[table]
[tr][td]Club [/td][td]On Paper [/td][td]On Grass [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Celtic [/td][td]Better than us [/td][td]2 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Rangers [/td][td]Better than us [/td][td]2 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Hearts [/td][td]Better than us [/td][td]3 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Hibs [/td][td]'should' be better than us[/td][td]6 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Aberdeen [/td][td]'should' be better than us[/td][td]6 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Kilmarnock [/td][td]perhaps slightly ahead of us[/td][td]6 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Motherwell [/td][td]we are at the same level[/td][td]6 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dundee Utd [/td][td]living on past glories - outperformed them last 2 years[/td][td]8 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dunfermline [/td][td]Pars are in doldrums - will bounce back[/td][td]9 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Falkirk [/td][td]a gritty team like ICT but we have the edge[/td][td]9 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]St Mirren [/td][td]1st season back in SPL - will do well ?[/td][td]9 pts out of 12[/td][/tr]
[/table]
As you can see from the table above, I tend to agree with the earlier posters. (and before anyone wants to split hairs - I know it is not possible to get 12 points from all teams because of the split but right now we have the potential of 4 games against ALL teams !!!)
Celtic, Rangers and Hearts (depending on actions of Romanov) will continue to dominate the SPL in the coming season.
Hibs and Aberdeen should also be up there but each has their own problems both with losing players and in Aberdeen's case with mounting debts.
I would then say there is a group that contains Kilmarnock, Motherwell, ICT and 'possibly' Dundee Utd who will fight it out for 6th spot and mid table respectability. If we play to our strengths and the players perform as well as they have done in the last two seasons there is no reason why we cant finish top 6 and even overtake Hibs and aberdeen if they have problems.
I predict (and hope) the relegation battle will not include us but instead will be between the Pars, Falkirk and St Mirren and maybe even DUFC depending on what Brew gets sorted in the rest of the close season.
St Mirren are the unknowns - I havent paid much attention to Div1 since we got out of it, but they seemed worthy winners and may do what both ICT and Falkirk have done in the last two seasons and stay up at the expense of an established SPL side .......