The first day of the league season is an exciting time for all football fans. Ambitions vary, but most supporters start with optimism, aware that there is plenty of time for realism in the long slog of a 46-match league season.

Opening day defeats are therefore felt more keenly than others and this is particularly true for followers of recently relegated clubs. A loss on the first day of the season quickly dispels the belief that life will be easier in a lower division and that a quick return can be relied upon.

Two relegated teams meet at Roots Hall as Southend United take on Stockport County in a game that nPower League Two betting is finding tough to call. This is also battle between clubs mired in financial difficulty, but whilst there will be general concern at their team’s plight, supporters will be concentrating on on-field matters.

New Southend boss Paul Sturrock will not expect instant success from his team, as the squad has been overhauled in the summer. Much like those involved in nPower League one betting, the manager will want to see some promise from his new signings, led by captain Craig Easton, but County are perhaps even more in disarray and their new boss Paul Simpson will be happier with a point.

Wycombe Wanderers were also relegated last season and will get an instant idea of their promotion prospects. Morecambe filled the top play-off place last season but their season ended on a sour note as they were hammered 7-2 on aggregate in the semi finals by Dagenham and Redbridge.

However, everything is in place for another promotion challenge under Sammy Mcllroy and a good start at Adams Park will help extinguish the memories of the Dagenham debacle. The permanent signing of Phil Jevons after an impressive season on loan last year provides an early boost and the Shrimps should be backed not to lose in this curtain-raiser.

James Milner is set to leave Aston Villa and the situation will be resolved “very soon”, according to Martin O’Neill.

There has been much debate over whether Villa would be able to hang on to their star midfielder, but now the manager has revealed a deal is imminent.

O’Neill said: “I had a conversation with James before the World Cup and he intimated that he’d like to go.
“I’d imagine things will be resolved in the foreseeable future.”

He added that, as has been widely reported, Manchester City have already made a bid for the player, but that it did not meet their valuation of Milner.

Given that Milner looks to be on his way out, and no one is likely to match City in a bidding war, the only thing that remains to be seen is just how big a transfer fee he will command.

The rejected bid was for £20 million and it seems likely that City will have to increase this in order to get their man.

O’Neill will then be faced with the unenviable task of securing a replacement for a man who was a key part of the Villa side for last season.

Whether he’s able to do this will no doubt have a massive impact on the club’s chances of securing that much coveted Champions League spot.

For Milner, the move will no doubt be securing him a sizeable chuck of cash, but it could also allow him to move his career to the next level. Manchester City have a chance of upsetting the premier league title odds according to some, after all.

It won’t be an easy ride though, and if things go wrong he could find himself warming the bench with little prospect of finding himself a new club because of his massive wage packet.

However, if Roberto Mancini is able to get City firing on all cylinders, then Milner could assist in boosting the team’s championship title odds and even get his hands on a Premier League winners’ medal at the end of the season.

And it’s a warm welcome back to the big time for Joey Barton. Everyone’s favourite cheeky Scouser is out to prove a point to his many Premier League betting critics.

Last season Newcastle managed to win the Championship without the midfielder. Barton only managed 15 appearances due to injury. His confidence is still there, stating this week he is as good as anyone in the country in his position. Barton added he was confident of getting back into the England squad and adding to his single international cap.

Despite his enfant terrible tag, the fact remains that Barton is a quality player. Before his various disciplinary troubles, many in England viewed him as one of the best central midfielders in the Premiership.

His passing ability is up there with the best and his tough tackling style is essential to his team. His inability to channel that aggression has been Barton’s biggest fault so far in his career.

After spending 77 days in jail for assault, Barton pledged to turn his life around. He promised to repay Newcastle for sticking with him. It didn’t turn out like that though.

After returning from another injury lay-off, Barton was sent off against Liverpool, as Newcastle struggled to stave off relegation. In the dressing room afterwards, a reported bust up occurred between Barton and then manager Alan Shearer.

Barton was given an indefinite ban for his behaviour and against all pre-season Premier League betting odds, Newcastle were relegated.

The Liverpool born midfielder will be looking to remind everyone of his ability this season. After missing so much football over the last three years, Barton will be raring to go come the season opener against Blackburn on the 14th August.

I think Fulham have done a fantastic bit of business in luring Martin Jol away from Ajax and back to the Premier League.

Apart from a thoroughly likeable manager, they are getting someone with a decent track record and European experience – attributes many Cottagers probably thought they had seen the back of when Roy Hodgson left for Liverpool, indeed the football betting suggested they could be fighting for their top flight lives.

In Jol they have a coach he has a point to prove. I doubt he would say it out loud but he was very harshly treated at Tottenham.

A poor start to the 2006/07 season saw the board panic just three games into the season and the Dutchman was immediately under pressure. Juande Ramos was allegedly offered the job at the end of August while Jol was still in charge.

Who knows exactly what went on behind the scenes but it seems the writing was on the wall before he was drummed out three months into the season.

This was despite leading the club to consecutive fifth placed finishes and being a dodgy lasagne away from leading the club into the Champions League.

It should also be noted that some of the players he brought in – Gareth Bale Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson, and Tom Huddlestone – formed a crucial part of last year’s fourth placed side. Dimitar Berbatov was sold on at a £20 million profit just two years after he signed and even two of his perceived failures, Kevin Prince Boetang and Younes Kaboul, have proven to be handy players.

If Jol had been able to continue his work at Spurs I feel he would have taken them into the Champions League earlier than Harry Redknapp has.

The Premier League 2010/11 betting had suggested Fulham could struggle, with Jol at the helm they should do well.

With that burning sense of injustice inside him, I think he will do a great job at Craven Cottage. He won’t have the same resources as he did at White Hart Lane but the alleged £20 million transfer kitty given to him by Mohammed Al Fayed is handy enough. And with a decent backbone already in place last season’s Europa League final could indeed be the start of an exacting new era rather than the end of one as most people have been predicting.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is being forced to play a dangerous waiting game as he bids to strengthen his attacking options at Ewood Park.

Football betting pundits note that Rovers are in desperate pursuit of a striker to bolster their threadbare attack, but Allardyce’s transfer strategy is dependent on the club’s potential takeover.

With a month to go to the start of the season Allardyce has yet to add to his squad and the Rovers boss, for the time being, is sitting tight.

Indian businessman Saurin Shah has made his interest in the Lancashire club public, but as yet no takeover has been sealed and Allardyce has been left in limbo.

It’s understood the club have drawn up two lists of targets – one with the aid of new investment and the other without. The current transfer budget for Allardyce is around £2.5million, but the boss is hoping to have those coffers and the team’s online betting odds of success boosted with Shah’s investment.

It’s a dangerous waiting game because Rovers’ forward line is thin with only senior strikers Jason Roberts, Nikola Kalinic, and El-Hadji Diouf on the books.

Maceo Rigters, who spent all of last season on loan at Barnsley, and David Hoilett are the only other options with any first-team experience.

Allardyce knows he needs to make at least one addition to his forward line, but the longer he waits for the cash the harder the search will become.

Rovers, who were 20 points clear of the relegation zone last season, can’t afford to start the campaign with a lightweight attack.

They only managed 41 goals in 38 games last season and with Everton, Arsenal and Manchester City to face in three of their opening four games they face a tough start to the campaign.