EURO 2008 has finished and attention now turns back to domestic action.

We're only five weeks away from the start of the season and Pools fans will be hoping that the club can build on last year's solid first season back in League One.

Danny Wilson will have been pleased with his team's effort last year, but they now need to kick on if they are to have any chance of getting to the play offs.

They are around the 3/1 mark to be relegated, but I'm confident they can do better than that.

LOOKING at the top end of the league and even the most optimistic of you wouldn't fancy backing Pools to be crowned champions at a top-priced 40/1 with Boylesports.

However, even though the 12/1 on offer about securing promotion is slightly more appealing, those at the top of the market should end up fighting out the finish.

Leeds started the season on fire last year and even though they were deducted 15 points before a ball was kicked, they were top of the league before Christmas.

They were the favourites in the play-off final and Gary McAllister will be confident that the club is now stable and ready to move back up to the Championship.

They haven't made any significant signings yet, but I think their squad is strong enough to nearly win the league at present, let alone with a couple of quality additions.

Jermaine Beckford scored 20 goals last season and will be hoping to improve on that this year, with Premier League and Championship scouts waiting in the wings.

Casper Ankergren is probably the best goalkeeper in the league and at around 7/2, United must be backed to win the league.

Leicester are next in the betting at a top-priced 11/2 with Boylesports and they must have a strong chance of returning to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Nigel Pearson has been appointed the new boss and he has the unenviable task of working with Milan Mandaric. However, they should really be good enough and it's worth backing them to get promoted at around 13/8.

Of the outsiders, Stockport look over-priced at 66/1, especially when you consider that fellow promoted side MK Dons, without Paul Ince, are as short as 10/1.

Walsall looked like they would get into the play-offs last season and they should do better than their 50/1 quote suggests. When Sporting Index open up their season points market it may be worth a small buy (bet higher) of each of these two if they are anywhere around 50-55.

Similarly, Pools should be able to improve on their 54-point haul this season, so a small buy wouldn't be out of the question.