Wilson sets sights on final

Sheffield United boss Danny Wilson feels his side have a “great opportunity” to secure promotion via the play-offs after missing out on an automatic spot on the final day of the campaign (Match Betting – Sheffield United 10/11, draw 12/5, Stevenage 3/1 with bet365).

The Blades held the advantage in the race for second place in League One for much of the latter half of the season but were overhauled by fierce rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the final stages of the regular campaign.

There were fears the missed opportunity could affect confidence at Bramall Lane but the Blades grabbed a 0-0 draw in their play-off semi-final first-leg at Stevenage and Wilson is in confident mood ahead of the return fixture (First team to score – Sheffield United 8/13, no goals 8/1, Stevenage 13/8 with bet365).

He told the Sheffield Star: “We’ve got a great opportunity, we’re at our place and we want to force that home if we can.

“I’m sure our fans will be rocking by the time kick-off comes around and we’ve all seen how that can help in the past. But it’s still finely balanced and we know we can’t take anything for granted.”

Sheridan calls for survival push

Chesterfield boss John Sheridan has called on his side to forget their Wembley victory and concentrate on League One survival (To Be Relegated – Chesterfield 1/7 with bet365).

The Spireites saw off Swindon Town in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final on Sunday but remain seven points adrift of safety at the foot of the League One table.

While Sheridan was delighted with his side’s cup success, the Chesterfield boss admits there is still plenty of work to do and hopes the win at Wembley will inspire his side in their battle against the drop.

“I think it will help us in the league – it certainly won’t do us any harm,” said Sheridan.

“But I won’t get carried away. It is great for the supporters because it is a trophy but I know where my priorities stand.

“I am desperate to stay in the division and I think we are good enough to stay in it.

“No disrespect to this competition, but I would sacrifice this afternoon to stay up. Definitely.

“If we had the points for all the games we have won in the Johnstone’s Paint then we would be safe by now!”

Chesterfield travel to Sheffield United on Wednesday as they continue their push for safety, with Sheridan’s men without a win in their previous four league games (Match Betting – Sheffield United 4/9, draw 10/3, Chesterfield 6/1 with bet365).

The League One strugglers look set to be without key frontman Jack Lester for the trip to Bramall Lane after he suffered a groin injury on Sunday, but fit-again Mark Randall (broken hand), Gregor Robertson (hamstring) and Jimmy Juan (ankle) are all pushing for starting spots, while cup-tied trio Neal Trotman, Liam Ridehalgh and Nicky Ajose are all available.

Owls eye quick appointment

Sheffield Wednesday chairman Milan Mandaric has confirmed the League One side hope to appoint a new manager within the next 24 hours following the sacking of Gary Megson on Wednesday night.

Assistant manager Chris Evans and first team coach Neil Thompson will take charge of first-team affairs while the club seek a new boss, but Mandaric is keen to have a new manager in place as soon as possible.

The decision to sack Megson was met with some surprise, given that just 72 hours earlier Wednesday had secured a 1-0 win over Sheffield United in the Steel City derby.

However, Mandaric has his sights set on automatic promotion and third-placed Wednesday are five points adrift of the top two, while the second-placed Blades also have a game in hand over their city rivals (To be promoted – Sheffield Wednesday 15/8 with bet365).

Mandaric is eager to appoint a new boss as quickly as possible, with former Cardiff and Wolves boss Dave Jones tipped to take charge at Hillsborough.

“We are trying very hard and hopefully we can announce the new manager in the next 24 hours,” Mandaric told Sky Sports News.

“It was always our objective to get out of this league and we have fallen down lately and whoever comes here will have to get us out of this league.”

The Wednesday chairman has been heavily criticised for axing Megson but Mandaric insists his decision was in the best interests of the club.

He added: “It was very a hard decision but it was the best decision for our supporters.

“It was not done for me or for anyone else, it was done for the best of the club.”

Wednesday travel to strugglers Rochdale on Saturday, with Evans and Thompson set to take charge of the Owls for the tie at Spotland (match betting – Rochdale 11/5, draw 12/5, Sheffield Wednesday 6/5 with bet365).

Coleman eyes County scalp

Rochdale manager John Coleman feels time is running out on his side’s bid for League One survival and is desperate for all three points against Notts County on Tuesday (Rochdale 6/4, County 7/4, draw 23/10 Match Prices – bet365).

Dale are currently second from bottom of the table with only Chesterfield below them in the standings but, due to the nature of the division, they are still in with every chance of beating the drop.

The north west outfit have taken 29 points from their first 32 games but are only three points from safety with plenty of matches left this term.

But they have only won two of their past 10 games, with four draws and four defeats, which is hardly the sort of form that will leave a manager confident of survival.

Rochdale picked up a point at the weekend after a 1-1 draw with Colchester but will face a tough task this week with County just outside the top six and pushing for a play-off place.

The Midlanders have won three of their last four League One games by a score of 1-0 and appear to be peaking at the right time as the race for promotion hots up (Rochdale 1-0 Correct Score 7/1).

It looks set to be a tight encounter at Spotland and Coleman has made it clear that draws are no good if he is to prevent his side from playing League Two football next term.

“We need to be winning games, so I’d have to say it was two points dropped on Saturday,” he said.

“The only way we can turn this result into a good point for us is if we follow it up with a win against Notts County on Tuesday.”

Terriers end Clark spell

Despite sitting in fourth place in the League One table, Huddersfield Town (10/11 League One promotion outright with bet365) have sacked their manager Lee Clark with 16 matches of the campaign remaining.

Town suffered a 1-0 defeat to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night, which will now be the 39-year-old’s last game in charge of the Terriers, having been relieved of his position at the Galpharm Stadium on Wednesday.

Clark led Huddersfield to the play-off final last season, only to be denied by Peterborough United in the showdown at Old Trafford.

And despite a decent campaign so far, with just three defeats in the league, Town have decided to call time on Clark’s stint.

Huddersfield chairman Dean Hoyle believes the time is right to look for a new manager.

He said: “This was a very difficult decision; one not taken lightly or in response to one result. Concerns have been raised over recent weeks.

“Lee and his coaching staff have put their all into the job over the past three seasons and he has made a huge contribution to the club.

“However with 16 matches to go we still have an opportunity to achieve promotion and we have made this change with this in mind.”

Clark (5/4 to be next Leeds United boss with bet365) has now become one of the favourites to take up the job just down the road at Elland Road, with Leeds United looking for a new manager following the sacking of Simon Grayson.

Dickov targets MK Dons scalp

Paul Dickov has said Oldham must attack from the first whistle when they entertain League One high-flyers MK Dons at Boundary Park on Monday (Oldham 9/4 draw 23/10 MK Dons 6/5 – bet365 match prices).

The Latics are looking for a first league win on home soil since a 2-0 victory over Rochdale on August 20 and Dickov, who could have Dean Furman and Paul Black back for the visit of Karl Robinson’s promotion-hopefuls, has warned they must not allow MK Dons to dictate.

Draws against Huddersfield and Stevenage, followed by defeat last time out against Brentford, have cost Oldham points at home but Dickov views MK Dons as the ideal opponents to bounce back.

Victory and a clean sheet against Scunthorpe in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy last Tuesday has given the Oldham boss the confidence to believe they can cause an upset (MK Dons 9/1 – League One to win outright with bet365).

“We are at our best when we play with intensity,” he said.

“Whether we are winning games, drawing or losing at the moment, we look like scoring.”

Fergie quietly confident of taming Terriers

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson is well aware of the threat posed by Huddersfield in Sunday’s League One play-off final but is confident that they can get the right result (Peterborough 9/5 – bet365 – 90 minutes).

The two sides are set to do battle at Old Trafford this weekend for the right to join Brighton and Southampton in the Championship next season.

Ferguson began the season in charge of Preston North End but was sacked last December after a poor first half of the campaign.

But he was not out of work for too long as Peterborough came calling and the 39-year-old began a second spell in charge at London Road on January 12.

And now he has a chance to end the season in glory, with Posh just 90 minutes away from a possible return to the second tier of English football.

The Terriers have not been beaten in a League One clash since losing 4-1 to Southampton back in late December last year, however, and are favourites to be promoted but, while respecting what his opponents have done, Ferguson is upbeat about his side’s chances of ending that run (Huddersfield 4/5 – bet365 – to be promoted).

“We are confident we can win, but we are under no illusions about the size of the task facing us,” he said.

“Huddersfield’s long, unbeaten run is a fantastic achievement and in many other seasons they would have gone up automatically.”

The son of the legendary Manchester United boss has done his homework on Lee Clark’s side and expects to face a very different challenge to the one posed by MK Dons in the semi-final.

“Dons tried to play through us, but Huddersfield will try and get the ball to the wings and get crosses into the penalty area,” he added. “Huddersfield are also excellent at set-pieces. Gary Roberts is an expert at delivering them so we will have to prepare very well defensively.”

Addicks boss rejects McCarthy rumours

Chris Powell has denied any rumours Charlton Athletic (50/1 to win League One with Stan James) are set to sign West Ham outcast Benni McCarthy.

The Addicks manager sees his side sitting five points outside the League One play-off places after suffering their fourth defeat in a row against Carlisle United on Tuesday night.

Newspaper reports suggested former South Africa international McCarthy was being lined up for a move the The Valley as Powell is short in the striking department after allowing Pawel Abbot to return to Poland and join Ruch Chorzow.

Powell still has Bradley Wright-Phillips, Paul Benson, Joe Anyinsah and Nathan Eccleston as attacking options on his books, and he has stated he has had no contact with West Ham (5/6 to be relegated with Stan James) over McCarthy.

However, he is planning on securing two new loan signings this week, before Saturday’s clash with Tranmere, in order to bolster his injury-hit squad, with experience the key trait he is looking for.

Speaking about McCarthy, Powell told the News Shopper: “We haven’t contacted West Ham and they haven’t contacted us.

“He’s a quality player but if we had a desire to bring him in then I would have made the call myself by now.”

He added: “I’m going to do my utmost to ensure we’ll bring in a couple of players by Saturday.”

Shock Fergie job development

Darren Ferguson has taken charge of League One Peterborough for a second time – less than a fortnight after being sacked by Championship strugglers Preston (Posh 25/1 to win League One with bet365.com).

The 38-year-old was unveiled on Wednesday morning and will replace Gary Johnson who left London Road by mutual consent on Monday.

Ferguson’s successful first reign came to an end in November 2009 in acrimonious circumstances so it came as a surprise that chairman Darragh MacAnthony has sanctioned a return.

However, the son of Sir Alex Ferguson’s record at the Cambridgeshire outfit cannot be questioned after he led the club from League One to the Championship inside three seasons.

His first game back as boss will be at leaders Brighton on Saturday afternoon so Ferguson will have to defy the odds to get off to a winning start (Brighton 8/11, draw 11/4, Peterborough 7/2 with bet365.com).

Gus Poyet’s Seagulls are the 9/5 second favourites to win the League One title.

Pardew axed by Saints

Alan Pardew has been sacked by Southampton (5/2 to win League One with Bet365) after a disappointing start to their League One campaign.

The 49-year-old manager led the side to a 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers at the weekend, although that was their first win in three matches.

Southampton had been expected to be one of the leading sides in League One this season, after Pardew helped the Saints win the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in March and they threatened to get into the play-offs last season despite starting the campaign with a ten-point deduction.

The club have announced that Dean Wilkins will be the caretaker manager for their next game with Rochdale (Southampton 2/5 to win, Rochdale 6/1, draw 16/5 with Bet365) next weekend, assisted by under-21 coach Martin Hunter.

A statement from Southampton said it was “essential” that changes had to be made to the management and coaching of the first team.

“We recognise that frequent changes to the football management are unlikely to assist in the winning of trophies and promotions,” it read.

“However, we are taking these steps to achieve our aims, which we share with all supporters, to get promoted this season, and secure long term stability and progress for our football operations.”