Features

Glasgow giants to dominate again

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 11/08/2010
Football betting

Another Scottish Premier League season is almost upon us and, as per usual, all eyes will be on Glasgow's big two.

Reigning champions Rangers may find it difficult to retain their crown this term after losing a number of their prize assets in the summer.

Talismanic striker Kris Boyd opted against signing a new deal at Ibrox and left for pastures new with Championship outfit Middlesbrough.

Midfield anchorman Kevin Thomson also left to join Boro's Scottish revolution, leaving manager Walter Smith with a few holes to fill.

Neil Lennon, who has been handed the Celtic job on a full-time basis, has been busy during the pre-season by bringing in defenders Cha Du-Ri and Charlie Mulgrew, Cardiff City midfielder Joe Ledley, Mexico World Cup star Efrain Juarez, Sunderland striker Daryl Murphy and Scunthorpe United's Gary Hooper.

The Bhoys will be hoping to end their fierce rivals' two-year stranglehold on the title with their new-look side and they are the online sportsbook favourites to take the crown, but Dundee United, who finished in third place last term, will be looking to close the gap again.

Manager Peter Houston will look to strikers Jon Daly and Francisco Sandaza to fire them into contention this term while Hibernian, under the fine stewardship of John Hughes, will be looking to cement their position in the top four.

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Anthony Stokes proved to be a revelation with his 21 goals last season and will be hoping for more of the same this time around.

Edwin de Graaf and Michael Hart are notable additions to the Edinburgh side's squad while their city foes Hearts will be striving to improve on last term's sixth-place finish.

Motherwell built their foundations with Craig Brown at the helm last season and they would take another fifth-place finish and a European qualification berth at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Hamilton Academical and St Johnstone impressed by finishing seventh and eighth respectively, but Aberdeen must dramatically improve after their miserable efforts in 2009-10.

Mark McGhee will be a man under pressure if results don't go his way, but he has strengthened his ranks with Yoann Folly from Plymouth Argyle, Rochdale's Rory McArdle, Colchester United striker Scott Vernon and, notably, former Scotland international midfielder Paul Hartley from Bristol City, who has been installed as the club's new captain.

St Mirren and Kilmarnock could struggle to avoid relegation once more alongside newcomers Inverness Caledonian Thistle following last season's First Division title triumph.

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