Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 13-14

Ten draws: Wolves v Fulham, Luton v Preston, Millwall v Coventry, Rotherham v Reading, Cambridge v Exeter, Derby v Barnsley, Lincoln v Forest Green, Wimbledon v Doncaster, Sutton v Barrow, St Mirren v Ross.

Best draws: Wolves v Fulham, Luton v Preston, Cambridge v Exeter, Lincoln v Forest Green, Sutton v Barrow.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Norwich, Fleetwood, Bolton, Gillingham, Airdrieonians, Scunthorpe.

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Arsenal, Brighton, Manchester City, Wigan, Accrington, Sheffield Wednesday, Northampton, Walsall, Dunfermline, Halifax.

Pick of the draws: Wolves have lost one of their best players in Conor Coady and promoted Fulham, who held Liverpool to a 2-2 home draw in the Premier League last Saturday, can take advantage of his absence. Championship side Preston sprang to life when they won 4-1 at Huddersfield in the League Cup in midweek. At the same time, Luton, their opponents on Saturday, were knocked out by Newport, of League Two, and are still awaiting their first victory of the season. League One Exeter, 11 goals in their past two matches, look unstoppable but it would be foolish to underestimate Cambridge, who last week defeated Millwall in the League Cup. Lincoln held Portsmouth to a draw at Fratton Park last weekend before beating Doncaster 3-0 away in the League Cup. They won't be fazed by the visit of Forest Green. League Two Barrow, three wins from three games, are the surprise package of the season so far and I fancy them to extend their unbeaten start at Sutton. 

Away days: Relegated Norwich have failed to impress so far but they can get their Championship season up and running at Hull, who lost at League Two Bradford City in the midweek League Cup. Fleetwood, of League One, have defeated Plymouth and Wigan in their past two matches and I believe they'll make it three consecutive victories at Morecambe. Bolton, eight goals in their past two fixtures, have sent out a message and will probably be too strong for promoted Port Vale. Gillingham's 2-0 win at Wimbledon in the League Cup may be a turning point for them and I can see the Gills coming away from Tranmere with three points. Airdrieonians, top of Scottish League One and 4-0 home winners over Falkirk, look a sure thing at Queen of the South while Scunthorpe, who have dropped into the National League, are recommended at Maidenhead, who were well beaten at Notts County last Saturday.

Homes sweet homes: Manager Graham Potter continues to extract the maximum out of Brighton. Having won 2-1 at Manchester United last weekend, they can get the better of rejuvenated Newcastle. Walsall's top-of-the table placing in League Two is well deserved. On Saturday they host Stevenage, who have also won their opening three games. I believe ground advantage will be the crucial factor here. Halifax, of the National League, wouldn't have expected to lose 2-0 at Barnet on their opening weekend of the season but I'm tipping them to put things right against Torquay.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of August 6-7

 Ten draws: Leeds v Wolves, Leicester v Brentford, Bristol City v Sunderland, Swansea v Blackburn, Bolton v Wycombe, Exeter v Port Vale, Shrewsbury v Accrington, Colchester v Carlisle, Newport v Walsall, Hibernian v Hearts.

Best draws: Leicester v Brentford, Swansea v Blackburn, Bolton v Wycombe, Exeter v Port Vale, Newport v Walsall.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient, Northampton, Wimbledon.

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Everton, Newcastle, Tottenham, Burnley, Coventry, Barnsley, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Doncaster, Mansfield.

Pick of the draws: Leicester will want to improve on last season's Premier League showing but there's no guarantee they'll beat Brentford, who have a habit of upsetting the odds. Championship club Blackburn, with a new manager in charge, could be in the promotion mix this campaign and I fancy them to get something at Swansea. Wycombe are on top of League One after their emphatic 3-0 home win over Burton last Saturday and I believe they'll come away from Bolton with a point. Two promoted sides, Exeter and Port Vale, face each other in League One. They both had good results last weekend - Exeter drawing at Lincoln and Port Vale beating Fleetwood - and deadlock looks the likeliest outcome. Walsall, early leaders of League Two, got off to a flyer by thrashing Hartlepool last Saturday and can hold Newport.

Away days: Aston Villa will be disappointed if they don't defeat promoted Bournemouth, who are favourites to go straight back down to the Championship. Liverpool showed in last Saturday's Community Shield victory over Manchester City that their intensity hasn't dropped and are expected to gain maximum points at Fulham, last season's Championship champions. Bristol Rovers, promoted to League One, will be eager to make amends for last weekend's home defeat against Forest Green and I recommend them at Burton. In League Two, Leyton Orient look as if they could go places this season and are tipped to win at Crawley. Northampton, who were desperately unlucky not to be promoted, appear to have the measure of Football League newcomers Grimsby. Wimbledon, 2-0 home winners over Gillingham on the opening day, should relish a trip to Hartlepool.

Homes sweet homes: I've a hunch that Everton, although beset by problems in the close season, will cause an upset against Chelsea. Everton manager Frank Lampard will be especially keen to put one over the club that he played for and managed. Doncaster, of League Two, did very well to force a goalless draw with 10 men at Bradford City last Saturday and will have the confidence to send Sutton home pointless. Despite Mansfield losing 2-0 at Salford, there were a lot of positives and I'm backing them to gain their first win of the season against Tranmere, who went down 2-1 at home to Stevenage.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of July 30-31

 Ten draws: Hull v Bristol City, Millwall v Stoke, Wigan v Preston, Morecambe v Shrewsbury, Plymouth v Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday v Portsmouth, Wimbledon v Portsmouth, Salford v Mansfield, Kilmarnock v Dundee United, Dunfermline v Alloa.

Best draws: Millwall v Stoke, Plymouth v Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday v Portsmouth, Wimbledon v Gillingham, Salford v Mansfield.

Best weekend bets: Six aways: Norwich, Swansea, MK Dons, Peterborough, Swindon, Arbroath.

Best weekend bets: Ten homes: Blackpool, Luton, Sunderland, Lincoln, Wycombe, Bradford City, Leyton Orient, Northampton, Stockport, Walsall.

Pick of the draws: Millwall v Stoke is not the most attractive fixture to start the football season. These two Championship sides don't give much away and this has stalemate written all over it. Plymouth, who were unlucky not to make the League One play-offs last season, host relegated Barnsley, who should be strengthened by the appointment of former Cheltenham boss Michael Duff as manager. I expect Portsmouth to do better this season but they may have to settle for a point at Sheffield Wednesday, who finished above them. There was little to choose between Wimbledon and Gillingham, who were both relegated to League Two, and I suspect it will be a similar story on Saturday. Mansfield are one of my fancies for promotion but they have a tricky task at Salford, who were disappointed to end up outside the play-off places last season.

Away days: Norwich went out of the Premier League with barely a whimper but they are much more at home in the Championship and I think they'll start their campaign with a win at Cardiff. I believe Swansea, who underperformed last season, will have too much for promoted Rotherham. MK Dons will probably be in the League One promotion mix again and are worth backing at Cambridge. Relegated Peterborough will want to put last season's pain behind them and I rate their chances at Cheltenham. Swindon were the League Two away specialists last season and I tip them to return from Harrogate with three points. Arbroath, so close to being promoted to the Scottish Premiership last season, look good for a maximum haul at Ayr in the Scottish Championship.

Homes sweet homes: Sunderland have at last escaped from League One and I reckon they'll celebrate the fact by beating Coventry in Sunday's Championship fixture. There will be pressure on League Two Bradford City to improve on last season when they failed to make the top half of the table and they are worth a wager against relegated Doncaster. Another League Two side worth following are Stockport, last season's National League champions. They are recommended against Barrow, who battled against relegation for most of last term.

Pools tips and best bets for the weekend of May 21-22

Ten draws: Burnley v Newcastle, Granada v Espanyol, Real Sociedad v Atletico Madrid, Valencia v Celta Vigo, Fiorentina v Juventus, Angers v Montpellier, Lorient v Troyes, Club Brugge v Anderlecht, KV Mechelen v Genk, Veje Boldklub v Odense.

Best draws: Real Sociedad v Atletico Madrid, Valencia v Celta Vigo, Fiorentina v Juventus, Angers v Montpellier, Lorient v Troyes.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Manchester United, Tottenham, Cadiz, AC Milan, Napoli, Lyon.

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sunderland, Rangers, Inter Milan, Paris St Germain.

Pick of the draws: Real Sociedad recovered from a goal down to win at Villarreal in the Spanish League last Sunday and can hold the higher-placed Atletico Madrid. Valencia v Celta Vigo is a mid-table clash and I can't see either side getting the upper hand. Juventus have been left behind by the two Milan teams in this season's Italian League and their task at Fiorentina is unlikely to be straightforward. In the French League, Angers and Montpellier both lost last weekend and I'm tipping them to end their mediocre campaign with a stalemate. Lorient's goalless draw at bottom club Bordeaux meant that they escaped relegation and I believe they'll end the season with another deadlock, this time against Troyes, who are only two places above them.

Away days: I've a hunch that Manchester United will end a deeply disappointing season by beating Crystal Palace on Sunday. Apart from anything else, they will want to show their new manager what they are capable of when their individuals click as a team. Thanks to Arsenal's implosion, all Tottenham have to do to qualify for the Champions League is to avoid defeat at bottom-of-the table Norwich on Sunday. I think they'll go one better and finish the Premier League season with three consecutive wins. Cadiz drew with Champions League finalists Real Madrid in the Spanish League last Sunday, so you have to fancy them at relegated Alaves. AC Milan will clinch the Italian title with victory at Sassuolo and third-placed Napoli are recommended at Spezia. Lyon, eighth in the French League, should come away with maximum points at Clermont Foot, who are 15th.

Homes sweet homes: Finishing in the top half of the Premier League is within Brighton's grasp and I believe they'll take that opportunity against West Ham, even though the Hammers held title-seeking Manchester City to a draw last weekend. Leicester were at their best when demolishing relegated Watford 5-1 away last Sunday and I'm tipping them to repeat that form against Southampton, who are ending the season on a downer. It's the League One play-off final at Wembley on Sunday and I'm going for Sunderland to gain a long-awaited promotion by defeating Wycombe. 

Pools info (Part 1): Real Madrid v Real Betis (No.17 on coupon), Rayo Vallecano v Levante (19) and Torino v Roma (30) are being played on Friday and are therefore void. 

Pools info (Part 2): Five of my ten draws were correct last weekend as well as three of my five best draws: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (1-1), Aberdeen v St Mirren (0-0) and Bordeaux v Lorient (0-0). 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of May 14-15

Ten draws: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, Leeds v Brighton, Aberdeen v St Mirren, Altrincham v Yeovil, Boreham Wood v Solihull Moors, Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna, Bologna v Sassuolo, Mainz v Entracht Frankfurt, Bordeaux v Lorient, Lyon v Nantes.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, Aberdeen v St Mirren, Boreham Wood v Solihull Moors, Bologna v Sassuolo, Bordeaux v Lorient.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Leicester, Manchester City, Liverpool, Wrexham, Grimsby, Rangers.

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Everton, Tottenham, Wolves, Barnet, Chesterfield, Dover, Stockport, Celtic, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund.

Pick of the draws: Crystal Palace, with consecutive victories over Southampton (2-1 away) and Watford (1-0 at home), have a good chance of finishing in the top half of the Premier League. They have no need to fear a trip to Aston Villa, who have lost more at home than they have won. Aberdeen have disappointed in the Scottish Premiership and won't feel confident of beating St Mirren. Boreham Wood's recovery from their startling slump has come too late for them to make the National League play-offs but they can take a point from Solihull Moors, who have booked their play-off place. Bologna lost 4-3 at Venezia, who are bottom of the Italian League, last weekend, so cannot be guaranteed to beat the better-placed Sassuolo. Bordeaux, bottom of the French League, crashed 4-1 at Angers last weekend and play Lorient, who are only seven points better off.

Away days: Although Leicester have underperformed this season, they should be too strong for Watford, whose relegation to the Championship has been confirmed. Title-chasing Manchester City could have had easier opponents than West Ham on Sunday but I believe this is another hurdle they will overcome. I'm tipping Liverpool to add the FA Cup to their League Cup trophy when they face Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday. Chelsea made Liverpool work hard for their League Cup final victory but off-the-field issues have unsettled them. Wrexham, seeking automatic promotion from the National League, know that nothing less than three points will do at Dagenham & Redbridge and I think they will get them. Grimsby, who are in the play-offs, have had a better second half to the season and are recommended at lowly Eastleigh. Rangers may have one eye on next Wednesday's Europa League final but I still rate their chances at Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Homes sweet homes: Goodison Park looks like being Everton's saviour in their struggle to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Recent 1-0 home wins over Newcastle, Manchester United and Chelsea have boosted their hopes of staying up and I'm tipping them to defeat Brentford on Sunday. Barnet, of the National League, are eager to end a depressing season on a positive note and they are worth a punt against Bromley, who are ending the campaign with a whimper. Two relegated clubs, Dover and Weymouth, face each other. Dover have been in better form lately and I reckon they'll come out on top.