TEAM-BY-TEAM GUIDE TO THE NEW PREMIERSHIP SEASON
Your full team-by-team guide to the new top-flight season as clubs gear up to realise their respective targets
THE new Premiership season gets underway on Saturday and MARK WALKER looks at the runners and riders in this year’s top flight as Rangers aim to halt Celtic’s quest for an historic 10th title in succession, the battle to be best of the rest and the fight to avoid the dreaded drop.
ABERDEEN
IN: Jonny Hayes (Celtic). OUT: Jon Gallagher (Atlanta United, end of loan), Greg Leigh (NAC Breda, end of loan), Luc Bollan, Danny Rogers, Frank Ross. STAR MAN: Sam Cosgrove.
The Aberdeen striker has netted 44 goals in just 74 starts for Derek McInnes’ side and selling him could seriously deplete the Dons. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: McInnes faces surely his most important season since taking charge over seven years ago.
The premature end to the league masked his second campaign in a row in which Aberdeen failed to finish best of the rest and the fans were grumbling.
The Dons boss has vowed to make up for a turgid last season at times by getting his side back to playing sharp, attacking football and the return of Jonny Hayes should help them do just that.
Aberdeen appeared scared at times to play at their Pittodrie base last term and McInnes needs his squad to considerably step up this season. A fit Craig Bryson and Dylan McGeouch would be a massive help.
While challenging the Old Firm is highly optimistic, Aberdeen should comfortably finish third with the squad at their disposal.
CELTIC
IN: Mohamed Elyounoussi (Southampton, loan). OUT: Eboue Kouassi (Genk, loan made permanent), Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen), Craig Gordon (Hearts), Jack Hendry (KV Oostende, loan), Daniel Arzani (Man City, end of loan), Moritz Bauer (Stoke, end of loan), Fraser Forster (Southampton, end of loan), Calvin Miller, Jozo Simunovic. STAR MAN: Odsonne Edouard. Clearly destined for a top, top career, Celtic will ask him for one last impressive season before he’s punted for a big fee. A class act who should be enjoyed while in Scottish football. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: Installed as massive favourites again for 10 in a row, the only thing that could stop Celtic... could be Celtic.
As it stands ahead of this week’s big kick-off, they still look short in the goalkeeping, striker and full-back departments. If Neil Lennon is allowed to recruit as he wants, their comfortable financial advantage over the rest should see them home easily enough.
However, his board have a habit of equipping him with only the bare minimum on that front.
When they were challenged last season by Rangers, they went into turbo drive and simply swept Steven Gerrard’s side away.
They are course-and-distance specialists who, pound for pound, surely have by far the best squad in the land. Celtic look destined to make history.
DUNDEE UTD
IN: Jack Newman (Sunderland). OUT: B Paul Watson (Dunfermline), Rakish Bingham, Osman Sow, Sam Wardrop.
STAR MAN: Lawrence Shankland. Glorious chance for the Scotland striker to prove he’s got what it takes in the top flight. His predatory instincts alone should keep United safe. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE SEASON: New manager Micky Mellon gets his first taste of football in his homeland and he’ll need to hit the ground running.
United were showing signs of fatigue before the premature end of the Championship, which they had wrapped up a long time ago, as one win in their last nine games in all competitions showed.
They are hugely reliant on the goals of Shankland, who netted an impressive 46 per cent of their league goals last term and warding off suitors for him is of paramount importance.
Mellon will probably already know that their squad of last season may not necessarily be strong enough for this higher level, particularly at the back, where they looked vulnerable.
A top-six finish is United’s dream and a realistic target for a club as big as the Tannadice outfit, but they could be lacking for those heights on their return to the big time.
HAMILTON ACCIES
IN: Ross Callachan (St Johnstone), Callum Smith (Dunfermline), Charlie Trafford (Inverness CT). OUT: Alex Gogic (Hibernian), Aaron McGowan (Kilmarnock), Mickel Miller (Rotherham), George Oakley (Pirin Blagoevgrad), Andy Dales (Scunthorpe, end of loan), Luke Southwood (Reading, end of loan), Sam Woods (Crystal Palace, end of loan), Blair Alston, Steve Davies, Johnny Hunt. STAR MAN: Lewis Smith. The gifted young midfielder could be the latest prospect to be rolled out of the Accies conveyor belt of talent. Already looks like a key player at the age of 20. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: As always, Accies’ main aim is survival and they have managed it and written off the doom-and-gloom merchants for the past six seasons now.
But this could be their toughest challenge yet for Brian Rice and Co. The loss of Alex Gogic is massive — he was the gel that held Accies together and is an underrated capture for Hibs.
George Oakley also contributed in goals and work rate and so the players brought in by Rice so far have a job to do to convince they are ready for this level.
However, they will work hard and nothing motivates the Lanarkshire side more than being tipped to struggle and who would dare to suggest that? Once again, they will take great delight in defying their many critics.
HIBERNIAN
IN: Kevin Nisbet (Dunfermline, £250,000), Alex Gogic (Hamilton), Drey Wright (St Johnstone). OUT: Adam Bogdan (Ferencvaros), Steven Whittaker (Dunfermline), Greg Docherty (Rangers, end of loan), Marc McNulty (Reading, end of loan), Jason Naismith (Peterborough, end of loan), Stephane Omeonga (Genoa, end of loan), Vykintas Slivka. STAR MAN: Scott Allan. The midfielder is now at the stage of being an experienced, senior pro and Hibs’ success could be largely down to him. Big season ahead for the 28-year-old. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: Hibs fans will want to see them challenge for the best of the rest category at the very least. After a highly encouraging bedding-in session last season, Jack Ross has had time to put his own stamp on the squad and there are signs he’s done that.
Despite their off-field financial problems, Ross has been backed by his board and by the fans, who have bought season tickets in record numbers.
All his new signings look certain to improve a talented but inconsistent squad and having a fit Martin Boyle for the whole season will be a massive boost for a Hibs team that could be going places.
There could be plenty of sunshine on Leith this term.
KILMARNOCK
IN: Brandon Haunstrup (Portsmouth), Aaron McGowan (Hamilton), Mitch Pinnock (AFC Wimbledon), Danny Whitehall (Maidenhead), Zeno Rossi (Bournemouth, loan). OUT: Jamie MacDonald (Raith Rovers), Dom Thomas (Dunfermline, loan made permanent), Iain Wilson (Dunfermline), Laurentiu Branescu (Juventus, end of loan), Dario del Fabro (Juventus, end of loan), Niko Hamalainen (Queens Park Rangers, end of loan), Connor Johnson (Wolves, end of loan), Harvey St Clair (Venezia, end of loan), Harry Bunn, Adam Frizzell, Stephen Hendrie, Jan Koprivec, Devlin Mackay, Stephen O’Donnell. STAR MAN: Eamonn Brophy. After a barren spell, there were signs that the Scotland striker had recaptured his mojo last season with seven goals in his last nine games. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE SEASON: A first full season for Alex Dyer and a top-six finish is what he will hope for and expect.
The Ayrshire side have punched so far above their weight in recent seasons, a decent campaign is now
the norm for them. Dyer has had plenty of time to mould his own team together after the uncertainness of the Angelo Alessio era.
With an engine room of Gary Dicker and Alan Power, Killie are always going to have plenty of fight and dig, and they are a team full of unheralded players who quietly get the job done.
LIVINGSTON
IN: Jack Fitzwater (West Brom), Alan Forrest (Ayr United), Salim Kouider-Aissa (Queen’s Park), Matej Poplatnik (Kerala Blasters), Max Stryjek (Eastleigh), Ciaron Brown (Cardiff, loan), Robby McCrorie (Rangers, loan). OUT: Chris Erskine (East Kilbride), Craig Henderson (East Stirling), Ricki Lamie (Motherwell), Stevie Lawless (Burton Albion), Ryan Schofield (Huddersfield, end of loan). STAR MAN: Lyndon Dykes. Huge for Livingston who have knocked back a £1m bid from Barnsley. Locked in an international tug of war between Scotland and his native Australia, Dykes proved last season he can make the step up. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE SEASON: Gary Holt pushed his Livingston team to a wonderful campaign last term and it wouldn’t have been impossible for them to finish third if the season hadn’t been curtailed.
Their
Almondvale fortress choked most teams with Celtic collecting just one point from six there and Livvy boasting the third-best home record in the league. The loss of the industrious Stevie Lawless could hit them, but they might get a tune out of plucking Salim Kouider-Aissa from League Two.
Unlikely to be found out this season, there’s no reason why Livingston can’t continue to dish out bloody noses, particularly in West Lothian.
MOTHERWELL
IN: Scott Fox (Partick Thistle), Ricki Lamie (Livingston), Nathan McGinley (Forest Green), Mark O’Hara (Peterborough, loan made permanent), Jordan White (Inverness CT), Jake Hastie (Rangers, loan).
OUT: Mark Gillespie (Newcastle), Richard Tait (St Mirren), Rolando Aarons (Newcastle, end of loan), Mikael Ndjoli (Bournemouth, end of loan), Rohan Ferguson, Peter Hartley, Christian Ilic, Adam Livingstone, Christy Manzinga.
STAR MAN: Allan Campbell. Underrated, tigerish midfielder that has all the tools in his locker to go on to have a top career. Mr Dependable who chips in with his share of goals, too. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: Motherwell will be aiming for another third-placed finish as Stephen Robinson attempts to build on the incredible job he did last season.
The Lanarkshire side were excellent, certainly for the first half of the season, although Robinson will have noted an alarming petering off of form towards the end of term, with just one win in their last 10 games in all competitions.
It would be a big ask to finish above an Aberdeen side who have a far larger wage budget, along with several other clubs, but the family club spirit of Motherwell counts for a lot and if Jordan White can find the net consistently, they could surprise plenty of teams again.
RANGERS
IN: Ianis Hagi (Genk, loan made permanent), Calvin Bassey (Leicester, £250,000), Jermain Defoe (Bournemouth, loan made permanent), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland), Leon Balogun (Wigan). OUT:
Matt Polster (New England Revolution, £350,000), Jak Alnwick (St Mirren), Wes Foderingham (Sheffield United), Jake
Hastie (Motherwell, loan), Stephen Kelly (Ross County, loan), Robby McCrorie (Livingston, loan), Florian Kamberi (Hibernian, end of loan), Sheyi Ojo (Liverpool, end of loan), Jon Flanagan, Andy Halliday, Jason Holt, Jordan Rossiter, Aidan Wilson. STAR MAN: Ianis Hagi. While all the attention as usual will be fixed on Alfredo Morelos, Rangers need their marquee signing to unlock defences — something they struggled to do at times last term. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: Only one aim for Rangers this season... stop the 10.
Steven Gerrard has had an unprecedented two seasons of failing to win silverware. He knows he won’t get a third. And while stopping Celtic’s seemingly obligatory clean sweep of trophies would be welcomed, Rangers will be judged solely on their league form.
Last season, they proved they could not only match, but beat Celtic in one-off games. However, they once again choked in the post-winter-break fixtures as their form fell off a cliff.
This season, it may not be the Old Firm showdowns that will decide the title destiny, but their lack of consistency against the Hamiltons and Kilmarnocks of the league and that could be key.
ROSS COUNTY
IN: Regan Charles-Cook (Gillingham), Alex Iacovitti (Oldham), Connor Randall (Arda Kardzhali), Carl Tremarco (Inverness CT), Stephen Kelly (Rangers, loan). OUT:
Richard Foster (Partick Thistle), Declan McManus (Dunfermline), Jack Murray (Buckie Thistle), Nathan Baxter (Chelsea, end of loan), Don Cowie (retired), Marcus Fraser, Sean Kelly, Lewis Spence, James Wallace. STAR MAN: Ross Stewart. Plenty of bigger clubs have been sounding out the striker, who impressed last season with seven goals in 19 league starts. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: County will be pushing for more than just mere survival this season.
Stuart Kettlewell has been placed in sole charge of the Dingwall side with Steven Ferguson moved upstairs and he’ll be expected to push on from last season’s encouraging return to the top flight.
County went through an alarming mid-season slump with two wins in 19 games in all competitions before coming out of their nose dive and achieving respectability and safety.
Kettlewell has quietly added to his squad with some dependable performers and they should have enough about them to survive, although a top-six place looks to be quite a bit beyond them.
ST JOHNSTONE
IN: Shaun Rooney (Inverness CT), Danny McNamara (Millwall, loan), Isaac Olaofe
(Millwall, loan). OUT: Steven Anderson (Forfar), Ross Callachan (Hamilton), Drey Wright (Hibernian), Matt Butcher (Bournemouth, end of loan), Jason Holt (Rangers, end of loan), Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough, end of loan), Anthony Ralston (Celtic, end of loan), Max Johnstone, David McMillan, Danny Swanson. STAR MAN: Ali McCann. Exciting young midfielder who had an excellent breakthrough campaign last season. Showed plenty of drive and determination and has matured into a key man in the Saints midfield. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: Callum Davidson has big shoes to fill after the unexpected departure of Tommy Wright in May and he will be expected to get the Perth men to challenge for a top-six spot that has become the norm for them in recent seasons.
St Johnstone had plenty of cracks showing last season after a dismal start to the campaign, with Wright publicly calling out what he perceived to be a lack of support from his board.
But he steadied the ship before leaving and they looked back to the Saints of old as the season was prematurely ended.
Davidson will need to get Stevie May back to the form he showed in his first spell at McDiarmid Park, which would be a huge asset to them.
ST MIRREN
IN: Jak Alnwick (Rangers), Richard Tait (Motherwell), Joe Shaughnessy (Southend), Nathan Sheron (Fleetwood, loan), Isak Thorvaldsson (Norwich, loan).
OUT: Scott Glover (Albion Rovers), Seifeddin Chabbi (Gazisehir Gaziantep, end of loan), Akin Famewo (Norwich, end of loan), Lee Hodson (Milton Keynes Dons, end of loan), Alex Jakubiak (Watford, end of loan), Calum Waters (Kilmarnock, end of loan), Tony Andreu, Cody Cooke, Oan Djorkaeff, Vaclav Hladky, Gary MacKenzie, Stephen McGinn, Danny Mullen, Ross Wallace. STAR MAN: Jon Obika. His goals contributed hugely to St Mirren’s survival last season and the Paisley side rely heavily on him. HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE
SEASON: Saints chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick may have been overly optimistic when he demanded a top-six finish, but with a young, talented manager like Jim Goodwin in charge, stranger things have happened.
Goodwin cut an impressive figure last season and came up with some big performances from his side when needed, especially against Hearts. The loss of excellent goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky could be a real blow but the addition of solid defender Joe Shaughnessy should boost his side’s back line.
Goodwin has enough young talent in his squad to ensure his side are not involved in another relegation dogfight.