TAYSIDERS SET TO DISCOVER THAT CHAMPIONSHIP IS STILL TOUGH NUT TO CRACK

THE relegation of Dundee and the failure of Dundee United once again to negotiate the play-offs means the City of Discovery will not be hosting top-flight football this season. For the first time since 1995-96 — and only the fourth time in history — the two rivals will be kicking off the new campaign in the second tier. But the Tannadice club wasted no time in bringing back the feelgood factor by blowing bigger rivals out of the water to snap up the signing of the summer in the Championship. The scorer of 34 goals in 41 games for Ayr United last season, it is an understatement to say Lawrence Shankland is proven at this level. Courted by clubs on both sides of the border, the 23-year-old elected to sign a three-year deal with United. Lawrence of Arabia — as he is already being dubbed by giddy fans of the club — scored four times at Tannadice in one match last season and grabbed a double at Dens as Ayr mercilessly dumped Neil McCann’s Dundee out of the League Cup. Shankland’s (right) move to Tayside is a real statement of intent by United’s owner Mark Ogren and the forward’s presence should help Robbie Neilson’s side get back to the Premiership at the fourth attempt. United may have just had a poor Betfred Cup group stage campaign, including a quite dreadful 2-0 home loss to East Fife, but given the strength of the squad at Tannadice, Neilson’s men must be considered firm favourites to win the league. Dundee are rebuilding under new boss James McPake after the disastrous tenures of McCann and then Jim McIntyre saw the club tumble out of the top flight. And the signing of midfielder Shaun Byrne from top-flight side Livingston looks a particularly shrewd piece of business. Intriguingly, Dundee have turned to Gordon Strachan as their new technical director. His main focus will be on the club’s academy but the former Scotland boss, a multiple trophy winner with Celtic, will surely be a sounding board for McPake in his first season as a manager. But a look at the history of the second tier does not make for pleasant reading for a Dundee team aiming to bounce back from relegation at the first attempt. Over the past 13 seasons only four teams have managed that feat: Ross County last term, Hearts in 2015, Dundee back in 2014 and Inverness Caley Thistle in 2010. As Rangers, Hibs and United have all found, the Championship does not automatically respect bigger, established clubs. Gary Caldwell’s Partick Thistle will hope to mount a title challenge after spending last season flirting with relegation. Last term’s talisman Scott McDonald has gone but has been replaced by 39-year-old Kenny Miller. Caldwell’s capture of Ross County’s Championship-winning goalkeeper Scott Fox looks a good signing. Ayr United had a wonderful season before falling back to earth in the latter stages and exiting the play-offs to Inverness. Boss Ian McCall has a Shankland-sized hole in his attack to fill but is confident Kris Doolan will bring goals to Somerset Park. Dunfermline looked a club on the up again after Stevie Crawford replaced Allan

Johnston in January. But the Pars finished last season with seven losses and a draw in their last eight league games. A strong start is needed as they seek to secure top-flight football for the first time in eight years. Johnston returned to Queen of the South, who sacked Gary Naysmith before the Palmerston Park side assured their survival in the relegation play-offs. Queens will be hoping ‘Magic’ Johnston can work some of the managerial alchemy that saw him steer the Doonhamers to a League One title and Challenge Cup Double in his first spell in charge. Last season, Inverness reached the play-off semi-finals, succumbing to Dundee United, and reached the Scottish Cup semis. But the most draws in the division cost John Robertson’s side the chance to be true title contenders. That is something Caley Thistle will need to remedy. Morton will be hoping their new boss David Hopkin can reprise his play-off heroics when he took Livingston up to the top flight in May 2018. Jim Goodwin worked minor miracles to keep Alloa up last season at the expense of Falkirk but has since taken over at St Mirren. The part-time Wasps, with former Celtic midfielder Peter Grant now at the helm, will be hoping to finish above runaway League One winners Arbroath, who are starting their first season in the second tier since 2002-03. But as any seasoned watchers of the Championship will know, there are no easy games in a league that, in recent years, has earned a deserved reputation as the most cut-throat in Scotland.