Ayrshire Derbyto kickoff

The first league Ayrshire derby in 28 years will lift the curtain on the new season.

Ayr are scheduled to travel to Rugby Park on Saturday, July 31, in a match likely to pull the eye of TV executives at the BBC for Friday night coverage.

Killie are due to visit Somerset on the night of Tuesday, October 26.

The sides then meet for a New Year Derby at Rugby Park on Sunday, January 2 before clashing again at Somerset on Saturday, March 12.

The sides last met on league duty at Rugby Park in March 1993 in a 1-1 draw.

Andy Geggan headed the winner in the last cup meeting between the clubs in July 2017.

Full fixtures:

July 31: Killie (a); August 7: Arbroath (h); August 21: Inverness (a); August 28: Raith (h);

September 11: Dunfermline (h); September 18: Hamilton (a); September 25: Morton (h);

October 2: Partick (a); October 16: Queen of the South (h); October 23: Arbroath (a); October 26: Kilmarnock (h); October 30: Raith (a);

November 6: Inverness (h); November 13: Partick (h); November 20: Dunfermline (a);

December 4: Morton (a); December 11: Hamilton (h); December 18: Queen of the South (a); December 26: Raith (h); December 29: Partick (a);

January 2: Kilmarnock (a); January 8: Arbroath (h); January 15: Morton (h); January 29: Hamilton (a);

February 5: Dunfermline (h); February 19: Inverness (a); February 26: Queen of the South (h);

March 5: Raith (a); March 12: Kilmarnock (h); March 19: Arbroath (a); March 26: Morton (a);

April 2: Hamilton (h); April 9: Inverness (h); April 16: Dunfermline (a); April 23: Queen of the South (a); April 29: Partick (h).