Championship Picks - February 14th

Another weekend has rolled around and it's time to take another stab at the gambling nightmare that is the Championship. Yes, things have been going pretty badly thus far, but our luck could change at any time so, for all those punters looking for some ammunition for their romantic Valentine's Day trip to the bookies, here are a few select tips.

Preston v Norwich
Regulars may have noticed that I have been avoiding picking Norwich City games. Norwich are my team and that means I find them very hard to pick for two reasons. One is good old fashioned superstition - you never want to jinx your team, even though you know exactly how stupid that sounds. The second is a little more sensible - gambling should be as dispassionate as possible and it is impossible to be dispassionate about your team. That said, this tie screams 'home win' to me. Preston have made Deepdale a fortress this season and the increased capacity from their new stand will only make it a harder place to go. Norwich have struggled on their travels for several years now and this is a major reason why they are currently residing near the foot of the table. Bryan Gunn's installation as manager has seen a marked improvement in Norwich's football, but wins are still proving hard to come by. Preston are a big, physical team and Norwich lack both height and strength. The return of Jason Shackell on loan should help to tighten up a back line that has been woeful at times, but I expect Preston to be too strong overall.

Preston @ 5/6 Stan James

Doncaster v Sheffield Wednesday
This match sees two sides who are in excellent form at the moment. Sheffield Wednesday will be on a high after their victory over arch-rivals Sheffield United last weekend while Doncaster are absolutely flying in the league - unbeaten in 7 league games. The bookies don't seem to know what to make of this one, but I think Doncaster's incredible run gives them the edge. Check out the Asian Handicap for a chance to give your bet a little bit of security.

Doncaster -0.25 @ 7/8 Bet365

Scunthorpe v Bristol Rovers
An interesting week in League 1 with all of the top four at home to mid-table teams. No doubt there is plenty of value in an accumulator, but I'm picking out Scunthorpe v Bristol Rovers as my final game of the day. Scunthorpe have been on a very good run of late and are strong both home and away. Bristol Rovers' form has been patchy with several good results, but they have been much better at home. Expect Scunthorpe's Grant McCann to be in good form after his goal for Northern Ireland in midweek. I'm suggesting the straight win bet with an eye to a treble with all three of my picks, but if you're looking for something with a little more spice Scunthorpe have scored exactly 2 goals in their last 6 matches. Blue Square will offer you 9/4 for them to make that 7 in a row.

Scunthorpe @ 4/6 Paddy Power

Treble pays 5/1

Scunthorpe to score exactly 2 goals @ 9/4 Blue Square

NC