Latest news with #Luton
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
League 1 predictions and best bets for 2025/26 season
League 1 tips: There might have been football played all summer, but for fans of League One, it's been nearly 13 weeks since the normal season ended back in May. But the wait is almost over, their season kicks off this weekend with Luton versus AFC Wimbledon opening proceedings on Friday night. Last season, these two sides were two leagues apart, but following Luton's second relegation in successive seasons and Wimbledon winning the League 2 play-offs, they will be battling it out to get the first points on the board. League One prediction: Luton to keep up their yo-yo form After playing in the Premier League just two seasons ago, it's no surprise to see Luton are the favourites to be celebrating promotion in May in the League One odds. But after winning just 19 of their last 84 league games, they will need to hope they can stop the rot and quickly if they are to move back up the leagues. Manager Matt Bloomfield will be buoyed by how they ended the season, though, when three wins from their last four almost saw them pull off a great escape. In the end, they went down on goal difference from Hull City, which, after going 12 games without a win between Boxing Day and 1 March, was quite an achievement. Bloomfield replaced Rob Edwards in January, and he will also be aware that he needs a good start to life this season after winning just six of his 20 games in charge, but he knows League One well and when he left Wycombe to take charge of Luton, they were second in the league and had enjoyed a 19-match unbeaten run. They have made eight signings so far, including striker Nahki Wells and defender Hakeem Odoffin, who was Rotherham's player of the season last season. They have some real quality in their squad, and on paper, you would expect them to be challenging for promotion from the off, but their mindset will have to be right as travelling to Burton and Exeter is a far cry from Old Trafford and Anfield. But in Bloomfield, they have a manager with lower league experience as a player and a manager who will demand that his players do the basics right. It is hard to see much further than them or Huddersfield Town, who the football betting sites have as second favourites to be crowned champions. There is no Birmingham type in the league this season, and the other two relegated sides, Cardiff and Plymouth, have probably found their level. League One betting: The other Hatters to enjoy success too If we're backing Luton to win the league, then it's worth looking at Huddersfield to be promoted. They finished 10th last season and lost eight of their last 10 matches under caretaker manager Jon Worthington. He replaced Michael Duff, who was sacked in March after they suffered their fourth defeat in five and dropped out of the play-off places with 10 games of the season to go. The club has been bold in their new direction, appointing Lee Grant as their new boss on a three-year deal. Although highly experienced as a coach, this is his first managerial appointment, but he did spend the last three years working under Kieran McKenna at Ipswich. He might have been a goalkeeper, but based on the signings he's made, he wants to play attacking football, and they have a real goal threat in their side. They have made 11 signings so far, but the real stand-out arrivals are USA international winger Lyndon Gooch, who arrives from Stoke City on a three-year contract and striker Alfie May, who joined for an undisclosed fee from Birmingham. The 32-year-old scored 16 goals for the Blues last season as they won the League One title, so we know what he is capable of at this level. Betting sites are offering 9/4 on them to achieve promotion, either automatically or via the play-offs. A dark horse for promotion could be Stockport County, who were beaten in the Play-Off semi-finals last season. Manager Dave Challinor took them from the National League up to League One and only finished five points behind Wrexham, who finished second last season. The club has held on to their highly rated manager, after he was linked with a lot of vacancies over the summer, and persuaded him to sign a new three-year deal. They have also smashed their transfer record to sign striker Malik Mothersille from Peterborough on a three-year deal. He scored 16 goals in 57 appearances for Posh last season and is believed to have cost more than the £800,000 the club paid for Ian Thomas-Moore in 1998. They were the joint second-highest scorers in the league last season, behind just Birmingham, so it's clear to see their attacking intent. League One tips: What a load of Cobblers I don't think anyone is underestimating the enormity of the job AFC Wimbledon have on their hands to stay in League One, but to be evens to be relegated seems harsh. They beat Walsall in the League 2 Play-Off final in May to return to the third tier after a three-year absence. They finished fifth in the table, just five points behind the third automatic promotion place, but they were 11 behind the champions, Doncaster Rovers. They kick off their campaign with a baptism of fire as they face highly fancied Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, and they will be hoping to catch them cold. One big concern for them is a lack of goals; they only scored 56 goals on their way to promotion, which was by far the lowest of the teams around them. They are not helped in their cause by the fact that forward Osman Foyo has been charged by the Football Association with breaching betting rules, so could be facing a lengthy ban. James Tilley, 27, is the only forward who has come into the club, and he has scored just 32 senior goals. Based on the research, it's clear to see why they are the favourites, and it could be a long season for Wombles fans. Another team who are expected to be down there next season are Northampton Town, who only narrowly avoided relegation in May, by five points. They won just two of their last 10 matches, and manager Kevin Nolan has won just seven of the 25 games he has been in charge of since replacing Jon Brady in December. A price of 11/8 on betting apps is not one to overlook here. League 1 relegation prediction: Northampton to be relegated - 11/8 Bet365 League One betting tips: May to be celebrating in May It's no surprise that new Huddersfield striker Alfie May is favourite to finish as top scorer at odds of 11/2, after all, he scored 16 goals in this league last season, from just 27 starts. But will he get the service he enjoyed at Birmingham? The Blues were the leading scorers in the league with 84 goals in their 46 games, but May did finish just three behind Jay Stansfield, who cost £15m. Two seasons ago, he netted 27 goals at this level for Charlton and 22 the season before and 26 in 2021/22, so we can expect 20+ if he is playing week in week out. We have also already mentioned Malik Mothersille, who also scored 16 goals last season, although only 12 were in the League, and the other four helped Peterborough win the EFL Trophy. We know Stockport will score goals, so expect his numbers to go up, and you can get 25/1 on him finishing top scorer, so he could be a good outside shout for a bet online. Please gamble responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
Powys County Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Spurs assessing extent of Destiny Udogie and Kota Takai pre-season injuries
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has confirmed defender Destiny Udogie is being assessed for a knee problem which could make him a doubt for the start of the new season, while summer signing Kota Takai has suffered a foot injury. Left-back Udogie was withdrawn following the warm-up ahead of Spurs' friendly against Luton on Saturday, and then did not travel with the rest of the squad to Hong Kong for the week-long pre-season tour of Asia. Spurs face European champions Paris St Germain in the Super Cup on August 13 ahead of starting the new Premier League season at home to promoted Burnley. Frank, though, is likely to have to do without Italy international Udogie and revealed Japan defender Takai had picked up a foot issue. 'Destiny got a knee injury (in the warm-up at Luton on Saturday) that we are assessing at the moment, that has kept him out of this pre-season tour,' Frank said at a press conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday. 'Kota got a plantar fascia injury, unfortunately we don't know the scale of it – weeks.' The travelling squad for our pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Korea has been confirmed 📋 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 27, 2025 There was, though, more positive news on England forward Dominic Solanke, who missed the Luton friendly with a minor ankle issue, but has made the trip to Asia. Spurs are preparing for Thursday's north London derby against Arsenal at the Kai Tak Stadium before heading to South Korea to play Newcastle in Seoul on Sunday. 'Dom is looking much better, progressing,' Frank told SPURSPLAY. 'We will see if it is too early for Arsenal, but we are positive about him. 'Madders (James Maddison) is looking better and better, could also be too early for Arsenal, again, we will see. Rodri (Rodrigo Bentancur) is back from illness, so that's good.' Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou had to deal with several injury setbacks last season, which saw their Premier League season tail off amid a successful Europa League campaign. Frank, though, feels there can only be so much done to try to mitigate against picking up more fitness problems down the line. 'I know about the injury issues, but it is a problem for every club in the world,' Frank said at a press conference. 'We have a good and long pre-season so we can push the players, we are aware how we want to train, we need to be aligned on how we want to play and train. 'There are gym sessions, recovery and the ability to compete in all tournaments. We are aware and we will make a few adjustments so we can compete.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Son HeungMin(손흥민)🇰🇷 (@hm_son7) Frank again addressed issues over the future of captain Son Heung-min, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract and attracted interest from Los Angeles FC. 'Right now, Sonny is here and I'm very happy for that,' the Dane said. 'He has trained well. I said in the last press conference that he is showing great character. 'He played the last two friendlies. He is in the squad, he will train today (Tuesday). What I am focusing on is he is a Tottenham player.'
North Wales Chronicle
10 hours ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Spurs assessing extent of Destiny Udogie and Kota Takai pre-season injuries
Left-back Udogie was withdrawn following the warm-up ahead of Spurs' friendly against Luton on Saturday, and then did not travel with the rest of the squad to Hong Kong for the week-long pre-season tour of Asia. Spurs face European champions Paris St Germain in the Super Cup on August 13 ahead of starting the new Premier League season at home to promoted Burnley. Frank, though, is likely to have to do without Italy international Udogie and revealed Japan defender Takai had picked up a foot issue. 'Destiny got a knee injury (in the warm-up at Luton on Saturday) that we are assessing at the moment, that has kept him out of this pre-season tour,' Frank said at a press conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday. 'Kota got a plantar fascia injury, unfortunately we don't know the scale of it – weeks.' The travelling squad for our pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Korea has been confirmed 📋 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 27, 2025 There was, though, more positive news on England forward Dominic Solanke, who missed the Luton friendly with a minor ankle issue, but has made the trip to Asia. Spurs are preparing for Thursday's north London derby against Arsenal at the Kai Tak Stadium before heading to South Korea to play Newcastle in Seoul on Sunday. 'Dom is looking much better, progressing,' Frank told SPURSPLAY. 'We will see if it is too early for Arsenal, but we are positive about him. 'Madders (James Maddison) is looking better and better, could also be too early for Arsenal, again, we will see. Rodri (Rodrigo Bentancur) is back from illness, so that's good.' Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou had to deal with several injury setbacks last season, which saw their Premier League season tail off amid a successful Europa League campaign. Frank, though, feels there can only be so much done to try to mitigate against picking up more fitness problems down the line. 'I know about the injury issues, but it is a problem for every club in the world,' Frank said at a press conference. 'We have a good and long pre-season so we can push the players, we are aware how we want to train, we need to be aligned on how we want to play and train. 'There are gym sessions, recovery and the ability to compete in all tournaments. We are aware and we will make a few adjustments so we can compete.' A post shared by Son HeungMin(손흥민)🇰🇷 (@hm_son7) Frank again addressed issues over the future of captain Son Heung-min, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract and attracted interest from Los Angeles FC. 'Right now, Sonny is here and I'm very happy for that,' the Dane said. 'He has trained well. I said in the last press conference that he is showing great character. 'He played the last two friendlies. He is in the squad, he will train today (Tuesday). What I am focusing on is he is a Tottenham player.'
Rhyl Journal
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Spurs assessing extent of Destiny Udogie and Kota Takai pre-season injuries
Left-back Udogie was withdrawn following the warm-up ahead of Spurs' friendly against Luton on Saturday, and then did not travel with the rest of the squad to Hong Kong for the week-long pre-season tour of Asia. Spurs face European champions Paris St Germain in the Super Cup on August 13 ahead of starting the new Premier League season at home to promoted Burnley. Frank, though, is likely to have to do without Italy international Udogie and revealed Japan defender Takai had picked up a foot issue. 'Destiny got a knee injury (in the warm-up at Luton on Saturday) that we are assessing at the moment, that has kept him out of this pre-season tour,' Frank said at a press conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday. 'Kota got a plantar fascia injury, unfortunately we don't know the scale of it – weeks.' The travelling squad for our pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Korea has been confirmed 📋 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 27, 2025 There was, though, more positive news on England forward Dominic Solanke, who missed the Luton friendly with a minor ankle issue, but has made the trip to Asia. Spurs are preparing for Thursday's north London derby against Arsenal at the Kai Tak Stadium before heading to South Korea to play Newcastle in Seoul on Sunday. 'Dom is looking much better, progressing,' Frank told SPURSPLAY. 'We will see if it is too early for Arsenal, but we are positive about him. 'Madders (James Maddison) is looking better and better, could also be too early for Arsenal, again, we will see. Rodri (Rodrigo Bentancur) is back from illness, so that's good.' Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou had to deal with several injury setbacks last season, which saw their Premier League season tail off amid a successful Europa League campaign. Frank, though, feels there can only be so much done to try to mitigate against picking up more fitness problems down the line. 'I know about the injury issues, but it is a problem for every club in the world,' Frank said at a press conference. 'We have a good and long pre-season so we can push the players, we are aware how we want to train, we need to be aligned on how we want to play and train. 'There are gym sessions, recovery and the ability to compete in all tournaments. We are aware and we will make a few adjustments so we can compete.' A post shared by Son HeungMin(손흥민)🇰🇷 (@hm_son7) Frank again addressed issues over the future of captain Son Heung-min, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract and attracted interest from Los Angeles FC. 'Right now, Sonny is here and I'm very happy for that,' the Dane said. 'He has trained well. I said in the last press conference that he is showing great character. 'He played the last two friendlies. He is in the squad, he will train today (Tuesday). What I am focusing on is he is a Tottenham player.'
Glasgow Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Spurs assessing extent of Destiny Udogie and Kota Takai pre-season injuries
Left-back Udogie was withdrawn following the warm-up ahead of Spurs' friendly against Luton on Saturday, and then did not travel with the rest of the squad to Hong Kong for the week-long pre-season tour of Asia. Spurs face European champions Paris St Germain in the Super Cup on August 13 ahead of starting the new Premier League season at home to promoted Burnley. New Spurs boss Thomas Frank has a couple of injury problems ahead of the new season (Nigel French/PA) Frank, though, is likely to have to do without Italy international Udogie and revealed Japan defender Takai had picked up a foot issue. 'Destiny got a knee injury (in the warm-up at Luton on Saturday) that we are assessing at the moment, that has kept him out of this pre-season tour,' Frank said at a press conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday. 'Kota got a plantar fascia injury, unfortunately we don't know the scale of it – weeks.' The travelling squad for our pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Korea has been confirmed 📋 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 27, 2025 There was, though, more positive news on England forward Dominic Solanke, who missed the Luton friendly with a minor ankle issue, but has made the trip to Asia. Spurs are preparing for Thursday's north London derby against Arsenal at the Kai Tak Stadium before heading to South Korea to play Newcastle in Seoul on Sunday. 'Dom is looking much better, progressing,' Frank told SPURSPLAY. 'We will see if it is too early for Arsenal, but we are positive about him. 'Madders (James Maddison) is looking better and better, could also be too early for Arsenal, again, we will see. Rodri (Rodrigo Bentancur) is back from illness, so that's good.' Former Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou had plenty of injury problems to contend with last term (Bradley Collyer/PA) Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou had to deal with several injury setbacks last season, which saw their Premier League season tail off amid a successful Europa League campaign. Frank, though, feels there can only be so much done to try to mitigate against picking up more fitness problems down the line. 'I know about the injury issues, but it is a problem for every club in the world,' Frank said at a press conference. 'We have a good and long pre-season so we can push the players, we are aware how we want to train, we need to be aligned on how we want to play and train. 'There are gym sessions, recovery and the ability to compete in all tournaments. We are aware and we will make a few adjustments so we can compete.' Frank again addressed issues over the future of captain Son Heung-min, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract and attracted interest from Los Angeles FC. 'Right now, Sonny is here and I'm very happy for that,' the Dane said. 'He has trained well. I said in the last press conference that he is showing great character. 'He played the last two friendlies. He is in the squad, he will train today (Tuesday). What I am focusing on is he is a Tottenham player.'
