The new Scottish season will kick off later than usual, on the same weekend as the English Premier League - August 14.
The battle for the championship is again expected to develop into a two-horse race between Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers, the title holders.
As a player, Rangers manager Walter Smith figured for Dundee United (two spells) and Dumbarton in defence. His managerial career took off in 1978 with Scotland's Under 19s and later with the Under 21s.
His first managerial job at club level was at Rangers from 1991 to 1998. In this period, he won the Scottish championship seven times and lifted the two home cups three times each − a total of 13 honours.
After his successful spell with Rangers, Smith went south of the border to manage Everton in the Premier League from 1998 to 2002. At Goodison Park, Smith failed to lead the club to a major honour and was eventually given the sack in March 2002.
The Scottish FA called and Smith was in charge of the national team from 2004 to 2007. Another offer from Rangers was very tempting for Smith who returned to coach the Ibrox Park Blues in 2007. In Scotland, honours for a man in the mould of Smith are not hard to collect and this time he went in pairs − twice the title, the Scottish FA Cup and the League Cup.
Last season, with eight games to the finish, Celtic dismissed Tony Mowbray and appointed Neil Lennon on a caretaker basis. Under Lennon, Celtic enjoyed a run of seven consecutive victories in the league but suffered a humiliating defeat to Ross County in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.
Former Celtic midfielder Lennon, now 39, has been confirmed as the Bhoys manager for this season. Stuart Baxter is his assistant. Lennon's backroom staff consists of former team-mates Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker.
Lennon had been reserve team coach at Celtic Park until Mowbray's dismissal. As a player, Lennon, who was signed by Martin O'Neill in 2000, helped Celtic to five Scottish championship titles in seven years.
In the Scottish Premier League, Celtic finished six points behind champions Rangers and failed to win any silverware last season.
Falkirk were relegated and replaced by First Division champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Kilmarnock sacked Jimmy Calderwood on the last day of May and appointed Mika-Matti Paatelainen.
Two more years
The Scottish Premier League were delighted to announce that their sponsorship deal with Clydesdale Bank had been extended by a further two years until 2013. SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said the renewal of the contract was a boost for its 12 members.
At a time when many other associations are going through difficult economic times, this was indeed a much-needed shot in the arm for football in Scotland.
On top of this, the Scottish Premier League also welcomed Coca Cola as their official partner from this coming season. The contract is for three years.
As Scotland is 13th in UEFA's coefficient classification, it will have two representatives, champions Rangers and runners-up Celtic, in the Champions League. Rangers go straight into the group phase while Celtic must start from the third qualifying round. On Wednesday, the Hoops suffered a 3-0 defeat at Portuguese side Braga in the first leg of their third qualifying round match.
Dundee United, Hibernian and Motherwell are the Scottish teams in the Europa League.
Opening programme
The Scottish Premier League will kick off on Saturday, August 14 with champions Rangers hosting Kilmarnock. Arch-rivals Celtic will travel to newly-promoted Inverness CT.
The Old Firm New Year derby between Celtic and Rangers is still on the calendar. The first Glasgow derby between giants Celtic and Rangers is at Celtic Park on October 23.
As in previous seasons, the Premier League will, for the last five matches, be split between the top six and the rest for a championship and relegation pool.
The opening full programme: Aberdeen-Hamilton; Hearts-St Johnstone; Inverness CT-Celtic; Motherwell-Hibernian; Rangers-Kilmarnock; St Mirren-Dundee Utd.
Club call
Aberdeen
Manager: Mark McGhee.
Ins: Rory Ardle from Rochdale; Josh Magennis from Cardiff; Mark Howard from St Mirren (undisclosed); Ryan Jones from Leeds; Conor Okus from West Ham; Yoann Folly from Colchester; Scott Vernon from Plymouth.
Celtic
Manager: Neil Lennon.
Ins: Charlie Mulgrew from Aberdeen; Cha-Du Ri from Freiburg; Joe Ledley from Cardiff; Daryl Murphy from Sunderland (£1.5m); Efrain Juarez from UNAM Pumas (undisclosed); Gary Hooper from Scunthorpe (£2.4m).
Dundee United
Manager: Peter Houston.
Ins: Barry Douglas from Queens Park; Filip Mentel from Manchester City.
Hamilton
Manager: Billy Reid.
Ins: Gavin Skelton from Kilmarnock; Jim McAlister from Morton; Andy Graham from Stirling Albion; Jack Ross from St Mirren.
Hearts
Manager: Jim Jefferies.
Ins: Kevin Kyle from Kilmarnock; Darren Barr from Falkirk.
Hibernian
Manager: John Hughes.
Ins: Edwin de Graaf from AC Breda; David Stephens from Norwich; Michael Hart from Preston.
Inverness CT
Manager: Terry Butcher.
Ins: Max Johnson from Newcastle; Gil Blumstein from Hapoel Beersheba; Jonny Tuffey from Partick; Kevin McCann from Hibernian (loan).
Kilmarnock
Manager: Mixu Paatelainen.
Ins: Guillaume Beuzelin from Olympiakos Nicosia.
Motherwell
Manager: Craig Brown.
Ins: Lee Hollis from Airdrie; Angelis Charalambous from Anorthosis Famagusta; Darren Randolph from Charlton.
Rangers
Manager: Walter Smith.
St Johnstone
Manager: Derek McInnes.
Ins: Scott Dobie from Carlisle; Cleveland Taylor from Brentford; Sam Parkin from Walsall.
St Mirren
Manager: Danny Lennon.
Ins: David van Zanten from Hamilton; Darren McGregor from Cowdenbeath; Paul McQuade from Cowdenbeath; Peter Bradley from Cowdenbeath; Jure Travner from Watford (loan); Gareth Wardlaw from Cowdenbeath; Craig Samson from Ayr; Marc McAusland from Queen of South; Sean Lynch from Falkirk.