Early Bird Tips for The EFL: The Championship returns as we hunt the early value in the EFL

The international break is over, which means a full fixture list across the English leagues and three Early Bird Tips for the EFL.

Two newly promoted sides in contrasting form reunite in the Championship, while there are two picks from League Two involving a surprise package and the top scorers across the top four tiers in England.

A clean sweep gives odds of 8.78, overseen by Jack Wright.

• Early Bird Tips for Sheffield Wednesday vs Ipswich: Ipswich to Win
• Early Bird Tips for Crawley vs Tranmere: Crawley to Win
• Early Bird Tips for Swindon vs Walsall: Over 2.5 Goals

Acca odds: 8.78

Odds via bet365 as at TIME, DATE YEAR. Odds may now differ.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Ipswich: Suffolk boys on the right Trac and t-Hirsty for another win

England, Championship, Saturday, September 16th, 15:00 (UK)

These two sides went toe-to-toe for much of last season in League One. Despite both amassing over 90 points, neither managed to pip the outstanding Plymouth Argyle to the title.
Sheffield Wednesday finished on 96 points, two adrift of Ipswich and had to gain promotion the hard way via the play-offs. However, the trajectory of both clubs has taken very different paths since.

The Tractor Boys have carried momentum in their reappearance in the second tier. They won four of their opening five games and went into the international break in 2nd place, just a point behind the early pace setters Preston.

For the Owls, a summer of discontent and a sluggish transfer window has been hard to overcome, picking up their first point of the season in the last game before the break when clinging on to a 0-0 draw at Leeds.

The removal of popular manager Darren Moore soon after his Wembley success left a dark cloud over Hillsborough. A mood made all the darker by a hike in season ticket prices and the fact that Xisco Munoz’s side were the last in the EFL to get off the mark. Calls for the new manager to be replaced and the owner to sell up make for a toxic atmosphere to try and build on that surprise point.

It is the opposite at opponents Ipswich, where the feel-good factor continues to gather pace. Many judges expected the Suffolk side to mount a challenge at the top end of the table, and their pre-season thoughts came to pass as soon as the action got underway.

After starting the season with three successive victories, there was a bump in the road as Leeds visited and left with all three points. Talk of the bubble bursting had started as Kieran McKenna’s side fell 2-0 behind at home to Cardiff in their next fixture. Turning the game around to win 3-2 was a perfect example of an upwardly mobile side’s togetherness and fighting spirit.

Town will have too much firepower for the Yorkshire club, illustrated by Freddie Ladapo climbing off the bench to fire both the equalising and winning goals in that come-from-behind victory last time out. Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin already have five goals between them, while George Hirst will be hoping to shake off an injury to keep his place in the starting lineup.

Fresh from securing his club’s goal of the month for August, the 24-year-old will be desperate to hit the back of the net at Hillsborough. Home of the club his father David represented for 11 years, plundering 106 goals in 294 appearances and who he featured for in both the 1993 FA Cup and League Cup finals.

• Selection: Ipswich to win
• Best Odds: 2.05
• Bookmaker: Coral

Crawley vs Tranmere: Nothing Cryptic about cast iron value in the home win

England, League Two, Saturday, September 16th, 15:00 (UK)

If you told me I would be putting Crawley forward as one of my standout selections in the Early Bird preview a month ago, I would have thought you were as (allegedly) mad as their owners. After all, I outlined why they were my selection to be relegated in my Top Five Outright Best Bets of 2023-24.

I wasn’t alone in that thought process, but I will hold my hands up for now, at least. I have been taken aback by an incredibly positive start to the campaign from the Red Devils.

Two wins and a draw from their opening three league games was a much better return than many expected. Especially when all three fixtures were against sides tipped to be fighting for promotion come the season’s end.

A defeat to league leaders Gillingham by the obligatory 1-0 scoreline was no disgrace. However, the 6-0 thumping at Swindon rang alarm bells.

It is the comeback from Scott Lindsey’s side that has impressed me. Taking a point after trailing 2-0 at another promotion favourite in Stockport. Scoring inside the opening minute against League One Charlton in the EFL Trophy before coming back to edge a seven-goal thriller despite trailing on two separate occasions.

Last weekend, they got back to winning ways in the league, scoring four more in a convincing victory over Newport at the Broadfield Stadium.

In contrast, it has been a disastrous start to the season for Tranmere. The 2-0 defeat at Colchester on Saturday was a sixth in succession in all competitions and a sixth from their opening seven league games.

That was enough for Rovers to sack manager Ian Dawes, who had only been given the job on a full-time basis in May. Including his interim spell in charge at the back end of last season, the 39-year-old won just three of 19 games in the Prenton Park hot seat.

As always, in these situations, there is the fear of the much-fabled “new manager bounce,” but the appointment of Nigel Adkins to lead the team in the short term holds no such concerns. The former Southampton and Charlton boss became Rovers’ technical director in May and was acting as an advisor and mentor to Dawes.

This looks like a very attractive price to take the home win. As was the case when these two sides met here in April, with Crawley running out 2-1 victors.

• Selection: Crawley to win
• Best Odds: 2.50
• Bookmaker: bet365

Swindon vs Walsall: Always have faith in the Reliant Robins for goals

England, League Two, Saturday, September 16th, 15:00 (UK)

I felt a bit of a plonker after suggesting the Doncaster vs Swindon game would see over 2.5 goals at the beginning of the month. Bottom of the table Rovers had a man sent off in the first half, shut up shop and valiantly held on for a 0-0 draw and a precious point.

It was business as usual for the normally reliant Robins last weekend. A 5-3 defeat of Sutton saw Michael Flynn’s side sweep into a 3-0 lead within 23 minutes.

On-loan from Bradford League Two Player of the Month, Jake Young bagged his eighth and ninth league goals of the season in what has become a lethal partnership with Charlie Austin. With Sutton pulling goals back to make the scoreline 3-2 and 4-3, it once again highlighted the brittle nature of the Swindon backline.

Walsall will travel to the County Ground full of confidence. Mat Sadler’s side landed an impressive come-from-behind 2-1 win at Salford on Saturday and extended their unbeaten run to four league games.

It was the Saddlers’ first away win of the season in all competitions, but their games have certainly been entertaining. All five have seen both teams hit the back of the net with a total of 23 goals, averaging at 4.6 per game.

All of those five road trips have seen a minimum of three goals, while the same applies to all four of Swindon’s home games. There were eight strikes across the two contests last season, with five in this fixture. I was surprised to see over 2.5 goals available at an attractive and very backable price.

• Selection: Over 2.5 Goals
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: bet365

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