The perilous pain of predictions

Glenn Speller
BBC Essex sports producer

Promotion for both Colchester and Southend this season?

It is that time of year once again when the sports pages are just that little bit thicker and heavier, as the pundits have their say over who will go up and who will go down.

The club's various online forums have been full of indignation at the perceived slights, as the 'experts' predict relegation, promotion or mid-table mediocrity.

There is no science to these predictions. Yes, you can look at the signings and the amount of cash spent but what does that prove?

Do we know all the signings are going to gel? Has the money been wisely spent?

Colchester United have been very busy during the summer with plenty of new faces and a fair bit of money being spent.

All this has seen a fair bit of optimism flying around the Community Stadium but there have also been echoes of indignation with the preview papers predicting trials and tribulations ahead, and avoiding relegation by the narrowest of margins.

Compare this to just down the A12 at Southend United. It has been a quiet time on the transfer front with manager Steve Tilson settling for loan signings as he looks to improve on last season's eighth-placed finish.

I will be sitting back, laughing at those foolish enough to put their necks on the block and be made to look a little silly (or smug) in May

BBC Essex's Glenn Speller

The fans have been concerned at the lack of signings and the harbingers of doom have been busy predicting a hard season ahead.

But the pundits seem to think Tilson can work his magic again, with a play-off place a distinct possibility. Not that these predictions have been met with universal approval, and accusations of a 'lack of research' have been thrown back toward the writers by some.

As for Dagenham and Redbridge, well, one website has every single team in League Two being 'capable of a play-off place', and to be fair the Daggers probably can match that prediction. But I will not be predicting that, remember I do not 'do predictions'.

So as we hurtle into another nine and a half months of stressful fretting about how our teams are doing and whether our predictions will come to fruition, I will be sitting back, laughing at those foolish enough to put their necks on the block and be made to look a little silly (or smug) in May.

BBC Essex will have commentary on every Colchester and Southend match this season, as well as updates on Dagenham and Redbridge and all the news from the non-league game.