Quite a few of my fellow bloggers have put together their take on whose going to finish where in the National League which begins this weekend, a 46 game slog with two promotion spots and four relegated to the National League North and South.
Now of course four have to finish in those places, feel free to disagree but keep it sensible! As we saw last year Chesterfield were looking odds on for an EFL return until James Rowe and injury to Kabongo Tshimanga spectacularly derailed that bit.
No surprise that I expect Wrexham to deliver the title and back in the Football League after a 15 year absence. The money they have is obscene for this level and no one can compete with them on fees nor wages. Huge pressure on Phil Parkinson but I expect him to deliver, there is no room for error at all.
I can’t quite choose between Notts County and Solihull Moors for 2nd and 3rd but they will fill those two places, both are solid at the back and have invested in the other end of the park, enough firepower to see off any potential challengers but not quite enough to trouble Wrexham.
I’ve gone for Dagenham as an outside bet to finish 4th, settled side pretty much and a front three that if they can stay fit then they could score enough to get a leg up the table, that is very dependent on Balanta, McCallum and Walker staying out of the treatment room.
Chesterfield are down to finish 5th. Although Paul Cook has put his mark on the team with his signings they just don’t jump out at me to be honest as a side that will compete on a weekly basis, like Parkinson he strikes me as a manager who will be under pressure to get it right from the off.
I don’t think there will a lot to choose between Southend, Boreham Wood and Woking for 6th to 8th. All three have made some astute signings over the summer and while the loss of Dalby for Southend and Mendy for Wood is big both should still trouble the right end of the table. Good signings from Darren Sarll at Kingfield will see them as the dark horses in the division for me.
Taking us to mid-table are York, Bromley, Torquay and Barnet. York have also made some savvy signings for this level and I think will be quite comfortable finishers this season. The Ravens I think have lost too many experienced players and some of the quality coming in isn’t as good as those who have left, Torquay are still a couple away from troubling those above them while Barnet’s position may be a little optimistic somewhere between 12th and 16th is again a further improvement on last season.
Underneath the Bees the next four I have are Oldham, Halifax, Altrincham and Aldershot. The Latics might be on a bit of a bounce following the new ownership but those of us who are here year in, year out know the National League is an unforgiving place for relegated sides and I think stability is needed for a good crack at things next year.
People might be surprised at my Halifax placing but I think it’s a hard ask to follow Pete Wild’s season last year and before, this is despite the fact the signings they’ve made are fairly decent but everyone’s got to finish somewhere? I feel Altrincham will need this season to get the balance right in the switchover in status to full time, still expect them to get a few results on the way and like Oldham I would expect a higher placing next year.
Aldershot haven’t impressed a lot with who they’ve signed in my opinion, but there are likely to be others worse than them which should see the Shots ok.
The last four before we get to the dreaded relegation zone are in this order, Eastleigh, Scunthorpe, Dorking Wanderers and Maidstone Utd. I wasn’t impressed with Lee Bradbury’s appointment last year which didn’t improve the Spitfires at all and despite a good pre-season that counts for nothing come Saturday afternoon, too much interference from upstairs might be their undoing.
I don’t see enough from Scunthorpe to suggest they’re doing to trouble the top end of the table, as mentioned above the National League can become a graveyard for ex EFL clubs and like Oldham going to be a tough year to come.
Dorking I think will be happy to survive, take stock and then see what they need to do in order to progress. Marc White has done a fantastic job with a great back story; he knows it’s not going to be easy but that’s something Dorking thrive on though.
Maidstone I have to stay up but only just. Backed by a good home support, that form at the Gallagher I think will be enough, Hak has made some sensible signings and they’re a club who will spend wisely. Establishing themselves once again at non-league’s top table is the priority for the Kent side.
And to the bottom four. Four have to go down so these are my choices. It’s getting harder year by year to compete in this league as a part time club, I think we are down to just three clubs out of 24 now, so my remaining four are Wealdstone, Yeovil, Gateshead and Maidenhead. It would be lovely if all four prove me wrong, surely one will.
The Stones just up the road from Barnet had a fantastic season last year but I feel this time they’re going to come up short. They have however made two or three good signings but you put that against others and doesn’t stack up for me.
Until the takeover at Yeovil goes through, it’s going to be a struggle to build a decent side. I was a little surprised Chris Hargreaves wanted back into the game after building a decent career as a pundit, guessing the lure of management again was too much.
Losing not one but both of the strikers who fired you into the National League is the reason why I’ve got them to go straight back down again. It’s a lot to ask to replace those goals that got you here, a long season for the Heed I feel.
Maidenhead have defied the odds consistently and again it’s that part time tag and coupled with the loss of Josh Kelly it becomes doubly hard to avoid the drop in my opinion. Alan Devonshire will relish the chance to prove everyone wrong and nick some points as they did last year against the top sides, for me I feel time has run out for them.
Plenty in there for everyone to disagree with, plenty for teams to prove me wrong and I hope some of them do, the game is all about opinions so feel free to leave a comment and let’s see what everyone thinks about the next ten months.
