Pools tips for this weekend November 19-20

Ten draws: Chelsea v Liverpool, West Brom v Bolton, Burnley v Leeds, Leicester v Crystal Palace, Brentford v Charlton, Leyton Orient v Stevenage, Yeovil v Exeter, Aldershot v Gillingham, Hereford v Burton, Hibernian v Kilmarnock.


Best draws: West Brom v Bolton, Brentford v Charlton, Leyton Orient v Stevenage, Aldershot v Gillingham, Hereford v Burton.


Five aways: Arsenal, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Swindon.


Nine homes: Everton, Barnsley, Birmingham, Derby, Southampton, Preston, Scunthorpe, Sheffield United, Bristol Rovers.


Pick of the draws:  That 5-0 victory over Stoke the Sunday before last will have invigorated Bolton and they can follow it up by gaining a point at West Brom, who will miss the injured striker Shane Long. League One leaders Charlton are difficult to oppose at the moment, with seven away wins to their credit, but Brentford will be eager to improve their indifferent home form. Ditto Leyton Orient. They entertain one of the teams of the season in Stevenage, who are relishing playing in a higher division. Aldershot host Gillingham in League Two when both sides may be distracted by their forthcoming FA Cup first-round replays against Maidenhead United and Bournemouth respectively. Hereford gained a creditable home point against promotion favourites Crawley a few weeks ago and can repeat the feat against Burton.


Away days: Arsenal have won nine of their past 11 matches and must be fancied to defeat promoted Norwich. Bottom club Wigan are at home to second bottom Blackburn. Both teams are finding points elusive but Blackburn are playing better and should come out on top. Portsmouth are without an away win in the Championship but can rectify that at Watford, who are one place above the relegation zone. In League One, Bournemouth are expected to take advantage of Wycombe's plight. Swindon are on a hot streak in League Two and will be confident of maximum points at AFC Wimbledon.


Homes sweet homes: Everton are better than their 17th position in the Premier League indicates and they will probably see off Wolves, who are fragile away. The departure of manager Nigel Pearson to Leicester has not done Championship team Hull any favours and Derby are capable of cashing in. I have a hunch that Scunthorpe will prevail over Hartlepool in League One and an even firmer belief that Sheffield United (5th) will extend their points advantage over Carlisle (10th). 

Pools tips for this weekend November 12-13

Treble chance: AFC Wimbledon v Scunthorpe, Bradford City v Rochdale, Exeter v Walsall, Luton v Northampton, Oldham v Burton, Preston v Southend, Colwyn Bay v Gainsborough, Morton v Dundee, Ross v Falkirk, Dumbarton v East Fife.


Best draws: AFC Wimbledon v Scunthorpe, Luton v Northampton, Oldham v Burton, Ross v Falkirk, Dumbarton v East Fife.


Aways: Rotherham, Crawley, Colchester, Yeovil, Aldershot.


Homes: Brentford, Chesterfield, Dagenham & Redbridge, MK Dons, Notts County, Southport, Swindon, Solihull Moors, Raith.


Pick of the draws: League One Scunthorpe have only one away win this season and they will be hard-pushed to add to it when they visit the well-supported League Two side AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup first round. There were signs, in their narrow defeat at Gillingham last weekend, that Northampton are starting to find some form and they should be capable of taking Blue Square Premier promotion contenders Luton to a replay. Burton are doing well in League Two and won't be intimidated by a trip to League One Oldham, who have been erratic. Ross lead the Scottish first division but don't be surprised if they are held at home by Falkirk, who are just behind them. In the Scottish second division I'm taking East Fife to gain their first away draw at Dumbarton, who struggle at home.


Away draws: League Two Rotherham have picked up lately and I expect them to maintain their improvement at Barrow, who sit mid-table in the Blue Square Premier. Crawley, who lie second in League Two, have won three of their last four away and are worth a punt at League One Bury. I cannot see League One Colchester failing at League Two Crewe, whose recent results have been wretched. Although Yeovil are bottom of League One, they can win away for the first time this season against League Two strugglers Hereford. Aldershot's best results have come on the road and they will surely move into the FA Cup second round at the expense of Blue Square South Maidenhead.


Homes sweet homes: Southport have climbed into the play-off places in the Blue Square Premier on the back of some notable results and look a fair bet against Barnet, who are fighting relegation from League Two. Huddersfield's 42-match unbeaten run could be ended by Swindon, who are thriving in League Two under the managership of former West Ham favourite Paolo Di Canio. Bishop's Stortford are poor travellers in the Blue Square North and Solihull Moors look likely to add to their misery. In Scotland, Raith are fancied to send Ayr to the bottom of the first division.

Pools tips for this weekend November 5-6

Treble chance: Blackburn v Chelsea, Cardiff v Crystal Palace, Hull v West Ham, Portsmouth v Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth v Scunthorpe, Accrington v Bristol Rovers, Bradford v Cheltenham, Port Vale v Swindon, Rotherham v Aldershot, Motherwell v Celtic.

Best draws: Cardiff v Crystal Palace, Hull v West Ham, Bournemouth v Scunthorpe, Bradford v Cheltenham, Motherwell v Celtic.

Aways: Norwich, Southampton, Sheffield United, Shrewsbury, Morecambe.

Homes: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chesterfield, Leyton Orient, MK Dons, Oldham, Burton, Crewe.

Pick of the draws: Crystal Palace, surprise promotion contenders in the Championship, have conceded less than a goal a game, a defensive record which should serve them well when they visit Cardiff. Second-placed West Ham are also sound defensively but their hosts, Hull, don't give much away either. Bournemouth are really struggling at home in League One but they had a morale-boosting win at Preston last Saturday and can hold Scunthorpe, who are also improving. Cheltenham are doing surprisingly well in League Two and I expect them to share the spoils at Bradford. Celtic are 12 points behind their bitter Rangers in the Scottish Premier League and will be stretched to get more than a point from Motherwell, who are also above them.

Away days: Promoted Norwich are more than holding their own in the Premier League, so don't rule out a victory at Aston Villa, who look a mid-table side at best. Another promoted team, Southampton, runaway leaders in the Championship, will be confident of gaining three points at Coventry, who languish in the relegation zone. In League One, Sheffield United should have too much firepower for Stevenage. In League Two, Shrewsbury ought to be backed against lowly Dagenham & Redbridge, who have lost their last three at home. Expect third-placed Morecambe to increase Plymouth's misery.

Homes sweet homes: League One Chesterfield have struggled in a higher division but they should still have enough to beat bottom club Yeovil. Leyton Orient are on a roll after a terrible start to the season and I fancy them to defeat inconsistent Hartlepool. In League Two, Burton, who face Macclesfield, will probably bounce back from their midweek loss to Aldershot. Crewe need to improve their home form and I believe they will do that against Torquay.

Pools tips for this weekend October 29-30

Treble chance: Everton v Manchester United, Swansea v Bolton, West Brom v Liverpool, Birmingham v Brighton, Burnley v Blackpool, Nottingham Forest v Hull, Hartlepool v Charlton, Walsall v MK Dons, Morecambe v Gillingham, Northampton v Rotherham.

Best draws: Swansea v Bolton, West Brom v Liverpool, Birmingham v Brighton, Burnley v Blackpool, Nottingham Forest v Hull.

Aways: Coventry, Peterborough, Leyton Orient, Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield.

Homes: Manchester City, Sunderland, Wigan, Barnsley, Millwall, West Ham, Bury, Sheffield United, Bristol Rovers.

Pick of the draws: Lowly Bolton's only league wins this season have come away from home, which is why I think they will get at least a point at Swansea, who failed to hold a two-goal lead at Wolves last Saturday. West Bromwich Albion have climbed to mid-table after two consecutive victories in local derbies and their manager Roy Hodgson will be keen to thwart Liverpool, the club who sacked him last season. In the Championship, in-form Birmingham host out-of-form Brighton but the Seagulls played well in defeat to West Ham on Monday and can trouble Birmingham as well. Burnley are struggling at home and unlikely to get much joy from the visit of Blackpool. Nottingham Forest's new manager Steve Cotterill has begun with two wins but will be hard-pressed to gain a third against Hull, who are doing well on the road.

Away days: The fillip of having a new manager - in this case Dean Saunders - seems to have worn off for relegation-threatened Doncaster and Coventry are tipped to add to their Championship woes. Watford are also in the relegation zone and free-scoring Peterborough are unlikely to be sympathetic visitors. Leyton Orient have recovered well from a terrible start in League One and can beat Rochdale, who sit just above them. Sheffield Wednesday, at lowly Wycombe, will be determined to recover from their midweek setback at Carlisle and you cannot back against unbeaten Huddersfield right now. Expect them to prevail at bottom club Yeovil.

Homes sweet homes: Sunderland seemed a side on the upgrade against Bolton last weekend and host Aston Villa, who appear to be going in the opposite direction. Wigan may be at the foot of the Premier League but can move clear of the relegation zone by beating a brittle-looking Fulham. Millwall's 3-0 triumph at Leicester was one of the upsets of last weekend and, with Ipswich visiting, I'm taking them to confound the Championship form book again. In League One, Bury are playing more confidently these days and I believe they will defeat Stevenage in their mid-table clash.

Pools tips for this weekend October 22-23

 Treble chance: Aston Villa v West Brom, Ipswich v Crystal Palace, Leyton Orient v Sheffield United, Notts County v Brentford, Oldham v Wycombe, Hereford v Barnet, Rotherham v Shrewsbury, Dundee United v St Johnstone, Ayr v Dundee, Partick v Falkirk.

Best draws: Aston Villa v West Brom, Leyton Orient v Sheffield United, Oldham v Wycombe, Dundee Utd v St Johnstone, Ayr v Dundee.

Aways: Tottenham, Birmingham, Rochdale, Bristol Rovers, Swindon.

Homes: Bolton, Newcastle, Blackpool, Hull, Reading, Chesterfield, Sheffield Wednesday, Tranmere, Crewe.

Pick of the draws: West Brom deservedly won the Black Country derby last Sunday and they catch Aston Villa on a downer after Villa's 4-1 defeat by Manchester City. After three successive victories lowly Leyton Orient look as though they have turned the corner in League One and I'm taking them to hold promotion contenders Sheffield United. Oldham can beat the best and lose to the worst. However, I don't think they will do either against Wycombe, whose 3-1 triumph at Hartlepool was one of the upsets of last weekend. St Johnstone have eight points more than Dundee United in the Scottish Premier League. I think the gap will be the same after their meeting at Tannadice on Saturday. It's a shock to find Dundee bottom of the Scottish First Division but their away form is holding up and they should gain a point at Ayr.

Away days: Tottenham must be fancied to take maximum points at the Premier League's bottom club Blackburn, who face a long, hard winter. In the Championship, Birmingham are starting to gel under manager Chris Hughton and will be looking forward to their trip to struggling Bristol City. In League One, I suspect Rochdale will take advantage of Exeter's lack of goal thrust. I believe Bristol Rovers, 5-2 home winners against Rotherham last Friday, will overcome Burton, who are better placed in League Two, and that Swindon will confirm their superiority over bottom-of-the-table Plymouth.

Homes sweet homes: Bolton, who climbed off the bottom of the Premier League by winning at Wigan, are overdue a home success (four games, four defeats) and they can get it against Sunderland, who lie just above them. Reading are in mid-table in the Championship but they are capable of much better and worth backing against surprise leaders Southampton. Promoted Chesterfield have yet to find their feet in League One but they have an opportunity to do that against Hartlepool, who have faded after a terrific start. Crewe have already beaten Macclesfield in the Johnstone Paints Trophy this season, so don't be surprised if the result is repeated in their League Two clash at Gresty Road.