Npower League Two betting 18th August

English League 2
18 Aug 15:00 UK Bristol Rovers v Oxford 2.20 3.20 2.80
18 Aug 15:00 UK Cheltenham v Dag & Red 1.80 3.30 3.75
18 Aug 15:00 UK Exeter v Morecambe 1.83 3.30 3.60
18 Aug 15:00 UK Fleetwood v Torquay 1.91 3.20 3.50
18 Aug 15:00 UK Gillingham v Bradford 2.10 3.20 3.00
18 Aug 15:00 UK Plymouth v Aldershot 2.10 3.20 3.00
18 Aug 15:00 UK Port Vale v Barnet 1.83 3.30 3.60
18 Aug 15:00 UK Rochdale v Northampton 2.10 3.20 3.00
18 Aug 15:00 UK Rotherham v Burton 1.50 3.60 5.50
18 Aug 15:00 UK Southend v Accrington 1.67 3.40 4.33
18 Aug 15:00 UK Wimbledon v Chesterfield 2.40 3.25 2.50
18 Aug 15:00 UK York v Wycombe 2.25 3.20 2.75

Odds William Hill

Any news on Bradford City?

Just a hunch that they will have a good season. I've had a quick look for a price, 25/1 to win it and 11/2 for promotion. I was hoping to see a bit bigger there. A bet not ruled out yet though.

I think i'll chance their odds on the opening day away at Gillingham. I think Bradford will want to avoid a bad start after last season and i'm not sure what sort of camp Gillingham will have? Reading this story the other day worries me for the Gills, it looks a negative for the start of the season... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-18634551
Rc might know a bit more about this and the mood surrounding the camp?

It looks like the bookies have already sussed the banker of the weekend here, Rotherham look set for a good season, Burton are my call for relegation.

Good luck with your teams this season fellas

While admittedly the McCammon story isn't exactly good publicity for the club, the general opinion is that the way McCammon was treated was in no way because of his race, it was purely because he was absolute shite and a waste of fucking space

Whether he's been treated unfairly/illegally or not is another matter, but that doesn't make it racist. You can certainly pick holes in most of his arguments:

- having to drive to the ground in snowy conditions while white players were told they weren't required - guess that would've depended on his level of fitness at the time, maybe the physio needed to check him out, maybe he needed treatment, who knows, but would assume the club would be able to justify their decision without too many problems. Vaguely remember reading somewhere (probably on a forum, so may be bullshit) that McCammon had a 4x4 jeep so could easily come in despite the snow, unlike some of the other players who weren't required to go in. Also worth noting that one of the other black players affected by that same incident, Curtis Weston, was released at the end of last season, but is reportedly still interested in coming back to the club, so presumably he wasn't too bothered by this "racist" treatment.

- the club refused to pay his private medical bills, while another (white) player was flown to Dubai for treatment - on the basis that we're fucking skint, it's a question of priorities. I'd assume (although I've not seen it specifically mentioned anywhere) that the white player would have been Simon King, twice voted our player of the year, and also included in the PFA team of the year one year, I believe. Suffered a potentially career threatening injury and needed the best treatment possible. McCammon was no longer a part of the club's plans, and so there was no way to justify spending a large amount on his medical treatment.

- had his wages reduced by 15% when it wasn't in his contract - now on this one I'd assume he'd be in the right, if Scally "forgot" to include a 15% relegation pay cut clause in his contract and then tried to enforce it anyway, presumably there's not much defence for that, even if it was agreed verbally. You'd assume though that most other players would have had a similar clause in their contracts, in which case McCammon would be hard-pushed to prove it was a racist act.

I guess it is a cloud hanging over the club until the verdict is returned (which I read today may be as much as 8 weeks away), but I'd be quite surprised if McCammon won the case. Of far greater concern IMO is the fact the players are due back any day now for preseason training (in fact they may even be back now, not sure) and we've still not appointed a bloody manager. Already seems to have cost us one potential signing, with Gavin Tomlin, who impressed last year on loan to us, and who was apparently keen to join us, having ended up going to Southend.

Looked earlier today like Martin Allen was going to be the new manager, but the odds are all over the place. He was down to 1/3 on the 21st June, back out to 4/1 a couple of days later, then earlier today came all the way in to 1/10. Now drifted back out again to 1/3. Wouldn't be overly keen on him myself, but then the appointment of Tony Pulis didn't really seem all that great to me at the time, and look what happened there.

Good stuff fellas.

Still no manager and now this too Rc ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18703824
I'm not trying to knock your club (dont shoot the messenger) but it's not looking great from where i'm sat, and i'm just trying to see why there's odds of 13/5 about Bradford. It's starting to look like a value call to me.

Stephen Darby has joined them today TC, An ex Liverpool youth player, played 35 games for Rochdale last season, i know they got relegated but he'd of come on for that a little and i'd say is a positive signing, an ok signing at least.

Yeah right Punter, you've had it in for us ever since that 5-4 last season

While the stuff about the training ground looks pretty unprofessional, I wouldn't read too much into that. Relations between Scally and the council aren't exactly great at the best of times, and more so now that they're supporting alternative plans for a site where he wanted to build a new ground. All a load of posturing on both sides if you ask me. Even if we don't end up getting the training ground back, Andy Hessenthaler (who is still at the club in a Director of Football type role) and Nicky Southall (Hess' assistant when he was manager, but now moved to Whitstable) own a sports club in Gillingham, a few people on the forums reckon we could possibly end up training there. Apparently it's only big enough for the first team, not the youths as well, but it'll do if necessary, I certainly wouldn't let that issue determine whether or not you back Bradford.

Bradford may well turn out to be value, but it's surely far too early to say, when it's still to be seen who Gillingham appoint as a manager (although Sky Sports have said it's Martin Allen) and any signings we may make.

Past stats are probably of limited use in these cases, but maybe worth pointing out anyway that the last 5 times Gills have been at home on the opening day (going back over the last 7 seasons), we've won 4 and drawn 1.

Yeah that 5-4 game turned me against the Gills for sure

Won 4 and Drawn 1 on the opening day, that's a good stat to be broken!

Martin Allen confirmed as the new manager.

Bradford City to win Lge Two, 10 e.w @ 22/1.
3 places 1/4 odds

This is a significant signing isn't? I might be wrong but i see this as another positive from Bradford City

http...://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18922895

What are they saying about this in Swindon, TC?

I've had a further 2.50 e.w @ 20/1 Hills, (22/1 @BetVictor) (lazy).

I've also had another 5 @ 20 Betdaq. I think 20 is big and i can see that being halved at very least at some point during the season, i'm hoping they'll get an early start so i can try to improve my trading skills.

Take a look at the league 2 attendances from last season...

1 Bradford City 233,944 - 10,171
2 Swindon Town 193,444 - 8,410
3 Oxford United 171,378 - 7,451
4 Plymouth Argyle 159,055 - 6,915
5 Southend United 146,183 - 6,090

The support they had was fantastic, considering how shit they were, almost 1800 more per game than the champions. They are a League 2 sleeping giant.
I've only seen some small positives from Bradford, i havent found any negatives yet. I think there is a good mood around the city, they've been on the telly a bit and If they can pipe that Dynamo fella down with his nonsense, they could have a very good season.

Yes he did play for Hereford, one season only i think, but i liked him and was disapointed to see him go.

McCammon has won his case against Gillingham Rc

So I saw, Punter

Reading around the forums, the general concensus seems to be that the fault lies with Scally (the chairman). Apparently McCammon made an allegation of racial discrimination, and rather than follow proper procedures and investigate the claims, they were simply brushed under the carpet. As I said earlier in this thread, on the basis of the supposed "discrimination" that was made public, none of it seemed racially-motivated to me - some of it possibly illegal (i.e. the wage reduction which they "forgot" to include in the contract), but an illegal act isn't necessarily racist purely because it's committed against a black person.

I still think it's the case that the club wanted rid of him purely for financial/footballing reasons - poor player, injury problems, and on a very good contract for that level - reportedly 2.5k a week on a 3-year contract (doesn't seem particularly racist behaviour to offer such a generous contract to a black player, it has to be said), it made sense to try to get him off the books, and it looks like they tried to force him out. But by refusing to acknowledge McCammon's complaint and investigate it properly, the club set itself up for this situation.

Probably one of his best performances for us