By Compiled by Simon Buckland, PA Sport

* Aberdeen

Ground: Pittodrie

Manager: Ebbe Skovdahl

Ins: None

Out: Nigel Pepper (Scunthorpe, free), Ricky Gillies (St Mirren, free), Gary Smith (Hibernian, free),

Jamie Buchan (Dundee United, free).

Last Season: 10th.

Prediction: 7th.

Verdict: You can read it two ways. Bottom of the league last season and no new players in the

summer equals another struggle this time around. Then again the Dons did reach both Cup finals and

introduced a clutch of new players midway through the campaign who could never make up ground

lost earlier in the term. Ebbe Skovdahl has had a year to settle and to date has not bought badly.

Given the money he would buy again of course, but failing that there should be enough nous in his

side to record a mid-table finish. That might actually produce less excitement than last year, but

would have to be considered a notable step in the right direction.

Key Man: Jim Leighton's successor. Be it Ryan Esson, David Preece or someone else entirely the

keeper is rarely under-employed at Pittodrie.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Defending.

* Celtic

Ground: Celtic Park

Manager: Martin O'Neill

Ins: Chris Sutton (Chelsea, £6million)

Outs: Mark Viduka (Leeds, £7million)

Last Season: 2nd.

Prediction: 2nd.

Verdict: And they call it Paradise? Martin O'Neill knows he has everything to do, but perhaps not

everything to lose. Celtic reached such a nadir last season, finishing a full 21 points adrift of Rangers,

that for once it seems a new manager will be given time. Securing O'Neill was a coup for Celtic and

clearly the club had a strong emotional pull for him. However he is not the kind of man to allow

sentiment to cloud any of his judgements from now on and it would not be far-fetched to suggest the

Celtic side which starts the season and the one which finishes it will be massively different in

personnel. A new man at the wheel means another Parkhead revolution.

Key Man: Henrik Larsson. Predictable perhaps, but there is not much else about Celtic you can

predict. He must stay fit.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Progressing.

* Dundee

Ground: Dens Park

Manager: Ivano Bonetti

Ins: Javier Artero (San Lorenzo, £300,000), Marco de Marchi (Vitesse Arnhem, free), Georgi

Nemzadse (Reggiana, free), Marcello Marrocco (Modena, free), Fabian Caballero (Sol de

America, free), Juan Manuel Sara (Serro Portino).

Outs: James Grady (Ayr, free), Eddie Annand (Ayr, free).

Last season: 7th

Prediction: 4th

Verdict: Dundee owners the Marr brothers clearly have no faith in the maxim if ain't broke don't fix

it. Under Jocky Scott a solid if unspectacular squad had established Dundee as an SPL side again.

But the Marrs want more and there chosen cliche appears to be that sometimes you have to

speculate to accumulate. Bonetti is a gamble which could go horribly wrong, but contacts are

important in football and his signings to date bode well. If Bonetti keeps the best players of the old

regime happy, Robert Douglas and Gavin Rae are both on the fringe of Scotland honours, and his

imports make an impact it could be a season to remember. Will still be memorable if it all goes

horribly wrong.

Key Man: The foreigner who turns out to be outstanding. The early money is on Nemzadse but

don't rule out de Marchi or even Bonetti himself.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Adapting.

* Dundee United

Ins: Danny Griffin (St Johnstone, £600,000), Jamie Buchan (Aberdeen, free), Hasney Aljofree

(Bolton, free), Neil Heaney (Darlington, £175,000)

Out: Darren Patterson (released), Leigh Jenkinson (released), Jan Telesnikov (Beitar Jerusalem,

£400,000), Maurice Malpas (retired).

Last season: 8th

Prediction: 9th

Verdict: Sturrock talked a good game last season with a welcome emphasis on youth development,

but on the field there was in truth little worth talking about. Jan Teleniskov is a loss but in Griffin and

Heaney United look to have bought well and Jim Paterson being fit again will feel like an additional

new recruit. One problem last term was a marked lack of flair which in turn led to United creating

too few chances. Once Billy Dodds was sold they were unable to maximise these limited

opportunites to the same extent and goalscoring became a problem. It has still to be solved. With

defender Jason de Vos improving all the time expect United to be solid, but not much more than

that.

Key Man: Steven Thompson. Youngster rated highly by former Celtic head coach John Barnes if

that's still considered a recommendation.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Developing.

* Dunfermline

Ground: East End Park

Manager: Jimmy Calderwood

Ins: Stevie Crawford (Hibernian, free), Youssef Rossi (Rennes, free), Marco Ruitenbeek (Go

Ahead Eagles, free), Andrius Skerla (PSV Eindhoven, free), Junior Mendes (St Mirren, £25,000)

Outs: Ian Westerwater (Hibernian, free), Jamie Dolan (Livingston, free)

Last season: 2nd, Division One, promoted.

Prediction: 8th

Verdict: That they were second to St Mirren in Division One last term makes them favourites to go

down, but they might well be better equipped to survive the top flight. For a start, though it's all

relative, the Pars have more resouces and in Calderwood a more experienced manager with a

broader knowledge of the European scene. His three continental recruits look to have quality which

Crawford will want to prove a point to Hibernian. In former Rangers midfielder Ian Ferguson

Dunfermline have a veteran of the SPL scene and if they retain the grit which characterised their last

stay in the top flight they could well be difficult to beat.

Key Man: Ian Ferguson. Never quite fit enough during last season's promotion run-in, but now

eager to prove he can be the latest Ibrox reject to shine.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Surviving.

* Hearts

Ground: Tynecastle

Manager: Jim Jefferies

Ins: None

Outs: Fabien Lecqlercq (AS Cannes, free), Jose Quitongo (St Mirren, free).

Last season: 3rd.

Prediction: 3rd

Verdict: Hard to believe now, but 18 months ago Hearts were bottom of the SPL having looked to

have established themselves as its third best club. Now they are back as the Old Firm's closest

challengers, but nothing like as near to them as they were in their Scottish Cup winning season of

1997-8. Jefferies has witnessed all these ups and downs with barely any change in his demeanour.

The question now must be his level of patience. Investment from the Scottish Media Group

promised the kind of cash he needed to compete, but all too soon these funds were withdrawn to

cover debts blamed on the wage bill. Hearts are far from a spent force, but money is talking loudest

at Tynecastle.

Key Man: Gary Wales. Before a cruel leg break towards the end of last term the striker looked an

even better prospect than the much-hyped Kenny Miller.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Selling.

* Hibernian

Ground: Easter Road

Manager: Alex McLeish

Ins: Ulrik Laursen (OB Odense, free), Paul Fenwick (Morton, free), Ian Westwater (Dunfermline,

free), Hakim Sar (Nantes, free), John O'Neil (St Johnstone), Didier Agathe (Raith, free), Gary

Smith (Aberdeen, free)

Outs: John Hughes (Ayr, free), Michael Renwick (Ayr, free), Paul Lovering (Ayr, free), Stevie

Crawford (Dunfermline, free), Kenny Miller (Rangers, £2million), Paul Hartley (St Johnstone,

£200,000), Pat McGinlay (Ayr, free)

Last season: 6th

Prediction: 5th

Verdict: McLeish freely admits he has put his managerial reputation on the line this summer with

almost as many ins and outs as all his rivals put together. Miller's sale was forced on him, but letting

go experienced duo Hughes and McGinlay as well as the talented Crawford was his decision alone.

Aside from O'Neil there is an unproven feel to the replacements with the feeling Hibernian may now

have a stronger squad in terms of numbers, but a weaker first team in terms of genuine quality. They

should still have enough about them to make the top half, but only just. The likes of Agathe and Sar

may need to defy expectations or a lack of firepower may extinguish their hopes.

Key Man: Martin McIntosh. Quietly introduced at the end of last season he will need to emerge as a

new leader at the back with Hughes gone.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Gelling.

* Kilmarnock

Ground: Rugby Park

Manager: Bobby Williamson

Ins: Craig Dargo (Raith, £100,000), Andy McLaren (Reading, free), Neil MacFarlane (Queen's

Park, free).

Outs: David Bagan (Inverness Caledonian Thistle, free), Mark Roberts (Falkirk, free).

Last season: 9th

Prediction: 10th

Verdict: It is tempting to think of Bobby Williamson as the safest manager in Scottish football such is

his popularity both at his club and within media circles. Nothing lasts forever however and last

season's sluggish showing saw the first signs of discontent, at least from the fans. Ironically it is

Williamson's successes which have increased the level of expectation at Rugby Park and he could

yet be a victim of that. Last season he overused the excuse his side were playing well without

reward when at times, without question, they played poorly. Dargo might spark a misfiring frontline

which would benefit from Frenchman Christophe Cocard showing more interest in proceedings.

Key Man: Kevin McGowne. Injury saw him miss the bulk of last term and suddenly Kilmarnock's

defensive strength was sapped without his knowhow.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Scoring.

* Motherwell

Ground: Fir Park

Manager: Billy Davies

Ins: Greg Strong (Bolton, £150,000), Stuart Elliot (Glentoran, £100,000).

Outs: Jamie McGowan (St Mirren, free), Simo Valakari (Derby, free).

Last season: 4th

Prediction: 6th

Verdict: Davies is bound to make noises about wanting to go one better than last season, but the

same again would probably suit him just fine. There is a useful, but perhaps no more than that, blend

of youth and experience at Fir Park which brought the team to the verge of UEFA Cup qualification

last term. That this was achieved with injuries at key times to important players suggests they can get

better despite Valakari's loss. Even so they were short of consistency last season and might again be

prone to the occasional freak loss. Good enough for the top half again, but silverware is asking too

much.

Key Man: John Spencer. Still to really show his best form north of the border after fitness problems

this might just be a vintage year.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Repeating.

* Rangers

Ground: Ibrox

Manager: Dick Advocaat

Ins: Bert Konterman (Feyenoord, £4.5million), Fernando Ricksen (AZ Alkmaar, £3.7million), Peter

Lovenkrands (AB Copenhagen, £1.5million), Paul Ritchie (Bolton, free), Allan Johnston

(Sunderland, free), Kenny Miller (Hibernian, £2million).

Outs: None.

Last season: 1st, Scottish Premier League Champions

Prediction: 1st.

Verdict: To say they are in a position of strength is an understatement. It is widely viewed that

Rangers' season will be made or broken in Europe. Domestic success is taken as a given right. A

summer of investment, mostly in youth, bodes well for Rangers and suggests they are about to move

even further ahead of Celtic. While it is tempting to launch a counter argument, at odds of 1-5 to

reclaim the title it is difficult to see Rangers doing anything other than winning it despite the O'Neill

factor across Glasgow. If there are any clouds on their silver lining of trophies it may be over

Advocaat's future and whether he has long-term ambitions further afield when he considers his work

done.

Key Man: Michael Mols. If they are to make it in Europe without buying another forward, he has to

be fit enough to lead the line.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Pleasing.

* St Johnstone

Ground: McDiarmid Park

Manager: Sandy Clark

Ins: Tommy Lovenkrands (AB Copenhagen, £100,000), Paul Hartley (Hibernian, £200,000), Craig

Russell (Manchester City, free), Mohammed Sylla (Le Mans, free).

Outs: Danny Griffin (Dundee United, £600,000), Keith O'Halloran (Swindon Town, free), John

O'Neil (Hibernian, free)

Last season: 5th

Prediction: 11th

Verdict: Playing as a unit has got St Johnstone a long way, but they could still be left behind in this

era of big wages. The departures of O'Neil and O'Halloran sum up Saints' problem as both openly

left for more money elsewhere. The apparent lack of interest in football in Perth, reflected in

consistently modest crowds, is a major factor in this and an argument could be made that St

Johnstone are the smallest club in the SPL. Excellent team spirit has defied the odds in recent

seasons with boss Clark organising his sides adeptly in the art of stopping the opposition playing. It

might work another season, but the feeling is Saints have peaked and the campaign ahead promises

to be gruelling.

Key Man: Tommy Lovenkrands. Likely to be seen a lot more than his brother at Rangers, but the

Danish winger cannot afford to vanish during games.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Working.

* St Mirren

Ground: Love Street

Manager: Tom Hendrie

Ins: Scott McKenzie (Falkirk, free), Ricky Gillies (Aberdeen, free), Jamie McGowan (Motherwell,

free), Jose Quitongo (Hearts, free).

Outs: Junior Mendes (Dunfermline, £25,000)

Last season: 1st, Division One title-winners, promoted.

Prediction: 12th, relegated.

Verdict: They promise to attack, but whether that will prove the best form of defence remains to be

seen. Manager Tom Hendrie proved his tactical acumen by taking St Mirren to promotion, but may

find that sometimes what goes up must come down. Three of their four summer signings failed to

make a sustained impression at their previous clubs and there is a marked lack of SPL pedigree

about the squad. On the back of last term's triumph a good start is not unlikely, but if the confidence

vanishes so could the positive results and if they hit a slide they might not recover their poise.

Without significant signings it is difficult to do anything else but write them off.

Key Man: Tommy Turner. Veteran sweeper may have a lot of clearing up to do at the back to avoid

a brush with relegation.

Word that will be used most often by manager post-match: Confidence-building.

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