Pools tips for this weekend April 30-May 1

Treble chance (home teams): Blackburn, Derby, Leeds, Brighton, Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Walsall, Bury, Hereford, Northampton.


 Best draws: Derby, Leeds, Brighton, Bury, Hereford.


Aways: Manchester United, Reading, Leicester, Queens Park Rangers, Bournemouth.


Homes: Blackpool, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Millwall, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Leyton Orient, Yeovil.




Pick of the draws: Derby and their visitors, Bristol City, lost both their Championship matches over Easter, but at least they are safe from relegation and can play without tension. As the league table suggests, there is little between them. Leeds' promotion challenge has stalled just at the wrong time. They have already drawn eight games at Elland Road this season and I won't be surprised if they make it nine against Burnley. Since they have been confirmed as League One champions, Brighton have not shown the same intensity, so I'm taking promotion-seeking Huddersfield to gain a point at the Withdean stadium. Because Bury have clinched promotion from League Two they may take their foot off the pedal against third-placed Wycombe, who still have everything to play for. I predict that Hereford, the division's home draw specialists with 10 to their name, will take a step closer to safety by sharing the spoils with Bradford City.


Away days: Manchester United's confidence is sky-high, whereas Arsenal's must be at rock-bottom. Unlike Arsenal, United grow stronger towards the end of the season and they should be backed to collect maximum points when they visit the Emirates on Sunday. I believe Reading's defeat by Sheffield United on Easter Monday was merely a blip and they can confirm their place in the Championship play-offs with victory at Coventry. Leicester will be disappointed to miss out on a play-off place and I expect them to take it out on lowly Doncaster. Queens Park Rangers should clinch promotion at Watford while in League One, revitalised Bournemouth are tipped to prevail at Hartlepool.


Homes sweet homes: Blackpool, battling against relegation, were unlucky not to beat Newcastle last Saturday and I believe they will be rewarded against Stoke, who are not half as formidable away from the Britannia stadium.  I expect Millwall's late surge for the Championship play-offs to continue against Swansea, who are indifferent travellers. Sheffield United's revival may have come too late to stop them going down, but I fancy them to defeat Barnsley. Leyton Orient are flying in League One and must be backed against Tranmere, while Yeovil have done well to avoid relegation and can celebrate the fact by beating mid-table Colchester.    

Pools tips for this weekend April 23-24

Treble chance (home teams): Aston Villa, Blackpool, Wolves, Derby, Portsmouth,  Cheltenham, Barrow, Airdrie, Brechin, East Stirling.


Best draws: Aston Villa, Blackpool, Derby, Portsmouth, Airdrie.


Aways: Arsenal, Bristol City, Southampton, Bournemouth, Shrewsbury.


Homes: Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Hull, Watford, Bristol Rovers, Walsall, Aldershot, Gillingham.




Pick of the draws: After last Sunday's sensational 5-0 victory over Bolton in the FA Cup semi-final by Stoke, a visit to Aston Villa will hold no fears. Although Villa have improved markedly in recent weeks I believe Stoke will end their barren run away from home. Alarm bells are ringing at Blackpool, who have slipped into the relegation zone for the first time this season. They will be stretched to gain more than a point against Newcastle. Derby came away with a creditable goalless draw at Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers on Monday and look good for another against visitors Burnley, who are making a late charge for a play-off place. Swansea's promotion challenge is being hindered by indifferent away form and Portsmouth can make life even more difficult for them at Fratton Park. Livingston are assured of promotion from the Scottish second division, so they may take their foot off the pedal at Airdrie.


Away days: Although Arsenal keep shooting themselves in the foot, they should have too much for Bolton, who are reeling from their heavy FA Cup semi-final defeat at Wembley. I expect Bristol City to increase Sheffield United's misery at the foot of the Championship. Brighton have already won promotion from League One and are unbeaten at home. However, if any team can defeat them at the Withdean stadium it is Southampton, who seem the best of the other promotion candidates. Bournemouth arrested their slump by winning at Notts County last weekend and are tipped to hand out similar treatment to Yeovil.  In League Two, in-form Shrewsbury should be backed to collect three points at Hereford and enhance their claims for promotion.

Homes sweet homes: Hull, chasing a Championship play-off place, must be fancied to beat Middlesbrough. Despite Watford being one of the most unpredictable teams in the League, I am sure they will get the better of Barnsley, who have nothing to play for except pride. Take a chance on relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers against Charlton, who are ending their League One season on a real downer. Lowly Walsall are 10 points worse off than their visitors Sheffield Wednesday but their recent results have been more impressive, so they are a fair bet for maximum points.  

Pools tips for this weekend April 16-17

Treble chance (home teams): Bristol City, Hull, Swindon, Tranmere, Accrington, Stevenage, Forest Green, Hayes & Yeading, Morton, East Stirling.

Best draws: Bristol City, Tranmere, Accrington, Stevenage, Forest Green.

Aways: Huddersfield, Oldham, Hereford, Kidderminster, AFC Wimbledon.

Homes: Cardiff, Middlesbrough, Preston, Carlisle, Bury, Crewe, Grimsby, Hibernian, Dunfermline.


Pick of the draws: Ipswich have thrived in the Championship since Paul Jewell became manager and will be confident of getting something from their trip to Bristol City. Tranmere and Dagenham & Redbridge are making spirited attempts to avoid relegation from League One. They play each other on Saturday and both had good results last weekend (Tranmere 2-1 at Bournemouth, Dagenham 3-1 against Notts County). It is difficult to separate them. I'm taking Oxford United to end Accrington's run of eight consecutive home wins in League Two. I fancy Aldershot, the division's form team, to hold promotion-seeking Stevenage, who have already drawn nine home matches this season. In the Blue Square Bet Premier, hosts Forest Green tend to draw at home (eight) while visitors Cambridge United tend to draw away (also eight).

Away days: Third-placed Huddersfield are in good nick at the moment, unlike their League One opponents Charlton, who have slipped out of the promotion reckoning and into mid-table. Oldham are playing better than their recent results suggest and are worth a punt at Yeovil, whose home record is nothing to write home about. Hereford's fine away form (eight wins on the road) has kept them out of the League Two relegation zone and they could be on course for another victory at Rotherham, who have lost momentum. In the Blue Square Bet Premier it is impossible to ignore the claims of high flyers Kidderminster and AFC Wimbledon, who travel to last but one Eastbourne and bottom club Histon respectively.

Homes sweet homes: Middlesbrough are upwardly mobile under Tony Mowbray and should continue their climb in the Championship with victory over Barnsley. Preston are showing the best form of the clubs threatened by relegation and I predict they will hammer the final nail in Sheffield United's coffin. In League One, Carlisle will have been boosted by their Johnstone Paints Trophy win at Wembley two weeks ago and can see off Colchester. Crewe have won four and drawn one of their past five home games in League Two. That sequence will surely be too much to handle for lowly Lincoln, who have acquired the losing habit.

Pools tips for this weekend April 9-10

Treble chance (home teams): Tottenham, Wolves, Derby, Ipswich, Millwall, Swansea, Colchester, Bradford, Oxford, Aberdeen.


Best draws: Tottenham, Derby, Ipswich, Millwall, Oxford.


Aways: West Brom, Queens Park Rangers, Middlesbrough, Walsall, Shrewsbury.


Homes: Blackburn, Bolton, Chelsea, Manchester United, Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers, Dagenham & Redbridge, MK Dons, Barnet.




Pick of the draws: Tottenham will probably have a hangover from their heavy Champions League defeat  by Real Madrid and Stoke, who played well in drawing against Chelsea last week, are well equipped to take advantage. Coventry have arrested their slide in the Championship since the departure of manager Aidy Boothroyd and I fancy them to share the spoils at Derby. Improving Crystal Palace are due a good away result and could get it at higher-placed Ipswich, who have lost more league games than they have won at Portman Road. There is no love lost between Millwall (8th) and Leeds (5th) and I predict deadlock at the New Den. In League Two, Oxford and Wycombe are two other teams who are closely matched. 


Away days: West Bromwich Albion have made great strides under Roy Hodgson and will move further away from relegation by beating Sunderland, who are only six points off the drop zone and fading fast. Runaway Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers look nailed on to defeat bottom club Scunthorpe and Middlesbrough are likely to prevail at struggling Sheffield United, who are seven points away from safety. In League One, Walsall are worth a punt against Plymouth, who appear doomed, while in League Two, promotion-hunting Shrewsbury can gain their 10th win on the road by beating Aldershot. 


Homes sweet homes: Blackburn to follow up their well-earned draw against Arsenal last Saturday by beating fellow relegation strugglers Birmingham. Bristol Rovers are on a roll in League One and having already defeated Bournemouth this week, are expected to take a step nearer safety by overcoming Exeter. I'm tipping Dagenham & Redbridge (21st) to make life even more difficult for managerless Notts County (20th). Crewe may have scored eight against Cheltenham last Saturday but they have lost their last nine away matches in League Two. Next-to-bottom Barnet, inspired by new manager Martin Allen and 4-1 winners at Burton last weekend, could be in the mood to cash in.