1. Dagenham & Redbridge
2. Tranmere Rovers
3. Aldershot
4. Barrow
5. Hartlepool
6. Fylde
7. Leyton Orient
I'm fairly confident about the top three, but unsure of the order. BBTC and RLC have the same trio in the top three, but more optimistically than me pitch Rovers top.
Dagenham have kept hold of most of their best players, including Hawkins up front and they did a lot of business early on, meaning plenty of time for the new players to bed in. Joe Widdowson left-back moving to Orient probably the only unwanted departure, like us they have less strength in depth at the back compared to other areas. With an experienced manager in John Still, they are our strongest opponent. Aldershot have also retained most of the best players from last season and are serious contenders.
After that, hard to call. The two relegated sides have managers who don't have experience of this league, which means adaptation time is a factor holding them back a little. Pools have kept hold of key scorer Amond and recruited well. Orient have put a very strong squad together, but due to their financial difficulties last season, it's been done from scratch and the lack of continuity will tell against them initially. Of the promoted sides Flyde and Ebbsfleet are both strong and should be thereabouts. Eastleigh, Wrexham and Sutton all likely to be in contention for a play-off spot.
At the other end, feel Solihull, Guiseley, Chester, Dover and Macclesfield in danger of going down. All have lost some key players and excepting Guiseley haven't replaced with similar quality.
BBTCs in/out list makes interesting reading, though in some cases you can make an argument in favour of the departed player. Vaughan/Ihiekwe/Stephenson going brings a loss of pace from the squad, Maynard more versatile than Norburn for example. All the players we've brought in, save Waring who is a bit of an unknown quantity, look decent for this level. Another factor is the injury situation, the optimism that Tollit and Wallace would be back for pre-season hasn't been borne out. Tollit now September/October, by which time a quarter of the season is over and as for Wallace, who knows...