Leyton Orient (title odds 16/1)
After the last few seasons and the summer they've had it'll be a joyous occasion for the loyal fans of Leyton Orient when they kick off their season against Sutton United live on BT Sport on Saturday 5th August. The club is now under new ownership and looking to the future which for all fans of the beautiful game is fantastic to see.
The O's have acquired a number of new players with their first summer signings announced as striker David Mooney who returns to East London having had a very successful spell with the club between 2011 and 2015 where he scored 51 times in 170 games and became a real fan's favourite. He joins after his contract with League One side Southend United expired at the end of June. Defender Joe Widdowson has made the short journey from Dagenham and Redbridge to sign for The O's - the 28 year old came through the ranks at West Ham United and went on to play for Rotherham United, Grimsby Town, Rochdale, Northampton Town, Morecambe and Bury. Midfielder Charlie Lee has moved from League Two side Stevenage where he made over 100 appearences during a three year stay. He has also played for Gillingham and Peterborough United after coming through the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur. 24 year old defender Jake Caprice has moved from fellow National League side Woking - he has spent the last two seasons with The Cards and came through the youth ranks at Crystal Palace before playing for Blackpool, Dagenham and Redbridge, Tamworth, St Mirren and Lincoln City.
COLD END PREDICTION - THE O'S FANS WILL JUST BE GLAD THEIR CLUB IS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP AND START TO ENJOY THEIR FOOTBALL AGAIN THIS SEASON. THEY WILL FINISH BETWEEN 8th AND 15th I THINK.
Ebbsfleet United (title odds 16/1)
The Kent side make a return to non-league's top table after spending four seasons in the South division where they finished 4th, 8th, 2nd and 2nd. It was third time lucky for them in the play-offs last season having lost to local rival's Dover Athletic in the 2014 final and Maidstone United in the 2016 final they beat Chelmsford City in the 2017 final to gain promotion.
They have lost midfielder Sam Deering to big spending Bostik League side Billericay Town but have made a number of signings in preparation for the new campaign. 23 year old highly rated defender Sam Magri has made the move from Dover Athletic - he started his career with his home town club Portsmouth before moving to QPR and Crystal Palace. He represented England at youth level but is now a full International for Malta. 25 year old midfielder Jack Payne has joined from Blackpool - he has over 200 football league appearances to his name. Striker Danny Mills has been recruited from Vanarama South side Whitehawk - he had been with The Hawks since 2012 and made over 150 appearances for the south-coast side. Midfielder Bagasan Graham is also another player moving from the South division - he has signed from Chelmsford City.
COLD END PREDICTION - MAIDSTONE UNITED AND SUTTON UNITED FINISHED 14th and 12th IN LAST SEASON'S TABLE AFTER PROMOTION FROM THE VANARAMA SOUTH IN 2016. THE FLEET HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE FULL TIME SQUAD OF PLAYERS, A NEWLY DEVELOPED STONEBRIDGE ROAD GROUND AND OWNERS WITH ASPIRATIONS TO MOVE THE CLUB UP TO THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE, SO I THINK THEY HAVE FINISH HIGHER THAN THE STONES and THE U'S DID MAYBE PUSHING FOR THE PLAY-OFF PLACES.
Gateshead (title odds 20/1)
The Heed will be competing in their ninth season since promotion from the North division in 2009. The closest they have got to promotion to the football league came in 2013 when they got to the play-off final at Wembley which they lost to Cambridge United. They have followed this up with 10th, 9th and 8th placed finishes - Could they finish 7th this season then? Manager Neil Aspin has been in charge of his home-town club since 2015. He has made a good number of signings in preparation for the new season.
Centre forward Richard Peniket (from FC Halifax Town), Midfielder Kieran Green (from Hartlepool United), Midfielder Russell Penn (from Wrexham), Defender Neil Byrne (from Macclesfield Town), Defender Scott Barrow (from Merthyr Town) have all joined and a name to look out for could be striker Macaulay Langstaff who signed from Northern League Billingham Synthonia in February and spent the rest of the season on loan with them. The 20 year old now starts his first full season with The Heed. He started his career with the youth sytem at Middlesborough and scored a huge amount of goals for Synthonia last season.
COLD END PREDICITION - I THINK GATESHEAD WILL DO WELL THIS SEASON ND COULD BE DARK-HORSES FOR A PUSH TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE TABLE.
PART FOUR COMING SOON
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