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Here is a run down of my views on the teams chances this season..

Aberdeen - Prediction: 4th
Aberdeen have some top class performers like Russell Anderson, Scott Severin & Jamie Smith but are generally restricted to adding to this talent through lack of finance. Steve Lovell was a big disappointment last season but did improve in 2nd half of the season. Lovell could be a big factor in how Aberdeen will fare this season as is another top class performer when on form & Aberdeen need his firepower.

Celtic - Prediction: 2nd
Celtic did remarkably well to run away with last season's title. It won't be so easy this season due to loss of Keane & Hartson, an unsettled Petrov may not be on his usual top form, and a lack of activity on the transfer front. However you can never write Celtic off with hardened pro's like Lennon, Balde and with talent like Maloney and Nakamura around.

Dundee United - Prediction: 9th (again!)
Unfortunately (being a Dundee Utd fan) I can see only another poor season ahead for the Tayside team unless they are successful in poaching some of Inverness' best players! Dundee Utd have been drifting for a few seasons now and have finished 9th in the last two seasons, despite having one of the SPL's highest payrolls. No major summer signings have emerged and in a bid to cut the payroll, have lost experienced players like Jim McIntyre, Derek McInnes & Grant Brebner, so United will be relying on a younger, more inexperienced squad than last season and badly need to add to their squad.

Dunfermline Athletic - Prediction: 11th
Dunfermline will surely struggle again this season with lack of finance & firepower hindering any progress. They do have some decent SPL players in the likes of Scott Thomson, Scott Wilson & Greig Shields, so for that reason can't see them going down. However last season's squad is mainly intact, although the signing of Phil McGuire from Doncaster may prove to be a good buy.

Falkirk - Prediction: 10th
Falkirk did well to stay up last season & have a bright young manager in John Hughes who knows how to get the best out of his players. Falkirk hardly won any of their home SPL games last season, so if they can rectify that, could see an improvement this year. However, as with many SPL clubs, lack of finance could thwart their ambitions and retaining SPL status for 2nd consecutive season may be height of their ambitions.

Hearts - Prediction: 3rd
Everybody expects so much of Hearts after finishing 2nd in SPL & winning Scottish Cup last season. However, out of last season's squad they look like losing 2 key performers in Andy Webster & Rudi Skacel. Those two are almost impossible to replace and I think will seriously dent Hearts chances of realistically winning the SPL, despite what Vladimir Romanov thinks!

Hibernian - Prediction: 5th
Hibs have done very well over last 2 seasons under leadership of Tony Mowbray, probably punching above their weight to finish in the top 4. However, top 4 may be beyond them this year due to sale of key players like Gary O'Connor (Locomotiv Moscow), Derek Riordan and Gary Caldwell (both Celtic). No provincial team can afford to lose players of that quality and although they still have the likes of Scott Brown, a top 6 finish is surely more realistic.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle - Prediction: 6th
Inverness finished 7th last season but surprised many with their quality of football and had a terrific away record. They are a tough team to beat with an uncompromising defence and a never-say-die attitude. If Inverness rebuff Dundee Utd's bids to take away their best players, I can see another improvement this season - maybe even a top 6 place.

Kilmarnock - Prediction: 7th
Kilmarnock have the shrewdest manager in the SPL in Jim Jeffries, who has work wonders on a limited budget, last season's top 6 place being an example. Maybe, despite Jeffries magic, a top 6 place is beyond them given the loss of last season's top scorer Kris Boyd to Rangers. As always though, expect a Jim Jeffries team to punch above it's weight.

Motherwell - Prediction: 8th
Motherwell have lost a very good manager in Terry Butcher and his replacement Maurice Malpas will have a hard act to follow. They have a number of good players in the shape of Steve Craigan and Scott McDonald but will struggle to finish in the top 6. A middle table finish looks a certainty, so at least will not be involved in any relegation dogfight.

Rangers - Prediction: 1st
Last season was a huge letdown for Rangers by finishing only 3rd in the SPL, although a best ever Champions League run provided some consolation. Paul le Guen has made a number of summer signings and has certainly been busiest of the three SPL favourites in the transfer market. The jury will be out on these signings such as Jeremy Clement (Lyon), Libor Sionko (Austria Vienna) and Karl Svensson (Gothenburg). However Le Guen knows the European market better than most and I suspect these signings will help Rangers in their title bid, along with Kris Boyd's goals.

St Mirren - Prediction: 12th
This season's newcomers will be everybody's favourites to go down, and I'm no different. They do have a passionate manager in Gus McMpherson who knows the Scottish game inside out and he may be able to instill enough passion to keep them up. St Mirren's squad is mainly untried in the SPL but they have added Richard Brittain who was one of Livingston's top performers in the SPL last season. St Mirren will be hoping that the relegation dogfight goes to last game of the season so they still have a chance of staying up.

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