ABERDEEN
FIRST TEAM OUTS: Sone Aluko, Myles Anderson, Nick Blackman (end of loan), Zander Diamond, Domenico Gibson, Hallur Hansson, Paul Hartley, Mark Howard, Dean Jarvis, Chris Maguire, David McNamee, Steven Smith (end of loan), Nikola Vujadinovic (end of loan), Derek Young
FIRST TEAM INS: Kari Arnason, Jason Brown, Chris Clark, David Gonzalez (loan), Youl Mawene, Isaac Osbourne
PREDICTION:5th
PROSPECTS: My predo is based less on the quality of the squad and more on the quality of the coach - if anyone can pull the Dons back into the top six, it's Craig Brown. He stretched his goodwill with the fans a bit by making Ricky Foster captain after the defender returned from a year at Rangers, and the Aberdeen squad still has a few holes in it, especially with the absence of an obvious wide midfielder. If it all goes sour, will Brown be given more leeway than Mark McGhee was?
Squad (* denotes U-21 outfield player - each team must have 3 in their matchday squad)
Goalkeepers: Jason Brown, David Gonzalez, Jamie Langfield
Defenders: Andrew Considine, Ricky Foster (capt), Youl Mawene, Rory McArdle, Clark Robertson*, Joe Shaughnessy*
Midfielders: Kari Arnason, Chris Clark, Yoann Folly, Ryan Fraser*, Fraser Fyvie*, Jack Grimmer*, Ryan Jack*, Nicky Low*, Robert Milson, Isaac Osbourne, Peter Pawlett*
Forwards: Darren Mackie, Josh Magennis*, Mitch Megginson*, Michael Paton, Scott Vernon
CELTIC
FIRST TEAM OUTS: Graham Carey, Ryan Conroy, Fraser Forster (end of loan), Andreas Hinkel, Ben Hutchinson, Freddie Ljungberg, Paul McGowan, Niall McGinn (loan)
FIRST TEAM INS: Adam Matthews, Kelvin Wilson, Victor Wanyama
PREDICTION: 1st
PROSPECTS: There's no doubt in my mind that the Old Firm will come first and second; the question is, in which order? Celtic simply seem to have more depth than their rivals, though it's hard to say if any of their new signings will improve the starting lineup. They still need a goalie, and to hope their top players don't have their heads turned by EPL teams by the end of August.
Squad (* denotes U-21 player - each team must have 3 in their matchday squad)
Goalkeepers: Domenico Cervi, Lukasz Zaluska
Defenders: Cha Du-Ri, Jos Hooiveld, Emilio Izaguirre, Glenn Loovens, Daniel Majstorovic, Adam Matthews*, Charlie Mulgrew, Thomas Rogne*, Lewis Toshney*, Richie Towell*, Kelvin Wilson, Mark Wilson
Midfielders: Scott Brown (capt), Kris Commons, Efrain Juarez, Beram Kayal, Ki Sung-Yong, Joe Ledley, Shaun Maloney, Paddy McCourt, Victor Wanyama
Forwards: James Forrest*, Gary Hooper, Daryl Murphy, Georgios Samaras, Paul Slane*, Anthony Stokes
DUNDEE UNITED
FIRST TEAM OUTS: Prince Buaben, Craig Conway, Darren Dods, Morgaro Gomis, Mihael Kovacevic, David Robertson, Andis Shala, Timothy Van Der Meulen
FIRST TEAM INS: Willo Flood, Gary Mackay-Steven, John Rankin
PREDICTION: 4th
PROSPECTS: Expect another slow start from United, until the distraction of the Europa League is out of the way. They still have plenty of business to do, especially to replace the Gomis-Buaben engine room in midfield, and their top six aspirations may depend on whether David Goodwillie stays for another season.
Squad (* denotes U-21 player - each team must have 3 in their matchday squad)
Goalkeepers: Steve Banks, Dusan Pernis
Defenders: Sean Dillon, Paul Dixon, Barry Douglas, Garry Kenneth, Ross Smith*, Keith Watson
Midfielders: Scott Allan*, Stuart Armstrong*, Willo Flood, Gary Mackay-Steven*, John Rankin, Scott Robertson, Scott Severin, Danny Swanson
Forwards: Jon Daly (capt), Ryan Dow*, David Goodwillie, Johnny Russell*
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC
FIRST TEAM OUTS: Kyle Allison, Graham Bayne, Alex Burke, Chris Higgins, Jake Hyde, Neil McGregor, Greg Paterson, Calum Woods
FIRST TEAM INS: Andrew Barrowman, Patrick Boyle, Paul Burns, Paul Gallacher, John Potter, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Jason Thomson (loan)
PREDICTION: 11th
PROSPECTS: As I often trumpet, only one newly promoted team has been relegated from the SPL in a decade, and that was the loathsome Gretna. Dunfermline's problem is that their squad is based around several players who have SPL experience...but were simply not good enough last time round. They will be solid and well organised, but do they have the firepower? I think they will struggle, but survive...just.
Squad (* denotes U-21 player - each team must have 3 in their matchday squad)
Goalkeepers: Paul Gallacher, Chris Smith
Defenders: Patrick Boyle, Andy Dowie, Lee Graham*, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (capt), John Potter, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Jason Thomson
Midfielders: Steven Bell, Paul Burns, Joe Cardle, Martin Hardie, Gary Mason, Nick Phinn, Ryan Thomson*, Paul Willis*
Forwards: Andy Barrowman, Liam Buchanan, Pat Clarke, David Graham, Andy Kirk, Steven McDougall
HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN
FIRST TEAM OUTS: Ismael Bouzid, Dawid Kucharski, Jamie Mole, Paul Mulrooney, Ruben Palazuelos, Craig Thomson, Jason Thomson (loan)
FIRST TEAM INS: Danny Grainger, Jamie Hamill, John Sutton, Mehdi Taouil
PREDICTION: 3rd
PROSPECTS: Hearts still appear to be much stronger than everyone else, yet miles away from bridging the gap to the gruesome twosome. If they get Andrew Driver and Kevin Kyle fit, they might be able to challenge at the top, but the least we expect is goals from John Sutton and more exciting wingplay from David Templeton. Oh, and more pointless meddling from Vladimir Romanov. At least the distraction Thomson-gate appears to be over and done with.
Squad (* denotes U-21 player - each team must have 3 in their matchday squad)
Goalkeepers: Janos Balogh, Marian Kello, Jamie MacDonald
Defenders: Darren Barr, Danny Grainger, Jamie Hamill, Eggert Jonsson, Lee Wallace, Andy Webster, Marius Zaliukas (capt)
Midfielders: Ian Black, Andrew Driver, Jason Holt*, Ryan McGowan, Adrian Mrowiec, Arvydas Novikovas*, David Obua, Rudi Skacel, Ryan Stevenson, Johnny Stewart*, Suso, Mehdi Taouil
Forwards: Calum Elliot, Stephen Elliott, Gary Glen*, Kevin Kyle, Scott Robinson*, David Smith*, John Sutton, David Templeton
HIBERNIAN
FIRST TEAM OUTS: Kurtis Byrne, Francis Dickoh, Jakub Divis (end of loan), Darryl Duffy (end of loan), Kevin McBride, Kevin McCann, Liam Miller, Colin Nish, John Rankin, Derek Riordan, Graeme Smith, Steven Thicot, Richie Towell (end of loan), Valdas Trakys, Ricardo Vaz Te
FIRST TEAM INS: Garry O'Connor, Sean O'Hanlon, Ivan Sproule
PREDICTION: 6th
PROSPECTS: Huge uncertainty remains regarding the future of boss Colin Calderwood, and that seems to have paralyzed the rebuilding programme at Easter Road; I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that Garry O'Connor should bring quality and goals to the front line. But there's as much chance of them being at the bottom as there is of them making top six - but would you expect anything else from Hibs?
Squad (* denotes U-21 player - each team must have 3 in their matchday squad)
Goalkeepers: Mark Brown, Graham Stack
Defenders: Callum Booth*, Paul Hanlon*, Michael Hart, Ian Murray, Sean O'Hanlon, David Stephens*, Scott Taggart*
Midfielders: Edwin De Graaf, Danny Galbraith*, Lewis Horner*, Victor Palsson*, Martin Scott, Matt Thornhill, David Wotherspoon*
Forwards: Daniel Handling*, Garry O'Connor, Akpo Sodje, Ivan Sproule
Hope your brains haven't exploded. I know mine has.
L.
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