2017/18 football betting tips: Sky Bet League One outright preview

Recommended bets: Sky Bet League One

1pt Fleetwood to win the title at 40/1 - last year's fourth-placed side look massively overpriced

4pts Fleetwood to finish in the top six at 4/1 - see above

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There's no appeal for me in getting with the favourites this season in Sky Bet League One.

Blackburn are as short as 13/8 for a return to the Championship at the first time of asking but I just can't trust a club in freefall at such a short price.

Rovers nearly escaped the drop last term once Tony Mowbray took charge from Owen Coyle but the damage has really been done by the disastrous ownership of the club by Venky's, who are now approaching seven years at the helm.

The Ewood Park outfit were a Premier League mainstay when the Indian organisation took over and now they are in League One. That tells its own story.

Mowbray has a strong squad at his disposal but no trust can be given to Blackburn at the prices available.

Sky Bet's odds: Who will win the League One title?

I like Wigan, second in the promotion market, to go well but there's better value elsewhere in the North West.

Fleetwood are arguably League One's smallest club. There is nothing small, however, about their staggering advance from playing in the North West Counties League alongside the likes of Stone Dominoes, Atherton Collieries and Squires Gate in the 2004/05 campaign.

An amazing six promotions have been achieved in the last 13 campaigns but the Cod Army have consolidated in League One and proved their quality with a promotion push last term.

Fleetwood finished fourth but lost out in the play-off semi-finals with a narrow 1-0 defeat on aggregate to Bradford.

There have been changes to the playing staff over the summer, the departure of right-back Conor McLaughlin to Millwall in particular is a blow, but manager Uwe Rosler remains.

That's a big boost after the German was linked with both Norwich and Preston of the Championship and his League One pedigree is undoubted after success with both Fleetwood and Brentford.

Rosler has acted swiftly in the transfer market and the signing of former Everton striker Conor McAleny looks a smart piece of business.

The 24-year-old netted an impressive 10 goals in 19 games during a loan spell with League One rivals Oxford last season and the Cod Army managed to beat competition from the Championship to land his signature.

Rosler also benefits from having his first pre-season in charge of Fleetwood after replacing Steven Pressley just before the 2016/17 campaign got under way.

That makes the play-off finish even more impressive. I reckon the Highbury club are once again contenders in a league that has most sides with plenty of question marks against their name.

Some bookies have Fleetwood as their 16th most likely title winners. I just can't be having that in any way shape or form so a small outlay is required in the outright market.

All the prices to finish in the top six of Sky Bet League One!

The main advice though is a chunky stake for Rosler's side to again finish in the top six as the pieces remain in place to challenge.

I was also set to offer up a top goalscorer pick until some late drama thanks to Mansfield boss Steve Evans.

The manager of the Sky Bet League Two title favourites is set to add a new striker to his squad at the start of the week and my top scorer fancy is one of the players linked.

It would be rather odd if I advised you to back a player with the even the slightest doubts over his future. I'll take a watching brief for now and may well report back in the tips for the opening weekend EFL.

Posted at 1200 BST on 31/07/17.

Coming next: Sky Bet League Two preview, Tuesday 0700 BST

Related links

Latest Sky Bet League One odds
2017/18 football betting previews - what's coming when 2017/18
Sky Bet League One fixtures in full