New Season Preview - Part One

The new season starts for a lot of leagues tomorrow, so here is the first part of my season preview, concentrating on Lancashire's Football League sides.

Starting in the Premiership and right at the top with the current champions, Manchester United. It doesn't take a great leap of faith to say that they'll be there or thereabouts again this season, and the players they have signed are a lot better than those they have let go. That said Nani and Anderson may take some time to adapt to the English game. However Hargreaves looks an excellent signing, whilst Carlos Tevez will surely want to get back to being talked about for his on-pitch exploits, rather than for contractual issues. United have a very good chance of retaining their title. However they need to make a good start, especially is Chelsea are struggling with injuries, and balancing domestic and European competition will be important. Of course Alex Ferguson has more experience of this than any other manager in the Premiership, and so he should be able to cope.

Liverpool have spent big in the transfer market this season, with the majority of the new players being of an attacking bent. A lot will be expected of record signing Fernando Torres, but he is another player who may take some time to adjust to the quirks of this league. An important factor will be how Rafa Benitez manages to rotate his strike force, which at times last season he seemed to have problems with. There is little doubt that Liverpool will secure a Champion's League place this season, but I feel that they are still a season or two away from making a serious challenge for the title.

The close-season at Everton has been dominated by talk of a new stadium in Kirkby, with fans split into both pro- and anti-move camps. In the transfer market they've been fairly quiet (at least until the last couple of days when they've been linked with Yakubu), with Phil Jagielka probably the biggest arrival. On the plus side they've not lost anyone crucial and so I would expect Everton to finish somewhere between the UEFA Cup places and mid-table. No doubt a lot of Evertonians will be hoping for a better European performance this season, in comparison to their last effort when they were knocked out of both Champions League and UEFA Cup at the first attempt.

Lancashire has two other UEFA Cup qualifiers in Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. Bolton are now entering the period after Sam Allardyce and 'Little' Sam Lee will struggle to repeat the highs of his predecessor's reign. Wanderers are another club not to have made any particularly exciting moves in the transfer market, but again they have not lost anyone significant either, with the retention of Nicolas Anelka being crucial. I would be surprised if they make the UEFA Cup again but can probably expect a solid mid-table finish. Blackburn on the other hand may well improve their position this season. The signing of Roque Santa Cruz could be good if he can adapt to the English game, whilst there are a number of young players at the club who have now got some experience and will be expected to make serious contributions to the team. Balancing their domestic and European campaigns will be an issue, but I expect them to be much closer to the UEFA Cup spots this season, rather than relying on two other sides rejecting the Intertoto Cup.

Manchester City have certainly had an interesting summer. They have been bought by a Thai man wanted by that nation's authorities for various misdemeanours and he has appointed Sven Goran-Eriksson as manager. Sven will want to rebuild his reputation after his England years and Manchester City are also in need of rebuilding. A lot of money has been spent, mostly on players that are only known to Football Manager addicts, and a lot will depend on how many of them play as well as Tord Grip hopes they will. The best case scenario is a challenge for a European place, whilst the worse case would probably see the owner in a Thai prison and the club in crisis (again).

That leaves Wigan Athletic. They only survived with a final day victory last season and I suspect that they will struggle again. New manager Chris Hutchings does not have a particularly happy managerial record whilst their signings do not exactly send the pulse racing. New signing Jason Koumas will be important, and it may well be that too much depends on him. The losses of Baines and McCulloch are also marks against the club's survival. It could well be a long season for the Latics.

Three Lancastrian clubs are playing in the Championship this season. The most easterly are Burnley, who haven't greatly strengthened their squad, but have not lost anyone they can't do without. Another season of lower mid-table is quite likely, although injuries may send them a bit closer to the trapdoor then they might like. Down the Ribble Valley to Preston North End, for whom the big question is who will take over from David Nugent? Billy Jones from Crewe has been signed, along with Hawley and Nicholls from Carlisle, but anything higher than a mid-table finish looks unlikely. Completing our journey along the Ribble we come to the sea and Blackpool. The Tangerines are playing in the second tier for the first time in 29 years and survival will be their main aim. They have made some interesting signings, but a lack of experience at this level may harm their chances.

In League One Oldham Athletic are the only side flying the Red Rose flag. Last season they reached the playoffs and no doubt they will be hoping for at least the same again this year. The signings that the club have made look good and Oldham should at least repeat their feats of last season, whilst a challenge for automatic promotion cannot be ruled out.

Finally League Two, and first of all this levels longest inhabitants Rochdale. Dale finished a couple of places outside the playoffs last season and might be hoping to do a little better this season. Whether they will is debatable, but they should finish well clear of the relegation zone. For the county's other three representatives at this level the drop may be a more pressing concern. Bury finished just two places above the relegation places last year and will be looking for an improvement. I think that is likely, but they will have to hope to avoid too many injuries. Accrington Stanley (second version) finished one place above Bury in their first season in the League. They have signed a number of players from far and wide but I suspect they will be in for another tough season. And so onto Lancashire's newest Football League team, Morecambe. The Shrimps have made some good signings and will be happy with safety, which I think that they will achieve.