Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Dec 31-Jan 1

Ten draws: Leicester v West Ham, Barnsley v Birmingham, Bolton v Scunthorpe, Bristol Rovers v Wimbledon, Grimsby v Blackpool, Luton v Barnet, Stevenage v Colchester, Boreham Wood v Eastleigh, Maidstone v Dover, Woking v Aldershot.

Best draws: Leicester v West Ham, Barnsley v Birmingham, Luton v Barnet, Stevenage v Colchester, Woking v Aldershot.

Best weekend away bets: Tottenham, Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster, Portsmouth (Friday), Tranmere, Hibernian.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Chelsea, Brentford, Derby, Wolves, Fleetwood, Crewe, Plymouth, Southport, Rangers.


Pick of the draws: Leicester, last season's Premier League champions by 10 clear points, are in danger of being relegated and I cannot see them getting more than a point against West Ham, who have turned their season around with three consecutive victories. Birmingham's first two Championship matches under new manager Gianfranco Zola ended in defeat but I believe they will stop the rot by holding Barnsley. Luton's home record in League Two is far from infallible. They surprisingly lost to Colchester at Kenilworth Road on Boxing Day and I'm backing Barnet, who are good away, to take a share of the spoils. Visiting teams must look forward to playing at the Lamex Stadium, where Stevenage are generous opponents. Colchester, this weekend's visitors, are one of the most improved sides in the Football League and look good for at least a point. This weekend's National League fixtures are the reverse of those on Boxing Day when Woking crashed 4-0 at their neighbouring rivals Aldershot. I can't help thinking that Woking's thirst for revenge will help them to a much needed draw in their attempt to avoid relegation.

Away days: Tottenham, fresh from a convincing midweek win at Southampton and with a top four Premier League place in their sights, will probably be too strong for Watford, who were unable to defeat an ailing Crystal Palace at home on Boxing Day. Championship high-flyers Sheffield Wednesday deservedly won at Newcastle, so it shouldn't be beyond them to dish out the same punishment to Preston, who will be without their main man Jermaine Beckford after his sending-off in the 4-1 home defeat by Leeds. A trip to Mansfield won't hold any fears for League Two leaders Doncaster. Like so many sides in this division, Portsmouth's best results have been away. They recovered from 2-0 down to win at Newport on Boxing Day and are worth a wager at Yeovil in a game that has been brought forward to Friday. Tranmere are the new leaders of the National League and I expect them to stay there after their match at Macclesfield. Although Hibernian have lost the leadership of the Scottish Championship, they are worth supporting at inconsistent Falkirk.

Homes sweet homes: Norwich manager Alex Neill is under huge pressure following the team's terrible run of form. I fear Neill will be even more stressed on Saturday when Norwich go to Brentford, who are capable of beating any Championship side on their day. National League strugglers Southport only lost to a late goal at Wrexham on Boxing Day and will be determined to turn the tables on their erratic Welsh opponents. Celtic are so far ahead in the Scottish Premiership that they may as well hand them the trophy now. Perhaps Rangers, firm favourites for the runners-up spot, will be more up for the Old Firm derby than Brendan Rodgers' players. I'm going against the tide and predicting a home win.


Pools info: Yeovil v Portsmouth (match No 33 on coupon) has been brought forward to Friday and is therefore void.

Betting info: I scored nine out of ten with my home selections for December 26 and 27. Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Barnsley, Brighton, Rotherham, Wolves, Bolton and Sheffield United all obliged.

Pools tips and best bets for December 26-28

Ten draws: Burnley v Middlesbrough, Southampton v Tottenham, Ipswich v Fulham, Millwall v Swindon, Port Vale v Walsall, Cheltenham v Barnet, Plymouth v Wycombe, Stevenage v Cambridge, Yeovil v Exeter, Partick v Dundee.

Best draws: Southampton v Tottenham, Ipswich v Fulham, Cheltenham v Barnet, Stevenage v Cambridge, Yeovil v Exeter.

Best away bets for Dec 26-28: Manchester City, Leeds, Scunthorpe, Carlisle, Portsmouth, Rangers.

Best home bets for Dec 26-28: Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester United, Barnsley, Brighton, Rotherham, Wolves, Bolton, Sheffield United.


Pick of the draws: Southampton's excellent 3-1 win at Bournemouth last Sunday should serve them well against Tottenham, who in the past two matches have strengthened their claims to finish in the top four of the Premier League. Ipswich already have five home draws to their name this season.  Don't be surprised if they add to that tally when they host Fulham, who are the best of the London sides in the Championship. Cheltenham, battling to avoid the drop in League Two, fought back to win at Morecambe last Saturday and can pinch a point off mid-table Barnet. Cambridge's climb from bottom to the League Two play-off positions has been one of the turnarounds of the season and I fancy them to hold Stevenage, who are one point behind them. Exeter's terrific away record (seven wins) is helping them move away from the danger zone and I'm backing them to get a point at Yeovil.

Away days: Manchester City, with two consecutive home victories behind them, will surely be far too strong for Hull, who are bottom of the Premier League and look certain to be relegated. Leeds are responding well to Garry Monk's management and deserve to be in the Championship play-off places. They are worth a punt at Preston. Scunthorpe are the surprising leaders in League One but there is no fluke about their success and they are perfectly capable of inflicting Bradford City's first home defeat of the season. Carlisle, second in League Two and firing on all cylinders, look an away banker at Crewe, who are going backwards at an alarming rate. Portsmouth are a better proposition away from home these days and will expect three points at bottom club Newport. Rangers won't catch Celtic in the Scottish Premiership but they are a sound bet for second and should have too much for St Johnstone.

Homes sweet homes: That 2-2 draw at Stoke last Saturday, despite playing with 10 men for most of the game, will put a spring in Leicester's step and I believe they will make Everton suffer. Leicester are better than their precarious Premier League position indicates while Everton have yet to spark this season. Rotherham, last by a long way in the Championship, were very unlucky to lose to a late goal through a disputed penalty at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend. As long as they've recovered from that devastating setback, I reckon they will defeat second-from-bottom Wigan. Wolves gained a sorely needed victory at Nottingham Forest last Saturday, which should encourage them against Bristol City, who have slipped down the table after a dip in form.  

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Dec 17-18

Ten draws: Manchester City v Arsenal, Sunderland v Watford, Bristol City v Preston, Fulham v Derby, Wigan v Ipswich, Bury v Oxford, Charlton v Peterborough, Northampton v Rochdale, Swindon v Fleetwood, Barnet v Stevenage.

Best draws: Sunderland v Watford, Fulham v Derby, Wigan v Ipswich, Bury v Oxford, Barnet v Stevenage.

Best weekend away bets: Brighton, Newcastle, Bolton, Milton Keynes Dons, Southend, Falkirk.

Best weekend home bets: Tottenham, Cardiff, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Cambridge, Doncaster, Portsmouth, Wycombe, St Mirren.


Pick of the draws: Watford continue to punch above their weight in the Premier League and deserved to beat Everton at home last Saturday. They can pinch a point at relegation-threatened Sunderland. Derby's upward move in the Championship has been remarkable under Steve McClaren and I think they will continue their progress at Fulham, who are fellow promotion contenders. After their midweek defeat at Birmingham, Ipswich are peering nervously over their shoulders but they should at least gain a point at Wigan, who are fighting to avoid relegation. Bury have lost 10 consecutive matches in League One and sit just above the relegation zone. However, I believe they will stop the rot against Oxford, who have only one away victory to their name this season. In-form Barnet host Stevenage, who play their best football away and seem good value to share the spoils in League Two.

Away days: Brighton are a good bet for automatic promotion to the Premier League and must be fancied to prevail at Birmingham, who have inexplicably sacked their manager Gary Rowett, despite lying just outside the play-off positions. Championship leaders Newcastle are back on the winning path and look an away banker at lowly Burton. In League One, Bolton have rediscovered their mojo and will be confident of gaining another three points at Chesterfield, who are one place off the bottom. MK Dons have won two games in a row since a change of managership and can make it three at Gillingham, who are having a mediocre season. Southend are on the up these days and I'm taking them to win at struggling Oldham. Falkirk are my selection to come away with maximum points at Dumbarton in the Scottish Championship.

Homes sweet homes: Neil Warnock's Cardiff are showing all the battling qualities needed to escape relegation from the Championship and are worth a wager against Barnsley, although the Yorkshire club have arrested their slide by winning successive matches. Blackpool, seventh in League Two after winning 2-0 at Stevenage last weekend, have the ability to go higher and they will overtake Luton if they beat them on Saturday. Two wins in a row have given bottom club St Mirren a ray of hope in the Scottish Championship. Don't be surprised if they achieve a hat-trick of victories against Ayr, who are only two places higher.

Pools info: Everton v Liverpool (match No 3 on coupon) has been moved to Monday and will be judged by the pools panel.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of December 10-11

Ten draws: Burnley v Bournemouth, Watford v Everton, Brentford v Burton, Preston v Blackburn, MK Dons v Wimbledon, Rochdale v Scunthorpe, Grimsby v Portsmouth, Mansfield v Colchester, Plymouth v Doncaster, Motherwell v Kilmarnock.

Best draws: Burnley v Bournemouth, Brentford v Burton, Preston v Blackburn, Grimsby v Portsmouth, Mansfield v Colchester.

Best weekend away bets: Crystal Palace, Norwich, Exeter, Cambridge, Wycombe, Clyde.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Millwall, Crewe, Newport, Stevenage, Rangers.


Pick of the draws: Bournemouth's fantastic comeback against Liverpool last Sunday enabled them to move into the top half of the Premier League. Although their away record is unexceptional, I believe they will stay there by getting a point at Burnley. All but one of Burnley's 14 points this season have been gained at Turf Moor, so they are not easily vanquished at home. Brentford's slide down the Championship must be worrying their supporters. Their latest setback was a 5-0 defeat at Norwich and I'm taking Burton, without an away win this season, to hold them at Griffin Park. Having Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle sent off for fighting each other last weekend will put Preston at a disadvantage in their home match with Blackburn, who are raising hopes of escaping relegation, and I predict a stalemate. Portsmouth are one of several sides in League Two more comfortable away than at home and I rate their game at free-scoring Grimsby the most likely draw on the coupon. Colchester have scored seven and conceded none in their last two fixtures to climb away from the relegation places and can share the spoils at Mansfield, who have been lifted by their new manager, the former Leeds and Rotherham boss Steve Evans.

Away days: Now that Crystal Palace have ended their alarming losing run in the Premier League, I can see them taking maximum points at Hull, who are second from bottom and scoring less than a goal a game. Alan Pardew's teams don't tend to do draws. They either provoke joy or despair. Norwich returned to winning ways in the Championship with a resounding 5-0 home success against Brentford last Saturday and have enough about them to take another three points at Barnsley, who were slightly flattered by their 3-0 win at 10-man Birmingham. Exeter, six away wins out of 10 in League Two despite lying 21st, are well worth a punt at second-from-bottom Cheltenham, who may still be reeling from going out of the FA Cup to non-League Sutton. Cambridge's dreadful start to the season is well behind them and the mid-table outfit will fancy their chances at out-of-sorts Hartlepool. Wycombe have come from nowhere to move into the League Two play-off positions and should prevail at Notts County, who seem to reserve their worst displays when they are at home. Clyde look a banker at bottom club Montrose in Scottish League Two.

Homes sweet homes: I've a hunch that Newport, bottom of League Two with only one home win to their name this season, will upset erratic Morecambe. Stevenage's home form is nothing to crow about but they gave leaders Doncaster a real fright before going down 4-3 last Saturday. After winning 2-0 at Newport in midweek, Stevenage will be in the mood for the visit of Blackpool, who don't travel that well. Rangers are making a strong claim for the runner's-up spot in the Scottish Premiership and I expect them to get three points against Hearts, who may be adversely affected by their manager Robbie Neilson joining Milton Keynes Dons, of the English League One.