Celtic launch their Scottish title defence with a home match against Ross County.

The Scottish League and Football League set the ball rolling in the 2013/14 British football season this weekend.

Celtic, who won a league and cup double last season, have already figured in three games in the Champions League. After home and away wins over Northern Ireland side Cliftonville, Celtic lead Swedish side Elfsborg 1-0 after the first leg of their third qualifying round tie.

The Scottish transfer market has been low-key for the past 20 years with players changing clubs either as free agents or on loan deals.

This evening, Celtic launch the defence of their Scottish title at Parkhead against Ross County, last season’s surprise package.

A home bunker for the punters who will start picking the teams at the opening of another campaign.

Ross finished fifth last season after clinching a place in the Cham-pionship Pool.

Celtic’s home match against St Mirren, scheduled for August 10, is likely to be postponed to allow the Scottish champions to play Liverpool in a friendly in Dublin.

Motherwell, runners-up last season, open with a match at Hibernian.

Financially stricken Hearts will kick off their campaign at St Johnstone who have a new manager in Tommy Wright.

Inverness, fourth last season, host St Mirren in their league opener.

The other first-day contest sees Aberdeen take on Kilmarnock at Pittodrie.

The lower divisions kick off next weekend. In Division Two, Rangers start at home to Brechin.

125th anniversary

The Championship is in the 10th year since the format of the lower divisions was revamped.

This season marks the 125th anniversary of the Football League which dates back to 1888-89.

QPR’s rebuilding process under Harry Redknapp takes off with a home match against Sheffield Wednesday at Loftus Road.

Rangers are still licking their wounds after their relegation from the Premier League and Redknapp is determined to offload those high-profile players who failed to show the right com-mitment last season.

FA Cup holders Wigan Athletic will start life in the Championship, under new boss Owen Coyle, with a trip to Barnsley.

Next week, the Latics will meet Premier League champions Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley.

Barnsley finished fourth from bottom last season, one point above the relegation zone.

The other club that lost its Premier League status last season, Reading, entertain Ipswich, with manager Nigel Adkins eyeing a fifth promotion in his mana-gerial career.

Ipswich are managed by former Wolves boss Mick McCarthy.

Newly-promoted Yeovil meet Millwall while Watford, last season’s play-off finalists, travel to Birmingham .

League One champions Doncaster Rovers start their second-tier return at home to Blackpool, runners-up Bournemouth are at home to Charlton Athletic.

Weekend fixtures

The Championship (16.00)

Barnsley-Wigan
Birmingham-Watford
Bournemouth-Charlton
Burnley-Bolton (13:15)
Doncaster-Blackpool
Leeds-Brighton
Middlesbrough-Leicester
Millwall-Yeovil
Nottm Forest-Huddersfield
QPR-Sheffield Wed.
Reading-Ipswich

Tomorrow
Derby-Blackburn (17:00)

League One

Bristol-Bradford City
Carlisle-Leyton Orient
Crawley-Coventry
Crewe-Rotherham
Gillingham-Colchester
Peterborough-Swindon
Port Vale-Brentford
Preston-Wolves
Shrewsbury-MK Dons
Stevenage-Oldham
Walsall-Tranmere

League Two

Bury-Chesterfield
Cheltenham-Burton
Exeter-Bristol Rovers
Fleetwood-Dagenham
Newport-Accrington
Portsmouth-Oxford
Rochdale-Hartlepool
Scunthorpe-Mansfield
Southend-Plymouth
Torquay-AFC Wimbledon
Wycombe-Morecambe
York-Northampton

Scottish Premier

Aberdeen-Kilmarnock
Celtic-Ross County (18:15)
Inverness-St Mirren

Tomorrow
Hibernian-Motherwell (14:15)
St Johnstone-Hearts (16:00)

Scottish League Cup
(First round)

Airdrie-Stenhousemuir
Arbroath-Montrose
Berwick-Cowdenbeath
Dumbarton-Albion
East Fife-Morton
East Stirling-Dunfermline
Elgin City-Livingston
Falkirk-Clyde
Forfar-Rangers
Peterhead-Alloa
Queen of the South-Annan
Raith-Queen’s Park
Stirling-Hamilton
Stranraer-Brechin