Well it only seems like yesterday that Yeovil defeated Brentford to close the 2012-13 League One season - well 65 days to be exact. But already the ball has started rolling for the beginning of the new 2013-14 League One season.
And as part of my build up for a new season where i will be covering as many of the Gillingham games as I physically can, I have recruited fans from all 24 clubs from League One and get their options for their clubs as the new season starts on August the 3rd.
Today marks the penuliate day we look at two sides will in my opinion will be at the top of the table come the end of the season. But you have a look back at last season and both sides should NOT be in this division. But for a cruel twist of fate, they are here and fighting for promotion. I'm talking about Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
BRENTFORD
Name: Arthur Richards
Occupation away from supporting your club:
Student
How long have you been a supporter of Brentford and how did
you start supporting them?
13 years, Dad took me to first game, both been
season ticket holders since.
Let’s get this ball
rolling:
What would be your Dream season?
Automatic promotion, a JPT
Wembley victory, or a FA cup run
And what will make it a Nightmare season for you?
Relegation,
but realistically, losing the playoffs again.
Our own fans think our team is…
the Barcelona of the lower
leagues
Other teams’ fans think our team is…
A young side who play
good football
The new season:
How has Pre-Season been for you this time around?
Very
promising, outplayed championship outfit Millwall 3-0, and narrowly lost to
champions league qualifiers Celtic
Have you got the right manager and how popular is he?
Yes,
and the large majority of fans agree.
Are there any new signings that you are excited about?
Will
Grigg, with 20 league goals last season, Martin Fillo, a Czech international,
and Javi Venta, with 200+ La Liga games experience, are all interesting
signings.
Name the player that you would happily drive to his next club
(and pay for the taxi as well)...
Hard to say, suppose Hayes as he is probably
on a few bob
Name an opposition player you despise...
Dave Kitson
Name an opposition player you would love to have at your
club?
A proper goalscoring centre mid, like Matt Ritchie, Luke Murphy, Jose
Baxter etc. Although I fancy Sam Saunders to score a few this year...
If I was to visit your club on an away trip this season, name
one thing I must do in your town? (Can be anything, football-related or
otherwise... from visiting a famous sight, to making sure you don’t park your
car somewhere, to find a certain drink in a pub or a nice place to eat)
Go to the pub on the
corner...4 times.
Onto other important
matters:
How do you come back from missing out on promotion on the
last day of last season?
We showed by reaching the final on penalties, we were over it.
We have Improved the squad, and should go one better.
Is this the season where you MUST get promotion to the
Championship?
With all the promising youngsters secured on decent
contracts, I wouldn’t say it is vital, however I think promotion is a matter of
when, not if.
Is there anything you would like Uwe Rosler to change at the
club in order for you to go up?
More onions in the burger.
And now onto the
really important stuff:
Who do you think will be the top 6 at the end of the season?
Wolves, Brentford, Sheffield United, Peterborough, Preston,
Bristol City
Who do you think will go down to League 2?
Shrewsbury, Walsall, Oldham, Stevenage
And finally, in all honesty, where do you think you
will finish this season?
Second, behind Wolves.
WOLVES
Name: garry
Occupation away from
supporting your club:
builder/painter/gardener
How long have you been a
supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers and how did you start supporting them?
Been supporting them all my life, runs in the family!
Let’s get this ball rolling:
What would be your Dream
season?
To win league 1 and get promoted, the first time of trying.
And what will make it a
Nightmare season for you?
If we finished mid-table. That would be awful.
Our own fans think our team
is…
looking a lot better this season with several new arrivals such as Kenny
jacket and Sam rickets. Also a few younger players are making it into the team.
Other teams’ fans think our
team is…
I'm not so sure but I imagine they think our team is crap!
The new season:
How has Pre-Season been for
you this time around?
Very good. Unbeaten so far with only one preseason game
to go against real betis.
Have you got the right
manager and how popular is he?
I don’t know much about KJ but from the
interviews I've saw he looks very confident and seems a very nice bloke. He is
also popular in the dressing room by the sound of things
Are there any new signings
that you are excited about?
Yes, Sam rickets is one that stood out. He is a good defender and seems really eager to
get stuck in this season
Name the player that you
would happily drive to his next club (and pay for the taxi as well)...
Jamie O'Hara Hes been awful since we bought him. I would happily pay his taxi fare!
Name an opposition player
you despise...
there's a few of them, I genuinely wouldn’t know where to start!
Name an opposition player
you would love to have at your club?
Again, theres loads but I would love a
person that would actually score goals!
If I was to visit your club
on an away trip this season, name one thing I must do in your town? (Can be
anything, football-related or otherwise... from visiting a famous sight, to
making sure you don’t park your car somewhere, to find a certain drink in a pub
or a nice place to eat)
there are several nice pubs in Wolverhampton
such as the hogs head. I would recommend that. Food is top notch in there.
Onto other important matters:
Your back in the third tier
of English football for the first time since 1989, Will it be a reality check
for everyone connecting with the club, especially your chairman?
Yes for sure!
Kenny Jackett is the new
man in charge under the club new ‘Head Coach’ role; do you think that he could
be the man who could get your club back into the Championship?
Well… he really
seems like he could, yes! If he gets the players playing for him, he’ll do very
well here.
Many fans consider you as
the team to beat over the new season, how do your own fans see your clubs
chances for automatic promotion?
I think we are being very optimistic, were all
hoping for a top 3 finish (at least!)
And now onto the really important stuff:
Who do you think will be
the top 6 at the end of the season?
Wolves, P’boro, Bristol City, Walsall, sheff
utd, Bradford. (NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Who do you think will go
down to League 2?
Not to sure! Think it will be really tight at the bottom of
league 1.
And finally, in all
honesty, where do you think you will finish this season?
Im going to say
2nd. Don’t want to jinx us!
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We haven't got that many fans from clubs in League One left to ask but the two remaining sides will be given their chance to speak out on the new season which begins on Saturday.
To be concluded...
