Rotherham are the team to catch, with Bradford just behind

Former Bradford manager Terry Dolan believes both Yorkshire clubs in League Two have a chance of getting promoted this season, but he tells Ian Appleyard why they must protect their youngsters.

TERRY DOLAN has urged Bradford City and Rotherham United to go easy on strikers James Hanson and Adam Le Fondre.

Former Bradford manager Dolan is tipping the Bantams and the Millers to figure prominently in this season's League Two promotion race but says both clubs need to ease the burdens on their leading marksmen.

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Hanson marked his first full season in the professional game with 13 goals last season while Le Fondre bagged 30 as the Millers went all the way to Wembley before losing in a play-off final.

Both players are set to start the new season where they finished the last but have also been the subject of transfer speculation this summer.

Dolan, who now works for the League Managers' Association, said: "I know James Hanson because I was the manager who took him to Guiseley from Eccleshill as a teenager.

"He is a player with a lot of potential but I was surprised by how many games he played for Bradford last season. He's only had one season as a full-time professional and still has a long way to go.

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"The danger is that people will now expect too much of him. Bradford need to have three or four other strikers so they can take James out for a spell to help his development."

On Le Fondre, Dolan added: "It is very important that Rotherham keep Le Fondre because he is a clever player and a goalscorer who has done it with three different clubs.

"But at any level, you always need to have four strikers in your squad, you can't rely on one player getting all the goals. I was not surprised to hear that Ronnie Moore was still looking for another striker."

Dolan believes the Millers are a better bet for promotion than the Bantams this season but – in light of his Valley Parade connections – would love to be proved wrong.

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"I hope Bradford get promotion because they have been in the bottom division now for long enough. But I fully expect Rotherham to finish in the top three," he said. "If Bradford don't make automatic promotion, you would expect them to be in the play-offs," he added. "I certainly think they should do better than last season when the budget was drastically reduced.

"Presumably, one of the reasons that Peter Taylor took the job was the promise of a bigger budget. And looking at the players he has brought in this summer, they have got a good mixture of youth and experience.

"There's always a bit more pressure on Bradford because they are one of the biggest clubs in League Two in terms of the number of supporters. But if they finish a point above Rotherham this season, I think they will be promoted."

Assessing the rest of the competition in League Two, Dolan said: "There are no particular clubs who jump out as having the most money so I think it could be the most competitive of all the divisions. Every team will think they have a chance of doing something this season.

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"Chesterfield have moved to a new stadium which usually gives teams a lift, Accrington did well for most of last season, Aldershot will be there or thereabouts again and Burton will have gained from their experiences last season.

"You would expect Bury to be there again, you never know with Crewe because of the type of football they play, and Lincoln will have a better season now that Chris Sutton knows more about the league," he said. "If Oxford can keep the momentum going from their promotion, they may challenge, and they certainly have good home gates, and both Northampton and Port Vale could be in there.

"Shrewsbury and Southend have appointed new managers in Graham Turner and Paul Sturrock and, while Stockport have financial problems, they have a manager in Paul Simpson who knows all about the division.

"Then there is also Wycombe who have just been relegated but are looking to come straight back up."

And the key to success?

"It is always vitally important to get off to a good start," Dolan stressed. "But the two main things you need to be successful are fit players and goals in your team."