Times Talker: Who will be the winners and losers in Scottish football this season?

Who will win the Premiership?

We have a two horse race once again in the top flight. Celtic are rightly favourites but Mark Warburton has recruited well and Rangers could sneak it on their return to the Premiership.

Who will finish second?

After four years apart, the Old Firm will occupy the top two spots and Aberdeen and Hearts will fight for third.

Who will be relegated?

Kilmarnock narrowly avoided the drop last season but there are doubts over Lee Clark’s position already. It could be a campaign to fear at Rugby Park.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

Brendan Rodgers will be determined to pick up some silverware in his first season at Parkhead. With a large squad at his disposal, Celtic should go close here.

Who will win the League Cup?

A number of clubs have tasted cup success in recent years and it would be good to see Partick Thistle have a reason to celebrate this time out.

SCOTT MULLEN

Who will win the Premiership?

The arrival of Rangers changes the dynamic this season and Celtic will have it tougher this season, but they should still win the Premiership comfortably. They have the squad with most experience, depth and quality.

Who will finish second?

Aberdeen. Derek McInnes’ side pushed Celtic hard last season only to fall away at the death, and his players will know only too well how much of a missed opportunity it was. This will spur them on.

Who will be relegated from the Premiership?

Kilmarnock. They escaped the trap door last season via the play-offs, but with a raft of new signings to bed in, it could be a long season for Lee Clark’s men.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

Celtic. After a frantic first half of the campaign with a condensed Betfred Cup schedule and a European campaign, the Parkhead club will be favourites to get into their stride after Christmas and shoot for silverware.

Who will win the League Cup?

Rangers have looked impressive so far and if they can keep that up then they will be hard to look beyond, especially if Celtic have Europe to concentrate on.

NEIL CAMERON

Who will win the Premiership?

It is all-but impossible to see past Celtic. They have more money than anyone else and while that does not always guarantee success, it usually does in Scotland. Their squad, on paper, is streets ahead with more signings to come. They could win it by 10 points or more.

Who will finish second?

I don’t buy the whole Rangers will at least be second. They have a chance, of course, but the runners-up will be between Aberdeen, Hearts and the men from Ibrox. I have a sneaky feeling for the Jambos. That is going to be a good battle.

Who will be relegated from the Premiership?

Either Kilmarnock, Hamilton or Inverness who could well struggle. If I had to choose it would be Killie, a club that seems to be anything but steady right now. Hamilton have a habit of proving people wrong but their budget remains tight.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

Celtic. Brendan Rodgers really should be going for a Double, which eluded Ronny Deila. To be honest, nothing else will do unless they go on a great Champions League run.

For some reason I can see Hibs having a decent crack at retaining the cup.

Who will win the League Cup?

Rangers, probably. Even in the early 1980s, when the team was poor, this competition was good to them. It would be good to see a new name on the trophy but this might be Mark Warburton’s best chance of silverware.

ALISON MCCONNELL

Who will win the Premiership?

Celtic. I can’t see past the Parkhead side retaining their title. They were pushed more than they would have expected last season by Aberdeen, but fully expect it to be relatively straightforward for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Who will finish second?

Rangers. The Ibrox side have quality this summer in Joey Barton and Niko Kranjcar but they will need a season at least to bed themselves into the top flight.

Who will be relegated from the Premiership?

I think Kilmarnock could struggle, as too could Hamilton Accies.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

Celtic. Brendan Rodgers’ side will push to take at least one of the domestic Cups on offer.

Who will win the League Cup?

Rangers will be under pressure to deliver some form of silverware this season and the League Cup would appear a decent bet for them.

GRAEME MACPHERSON

Who will win the Premiership?

Celtic should have enough about them to make it six-in-a-row. They didn’t bring in a manager of Brendan Rodgers’ calibre to finish second.

Who will finish second?

Rangers. Mark Warburton has recruited impressively again this summer and that should see them finish the best of the rest ahead of Aberdeen and Hearts.

Who will be relegated from the Premiership?

Kilmarnock’s wholesale changes won’t spare them from the drop.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

On the 30th anniversary of their last Scottish Cup success, it would be somewhat poignant were St Mirren to lift the old trophy again.

Who will win the League Cup?

Rangers will take advantage of Celtic’s involvement in Europe to land the first trophy of the season.

GRAEME MCGARRY

Who will win the Premiership?

Celtic. I expect Rangers, Aberdeen and Hearts to fight it out for second, but I actually fancy the gap between first and second to be similar again to what it was last season.

Who will finish second?

Rangers, just. Mark Warburton has strengthened well, but I still feel they are too weak defensively to mount a serious challenge to Celtic.

Who will be relegated from the Premiership?

Kilmarnock. Expecting eleven players to come in from the fringes of English sides and compete in the Scottish Premiership is a big ask, and I don’t see the current negativity around the club lifting any time soon.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

Despite my hope that an outsider like Motherwell or Partick Thistle can make it for their day at Hampden in May, I think that Celtic will have enough about them to make it a double.

Who will win the League Cup?

This is a bit more open, so I’m going to stick my neck out and say that a smaller team can win it. Inverness have a decent draw, but I think Hibs can have another Hampden triumph.

STUART BATHGATE

Who will win the Premiership?

Celtic. They will face stiffer opposition this season than last, and will have three serious rivals rather than two, but they are better equipped to deal with that challenge than they were under Ronny Deila.

Who will finish second?

Rangers. Aberdeen will find it hard to put in a sustained challenge for as long as they did last season, while on the evidence of their European games Hearts look like they are some way off from finding a successful blend.

Who will be relegated from the Premiership?

Either Kilmarnock or Hamilton, depending on who deals best with a likely early-season crisis. If new managers come into both clubs, the better choice will save his team from automatic relegation.

Who will win the Scottish Cup?

Aberdeen. It’s about time they did, although an extended cup run could damage their league challenge.

Who will win the League Cup?

Celtic. They won’t be consistent enough to win the Treble, but, in Brendan Rodgers’ first season, two out of three won’t be bad.