By Clarence Rode
May 27 2009

Surprise, surprise … Hartlepool United are one of the bookmakers' favourites for relegation from League One at the end of next season. So what’s new? Pools are tipped to go down almost every season and it would be a major shock if the bookies were to change that old routine. And based on last season's form, it's difficult to argue with them.

Just as unsurprising is the fact that Leeds, Charlton and Norwich are the three favourites to go up.

The odds are different with different bookies, but Pools are anything from 40-1 to 66-1 to win the title, a quarter of the odds to win promotion.

The average title odds for Leeds, meanwhile, are 7-2, with Charlton and Norwich both coming in at about 7-1 or 8-1.
MK Dons, beaten in this season’s play-offs,  are at 10-1 while Millwall are on about 15-1.

At the other end, Stockport - deep in a financial crisis - are everybody’s favourites to go down and you can get odds between 100-1 and 125-1 on them taking the title, while Yeovil are on between 66-1 and 80-1.
Just above Pools in the table as bookmakers expect it to finish are Orient, Carlisle, Exeter, Walsall, Swindon, Gillingham, Brentford and Wycombe with odds ranging from 40-1 to 25-1.
You can compare the odds on offer from different bookies here.