PRO PUNTER Dino Vita (@VitaDino) highlights the value from Scotland’s League Two in 2016/17.
Scottish League Two 2016/17
The League Two title race will be the hardest of the four Scottish leagues too predict with five teams all under 8/1 in the ante-post betting.
Last season’s title favourites Clyde renew their position as market leaders – they put an excellent run of form together at the end of last season to try and catch eventual winners East Fife but left it too late and had settle for a play-off place, losing to Queen’s Park in the final.
Arbroath will be hoping to improve on last year’s disappointing campaign. Dick Campbell took over at the end of last season and has had an excellent transfer window, bringing a few new players and keeping hold of Player of the Year Bobby Linn for another season.
Meanwhile, relegated Forfar and Cowdenbeath will hope to bounce straight back up.
Cowden look like they having signed well in the summer bringing in a few experienced heads in Burton O'Brien and Craig Sives, and new young manager Liam Fox is very well thought after in the Scottish game having moved from Hearts’ youth team.
The Blue Brazil's association with Hearts should work to their advantage and with a few promising youngsters potentially arriving on-loan.
Nikolay Todorov, a young Bulgarian striker, has already joined from Hearts and made a big impression on his debut in the League Cup win over fellow title challengers Arbroath and I reckon they have the edge in the Outright market at 6/1 (Bet365).
Forfar appointed Gary Bollan at Christmas but he didn't have a great start and couldn't stop the club being relegated. Their aims will be top spot but I think a play-off place is their best hope of promotion.
Elgin fought it out with champions East Fife for most of last season before eventually finishing second – they were then well beaten by Clyde in the play-off semi-finals.
Elgin's biggest asset last season was their home form – only losing once – and they'll need continue that sort of success to repeat their high-ranking finish this time around.
Stirling Albion, Berwick and Annan will all have enough to steer clear of relegation but I'm not sure they can make the play-offs in such a competitive league.
Montrose and Edinburgh City will battle it out at the bottom hoping to avoid the play-offs and I do fear for the new boys Edinburgh City.
The capital club lost all their League Cup games – granted to higher opposition – but bar a 20-minute spell against Hamilton, they haven't performed well. Losing to Motherwell U20s in the Challenge Cup during the week certainly isn't great preparation for the newcomers and I’ll back them to finish rock bottom at 2/1.
Best Bets
Scottish League Two – Cowdenbeath to win outright (6/1 Bet365)
Scottish League Two – Edinburgh City to finish bottom (2/1 McBookie)