Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling believes the race to escape League Two will be closer than ever this season. "It is always a difficult division to get out of," he told BBC Sport. "It was very tight last year and it might be even tighter this time.
"There are no outstanding teams who you can say are clear favourites.
"Last season, out of the four that went up you could say before the start of the season that you fancied Yeovil and Swansea but I am not sure this year."
Ling does not feel you can look to any previous form when it comes to predicting who will do well over the coming months.
He added: "This division is very much about the current campaign.
 | LING'S TEAMS TO WATCH |
"You can forget last year or any big reputations - I think it is the hardest league to predict. It is a very even field.
"There are a few people who have spent a little bit of money that you would expect to be there or thereabouts, like Northampton or Wycombe. They both have strong squads.
"Boston are another team who have gone down that route and I think they will challenge at the top.
"They have brought in Julian Joachim and Noel Whelan, who have both played in the Premiership, and it will be interesting to see how they get on.
"But just because they have played at a higher level does not mean they will find it as easy as everyone thinks - they may be in for a bit of a culture shock.
"As far as the teams who have come down, I am not sure they will find it that easy to bounce back.
"Wrexham had financial difficulties last year, as did Stockport and Peterborough are not in as good a shape as they were last time they were down here.
"I think that has tightened up the division even more than in previous years."
Ling saw Orient's own challenge falter before Christmas last season but refuses to alter his side's approach of playing passing football.
|  Anyone who knows me and the way my teams play the game will know we will be looking to pass it with the aim of going up |
Teams like Lincoln prefer a more direct style but Ling said: "With Torquay two years ago and Yeovil last year I think it showed you can play your way out of this division.
"A few seasons back it was always said that you had to have big, strong players to win promotion. You still need that type of player but I believe you can get out with the passing game.
"And anyone who knows me and the way my teams play the game will know we will be looking to pass it with the aim of going up.
"There are a few more teams trying to pass it now. I know Torquay, Wycombe and Northampton all will. They should all do well too."
Barnet and Carlisle will be looking to follow the example of Yeovil and Doncaster, who have both arrived from the Conference in recent years and quickly marched into League One.
Ling added: "Paul Fairclough will do fine at Barnet.
"He has got a big, big reputation in non-League football and I don't think managing in the League is any different. If you are a good manager, you are a good manager at any level.
"They stormed the Conference last season and that might make you think Barnet will be stronger than Carlisle - but I have got a funny feeling it will be the other way around.
"Carlisle will have a promotion push but I am not so sure that Barnet will."
MMIX
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