THE early EFL League One title race is shaping up extremely nicely for football betting enthusiasts.
Birmingham City lead the way but some of the clubs promoted from League Two are making a huge impact.
Here is my analysis of the table’s foremost six teams to assist your forthcoming live betting…
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Currently two points clear in pole position. This is a great recovery following devastating relegation by a point in the Championship last season.
All credit to former Tottenham Hotspur senior assistant coach Chris Davies who was unveiled as Birmingham’s new boss in June.
His strike force options were boosted considerably by the summer acquisitions of Alfie May from Charlton Athletic, Scottish international Lyndon Dykes via Queens Park Rangers and Fulham’s Jay Stansfield.
The signing of Stansfield on 30th August was worth up to £15 million thereby shattering the League One transfer record fee.
However, Saturday’s narrow 1-0 reverse at Charlton Athletic terminated a seven match EFL winning streak for the Blues – their best return since December 1946.
Meanwhile, South Korea midfielder Paik Seung-ho agreed a two year contract extension on Monday.
Odds On League 1 Promotion: 1/20
WREXHAM
The so-called ‘Hollywood Club’ lie two points off the top holding second place after back to back promotions.
Movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are clever businessmen and knew exactly what they were doing when buying the sleeping giant North Wales team.
The enthusiastic duo now relish sell-out capacity crowds of more than 13,000 for every Racecourse Ground fixture.
The only problem I can envisage is that the stadium will be too small if such rapid progress continues all the way towards Premier League status.
Wrexham made it five wins across five home games this term by eclipsing travelling opponents Northampton Town 4-1 over the weekend.
Republic of Ireland international James McClean scored two racing in from the left and created another goal.
Betting League 1 Promotion Odds: 2/1
MANSFIELD TOWN
In third place, Mansfield Town sit equal on points with Wrexham. The Stags are relishing third tier football for the first time in 21 years subsequent to gaining League Two promotion.
Present form sees five consecutive victories culminating in Saturday’s 2-0 home canter past Blackpool. Will Evans netted twice from close range.
Team mate Lee Gregory is joint divisional leading scorer on six goals despite being sidelined at the weekend due to injury.
League 1 Promotion Odds: 12/1
LINCOLN CITY
Hovering in fourth spot, Lincoln City enjoyed a 2-1 triumph against visitors Leyton Orent on Saturday to lengthen an unbeaten sequence to seven matches.
A pair of 20 year olds - Jovon Makama and Freddie Draper - were on target during second half exchanges.
The Imps seem determined to dispel any lingering disappointment of missing out on the Play-Offs by two points last season because of losing their final fixture 2-0 at home to champions Portsmouth.
Promotion this time around would be an outstanding achievement bearing in mind Lincoln haven’t appeared in the second tier of English football beyond 1960/61.
They remain undefeated in five away outings.
Odds For League 1 Promotion: 8/1
WYCOMBE WANDERERS
Filling the fifth rung, Wycombe Wanderers elongated an unbeaten League spree to seven engagements courtesy of Saturday’s 1-0 success against Crawley Town. Fred Onyedinma tapped in from two yards at Adams Park.
The Chairboys are building on good 2023/24 end of season fortunes which concluded in six games bereft of defeat incorporating four maximum pointers.
League One Promotion Betting Odds: 9/2
STOCKPORT COUNTY
League Two champions Stockport occupy sixth place. Yet just one victory has been registered in six ongoing EFL matches including Saturday’s 0-0 home stalemate versus Wigan Athletic.
That was the first time County failed to score amid nine League One encounters this campaign. Even so, they’ve merely suffered one loss and stay unconquered on their travels.
So it is a commendable situation for Stockport to be in having amassed an impressive 14 point cushion above last season’s League Two Play-Off zone.
It secured a third title winning promotion within five years ascending right up from the sixth level of English football in the National League North.
Odds League 1 Promotion: 7/2
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Adobe*
