Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 29-30

Ten draws: Southampton v Norwich, Swansea v Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough, Colchester v Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury v Burton, Swindon v Sheffield United, AFC Wimbledon v Exeter, Crawley v Wycombe, York v Mansfield, Hamilton v Hearts.

Best draws: Southampton v Norwich, Colchester v Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury v Burton, Swindon v Sheffield United, Crawley v Wycombe.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers, Walsall, Fleetwood, Gillingham, Montrose.

Best weekend home bets: Liverpool, Manchester City, Bristol City, Derby, Rotherham, Accrington, Oxford, Plymouth, Dundee, Berwick.


Pick of the draws: Southampton have begun their Premier League season sluggishly. They will need to raise their game to see off promoted Norwich, who, on the evidence of their first three matches, look more than capable of staying up. It looks as if Colchester are going to experience another long winter in League One but they should take a point from the visit of Scunthorpe. Promoted Shrewsbury have lost their opening two home fixtures but I'm taking them to stop the rot against Burton, even though Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side are acquitting themselves well in a higher division. Swindon and Sheffield United, who narrowly missed promotion to the Championship last season, meet on Saturday and stalemate is the likeliest result. Crawley's confidence was given a huge boost by their 3-0 victory at Cambridge in League Two last Saturday and I believe they will halt Wycombe's progress.

Away days: Arsenal are more comfortable on their travels these days and they can improve on their good record (three wins and two draws in last five seasons) at Newcastle, who have not exactly hit the ground running in the Premier League. Two consecutive wins have put Queens Park Rangers among the front-runners in the Championship and a trip to Huddersfield should hold no fears. Walsall, second in League One and conquerors of Championship team Brighton in the League Cup, are impressing everybody and must be fancied to add to Blackpool's misery.  Fleetwood, eight goals in their past two matches, are backed to beat goal-shy Doncaster and leaders Gillingham seem a good thing at Peterborough, who are out of sorts. In Scottish League Two, Montrose are worth a punt at Annan.

Homes sweet homes: Bristol City got their Championship season up and running with a terrific 1-0 victory at promotion favourites Middlesbrough last Saturday and I think they will further climb the table by defeating Burnley. Derby showed signs of getting their act together in their 1-1 draw at Birmingham last Friday and they are recommended to prevail against Leeds, who, like Derby, have drawn all four of their league games. Bottom club Rotherham can gain their first win of the season at the expense of Fulham, whose manager, Kit Symons, is coming under pressure after the club's stuttering start. In League Two, Northampton have gone off the boil and Accrington, who often punch above their weight, are equipped to take advantage.

Pools info: Blackburn v Bolton (No 11 on coupon) is being played on Friday and is therefore void. Coventry v Southend (27) has been switched to Monday and will be judged by the pools panel.

Five of my 10 selected draws were correct last weekend. Bolton v Nottingham Forest, Leeds v Sheffield Wednesday, Crewe v Bury, Oldham v Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe v Millwall.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 22-23

Ten draws: Everton v Manchester City, Bolton v Nottingham Forest, Leeds v Sheffield Wednesday, Crewe v Bury, Oldham v Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe v Millwall, Walsall v Coventry, Bristol Rovers v Barnet, Stevenage v Hartlepool, Yeovil v Luton.

Best draws: Everton v Manchester City, Bolton v Nottingham Forest, Walsall v Coventry, Bristol Rovers v Barnet, Yeovil v Luton.

Best weekend away bets: Swansea, Chelsea, MK Dons, Swindon, Oxford, Leyton Orient.

Best weekend home bets: Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Burnley, Barnsley, Fleetwood, Sheffield United, Cambridge, Exeter, Wycombe, Stirling.


Pick of the draws: Manchester City have started the season like an express train thanks to a couple of 3-0 victories but Everton's fine 3-0 win at Southampton last Saturday suggests that the visitors won't have things all their own way at Goodison Park on Sunday. I believe Everton will halt City's early Premier League charge. Championship team Bolton are without a goal in their first three league matches. Nottingham Forest, their visitors on Saturday, don't give much away and my money is on a dour draw. Coventry, top of League One with maximum points from their opening three matches, face tricky opponents in Walsall, who have just achieved two consecutive away wins. This looks one of the best score draws on the coupon. The two promoted sides in League Two, Bristol Rovers and Barnet, play each other on Saturday. Both did well in midweek and it's hard to separate them. Luton seem to be suffering from a hangover from last season and I'm taking hosts Yeovil to gain their first point of the season.

Away days: Swansea, who are establishing themselves as a top-of-the-table Premier League side, must be backed at bottom club Sunderland, who are in complete disarray. All is not well at Chelsea but they have an excellent chance to get their season back on track at West Bromwich Albion, who look out of sorts and have yet to score this campaign. Promoted MK Dons are adjusting well to the Championship and are fancied to prevail at Reading, who have yet to spark. Despite losing some players in the summer, Swindon will probably be among the front-runners in League One and I expect them to beat promoted Southend. Oxford are showing signs of getting into their stride in League Two and are worth a wager at Mansfield. Leaders Leyton Orient are one of only two clubs with maximum points in this division and they can keep up the good work at Newport.

Homes sweet homes: I suspect that Crystal Palace will have an even better season than last in the Premier League and should be too strong for Aston Villa, who are much changed from last season and will probably take time to click. Burnley have hardly set the world alight on their return to the Championship but I'll be surprised if they don't defeat Brentford, who could struggle after dispensing with the services of manager Mark Warburton. In Scottish League Two, relegated Stirling are long overdue a change of luck and it may come when they entertain Berwick.


Pools info: Arsenal v Liverpool (No 1 on coupon) is being played on Monday and will be decided by the pools panel. Birmingham v Derby (11) is being played on Friday and is therefore void. Five of my draw selections were correct last weekend - the matches at Tottenham, Bury, Port Vale, Carlisle and Newport.

Betting info: I scored five out of six with last week's away tips. Arsenal, Rochdale, Leyton Orient, Hartlepool and Hearts obliged.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 15-16

Ten draws: Tottenham v Stoke, Fulham v Brighton, Ipswich v Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley v Burton, Bury v Swindon, Port Vale v Gillingham, Carlisle v Cambridge, Newport v Stevenage, Plymouth v Portsmouth, Dundee v St Johnstone.

Best draws: Ipswich v Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley v Burton, Port Vale v Gillingham, Newport v Stevenage, Plymouth v Portsmouth.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Rochdale, Leyton Orient, Accrington, Hartlepool, Hearts.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester City, Swansea, Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Oldham, Peterborough, Sheffield United, Crawley, Partick, Dunfermline.


Pick of the draws: Sheffield Wednesday have recorded two convincing wins from their opening two matches, so they'll be going to Ipswich with plenty of confidence. Ipswich have not made the most dynamic of starts in the Championship and they may have to settle for a draw. Promoted Burton have come out of the traps quickly in League One and will be looking for at least a point at Barnsley. Gillingham's 4-0 trouncing of Sheffield United was one of the upsets of last weekend. However, Port Vale won't roll over and will have been encouraged by their midweek League Cup victory over Championship team Burnley. Newport and Stevenage lost their opening League Two fixtures last Saturday and also made early exits from the midweek League Cup. With both teams taking time to find their feet, a draw is the likeliest result here. A much-changed Portsmouth side will want to improve their away form this season but should find Plymouth tricky opponents.

Away days: Arsenal's home defeat by West Ham in the Premier League last Sunday was a real coupon-buster and they will be determined to return to winning ways at Crystal Palace, where they have an impressive record. Rochdale are one of the more attractive teams in League One and can prove it at Blackpool, who are in a sorry state after their relegation last season. Relegated Leyton Orient won their League Two game against Barnet last Saturday and nearly knocked MK Dons out of the League Cup in midweek. They will surely be too good for Dagenham & Redbridge, who have shipped seven goals in their first two matches. Accrington, who gained a creditable home draw against Luton, are worth a punt at Morecambe, who have so far failed to score. Hartlepool, with two wins from two, must fancy their chances at York, who crashed 3-0 at Wycombe last weekend. Promoted Hearts lead the Scottish Premiership with three wins from three games and a trip to Ross should hold no fears.

Homes sweet homes: Manchester City beat West Bromwich Albion so convincingly last Monday that I'm taking them to put one over the Premier League champions Chelsea, where all is not well. Last Saturday's 2-2 home draw against Swansea seemed to confirm that. Although promoted Bristol City have lost their opening two matches, I believe they will stop the rot against Brentford, who may regret their decision to dispense with the services of manager Mark Warburton. Sheffield United's 4-0 away loss to Gillingham last Saturday was a slap in the face but I'm confident they'll recover quickly. That's why I'm backing them to make the most of ground advantage against Chesterfield. I expect Partick, of the Scottish Premiership, to pile on more misery for bottom-of-the-table Kilmarnock.

Pools Info: Liverpool v Bournemouth (No 3 on coupon) will be decided by the pools panel. Aston Villa v Manchester United (1) and Notts County v Mansfield (43) are void.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 8-9

Ten draws: Leicester v Sunderland, Blackburn v Wolves, Leeds v Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday v Bristol City, Coventry v Wigan, Crewe v Port Vale, Swindon v Bradford City, Cambridge v Newport, Hartlepool v Morecambe, Mansfield v Carlisle.

Best draws: Blackburn v Wolves, Sheffield Wednesday v Bristol City, Coventry v Wigan, Cambridge v Newport, Hartlepool v Morecambe.

Best weekend away bets: Southampton, Derby, Sheffield United, Millwall, Luton, Hibernian.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Bournemouth, Everton, Birmingham, Cardiff, Burton, Leyton Orient, Oxford, Stevenage, Raith.


Pick of the draws: Wolves were a whisker away from the Championship play-offs last season and they can carry that momentum into this campaign with a point at Blackburn. Bristol City won League One in such convincing fashion that they will feel confident of getting something from their trip to Sheffield Wednesday, who were so inconsistent last season. Ailing Coventry and relegated Wigan will be looking for better campaigns this time around but I'm plumping for a stalemate on Saturday. Eleven home defeats let Cambridge down in League Two but I'll be surprised if they lose to Newport, who faded at the final hurdle last season. Hartlepool's escape from almost certain relegation was one of the stories of last season but they face a tricky task against Morecambe, who are better away than at home, having won nine times on their travels.

Away days: Newcastle, despite a change of manager and two summer signings, still don't inspire confidence and Southampton, their Premier League visitors on Sunday, can come away with three points. Derby will be keen to make up for last season's late collapse in the Championship, so take a punt on them beating Bolton. In League One, Sheffield United, now managed by Nigel Adkins after Nigel Clough's unexpected dismissal, are worth a gamble at Gillingham and relegated Millwall should start well by winning at promoted Shrewsbury. In the Scottish Championship, Hibernian look too strong for Dumbarton.

Homes sweet homes: Of the three promoted teams to the Premier League, I believe Bournemouth are most likely to stay up. I'm taking them to make the most of ground advantage against Aston Villa, who have lost Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph this summer. Promoted Burton look a force to be reckoned with in League One under the management of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and I'm backing them to take maximum points against Scunthorpe. Teddy Sheringham will be eager to make an immediate impact as manager at Stevenage, who reached the League Two play-offs last season. I've a hunch he'll begin with a victory over relegated Notts County.

Pools info: West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City (No 10 on the coupon) will be decided by the pools panel. Brighton v Nottingham Forest (15) is void.