In what has been a torrid few years for Scunthorpe United fans, there might finally be a light at the end of the tunnel following a productive summer off the pitch and a solid start to the 2024/25 National League North campaign on the pitch.
17 games into the season, The Iron are in fourth place in the table after a disappointing recent run of results. They flew out of the blocks at the start of the season, winning seven and drawing one in their first eight matches, but since then they’ve won just once in 10 games and lost four times in that run.
Conceding goals is a problem for Andy Butler’s side and their last three defeats portray this perfectly – all three defeats have been 3-2. Goalscoring isn’t a problem, the Iron have scored 15 times in their last six matches. Can Butler turn it around before it’s too late?
Bookies Still Make Scunthorpe Favourites for the Title
In the latest National League North betting odds, Scunthorpe are the bookies favourites to win the league at 5/2, with Chorley and Kidderminster (2nd at the time of writing) available at 6/1 and third-placed Curzon Ashton a 10/1 shot to top the table come May.
Scunthorpe looked a shoo-in for the National League North title after eight matches of the season but since then they have consistently eased out in the betting. It is probably too early to say there is unrest amongst the locals but a few more defeats will certainly start the alarm bells ringing.
You can bet on the National League North with most major bookies in the UK but it is always worth using the bet365 bonus code to get a sign-up offer when you open an account, giving you free bets to spend on the upcoming sports fixtures including the National League North and FA Trophy matches.
Danny Whitehall Starting to Re-Find the Goalscoring Touch
Last season’s run to the National League North play-offs war largely thanks to the 21 goals Danny Whitehall scored. This season, he has bagged six in 14 matches so far but had a run of seven without a goal. Things look to have picked up for the striker once again though, with two goals in the 6-0 win over Farsley Celtic following a goal in the 3-2 loss to Southport. The 29-year-old looks like a player who goes through real purple patches in front of goal and he will certainly be a key man if Scunny are to gain automatic promotion this season.
Whitehall has been slightly overshadowed by Callum Roberts so far this season. The 27-year-old has scored eight times in 17 matches and he’s only failed to score in one of his last six matches. With two players who are clearly capable of scoring goals in this league, The Iron looks in a good place to rediscover their early season form and the problems do not lie at the top end of the pitch.
It’s now down to the manager and defensive players to keep things tight at the back and let the goals of Whitehall and Roberts kick Scunthorpe back to the top of the National League North and more importantly for everyone at the club, back into the National League ahead of a push to get back into the Football League.