Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh is predicting the tussle at the top of League 1 will be wide open this season.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s Burton took over top spot last weekend from the Gills with eight games gone.

Many of the promotion favourites such as Sheffield United, Peterborough, Swindon, Wigan and Saturday's opponents, Barnsley, have yet to get their acts together.

It has left the division up for grabs and Edinburgh believes it could stay that way.

He said: “Every game this year will be tough and that was shown with Colchester.

“They have had back-to-back victories against title favourites Sheffield United and the leaders Gillingham.

“It has been proven that wherever you go, whoever you play, you have to earn anything you get out of the game. That will be the case from start to finish this year.

“It’s wide open and that will be the case throughout the season. There are no real runaways yet. I wouldn’t expect anyone would have said Burton, Walsall and Gillingham would be the top three after eight games."

This Gills head to Barnsley with just one league defeat from eight games.

Edinburgh said: “We have overachieved but when you are there you have to believe it and continue to strive to achieve.

“We are delighted with our position. We know what work we have had to put in to get there and what we need to maintain it.”