Scottish football's slogan rings true: predictions, Rangers' Celtic must-do and will Hearts topple Hibs?

This is the weekend that has likely been ringed in many a football fan’s diary. All 42 senior clubs are in action across four divisions over four days, beginning at the iconic Gayfield Park in Arbroath, where the Red Lichties host Scott Brown’s Ayr United on Friday evening.

The opening 90 minutes of a league season can either swell or squash optimism. While we’ve had the group stages of the Premier Sports Cup in July, this is when the action really begins for a number of supporters.

In terms of the Premiership, that commences with one Saturday 3pm kick-off. Traditionalists will lament such a scenario but you better get used to it. The TV company calls the tune (as does European involvement on a Thursday night). Rugby Park is where the first top-flight ball will be thumped in anger when Kilmarnock host Livingston.

Most eyes will be drawn to the tea-time staging of Motherwell v Rangers at Fir Park, live on Sky Sports. This will be Russell Martin’s first domestic game in charge of the Ibrox side and after navigating his first Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos, he will aim to do what Rangers failed to manage in each of the past two seasons: win their opening match.

It would take a churlish Rangers supporter to demand the title this season, given the rebuild Martin and the club’s new American owners are undertaking. Eight new players have arrived and more will follow. But getting closer to Celtic has to be a reasonable expectation. Martin needs to take the title race beyond Easter.

Celtic distracted by Rodgers future and transfers

A win at Motherwell will put Rangers ahead of Celtic for 24 hours at least. The defending champions unfurl their title flag at home to St Mirren, although all is not entirely rosy in their garden. The future of manager Brendan Rodgers, who is out of contract, continues to set the agenda, while some supporters are not happy with what they perceive to be a frugal transfer window so far.

The return of Kieran Tierney at left-back is an exceptional piece of business, given Celtic got him on a free from Arsenal. For the sake of optics, spending £10million might have gone down better with miffed fans. Benjamin Nygren has come in to replace Nicolas Kuhn, who was sold for £15m to Como. They have the strongest squad on paper, yet look weaker than this time last season when Matt O’Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi and Kuhn were in their ranks.

To appease Rodgers and the fanbase, Celtic still require reinforcements, particularly in attack. There is also the small matter of a Champions League play-off later this month.

It is hard to properly make a case for another team to break into the top two. Hearts, with the support of Brighton owner Tony Bloom, have openly stated they want to be the “disruptors”. Confidence is swelling down Tynecastle way. New head coach Derek McInnes has settled effortlessly into his new surroundings and they have done good business in the transfer window, not least by keeping Lawrence Shankland.

Many already have Hearts - who stumbled into seventh place last season - booked for third. Edinburgh rivals Hibs may have something to say about that, given David Gray’s impressive team claimed the best-of-the-rest crown in 2024/25. The guts of the Easter Road squad remains in place and they have recruited neatly with the arrivals of Josh Mulligan and Jamie McGrath.

They also broke their transfer record with the signing of Thibault Klidje from Luzern last month. The Togolese forward cost Hibs £1m and the spending power they, Hearts and Aberdeen have far eclipses the other non-Old Firm teams in the league. They have created their own ecosystem.

Aberdeen need to improve despite Scottish Cup win

The Dons have guaranteed European league-phase football until Christmas by virtue of their stunning Scottish Cup triumph over Celtic and how manager Jimmy Thelin, in his second season in charge, juggles domestic and continental commitments will go a long way to defining their season. It scuppered them two campaigns ago. While the cup win was a seismic moment, it is worth recalling their stuttering end to the Premiership, where they ended up finishing fifth. Improvement will be required. A big task awaits them on Monday night, under the lights and the TV cameras, when they begin the season at Hearts.

Dundee United pipped Aberdeen to fourth spot in what was an excellent return to the top flight for Jim Goodwin and Co. They have already started their European adventure - in terms of signings and also in action. Players from Moldova, Ukraine and further afield have rocked up at Tannadice and much scrutiny has been given to their first line-up without a Scot while defeating UNA Strassen in the Conference League. Their aim is to cling on to the coattails of bigger spenders.

St Mirren have been the top-six gatecrashers of the past three seasons and should Stephen Robinson land a four-timer, then surely a manager of the year award should be forthcoming. The Buddies remain built on a solid foundation of hard work and strength. Two Jamaicans in defender Richard King and forward Jalmaro Calvin add a bit of glamour to their squad.

What they won’t want to do is get embroiled in a nervy relegation battle with a host of other clubs in the Premiership. There does not appear to be much between Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Dundee and the two newly-promoted teams in Falkirk and Livingston. Matters at the foot of the table should be just as intriguing at the top.

Killie, Well and the Dee all have new managers. Stuart Kettlewell went through the cup group stages without conceding a goal and life after McInnes at Rugby Park will be fascinating viewing. The same can be said at Fir Park, where despite German Michael Wimmer scarpering just months into his Motherwell tenure, the board have gone foreign again with the appointment of Jens Berthel Askou from Denmark. He is implementing a new style but probably won’t be able to call upon Scotland internationalist Lennon Miller, with the teenager set for a £5m move abroad. He will need some of that fee to reconfigure his squad.

Unlike Kettlewell and Askou, Dundee’s new manager Steven Pressley was unable to overcome the Premier Sports Cup group stages. Galling defeats by Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic have heaped yet more pressure on the 51-year-old, who was not a universally popular appointment in the first place. Shorn of last season’s key men in Mulligan, Lyall Cameron and Mo Sylla, Dundee have yet to impress and are many people’s favourites for the drop. Their home match on Sunday against Hibs already feels quite important.

The two newly-promoted teams in Falkirk and Livingston will aim to capitalise on any easy prey. The Bairns are riding the crest of a wave following back-to-back promotions under wily manager John McGlynn. They will need to smarten up in the Premiership, which is something David Martindale knows exactly how to do given his experience. Their play-off triumph over Ross County was one of the stories of last season.

Returning to the Championship is not desired whatsoever. Always a competitive league, you couldn’t fit a fag paper between the main protagonists in that division: St Johnstone, County, Ayr United, Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers. Dunfermline under Neil Lennon may have something to say. League One and League Two promise to be just as competitive too.

That’s why we love Scottish football. Storylines everywhere. This season will be no different. Enjoy the ride.

The Scotsman’s predictions

Premiership - Winners: Celtic; Runners-up: Rangers; Third place: Hearts; Bottom place: Dundee.

Championship - Winners: St Johnstone; Runners-up: Ross County; Bottom place: Arbroath.

League One - Winners: Inverness Caledonian Thistle; Runners-up: Alloa Athletic; Bottom place: Montrose.

League Two - Winners: Forfar Athletic; Runners-up: East Kilbride; Bottom place: Stranraer.