Coca-Cola Divisions: League 2 Preview 2006/07 - Ups and downs!

Walsall manager Richard Money has nailed his colours to the mast by declaring the Saddlers are capable of winning promotion as well as the 2006-07 League Two title. The club's relegation from League One was already confirmed by the time Money was installed as Walsall boss with one game of last season remaining. Money was appointed on a two-year contract and with a brief to take the Saddlers back into League One at the first time of asking having managed S#horpe, AIK Stockholm, fellow Swedish outfit Vasteras and Australia's Newcastle Jets.

"I actually think being away from England has done me the world of good," said Money.

"It freshened my mind and got me ready for the new challenge at Walsall.

"The club's had a difficult time over the last two or three years but there's only one way this club is going to go from here and that's upwards.

"For me, there's no point setting unrealistic goals and goals which aren't achievable - but for this club, the goal which is achievable this season is to win the championship and there's no doubt about that.

"The players have to understand that they are League Two players and if they don't want to be League Two players for very much longer then they have to get back up as soon as possible.

"I definitely think we're a promotion-winning football club and we've got to make sure that happens."

Meanwhile, rebuilding has been underway on the other side of the Midlands where Notts County had topped the League Two table at the start of last season, only to spend the latter half of term struggling to avoid relegation. Manager Gudjon Thordarson has since departed to be replaced by Steve Thompson and a raft of new signings, including goalkeeper Saul Deeney, who left the club last summer after failing to resolve an acrimonious transfer wrangle.

A season at Conference side Burton Albion, where he enjoyed a frosty relationship with boss Nigel Clough, was to follow with Deeney playing his part in the Brewers' epic FA Cup run which only ended when defeated by Manchester United in an Old Trafford replay. But now Deeney and a host of other fresh faces have arrived at Meadow Lane where Thompson is hoping to rebuild optimism at a club threatened by financial oblivion as well as relegations in the last few years.

Meanwhile, Grimsby, Wycombe and Lincoln will all be looking to take just one step further after enduring the agony of missing out on promotion via last season's play-offs. It had been the Mariners who were beaten 1-0 by Cheltenham in the play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium back in May although Grimsby are now under the charge of new boss Graham Rodgers, who replaced Russell Slade.

Meanwhile, Hereford and Accrington Stanley will once more compete in the Football League having won promotion out of the Conference and will be looking for stability.

Sportinglife