for wobbling Walsall to have a chance of automatic promotion from League Two but they will fancy their chances at Crewe, who have had a rotten second half of the season. Although Tranmere are third bottom of League Two, they are one of the current form teams and they can end the campaign by beating Newport, who are just above them. Cove Rangers, second in Scottish League One, are a confident selection at Annan, who are second bottom.

Homes sweet homes: I'm tipping West Ham to recover from their devastating defeat at Brighton last weekend by beating Tottenham, who have done almost as badly this season. Only one point separates Spurs (16th) from West Ham (17th). Derby gained a precious 1-0 win at Hull last Saturday in the mad scramble to avoid relegation from the Championship and another victory, against Stoke, who are not safe themselves, will ensure their survival. A 4-1 defeat at Salford last weekend has given Colchester only an outside chance of qualifying for the League Two play-offs but at least they should end their season by beating Barrow.

Betting info: I scored nine out of ten homes last weekend with Liverpool, Newcastle, Wolves, Blackburn, Birmingham, Burton, Chesterfield, Barnet and Southend. 

Pools tips and best football bets for weekend of April 12-13

 Ten draws: Cardiff v Stoke, Millwall v Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City, West Bromwich v Watford, Bristol Rovers v Exeter, Barrow v Walsall, Harrogate v Grimsby, Swindon v Bradford City, Aberdeen v Rangers, Motherwell v Hearts.

Five best draws: Cardiff v Stoke, Bristol Rovers v Exeter, Barrow v Walsall, Swindon v Bradford City, Aberdeen v Rangers.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Aston Villa, Charlton, Leyton Orient, Wrexham, Livingston, East Fife. Ten homes: Brighton, Chelsea, Wolves, Burnley (Friday), Luton, Sunderland, Lincoln, Wycombe, Gillingham, Peterhead.

Pick of the draws: Neither Cardiff nor Stoke, who play each other on Saturday, has pulled clear of the relegation area in the Championship and I don't believe either will improve their prospects at the weekend. Bristol Rovers sit just above the League One drop zone and they are not helped by their poor goal difference. However, they should at least gain a point from the visit of Exeter, who are having an unexceptional season. Walsall, for so long the runaway leaders of League Two, have dropped to third and are in danger of missing automatic promotion. They won't relish a trip to Barrow, who, unlike them, are in fine form. A 2-0 home victory against Crewe last Saturday enabled Bradford City to lead League Two but they won't have things all their own way at Swindon, who have responded well to veteran manager Ian Holloway. Just when you think Rangers have cracked it in the Scottish Premiership, they lose 2-0 to Hibernian at home. This inconsistency makes them vulnerable at Aberdeen, who have perked up recently.

Away days: Teams who have just sacked their manager often win their next game but it's hard to see Southampton, already relegated from the Premier League, continuing that trend against Aston Villa, who are ending the season like an express train, as evident with seven consecutive victories in all competitions, until that midweek setback against Paris Saint-Germain. Charlton's 2-2 home draw against Lincoln last Saturday was a tiny blip in their attempt to win promotion from League One and I'll be surprised if they show the seemingly doomed Cambridge any mercy. Leyton Orient will probably just miss qualifying for the League One play-offs but they should be good enough to come away from relegation-threatened Crawley with three points. Wrexham are looking very likely to gain consecutive promotions and must be fancied at lowly Wigan. Livingston, second in the Scottish Championship and bang in form, are recommended at Greenock Morton and East Fife, second in Scottish League Two, will start firm favourites against Bonnyrigg Rose, who are bottom.

Homes sweet homes: Now that Wolves' Premier League status is almost secure by virtue of their 2-1 win at Ipswich last weekend, I expect them to celebrate by beating Tottenham at Molineux on Sunday. Draws against Leeds (home) and Stoke (away) have given Luton a fighting chance of avoiding successive relegations and they are worth backing against Blackburn, who are in danger of slipping into the bottom half of the Championship. Gillingham are on course to ending a disappointing League Two season on an optimistic note and I'm tipping them to defeat the uninspired Milton Keynes Dons.

Betting info: I scored eight out of 10 homes last weekend: Tottenham, Plymouth, Birmingham, Bolton, Wrexham, Colchester, Gateshead and Hartlepool.

Pools tips and best football bets for weekend of April 5-6

 Ten draws: Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest, West Ham v Bournemouth, Coventry v Burnley, Millwall v Portsmouth, Huddersfield v Mansfield, Reading v Wycombe, Shrewsbury v Cambridge, Cheltenham v Doncaster, Tranmere v Chesterfield, Kilmarnock v Motherwell.

Five best draws: Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest, Coventry v Burnley, Millwall v Portsmouth, Cheltenham v Doncaster, Tranmere v Chesterfield.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Sheffield United, Stoke, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Partick, Tamworth. Ten homes: Tottenham, Plymouth, West Bromwich, Birmingham, Bolton, Charlton, Wrexham, Colchester, Gateshead, Hartlepool. 

Pick of the draws: Nottingham Forest took a giant step towards securing Champions League football next season with a narrow midweek home victory over Manchester United. As they are also in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, no wonder the mood is so buoyant at the City Ground. I think that feel-good factor will remain with them after Saturday's Premier League game at Aston Villa, who are also bang on form. Burnley's defensive resilience as they push for promotion from the Championship has been one of the stories of 2024-25 but manager Frank Lampard has put an extra spring in the step of Coventry, who occupy one of the play-off positions. Two of the division's most inconsistent teams, Millwall and Portsmouth, meet at The Den on Saturday and I don't believe either will emerge triumphant. Doncaster have lost some ground in their attempt to go up automatically from League Two and there's no guarantee they will return from Cheltenham with three points. Consecutive wins over Barrow (1-0, away) and Carlisle (2-1, home) have made Chesterfield believe they can make the play-offs. However, their visit to Tranmere is fraught with danger, for the hosts are scrapping like mad to avoid dropping out of the Football League.

Away days: It's hard to ignore the prospects of Sheffield United at Oxford. United, the worthy Championship leaders, are in the kind of form that Oxford can only dream about. Stoke's 3-1 home win over Queens Park Rangers last Saturday was timely in their fight to avoid relegation and I won't be surprised if they gain another three points at Preston. Blackpool are thriving in League One after home victories against Bolton (2-1 on Saturday) and Reading (3-0 in midweek) and are worth backing at Rotherham, who have sacked their manager, Steve Evans. Aberdeen seem over their poor patch in the Scottish Premiership and are recommended at Ross County. Partick, fourth in the Scottish Championship, will be disappointed not to come away from bottom side Airdrieonians with maximum points. Tamworth, unbeaten in their past nine fixtures, have the National League play-offs in their sights and will be confident of defeating Maidenhead, who are in the drop zone.

Homes sweet homes: Although Plymouth are still bottom of the Championship, they haven't given up hope of surviving and can improve their chances by defeating mid-table Norwich. West Bromwich Albion were very unlucky to lose to an added-time goal at Norwich last weekend. Perhaps they are due for a change of luck against fellow promotion contenders Sunderland. Colchester have encountered a few setbacks in League Two lately but I tip them to return to winning ways when they host the higher-placed Notts County.

Betting info: I scored five out of six aways last weekend with Manchester City, Aston Villa, Wrexham, Notts County and Rangers. Only Bradford City (0-0 at Accrington) let me down.

Pools tips and best football bets for weekend of March 29-30

 Ten draws: Fulham v Crystal Palace, Hull v Luton, Norwich v West Bromwich, Stoke v Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland v Millwall, Bristol Rovers v Mansfield, Wigan v Barnsley, Barrow v Chesterfield, Harrogate v Gillingham, Hamilton v Raith.

Five best draws: Fulham v Crystal Palace, Norwich v West Bromwich, Sunderland v Millwall, Bristol Rovers v Mansfield, Harrogate v Gillingham.

Weekend football's best bets: Six aways: Manchester City, Aston Villa, Wrexham, Bradford City, Notts County, Rangers. Ten homes: Brighton, Leeds, Portsmouth, Watford, Birmingham, Stockport, Crewe, Doncaster, Hibernian, Barnet. 

Pick of the draws: Fulham and Crystal Palace have fared better away than at home this season. Bearing that in mind, I won't be at all surprised if Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Craven Cottage goes to extra time before a winner emerges. Neither side has yet won the competition, so I'm expecting a hard-fought, open encounter. Norwich v West Bromwich is a clash between two under-performing Championship teams. I'm not sure that either can raise their game enough to win. Mid-table Millwall are used to upsetting more fashionable sides and they can do so again at Sunderland, who lie fourth. Mansfield have at last arrested their alarming slide down League One and can gain a point at Bristol Rovers, who are just above the relegation zone. Although Harrogate and Gillingham find themselves at the wrong end of League Two, they appear safe from the drop. A point apiece is the most likely outcome.

Away days: Manchester City's implosion in the Premier League may make them more determined to do well in the FA Cup. They travel to Bournemouth for their quarter-final tie on Sunday and I believe they'll come out on top. Aston Villa aren't at their best away from Villa Park but you have to fancy them at Preston, who, at 14th in the Championship, are the lowest-ranked team left in the FA Cup. Wrexham, seeking automatic promotion from League One, have regained their poise recently and are recommended at Exeter. At the top of League Two, Bradford City recovered from their unexpected home defeat by Tranmere by defeating Colchester 4-1 at Valley Parade last weekend. It's hard to see them slipping up at  Accrington, who are 20th. Notts County had the better of their home goalless draw with fellow promotion candidates Crewe last Saturday, which should encourage them to come away from Newport with three points. After winning 3-2 away at Celtic, Rangers are far more upbeat and I expect them to see off second-from-bottom Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

Homes sweet homes: With good reason, Brighton don't fear anybody these days. I predict they'll make the most of home advantage against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and thereby book a place in the FA Cup semi-finals. You don't know what Portsmouth, of the Championship, are going to do from one week to the next. In the past month they've lost at Luton (1-0) and Preston (2-1) but beaten league leaders Leeds at home. They seem more confident at Fratton Park and are worth backing against Blackburn, who are heading in the wrong direction. Crewe have lost ground in League Two by drawing on too many occasions. They have a good chance to rectify this against fierce promotion rivals Port Vale, who seem equally vulnerable, having lost 1-0 at home to Barrow in midweek. 

Pools tips and best football bets for weekend of March 22-23

 Ten draws: Germany v Italy, Bradford City v Colchester, Fleetwood v Tranmere, Notts County v Crewe, Inverness v Alloa, Clyde v Bonnyrigg Rose, Edinburgh v East Fife, Eastleigh v Southend, Solihull Moors v Yeovil, Wealdstone v Woking.

Five best draws: Bradford City v Colchester, Fleetwood v Tranmere, Notts County v Crewe, Edinburgh v East Fife, Eastleigh v Southend.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: North Macedonia, Queen of the South, York, Forest Green, Tamworth, Boston. Ten homes: France, Spain, Czechia, Montenegro, Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Port Vale, Ayr, Falkirk, Aldershot.

Pick of the draws: Colchester's astonishing 13-game unbeaten run has enabled them to climb into the League Two play-off positions. They have conceded less than a goal a game, a statistic that should serve them well at second-placed Bradford City. Two successive victories have halted Tranmere's alarming slide. They even won 1-0 at Bradford City last Saturday, so it will surprising if they don't get something from their trip to Fleetwood. Few sides have drawn more often than Crewe (15) and another stalemate is on the cards when they visit Notts County, who are only three places above them and four points better off. East Fife, the Scottish League Two leaders, crashed 3-0 at home to mid-table Stranraer last Saturday, so they will be wary of Edinburgh, who are third. Eastleigh and Southend are making a late push to qualify for the National League play-offs. They have the same number of points and I can't see that changing after Saturday.

Away days: North Macedonia will be kicking themselves if they don't gain maximum points against minnows Liechtenstein in their World Cup qualifier. Queen of the South, of Scottish League One, are worth backing at Dumbarton, who are rock bottom. York won't give up chasing the runaway National League leaders Barnet and a win at Braintree will be crucial to their prospects. Although Forest Green, in third, have faded recently, they should be too good for Fylde, who are in the relegation zone. Tamworth, improving by the week, are worth a punt at the higher-placed Gateshead, who have lost their past two home matches. Boston's remarkable escape from relegation is well and truly on. After winning 3-0 at Yeovil, they followed last Saturday's 1-0 victory at Braintree by beating Rochdale 3-2 away in midweek. A fourth consecutive away triumph - at mid-table Hartlepool - is not beyond them. 

Homes sweet homes: Cheltenham continue to impress in the second half of the League Two season and they will expect to beat the woefully out-of-touch Milton Keynes Dons. Chesterfield, 2-1 winners at promotion-challenging Notts County last weekend, have perked up lately and must be fancied against struggling Harrogate. Confidence seems to have been restored at Port Vale after a winter wobble. They saw off MK Dons 3-0 at home last Saturday and I expect a similar result against second-from-bottom Morecambe. 

Pools info (1): Salford v Doncaster (No.24 on coupon) has been postponed and will be assessed by the pools panel.

Pools info (2): For the second week running, three of my five best draws were correct last weekend: Manchester City v Brighton (2-2), Accrington v Gillingham (1-1) and St Johnstone v Aberdeen (0-0).