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 The long term betting for Division 1 of the English football league sees Southampton as firm favourites to win the title but my first selection of the 2010/11 season involves a club a little further along the coast.
Last season saw Norwich City run away with the Division 1 title with runners up Leeds joining them in the Championship for the forthcoming campaign which gets underway on 7th August. Millwall were the third club to be promoted when they beat Charlton in the play offs. Huddersfield and Swindon also made the play offs whilst Southampton finished 7th despite starting the season with a ten point deduction for entering administration.
It’s no surprise to see Southampton top the betting boards this time around along with the sides who narrowly missed out. The likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Peterborough and Plymouth who came down from the Championship also figure prominently though Wednesday look to have huge financial problems and despite their “big club” status, there is no guarantee of an immediate bounce back.
On the face of it, this looks to be very competitive but I have yet to mention my pick for this particular division. Let’s first take a look at the betting.
The Betting
To Win the Division 1 Title
Southampton 5/2 World Sports Betting , Victor Chandler
Sheffield Wednesday 7/1 World Sports Betting
Huddersfield 8/1 World Sports Betting , BetXchange , Victor Chandler
Peterborough 12/1 World Sports Betting
Brighton 16/1 World Sports Betting
Charlton 14/1 GreatOdds
Plymouth 18/1 World Sports Betting
Swindon 20/1 GreatOdds
20/1 Bar
To Be Promoted
Southampton 8/10 World Sports Betting
Sheffield Wednesday 7/4 GreatOdds
Huddersfield 9/4 GreatOdds , Victor Chandler
Peterborough 4/1 World Sports Betting
Brighton 5/1 World Sports Betting , BetXchange
Charlton 21/5 GreatOdds
Plymouth 11/2 World Sports Betting , BetXchange
Swindon 6/1 GreatOdds
Note odds are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Check the links below for all the options as many more long term markets are available.
  
 
So who gets the nod?
Brighton Hove Albion finished 13th last season which on the face of it would hardly inspire confidence for a promotion push this time around. However, if you look deeper into the prospects of the Seagulls, better days could be on the horizon and hopefully pretty soon.
Brighton fans have endured some torrid times in the last two decades. They almost lost their football league status in 1996/97, they were forced to ground share and then play at a local athletics stadium after their home, the Goldstone Ground, was sold to a developer.
Somehow Brighton survived; they clawed their way back into the third tier of English football, consolidated and now look set to move forward once more. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, the club is one year away from opening a brand new purpose built stadium with a 22,500 capacity. This most impressive project will come to fruition for the start of the following season (2011/12) and the scale of the infrastructure is designed for football played at a higher level than Brighton currently reside at.
Secondly, a bright, young ambitious manager in Gus Poyet has just been awarded a 4 year contract to take Brighton forward with seemingly the backing to strengthen the squad and a say in off field matters to boot. Poyet has been touted as a candidate for jobs at clubs who play in the top flight and Brighton have moved quickly to secure his services after he impressed since taking over late in 2009. Poyet has learnt the ropes as an assistant at Leeds and then at Spurs. He was a fine player in his day and whilst that is no guarantee of success as a coach, he strikes me as someone who could well manage at the highest level one day. Key positions have been strengthened in the close season and bids are still in for more additions to the playing staff. It hasn’t been a massive spending spree by any means but the signs are that Brighton want to start their residence in their new stadium playing Championship rather than Division 1 football and Poyet has been given a huge vote of confidence as the man to get them there.
The Verdict:
This is tough league and Brighton’s Division 1 title winning chances are by no means dressed up as a good thing but they tick all the right boxes for me and promotion, automatic or via the play offs looks a real possibility. The price of 5/1 to be promoted really stands out and I will also speculate with a smaller stake on their title chances which at a top price 16/1 (as low as 9/1 elsewhere) also looks like decent value. Southampton are a solid betting proposition but at a much shorter price there is a lot less appeal. I’m banking on Brighton providing Poyet with the resources to steer the Seagulls home.
Bets:
5 units Brighton to be promoted, 5/1 World Sports Betting , BetXchange
1 unit Brighton to win the Division 1 title, 16/1 World Sports Betting
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