Given that there is generally a combination of full-time and part-time teams, along with some 'hybrid' ones, it is usually safe to assume the FT sides will be nearer the top and the PT ones nearer the bottom. This season might be a bit different though. Some of the smaller clubs have made some impressive signings, even if that may be a case of running to stand still. Conversely, there are full-time teams who are little more than a shambles.
At the moment it's hard to see past ROSS COUNTY for the title. They have had a proper reset following back-to-back relegations and it seems that Stuart Kettlewell has used the summer wisely both to bring in quality and to get the team playing watchable football. Brian Graham will be 39 later this year but is still more than capable of ragdolling defenders and racking up the goals as long as Adam Emslie (finally getting his chance after being punted on loan last year) and Richard Chin (signed from Raith) provide the supply. Lewis Strapp (Airdrie) and Lewis Reid (Stranraer) have bolstered a defence that still includes Akil Wright, while Chris Hamilton (Dunfermline) adds further experience in the middle of the pitch where they still have Jamie Lindsay and Ross Docherty. No-one can match County's depth and I don't think anyone can go toe-to-toe with their first XI either.
If anyone is going to challenge the Staggies, it'll probably be HAMILTON ACADEMICAL who have bounced back from last season's points deduction and appear to be back on an even keel. Star striker Oli Shaw left as expected but otherwise Accies have actually held on to most of last season's team and players like right-back Aaron Comrie and midfielder Cameron Blues (both signed from Morton) and attackers Dom Thomas (Airdrie), Andy Ryan (Larne, back for his third spell at the club) and Taylor Sutherland (Montrose) strengthen them. Veteran Stuart Bannigan (Ayr) also gives them some nous and steel. I can certainly see them finishing second this season, instead of second-bottom.
As the team relegated via the playoffs, you'd expect AIRDRIEONIANS to be in the promotion mix, but they've ripped everything up this summer, sacking manager Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and gutting the squad - fifteen first team players and three loan players moved on. New boss John Rankin has almost had to build a new team from scratch and has brought in fourteen new faces so far, some of whom are largely unknown quantities from down south. Of the more recognisable names, I like the addition of Matty Yates (Linfield) up front and Sam Fisher (Dunfermline) in defence, but it's a bold move to bring in 35 year old Declan Gallagher (Ross County) as player-assistant manager after a season so terrible that it will live in Dingwall infamy.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH are also in the midst of a rebuild, but their new player-manager Nicky Clark is starting from a position of even greater weakness and hasn't had his problems to seek. New player-coach Trevor Carson chose to retire just a few weeks after signing, leaving them searching for a keeper; they have just signed Deniz Mehmet (Dunfermline) to play between the sticks, but still don't have a backup. Worse, winger Kai Kennedy refused to turn up for pre-season and forced his exit, while the departure of Reece Lyon (Ayr) weakens the midfield. The additions of Peterhead backup Caleb Goldie and Edinburgh City's Chris McQueen do not really solidify the back line; Clark and Kurtis Guthrie may have to score a lot of goals to keep them afloat.
The state of play at COVE RANGERS, who have a mix of full- and part-time players, looks even worse. It wasn't until some time after the end of last season that Paul Hartley confirmed he'd stay in post - it's hard to walk away when the Director of Football is your father-in-law - but the loss of talismanic striker Mitch Megginson and seasoned midfield duo Blair Yule and Declan Glass weakens them massively. Aside from target man Jordan White (Ross County) their signings have been mostly youngsters who appear to be making up numbers or just dart throws. The front two of White (aged 34) and Chris Maguire (37) must be the oldest in the SPFL.
It certainly wouldn't be a surprise to see one or two of the part-time teams near the top end, and the best bet looks to be EAST KILBRIDE who rewarded the squad that got them up from League Two by releasing most of them and upgrading in nearly every area. Winger Owen Moffar (Morton) looks the most exciting of the fifteen new players Mick Kennedy has brought in (not counting Timam Scott who left for Clyde about five minutes after signing for EK), but impressive performances against Dunfermline and St. Mirren in the League Cup suggest they are gelling just fine. The departure of League Two Player of the Year John Robertson and loan forward Connor Young does potentially leave them a little short on goals, but Cameron Elliott scored six goals in the League Cup and may be the solution to that.
MONTROSE are a more left-field suggestion for a good season, given they have been mid-table stalwarts for goodness knows how long. Stewart Petrie continues to evolve the side by moving on a few veterans every summer for new blood, and the captures of Shaun McGinty (Airdrie) in defence, Shaun Byrne (Raith) and Declan Glass (Cove) in midfield, and Gary Oliver (Falkirk) up front give plenty cause for optimism. Oliver doesn't score many goals but usually makes the other attackers more potent, so it could be a big year for Blair Lyons and Ewan Loudon.
ALLOA ATHLETIC made the promotion playoffs last time out but have had a pretty quiet offseason. They will again look to take full advantage of a co-operation agreement with Rangers, which has this term led to the acquisition of exciting 16 year old Kyle Glasgow (remember the name). Ross Stewart (Queen of the South) should cover the loss of outstanding loanee goalkeeper Liam McFarlane, but it's mostly same old Alloa, looking to seasoned players like full-backs Calum Waters and Scott Taggart, midfielders Steven Hetherington, Kurtis Roberts and Stefan Scougall and forward Luke Donnelly who have been there seemingly forever.
Normally PETERHEAD would tend towards only modest transfer activity and stick with a familiar core, so it's worth noting that they've brought in eleven new players this summer. They will hope that bringing in Mitch Megginson (Cove) will offset the loss of star striker Kieran Shanks, who has gone full-time with Ayr. Busy attacker James Stokes (Edinburgh City) has earned a crack at a higher division, while Eritrean international midfielder Robel Teklemichael is surely the most intriguing signing in the SPFL for a while. With the seasoned Peter Pawlett and Cammy Smith still on board the Blue Toon look to be in a decent place.
And finally, EAST FIFE finished 2025/26 so poorly that they nearly got dragged into a relegation battle, which didn't seem to bode well for this rodeo. But Dick Campbell's side gave both Inverness Caley Thistle and St. Johnstone a fright in the League Cup to remind us that they maybe shouldn't be dismissed lightly. Nevertheless their five signings - two from the Lowland League, two from League Two (including keeper Derek Gaston) and one from English non-league - do not inspire confidence, particularly as it seems as if Campbell has lost his golden touch in the transfer market from his early Arbroath days. East Fife got a lot out of loan players last season and may need to pull off the same trick again.
So my inevitably wrong predicted table looks like this:
1. ROSS COUNTY
2. HAMILTON ACADEMICAL
3. EAST KILBRIDE
4. AIRDRIEONIANS
5. MONTROSE
6. PETERHEAD
7. ALLOA ATHLETIC
8. QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
9. EAST FIFE
10. COVE RANGERS
Lawrie Spence has whinged about Scottish football on Narey's Toepoker since September 2007. He has a life outside this blog. Honestly.
