Ten managers have come and gone since the Ferguson era of 1978-86, with the club having little to celebrate since. Season 1989-90 Aberdeen won their first major honours since Ferguson left for Manchester United, when they won the Scottish Cup – beating Celtic 9-8 on penalties – and the League Cup – beating Rangers 2-1 after extra time. The Pittodrie side under Jocky Scott and Alex Smith also came second in the league, finishing seven points behind Rangers. Aberdeen also lifted the 1995 League Cup beating Dundee 2-0 thanks to goals from Duncan Shearer and Billy Dodds.

Despite the three pieces of silverware and finishing in second place five times between season 1988-89 to 1993-94, such results were not good enough for the Dons supporters who saw their side win three league titles, four Scottish cup finals, one league cup final, the European Cup Winners Cup and the European Super Cup during Ferguson’s tenure.

The longest a manager has stayed at Aberdeen since the time of Ferguson has been five years, when Jimmy Calderwood managed between 2004 and 2009, so it is safe to say that on average an Aberdeen manager has between two to three years max to try to turn the fortunes of the club around.

Currently former Scotland manager Craig Brown is in charge at Pittodire, but Aberdeen are currently second bottom of the league ahead of bottom placed Inverness solely on goal difference. Out of the 14 games that Aberdeen have played this season, they have only won three, three have been draws and eight are defeats.

Already some Dons fans are comparing Brown’s tenure as manager to that of previous incumbent Mark McGhee’s. It may be a tad harsh on Brown for some fans to call into question his position as manager, but football fans are a fickle bunch and with the position that the club are currently in the Aberdeen fans are looking over their shoulders with worried expressions on their faces.

Aberdeen have some of Scotland’s top talents in their ranks, such as Fraser Fyvie, Ryan Jack and Peter Pawlett. But they lost their best player from last season – Chris Maguire for a paltry £400,000 to Derby County. He was in the top three ranked players for assists in the league last season, scoring 12 goals in all competitions.

Striker Scott Vernon who scored 15 goals last season fed off Maguire, but this season Vernon has scored five goals and he is certainly missing the talents of Maguire.

However the biggest loss was the retirement of captain Paul Hartley. He got the players fired up, drove them to better themselves on and off the pitch and led by example. Can you say that about anyone on the pitch for Aberdeen this season?

Football has moved on since the days of Ferguson with clubs spending tens of millions on players. For Aberdeen they cannot compete with the likes of Hearts let alone the Old Firm in Scotland, and it is safe to say that they cannot compete against English League One clubs in terms of offering wages to players. So despite securing £400,000 for the services of Chris Maguire, Craig Brown could not spend to strengthen the side managing to bring in Isaac Osbourne, Kari Arnason, Chris Clark and Jason Brown on free transfers.

With no funds Brown has kept Aberdeen’s head just above water and despite some fans calling for the head of Craig Brown, the Aberdeen board will not sack the SPL’s oldest manager. Firstly, they cannot afford to pay the compensation that they would have to fork out to sack him, secondly who would they bring in as a replacement and at what cost?

Brown will be given until the season by the Aberdeen board, with the January transfer window an important period of the club’s season. There will be no money to bring players in, this is not down to Brown but the board who are running the club within their means or at least trying too, like every other SPL side. On their current form, Aberdeen will be battling against relegation and if they lose that battle Brown and Knox will be shown the door.

The Aberdeen of the 1980s is in the past and while fans love to reminisce about the good auld days, such memories are having a detrimental effect on the present incumbent. The Dons fans are voting with their feet as thousands stay away from Pittodrie, which is hitting the club in the wallet. The only hope for Aberdeen is for the club to put all their eggs in one basket – the club’s youth system – and the men to do it are Craig Brown and Archie Knox.

It’s time that the Aberdeen fans file the Ferguson years into the club’s folklore and look to the future rather than trying to emulate their past exploits. The glory days are gone and it is time that reality dawned on the Dandy Dons.

The MEP and his constituency member are taking the matter to the courts with the argument that retention is a breach of employment laws and human rights. It is widely assumed that this court case will bring an end to retention once and for all in Junior football.

Under the retention rule a Junior football club if they want to, retains a player at the end of every season. For that player to move to another club at junior level, the club he is leaving is entitled to a fee set by the SJFA from the club wanting to sign the player for the transfer to happen.

Basically this means that for a retained player to move to another Junior club money must be paid for his services. If this fee or a bargained fee is not met then the player is not allowed to move to the team or any other Junior club until the retention fee is met.

The rule is met by criticism as effectively a club could end someone’s Junior footballing career by not letting them move without receiving their “asking price.” The player can play Amateur or professional football but not Junior until the fee is paid.

Some clubs will argue that they are entitled to receiving a fee for their retained players to cover what they have paid on the players wages and will not want to lose a top player for free when he could come back and haunt them. But surely paying for a player when he is at the club should not be a problem if he is proving his worth with his performances on the pitch?

The player would only be allowed to play trials for other Junior teams and even then you can only play as a trialist three times for a club. It is harsh on players wanting to play Junior football as they could be forced out if nobody meets their club’s demands.

If the case is successful against retention then effectively Junior Football will be changed forever. Clubs will no longer receive fees for retained players if they are out of contract and effectively Bosman transfers will likely be introduced with out of contract players being able to move freely from club to club with ease.

Players will more likely be happier than clubs if this ruling occurs and many frozen out players will be able to play Junior football again.

The sooner the rule changes the better.

Written by Calvin Berry

With no lunch time kick offs on Saturday our first Premiership action is the six 3 o’clock fixtures. One of the most anticipated of these is Arsenal v Swansea at The Emirates after their shambolic display against Man United last week. The pressure will be truly on Arsene Wenger and his group of youngsters if they do not beat the league’s new boys. On a mad final day in the transfer market Mickel Arteta moved to the struggling side so may make his debut on Saturday. Swansea have started their Premiership campaign with two draws against Sunderland and Wigan two sides who will be struggling in the bottom half with them. To be able to survive they will have to play with no fear coming into games like Saturday when the odds are against them.

Everton host Aston Villa after an unsettled start to the season a very late penalty last week at Blackburn stopped it from being a terrible start. Aston Villa will be confident of getting a result at Goodison after five points in three games with some very confident performances. Everton could be on the free fall with the loss of several of their first team in the transfer window including Mickel Arteta. My favourites for the game are Aston Villa as they are in a position to take advantage of the unsettlement around Everton at the moment.

High flying Man City face Wigan at Eastlands also at 3 o’clock after taking three wins in three games this could end up in another goal fest. Wigan haven’t convinced me in recent weeks with 5 points from three games but they have played all the promoted sides. The gaps which were there at the end of last season still seem to be there although the promoted sides they have played so far couldn’t take advantage. My favourites are Man City and I think Aguero and Dzeko will take Wigan to the cleaners at Eastlands.

Stoke face Liverpool at the Brittania after both sides were heavily involved in the final day of the transfer market. Stoke came out of the transfer window with the signature of Peter Crouch who will add a much-needed element of attack to add to a very solid defence. Liverpool will also be happy with their start looking much more like their former top four selves. Only Sunderland with a shock equalizer at Anfield have been able to take points of Dalgleish’s side. I think this game will end up a draw as I don’t think Liverpool will be able to break Stoke down at home.

Sunderland host Chelsea in the fifth 3 o’clock kick off and could find themselves in big trouble again after a poor side. They have only picked up two points in three games after spending big in the summer with lots of transfers which don’t seem to have made a big effect so far. Chelsea are on the tails of the two Manchester sides and only Stoke have taken points of them so far but haven’t looked convincing. Chelsea are my favourites coming into this one and I predict a lot of goals as they have yet to hit stride yet this season.

Buoyant Wolves host Tottenham also on Saturday after enjoying their start to the season they will look to continue their unbeaten run. Spurs would not have wanted a trip to Molineux this weekend after two defeats in their opening two games. In the past two seasons they have been defeated and drew to Wolves at Molineux and will be wary of the confidence of the Wolves side after recent weeks. My favourite for the win is Wolves as over the past two seasons they have given Tottenham a good contest every time and this year I feel they have a little bit extra.

Saturday is rounded off with a local derby between Bolton and Man United at the Reebok which kicks off at 5.30. Man United will have the advantage of knowing how neighbours Man City have done in their 3 o’clock kick off. Bolton are a side very capable of an upset with some fresh youngsters ion their side this year with Chris Eagles and new signing David Ngoog. With three points out of three Bolton haven’t started too badly but Man United are my favourites to win the match.

Sunday starts with another six pointer for at least one of these sides when West Brom host Norwich. Both teams have had poor starts and both are without a win in their opening three matches. West Brom are yet to get a point after a tough run of fixtures and a late winner for Stoke last weekend and a defeat on Sunday will really worry them. Norwich have had a mixed start to the season with two draws against Wigan and Stoke and will want their first win at the Hawthorns on Sunday. My prediction for the game is a draw although either team are capable of winning this one.

The late kick off on Sunday is Fulham v Blackburn which will be an important game for both sides after both teams have had poor starts to the season. Blackburn are yet to get a point after three poor results against teams around the same level as themselves. Fulham have been accused of looking tired in recent matches and have only one point on the board. My prediction for this game is a Fulham win as they are quite a good side at Craven Cottage.

The final fixture of the weekend is on Monday night when QPR host Newcastle after a busy final transfer day. The main talking point will be as always Joey Barton who will probably make his debut for QPR against his former side. My prediction is a Newcastle win as they are much stronger than QPR.

Dr John Reid issued Celtic’s End of Year preliminary results, his last as Celtic Chairman and took the time to hail Neil Lennon and the management team for getting the club back on track on the field. Having his say on the reformation of the SFA and the SPL and paying tribute to the fans for their continued support.

Reid highlighted the challenges of the past year for the club, pointing to the recession, but also to the lack of European Football at Celtic Park, which resulted in a drop of turnover.

He said: “Our participation in Europe was short-lived, playing only 2 home games rather than the 5 of the preceding year. Those challenging economic conditions and the poor football performance in season 2009/10 undoubtedly had a detrimental effect on our revenues. Turnover decreased by 14.8% to £52.56m, affected by the reduction in European matches and the ticket and broadcasting revenues that they generate, and a decline in merchandising sales in a difficult retail market.”

Celtic reduced their operating expenses by £4.75 million to £52.51 million, down in part to lower match and travel costs, as well as reduced cost of sales and smaller labour costs.

Despite the lack of European Football revenue, Celtic posted a small profit of £102,000 before tax, Celtic had a loss of £2.13 million before tax for the same period last year.

More importantly for Celtic they reduced their bank debt to £530,000 which is a massive reduction on the half year figure reported of £9.09 million and significantly down on £5.85 million last June.

Reid said: “Both of these higher debt figures, sanctioned by the Board in order to finance player investment for the incoming new management team, and the subsequent reduction in debt levels were planned as part of our maintenance of financial stability and the independence that comes with it.”

Celtic invested a total of £10.29 million in transfers, in Neil Lennon’s first year in charge. While the previous season under Tony Mowbray the transfer cost stood at £13.64 million.

Reid continued: “With a significant investment in football personnel of £10.29m our commitment to achieving domestic success and meaningful participation in Europe remains. In previous Annual Reports I have stressed the need for Celtic to develop first class scouting and youth development to compensate for the lack of lucrative TV income. Our investments in developing these are now beginning to pay dividends. The depth of talent now within the squad demonstrates the strength of our scouting. Our youth development operation also continues to improve and will play an increasingly important role in helping to refresh the first team player pool.”

On the issues surrounding Celtic and the SFA last season Reid added: “Football at Celtic is many things, but being dull is not one of them. Events during the year, particularly off the field, started at a remarkable pace and after only the briefest of respites from terrible winter weather, accelerated into one of the most extraordinary series of occurrences in Scottish football for many years.

“The first half of this year culminated in significant reform within the SFA being announced, with Scottish football clubs later unanimously approving proposals for improved transparency and accountability, and introducing a better and fairer framework for handling disputes and disciplinary matters. As a club which has been at the forefront of the movement for change we welcome these developments. Of course they will now have to be tested in practice, but we will continue to encourage and support the implementation of the reformed structures. Our Chief Executive’s appointment to the Professional Game Board is testimony to our commitment in that direction.”

And commented on the ongoing process at the SPL: “The Scottish Premier League also continues to consider major restructuring, although an outcome from those deliberations is some way off. We should not under-estimate the challenges of developing a sustainable financial model for Scottish football; radical thinking is as appropriate here as it was for the SFA.”

The outgoing Celtic Chairman paid tribute to Neil Lennon after last season’s events which saw the Northern Irishman a target for individuals sending him bullets and parcel bombs, not to mention the touchline assault at Tynecastle.

He paid tribute to Lurgan-born Lennon: “I must acknowledge the remarkable strength and character of Neil Lennon. At Celtic our expectations of a manager are so high that it is easy to overlook just how challenging that job is. In his first full season as a manager Neil has succeeded in restoring a pride and passion to our play, showcasing emerging talent and uniting our supporters. To do that in any normal environment would be a major achievement but to have done it in the deplorable context of death threats, a physical assault and explosive devices, was nothing short of extraordinary. The commitment Neil and his family have shown this season, and that accorded to him by fans, is what makes this Club truly special. I thank you all.”

After last week’s John Kennedy testimonial, Reid left his tribute to the Celtic support to the last. Much maligned by some sections of the Celtic support, Reid praised them as a whole: “I have had occasion in the past to pay tribute to the uniqueness of Celtic supporters. Even as I write this year’s Chairman’s Statement, over 55,000 Celtic fans have turned out for a mid-week Charity Match to raise money for the victims of the East Africa Famine. Few other, if any, football clubs would have seen such a huge response. This year they have already contributed over £387,000 to charitable causes. Their support for the Club has been just as outstanding. Loyalty and Solidarity are not items that appear in the columns of our annual accounts. They do not show up on a balance sheet. But they are an invaluable asset, the very lifeblood of a club like Celtic. Last year our supporters came together, and stayed together through a period of immense controversy and difficulty. They were a source of unwavering support and inspiration to everyone at the Club, from the Boardroom to the Dressing Room. No one who was present at the last league game of the season, who saw the sheer determination, even in adversity, to celebrate being part of what Celtic is, can doubt that.”

Highlights

• Group revenue £52.56m (2010: £61.72m)
• Investment in football personnel of £10.29m (2010: £13.64m)
• Year-end net bank debt of £0.53m (2010: £5.85m)
• Profit before taxation of £0.10m (2010: £2.13m loss)
• Operating expenses before exceptional items £52.50m (2010: £57.25m)
• Profit from trading before asset transactions and exceptional items of £56,000 (2010: £4.46m)
• Exceptional costs of £3.99m (2010: £3.14m)
• 42,500 standard season tickets sold for a value of circa £13.6m (Season 2010-11)
• Match ticket sales of over 166,000 generated an income of over £3.5m
• Merchandising revenue for the year reached £14.33m 7.5% down on the previous year

Source: Celtic FC

Newcastle United

Players in:

Yohan Cabaye (Lille, £4.8m), Demba Ba (West Ham, undisclosed), Mehdi Abeid (Lens, undisclosed), Sylvain Marveaux (Rennes, free) Gabriel Obertan (Manchester United, undisclosed)

Players out:

Kevin Nolan (West Ham, £4m), Wayne Routledge (Swansea, undisclosed), Ben Tozer (Northampton, free), Daniel Leadbitter (Torquay, free), Patrick McLaughlin (York, free), Kazenga Lualua (Brighton, loan), Michael Richardson (Leyton Orient, loan), Shefki Kuqi, Sol Campbell, Nathan Evans, Andy Mogwo (all released), Jose Enrique (Liverpool, £6m) .

Strengths:

Despite Mike Ashley’s best efforts to rid the team of all their best players Newcastle still possess one of the outstanding central midfielders from last year in Cheik Tiote. The Ivorian enjoyed a fantastic season, performing particularly well against some of the top clubs including the home and away fixtures against Arsenal. Pardew has made some encouraging signings this transfer window in the shape of Ligue Un title-winner Yohan Cabaye and the former West
Ham striker Demba Ba. Hatem Ben Arfa was injured in pre-season but should return in the near future. The French winger looked like a class act before injury ruled him out of the majority of last season and fans will hope he can rediscover the early form that made him a fan’s favourite last autumn.

Weaknesses:

Over the past year Mike Ashley has allowed Carroll, Nolan and Enrique to leave the club, with Kevin Nolan looking set to follow. The alarming manner in which Ashley has ripped the team apart without spending the money coming in on suitable replacements is worrying. The huge transfer received for Carroll has yet to be reinvested despite the promises of both the board and the manager Alan Pardew. Up front the team look weak, with Demba Ba and Shola Ameobi
failing to show any kind of understanding with one another in recent pre-season friendlies. This will be a cause for concern as the transfer window reaches its conclusion and Pardew may well be on the look-out for a new striker to add some creativity in the attacking areas.

Young player to watch:

Shane Ferguson. The young Irish winger looks a wonderful prospect and put in a handful of superb cameo performances for the Tyneside club last season. He possesses the ability and confidence to beat his marker one on one and could become a key member of the first-team squad this season.

Last Season: 12th
Prediction: 15th

Norwich City

Players in:

James Vaughan (Everton, £2.5m), Steve Morison (Millwall, £2.8m), Anthony Pilkington (Huddersfield, £2m), Elliott Bennett (Brighton, £1.5m), Bradley Johnson (Leeds, free), Kyle Naughton (Tottenham, loan), Ritchie de Laet (Manchester United, loan).

Players out:

Luke Daley (Plymouth, undisclosed), Jed Steer (Yeovil, loan), Ryan Oakley, Matt Gill, Jens Berthel Askou, Sam Habergham (released).

Strengths:

The young and talented Paul Lambert has worked wonders at Carrow Road since jumping ship from Colchester two seasons ago. Back to back promotions, with the squad available to him, is a remarkable achievement, and he is definitely the best man for the job. Grant Holt has proven himself a handful in the lower leagues and will be eager to prove those doubters that believe he is not cut out for the Premiership wrong. With a small amount of funds available Lambert
has invested well this summer, the loan signing of Kyle Naughton from Spurs in particular could prove to be a shrewd bit of business from the Scot. New signing James Vaughan has played well at this level before, but his shaky fitness makes it a risky purchase from the Norwich board. If he can stay fit, then he could turn out to be a bargain at just £2.5m.

Weaknesses:

The lack of funds has meant that there are still areas of the team that could definitely do with being strengthened. The club’s reliance on players originally from the lower leagues to get them out of first League One and then the Championship could prove costly such is the gulf in class between the Championship and the Premiership. The machine that randomly decides Premiership fixtures has dealt the club a horrible finale to the season, with games against
Spurs, Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal from April onwards. Realistically if the Canaries want any chance of survival they need to be sitting pretty in mid-table by Easter.

Young player to watch:

Kyle Naughton. The young centre-back was imperious on loan at QPR last season and has all the attributes to succeed at the highest level. Many Spurs fans are dismayed by Redknapp’s decision to let the promising youngster leave on loan while their own problems at centre-back continue.

Last season: Championship- 2nd
Prediction: 19th

Queens Park Rangers

Players in:

Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff, free), Kieron Dyer (West Ham, free), Danny Gabbidon (West Ham, free), DJ Campbell (Blackpool, £1.25m), Brian Murphy (Ipswich, free)

Players out:

Mikele Leigertwood (Reading, free), Lee Brown (Bristol Rovers, free), Angelo Balanta (MK Dons, loan), Peter Ramage (Crystal Palace, loan), Pascal Chimbonda, Gavin Mahon, Georgias Tofas, Josh Parker, Joe Oastler, Elliott Cox, Romone Rose, Niki-Lee Bulmer (all released)

Strengths:

Scoring goals should not be a problem with the addition of Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell to the squad. Adel Taarabt was the best player in the Championship by a country mile last year and his form this season will be vital if QPR wish to stay in the division. The club did well to block his potential move to PSG earlier in the summer and will hope that this decision pays off. Capable of moments of outstanding quality Taarabt has always had the talent but not necessarily
the temperament to succeed at this level, and there will be huge expectations of the young Moroccan at Loftus Road this season.

Weaknesses:

Despite being ‘the richest club in the world’, QPR’s owners have shown a severe lack of intent in the transfer window, with no major signings of note. Manager Neil Warnock has had to rely on free transfers rather than working with the financial backing of the board. While Danny Gabbidon and Kieron Dyer are both decent players, their questionable fitness makes it unlikely that they will be mainstays within the team this season. Realistically, their defence does not look good enough for the Premier League and there will be genuine fears from QPR fans that the club may go straight back down because of this.

Young player to watch:

Adel Taarabt. The Championship’s Player of the Year, Taarabt scored some sensational goals for the club last season and many of his performances were worth the ticket price alone at Loftus Road last season. The step-up in league should not faze the hugely-talented playmaker who has his sights set on playing for a Champions League club in the near future.

Last season: Championship- 1st
Prediction: 17th

Stoke City

Players in:

Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham, free) Mathew Upson (West Ham, free)

Players out:

Carl Dickinson (Watford, £500k), Abdoulaye Faye (West Ham, free), Eidur Gudjohnsen (AEK Athens, free), Ibrahima Sonko (Reading, free), Andrew Davies (Crystal Palace, loan), Matthew Lund (Oldham, loan), Zack Foster, Jack Harrison, Alexander Hedley, Cameron Mitchell, David Parton, Latom Wint (released)

Strengths:

Tony Pulis has built a robust team at the Brittania Stadium, but has also quietly and effectively introduced flair to his side as he has established the club in the Premier League. Etherington and Pennant in particular provide the creativity to supply Pulis’s rugged strikeforce, with both impressing as Stoke reached the FA Cup final last season. The signings of Woodgate and Upson on free transfers COULD be a masterstroke, if the pair can steer clear of injury for more than a week at a time. The club continued to be linked with Peter Crouch and Wilson Palacios, two players that would undoubtedly improve their squad. At home, particularly on a cold, wet and windy Wednesday night (according to Andy Gray) they are a match for anybody. But seriously, they have made the Brittania a horrible place for opposition teams to go, picking up 34 of their 46 points at home.

Weaknesses:

As pointed out above, they are very impressive at home, but not so good away. For Pulis to take his side to the next level and push to become a top ten side, this must change. He could do with a couple of players who can keep the ball under pressure rather than just playing it long as though effective at times, this was also their undoing away from home, as they consistently lost possession cheaply.

Young player to watch:

Ryan Shawcross. Despite Arsene Wenger’s damning criticism of the young centre-back after he broke Aaron Ramsey’s leg last year, the former Manchester United scholar has been a rock at the back for Stoke over the past two seasons. His performances have not gone unnoticed and the likes of Liverpool and Spurs are both said have lodged interest in the player.

Last season: 13th
Prediction: 11th

Sunderland

Players in:

Connor Wickham (Ipswich, £8m), Craig Gardner (Birmingham, £6m), Wes Brown, John O’Shea (both Manchester United, undisclosed), Ahmed Elmohamady (ENPPI, £2m), Wong-Don Ji (Chunnam Dragons, £2m), David Vaughan (Blackpool, free), Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham, free), Keiren Westwood (Coventry, free), Roarie Deacon (Arsenal, free), James McClean (Derry City, £350,000)

Players out:

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool, £20m), Steed Malbranque (St Etienne, undisclosed), Cristian Riveros (Kayserispor, loan), Nathan Luscombe (Hartlepool, free), Robbie Weir, Michael Kay (both Tranmere, free), Jean-Yves M’Voto (Oldham, free), Liam Noble (Carlisle, loan), Boudewijn Zenden, Dan Madden, Nathan Wilson, Michael Lamb, Andrew Harrison, David Brown (all released), George McCartney (West Ham, loan)

Strengths:

Steve Bruce has signed so many players this summer that some of them are bound to be a success. The permanent signing of Elmohamady after his impressive loan last season will please the Sunderland faithful while the club showed their financial clout earlier in the summer when pinching the highly-rated Connor Wickham from under the noses of Kenny Dalglish’s free- spending Liverpool. The double signing of O’Shea and Brown from United is a sound piece of business, while Craig Gardner, David Vaughan and Seb Larsson will also improve the squad while providing competition for places particularly in midfield.

Weaknesses:

Sunderland failed to find the back of the net regularly after Darren Bent’s acrimonious exit, but with the arrival of Connor Wickham to support Asamoah Gyan up front and with the contributions of goalscoring midfielder Craig Gardner this should be less of a problem this season. The huge intake of new players could lead to a disjointed start to the season but Bruce will be busy familiarising the players with one another and this should be resolved before too long.

Young player to watch:

Connor Wickham. The England U21 international attracted interest from a host of clubs before finally deciding on a move to the North East this summer. He is well-built and looked impressive playing for his former club Ipswich in the Championship last season, no mean feat for a player who only turned 18 in March. Bruce expects big things from the youngster, so much so that he splashed out an initial sum of £8m to secure his signature.

Last season: 10th
Prediction: 8th

Swansea City

Players in:

Michel Vorm (Utrecht, £1.5m) Danny Graham (Watford, £3.5m), Leroy Lita (Middlesbrough, £1.75m), Wayne Routledge (Newcaslte, undisclosed), Jose Moreira (Benfica, undisclosed), Steven Caulker (Tottenham, loan).

Players out:

Darren Pratley (Bolton, free), Dorus de Vries (Wolves, free), Gorka Pintado, Sam Rose-Miles, Thomas Butler, Jamie Grimes, Albert Serran, Cedric Van Der Gun, Charles Kasler, Jordan Prosser, Matthew Whatley (all released)

Strengths:

The club drew praise last season for their fluent passing style, with much of the end product being provided by the former Chelsea winger/striker Scott Sinclair. The 22-year old was fantastic as the Welsh side were promoted last season, scoring 22 goals, 3 of which came in the play-off final against Reading. The addition of Wayne Routledge to Brendan Rodgers’ side will provide more pace and width down the flanks and the manager will look to exploit the
talents of these two players. Their main summer signing is Danny Graham, the striker who cost £3.5m from Watford, and if he can share the weight with Sinclair of scoring the goals that keep Swansea up then the money will be seen as well spent.

Weaknesses:

Their commitment to an attractive approach could prove costly against stronger, tactically astute opposition. By pressing high up the pitch teams can force errors from Swansea’s unremarkable back-line, and if Rodgers commits too many men forward in his search of playing pretty football then other sides will punish them. Like a number of clubs in the division a lack of considerable financial backing restricts the club’s movement in the transfer market, and
where the manager will have wanted to strengthen areas like his defence with some decent experienced players he has been unable to, instead having to rely on loan moves for players who are not yet proven at this level, like Steven Caulkner from Tottenham.

Young player to watch:

Scott Sinclair. After never being given a real chance at Chelsea, Sinclair dropped out of the Premier League and proven his ability, particularly last season, when he finished the Championship top scorer. Few doubt his quality now, and should he play well this year it is difficult to see the maturing attacker stay with the club past the end of the season.

Last season: Championship- 3rd
Prediction: 20th

Tottenham Hotspur

Players in:

Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Souleymane Coulibaly (AC Siena, undisclosed), Cristian Ceballos (Barcelona, free)

Players out:

Jamie O’Hara (Wolves, £5m), Paul-Jose M’Poku (Standard Liege, undisclosed), Jonathan Woodgate (Stoke, free), Steven Caulker (Swansea, loan), Bongani Khumalo (Reading, loan), Kyle Naughton (Norwich, loan), Nathan Byrne (Bournemouth, loan), Ryan Mason (Doncaster, loan), Jon Obika (Yeovil, loan), Olumide Durojaiye (released),

Strengths:

Gareth Bale established himself as one of the best wingers in Europe last season after his fine performances in the Champions League against some of the continent’s top clubs. It is Luka Modric, however, that is the key to Spurs’ success and much will depend on Daniel Levy’s ability to keep the willowy Croat at White Hart Lane this season, with Chelsea’s interest lingering. The signing of Brad Friedel creates competition for the goalkeeper’s jersey, with Gomes mixing the superb with the sublime last season.

Weaknesses:

The uncertainty surrounding Luka Modric’s future casts a cloud over the club’s start to the season, while the team could still do with a truly world-class striker. None of the strikers at the club performed to their ability last season and Redknapp has openly admitted his interest in bringing in a proven forward. A centre-back is also a must, with Redknapp allowing Naughton and Khumalo to leave the club on loan while Woodgate has joined Stoke on a free transfer.

There is an awful lot of deadweight at the club, with the likes of Crouch, Bentley, Jenas and Pavlyuchenko all linked with exits in recent weeks, and the money raised from the sales of these players will be reinvested according to chairman Daniel Levy.

Young player to watch:

Kyle Walker. The pacy full-back returns from his successful loan at Aston Villa, and will be challenging for a starting place after impressing with England U21s in the European Championships this summer.

Last season: 5th
Prediction: 5th

West Bromwich Albion

Players in:

Shane Long (Reading £6.5m), Gareth McAuley (Ipswich, free), Billy Jones (Preston, free), Marton Fulop (Ipswich, free), Ben Foster (Birmingham, loan), Zoltan Gera (Fulham, free).

Players out:

Borja Valero (Villarreal, undisclosed), Scott Carson (Bursaspor, undisclosed), Gianni Zuiverloon (Real Mallorca, free), Boaz Myhill (Birmingham, loan), Chris Wood (Birmingham, loan), Giles Barnes (Doncaster, free), Abdoulaye Meite, Marcus Haber (all released)

Strengths:

The signing of Shane Long from Reading could be an inspired move from Roy Hodgson. Peter Odemwingie was, along with Chris Brunt, West Brom’s standout performer last season and bore much of the responsibility for the side’s goals. While he coped with this responsibility admirably the signing of Long offers him quality support up front. Long was unfortunate not to get promoted with his former club Reading last season after spearheading their play-off bid for
much of the campaign. Ben Foster, while still being prone to the odd moment of madness, is a better keeper than the outgoing Scott Carson, so his signing strengthens the club’s defence. The midfield is where they really impressed last season, and the club have done well to tie captain Christ Brunt and fellow midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu down to new long-term deals.

Weaknesses:

Defensively, despite the signing of Foster from Birmingham, they still look shaky. Hodgson could really do with revamping his back four, as for all the team’s quality in midfield and up front, the defence does not quite match up. The signings of Gareth McAuley and Billy Jones do not quite fit the bill, with the former joining from a mid-table Championship side and the latter from a side that got relegated to League One.

(Kind of) Young player to watch:

Shane Long. After moving from losing play-off finalists Reading during the close season the Irish striker will look to impress on his first attempt at this level. Comfortable playing as a target man, he is likely to be the foil for the wiry and athletic Odemwingie, who so impressed at the Hawthorns last season.

Last season: 11th
Prediction: 13th

Wigan Athletic

Players in:

Ali Al-Habsi (Bolton, £4m), David Jones (Wolves, free)

Players out:

Charles N’Zogbia (Aston Villa, £9.5m), Steven Caldwell (Birmingham, free), Daniel de Ridder, Jason Koumas, Daniel Lambert, Thomas Oakes, Mike Pollit, Abian Serrano, Callum Williams (all released)

Strengths:

The permanent signing of Ali Al-Habsi provides some solidarity at the back. The keeper impressed whilst on loan from Bolton last season and fans and team-mates will be glad to have him back at the club. The team showed remarkable resolve to stay in the division last season, after many wrote them off. Hugo Rodallega is as infuriating as he is talented. At times wonderful, at other times shambolic, the burly striker could be fantastic in this division if he
could add consistency to his game. The young midfielder James McCarthy in midfield has continued to shine in modest surroundings and Martinez must look to shape the team around the Scotsman.

Weaknesses:

Martinez must learn to work within his players means. Rather than attempting to romanticise their play he must realise that those at his disposal are not as good as he imagines them to be. The loss of N’Zogbia to Villa is huge, and with Martinez lacking the funds or appeal to adequately replace him, there is a big gap left in the team by his departure.

Young player to watch:

James McCarthy. Tipped for greatness from a very early age, eyebrows were raised when the midfielder joined Wigan back in 2009, but his progression has not faltered and he appears to be gaining confidence and exerting more influence with each game that he plays for the club.

Last season: 16th
Prediction: 18th

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Players in:

Roger Johnson (Birmingham, £7m), Jamie O’Hara (Tottenham, £5m), Dorus de Vries (Swansea, free)

Players out:

Greg Halford (Portsmouth, undisclosed), David Jones (Wigan, free), Steven Mouyokolo (Sochaux, loan), Scott Malone (Bournemouth, loan), Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Sheffield United, loan), Adriano Basso, John Dunleavy, Marcus Hahnemann, Andre Landell, Nathan Rooney (all released)

Strengths:

Mick McCarthy has done well to bring in the imposing Roger Johnson and the all-action Jamie O’Hara, after the latter became a fans favourite with his forceful displays whilst on loan from Spurs. His team showed last season that they are more than capable of matching any side in the division, with wins against Man City, Chelsea and Man United testament to this. If the manager can get them to show the same drive that they do against the top clubs in all of their games then they will enjoy a far more comfortable season than the last.

Weaknesses:

Goals, or a lack of them. For such a talented player it was disappointing to see Kevin Doyle manage just 5 goals in the league last season. Steven Fletcher weighed in with some crucial goals late on in the campaign, but the two never hit it off with one another quite like they could and should have. McCarthy will need to address this, as both merit places in his starting eleven.

Young player to watch:

Matt Jarvis. The confident winger finally managed to force his way into Fabio Capello’s England set-up in March despite the Italian’s best attempts to ignore the mesmerising performances Jarvis had been producing for his club. An international debut followed and the winger looks high on confidence as the new season is set to begin.

Last season: 17th
Prediction: 14th

Arsenal

Players in:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Southampton, £11m), Gervinho (Lille, £11m), Jon Toral, Hector Bellerin (Both Barcelona, undisclosed), Carl Jenkinson (Charlton, undisclosed)

Players out:

Gael Clichy (Manchester City, £7m), Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Ipswich, £1.1m), Wellington (Levante, loan), Mark Randall (Chesterfield, free), Roarie Deacon (Sunderland, free), Denilson (Sao Paulo, loan), Samuel Galindo (Gimnastic De
Tarragona, loan), James Shea (Dagenham, loan), Thomas Cruise (released)

Strengths:

Despite the seemingly imminent departures of the influential midfield duo of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri the team remain strong in attack, where they boast Robin Van Persie, who, on his day is one of the most feared strikers around. If fitness permits the Dutchman to feature regularly for the club this season then fans can look forward to a mouth-watering partnership with Gervinho, the strong, pacy striker recently acquired from French champions Lille. The latter has looked promising in pre-season and appears to possess a clinical nature that the likes of Bendtner and Chamakh seem only able to dream of. Arsene Wenger has also reached for the chequebook to bring the highly-rated Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to the club from Southampton after a lengthy courting period. In Jack Wilshere they have the best young midfielder in the country and after a remarkable season can expect his influence within the team to grow and grow.

Weaknesses:

While things appear rosy up top for the Gunners the rest of Wenger’s team is undecided as the futures of key players like Fabregas and Nasri remain unresolved. Should either or both of them leave Wenger will have little option but to delve into the transfer market once more with fan’s unlikely to accept anything less than a proven international. Juan Mata from Valencia has been sounded out as a possible replacement for either Fabregas or Nasri but the club’s hesitancy in completing a deal a couple of weeks ago means they will now have to fork out more than they would have to secure his signature, after his release clause rose.

Fans will hope that centre-back Thomas Vermaelen can steer clear of the treatment room this season and build on what was overall an impressive first year at the Emirates. Wenger needs someone he knows is going to play 40 odd games over the course of the season to provide some much-needed continuity at the heart of their defence and the rumours surrounding a potential move for Bolton’s Gary Cahill could be well-founded The manager is yet to rectify the hole left at left-back cause by the departure of Gael Clichy to Manchester City with Clichy’s understudy both inexperienced and injury-prone. Wenger’s remarkable continued refusal to sign an experienced goalkeeper confirms that Szechny has established himself as Arsenal’s number one and spells the end of Manuel Almunia’s colourful stay at the club, while
a number of other players at the club must feel they too are heading towards the exit door.

Young player to watch:

Ryo Miyaichi. The young striker has been granted a work permit after being farmed out on loan to Feyenoord last season, a time in which he scored 3 goals and provided 5 assists in just 12 games. Miyaichi is expected to feature for the first-team after impressing during pre-season, with Arsene Wenger including him in the club’s 23 man squad for their Champions League qualifier against Udinese.

Last Season: 4th
Prediction: 6th

Aston Villa

Players in:

Shay Given (Manchester City, £3.5m), Charles N’Zogbia (Wigan, £9.5m)

Players out:

Ashley Young (Manchester United, £20m), Stewart Downing (Liverpool, £20m), Nigel Reo-Coker (Bolton, free), Brad Friedel (Tottenham, free), John Carew (West Ham, free), Harry Forrester (Brentford, free), Moustapha Salifou, Robert Pires,
Isaiah Osbourne, Arsenio Halfhuid, Durrell Berry, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan (all released)

Strengths:

Any disappointment at seeing Brad Friedel move on a free transfer to Spurs has been outweighed by the excitement at the signing of Shay Given from Manchester City. After being usurped at the Etihad Stadium by Joe Hart, Given’s career looked set to be in a decline but his move to Villa, with the promise of first-team football, is likely to prove a huge success for both the talented shot-stopper and the club. Another of Manchester City’s alumni could also prove pivotal for Villa this season despite a couple of seasons in the footballing wilderness. Stephen Ireland, was, once upon a
time, one of the best midfielders in the league and if the controversially appointed Alex McCleish can harness the fiery Irishman’s talents and temperament then he could have a large impact at the club. The arrival of Charles N’Zogbia from Wigan is an attempt by the owners to quell the considerable anger of the fans following the sales of Stewart Downing to Liverpool and Ashley Young to Manchester United, and while he is undeniably a tricky and talented winger he can be too selfish at times, a facet of his play that will be particularly evident following the unselfish play of
Downing last season. N’Zogbia brings flair and guile that will be a strength to the team but he does at the same time possess the potential to upset team-mates at times with his individualistic style of play.

Darren Bent has proved that he will score for whoever he plays for and fans will hope that his tally will not be affected too greatly by the departure of Downing and Young and that the likes of N’Zogbia and Albrighton will step up to provide their number nine with the chances he needs.

Weaknesses:

The fact Young and Downing have left means that, Darren Bent aside, the club are shorn of their main attacking threats. Last season Downing provided 7 assists and 7 goals while Young helped himself to 9 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

An inconsistent season at the back from centre-backs James Collins and Richard Dunne is a cause for concern as the new season approaches but the options available to McCleish and Randy Lerner’s obvious reluctance to spend mean there is little choice but to start with the same two players at the back.

There has been something of an exodus at Villa Park over the summer with Carew, Reo-Coker, Pires and Osbourne all being released on a free despite proving important members of the squad in the past. They are yet to be replaced and it is a worry that as the season progresses and inevitable injuries begin to take their toll whether Villa’s small squad will be able to cope without investment into new players.

Young player to watch:

Marc Albrighton. The young winger seized his chance last season and impressed on numerous occasions with his work-rate and first-rate deliveries. An England U21 international, Albrighton looks comfortable on either wing and it is his input that could be crucial in providing Darren Bent with goal-scoring opportunities this campaign.

Last Season: 9th
Prediction: 12th

Blackburn Rovers

Players in:

David Goodwillie (Dundee United, undisclosed), Myles Anderson (Aberdeen, undisclosed), Radosav Petrovic (Partizan Belgrade, undisclosed)

Players out:

Phil Jones (Manchester United, £16.5m), Frank Fielding (Derby, undisclosed), Jason Brown (Aberdeen, free), Zurab Khizanishvili, Jordan Bowen, Michael Potts, Benjani Mwaruwari, Maceo Rigters (all released)

Strengths:

In Paul Robinson they possess one of the best goalkeepers in the league, while their midfield is well-rounded with the likes of Gamst Pedersen, Emerton and Hoillett performing consistently well over the course of the last campaign. If Chris Samba stays and Steve Kean manages to bring in the imposing Sol Bamba from Leicester, that amusingly named partnership of Samba-Bamba could prove pivotal to their success this season.

Weaknesses:

Their forward line contributed a paltry 16 league goals last season and is definitely an area that Kean will look to strengthen before the end of the transfer window. David Goodwillie has crossed the border from Dundee United and fans can expect goals from the young striker who averaged nearly one every two games in all competitions last season. The departures of Benjani and Diouf from the club leave Kean with just Roberts, Kalinic and now Goodwillie as his recognised strikers, and with Kalinic actively seeking a transfer it seems inevitable that Kean will delve back into the transfer market before September 1st.

Young player to watch:

Mauro Formica. After joining the club for £3.5m during the January transfer window the player once dubbed ‘the new Batistuta’ has impressed during pre-season and the tricky midfielder looks set to finally make an impact at the club.

Last Season: 15th
Prediction: 16th

Bolton Wanderers

Players in:

Darren Pratley (Swansea, free), Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa, free), Chris Eagles (Burnley, undisclosed), Tyrone Mears (Burnley, undisclosed), Sanli Tuncay (Wolfsburg, loan).

Players out:

Ali Al Habsi (Wigan, £4m), Matt Taylor (West Ham, undisclosed), Danny Ward (Huddersfield, undisclosed), Joey O’Brien (West Ham, free), Johan Elmander (Galatasaray, free), Sam Sheridan (Stockport, free), Andrew Burns (Bradford, free),
Jlloyd Samuel, Tamir Cohen, Maison McGeechan, Tom Eckersley (all released), Gavin McCann (retired)

Strengths:

Stuart Holden was one of the league’s outstanding performers before his horrible injury at Old Trafford in March. Before that Bolton were in seventh position in the league and had just reached an FA Cup semi-final. Without him they lost that game during a run of form that saw them 8 of their last 10 games, finishing in 14th place as a result. Fans will hope that the industrious midfielder maintains his fitness this season and his return from injury will feel like a new signing for his manager Owen Coyle. The midfield has been reinforced by the signings of Nigel Reo-Coker from Villa
and Darren Pratley from Swansea on free transfers, while the slippery Chris Eagles has joined the club from Burnley for an undisclosed fee. Kevin Davies continues to unruffled feathers across the league and this remains a key feature of their game as he creates space for those around him to exploit.

Weaknesses:

The impressive Chung-Yong Lee suffered a serious leg break during pre-seaosn training and will be a big loss to the team after he enjoyed a decent season on the wing for the Trotters. A similar injury then struck new signing Tyrone Mears ruling him out for the first 6 months of the season and prompting Owen Coyle to consider another defensive signing. If Gary Cahill does leave the club for one of the league’s top teams then there will be a huge hole at the centre of Bolton’s defence that Coyle will have to fill, and quickly. Johan Elmander has left the club whilst Daniel Sturridge has returned to Chelsea after his successful loan spell leaving the team slightly light up front. Coyle will be on the look out for a cheap striker or a raw young player to take on loan as he has done with Sturridge and Wilshere in recent seasons.

Young player to watch:

Mark Davies. The accomplished central midfielder thrived alongside Stuart Holden last season and his athleticism and composure on the ball make him a tricky opponent for anyone.

Last Season: 14th
Prediction: 10th

Chelsea

Players in:

Oriol Romeu (Barcelona, £4.35m), Thibaud Courtois (Genk, £5m), Lucas Piazon (Sao Paulo, undisclosed), Romelu Lukaku (Anderlecht, undisclosed).

Players out:

Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala, £13.2m), Michael Mancienne (Hamburg, £3m), Nemanja Matic (Benfica, undisclosed), Jeffrey Bruma (Hamburg, undisclosed), Jack Cork (Southampton, £750k), Danny Philliskirk (Sheffield United, free), Jan
Sebek, Bobby Devyne, Anton Rodgers, Ben Sampayo, Carl Magnay, Michael Woods (all released), Jacopo Sala (Hamburg, undisclosed); Gokhan Tore (Hamburg, undisclosed), Sam Hutchinson (released); Carl Magnay (released); Sam Walker
(Northampton, loan)

Strengths:

Chelsea can point to a bright future with a number of players and signings challenging for playing time this season. Josh McEachran, Gael Kakuta, Romelu Lukaku and Oreol Lomeu will all have an eye on a place in the first-team and this competition for places should spur some of the older players in the team to play to their best to retain a place in the side. The experienced older players like Drogba, Lampard and Terry can also guide and advise the younger players as they are integrated into the first-team squad.

Weaknesses:

It is hard to identify many weaknesses within the Chelsea squad but one possible failing could be the lack of a truly world-class right-back. With the imperious Ashley Cole bombarding down the left it is a shame that Chelsea do not have a similarly adept player on the right-hand side. Also, while the older players do provide experience they also provide an uncertainty surrounding how many games they will complete and the intensity and level of their performances week-in week-out.

Young player to watch:

Josh McEachran. After being blooded into the first team squad over the course of the last season, in which he made appearances in all 5 competitions that Chelsea entered, the central midfielder excelled during Chelsea’s recent pre-season tour of the US, impressing the new manager Andre Villas-Boas whilst doing so.

Last Season: 2nd
Prediction: 3rd

Everton

Players in:

Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon, loan)

Players out:

James Vaughan (Norwich, £2.5m), Iain Turner (Preston, free), Kieran Agard (Yeovil, free), Hope Akpan (Crawley, free), Nathan Craig (released).

Strengths:

The consistency of players like Tim Cahill, Phil Neville and Leon Osman provides a strong core to Everton’s side, while the formidable partnership of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin at centre-back makes Everton a hard team to break down. Mikel Arteta and Jack Rodwell add creativity to their midfield which creates a balanced side that offers steel and flair. Their attacking full-backs add width down either flank, with Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman excelling in these roles last campaign. Louis Saha, when fit, is a clinical striker, and if he can spend more time on the pitch than
with the physio then Everton can look to him to finish off the chances created by those further back the pitch.

Weaknesses:

The ankle ligament injury that rules the impressive Seamus Coleman out of the first few months of the season is a cruel blow to David Moyes’ side and it is difficult to see who will fill the void left by the player down the right-hand side, with Tony Hibbert appearing far too defensive when tried there in recent years. The injury proneness of Everton’s already small squad could be the difference between a European qualification place and a finish in the top half of the table for The Toffees. Up front Louis Saha is at times brilliant but his lack of fitness contributed to the fact that
Everton scored just 51 goals last season, and for Everton to maintain their position nearer the top half of the table this must improve.

Young player to watch:

Ross Barkley. The young midfielder looked set to break into the Everton first-team last year before a horrible broken leg whilst playing for England U19s meant he has had to wait for his chance. The club have high hopes for the player, who has been at the club since the age of 11, and Moyes looks set to involve the versatile midfielder with his first-team squad this season.

Last Season: 7th
Prediction: 7th

Fulham

Players in:

Pajtim Kasami (Palermo, £4m), John Arne Riise (Roma, £2.4m), Marcel Gecov (Slovan Liberec, undisclosed), Dan Burn (Darlington, undisclosed), Csaba Somogyi (Rakospalotai, free).

Players out:

Jonathan Greening (Nottingham Forest, £670,000), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace, undisclosed), Zoltan Gera (West Brom, free), Diomansy Kamara (Eskisehirspor, free), John Paintsil (Leicester, free), Eddie Johnson (released), Pascal Zuberbuhler (released), David Stockdale (Ipswich, loan).

Strengths:

Playmaker Danny Murphy makes Fulham tick and with him in the side they are bound to create chances. The return of Bobby Zamora from injury at the end of last season coincided with a decent run of form for The Cottagers and after looking
relegation candidates before Christmas they ended the season in a respectable 8th place. Zamora’s goals will be key to the side this season, as will the strength of Brede Hangeland at the back. The tall defender put in some fantastic performances last season and fans will hope there are more to come this term as they push for a European qualification place. Their new manager Martin Jol looks to play an attractive style of attacking football and players like Murphy, Dempsey and Zamora will be key to his side’s success in achieving this.

Weaknesses:

Chairman Mohammed Al-Fayed’s failure to inject any real transfer funds into the club means Jol must manipulate what is already at his disposal rather than going out and buying players to improve his squad. Mark Hughes did a fantastic job at this last season and it will be interesting to see how Jol handles the similar group of players.

Young player to watch:

Moussa Dembele. The young Belgian has struggled to make an impact at Craven Cottage during his stay so far, but the indifferent form of Andy Johnson, and a well-timed return from injury could see him support Bobby Zamora up front. The pacy frontman must apply his considerable talent to turn his undoubted potential into actual ability.

Last Season: 8th
Prediction: 9th

Liverpool

Players in:

Stewart Downing (Aston Vila, £20m), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland, £20m), Charlie Adam (Blackpool, £9m), Alexander Doni (Roma, undisclosed), Jose Enrique (Newcastle, £6m).

Players out:

Paul Konchesky (Leicester, undisclosed), Chris Mavinga (Rennes, undisclosed), Tom Ince (Blackpool, undisclosed), Gerado Bruna (Blackpool, undisclosed), Peter Gulacsi (Hull, loan), Stephen Darby (Rochdale, loan), Martin Hansen (Bradford, loan), Jason Banton, Deale Chamberlain, Alex Cooper, Sean Highdale, Steven Irwin, Nikola Saric (all released)

Strengths:

Following the signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in January, and Carroll’s subsequent return from injury Liverpool now boast arguably one of the best attacking partnerships in the league. The signing of Stewart Downing, despite his inflated fee, is crucial to the way Dalglish wants his side to play, and it will be interesting to see how
quickly it takes him, Suarez and Carroll to gel. Suarez in particular has been in superb form in recent months particularly during the Copa America whilst representing the eventual winners Uruguay. The recent acquisition of Jose Enrique from Newcastle is a huge coup, and adds sturdiness and reliability to a sometimes flaky back four. Jose
Reina, arguably the best keeper in the league will no doubt be relieved by Enrique’s arrival in front of him.

Weaknesses:

In what can be perceived as both a strength and a weakness the club have picked up the habit of collecting central midfielders. At the time of writing the following are on the club’s books; Steven Gerrard, Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, Raul Meireles, Lucas Leiva, Jay Spearing, Alberto Aquilani, Christian Poulsen, Joe Cole and Jonjo
Shelvey. How Dalglish plans to accommodate so many players in anyone’s guess and the decision on who to play from this plethora of names is going to be a difficult one for the manager. Some will be gone by the time the transfer window closes but not enough to make it an easy decision for the Scot. As Jamie Carragher shows no signs of getting younger a lack of depth at centre-back will also be troubling the manager, as Daniel Agger, whilst looking brilliant at times, is far too susceptible to injury and players like Kyrgiakos not looking good enough for the Merseyside club.

Young player to watch:

Danny Wilson. As Dalglish struggles with problems at centre-back the young Scottish international may be called into action. Signed from Rangers last summer, the composed defender failed to impact on the first-team last season but after performing well for both the reserves and the Scotland national team, he may get more of a look-in at Anfield this season.

Last Season: 6th
Prediction: 4th

Manchester City

Players in:

Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, £38m), Gael Clichy (Arsenal, £7m), Stefan Savic (Partizan Belgrade, £7m), Costel Pantilimon (Poli Timisoara, undisclosed)

Players out:

Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich, £17m), Shay Given (Aston Villa, £3.5m), Scott Kay (Macclesfield, free), Shaleum Logan (Brentford, free), Andrew Tutte (Rochdale, free), Donal McDermott (Huddersfield, free), Michael Johnson (Leicester City, loan), Ryan McGivern (Crystal Palace, loan), Ben Mee (Burnley, loan), Kieran Trippier (Burnley, loan), James Poole, Javan Vidal, Patrick Vieira, James Wood (all released)

Strengths:

City possess a remarkable strength in depth despite the host of departures from the club over the summer. Mancini appears to have dealt well in the transfer market, bringing in the wonderful Argentine Sergio Aguero to provide flair up front while also shoring up the defence with the centre-back Stefan Savic and left-back Gael Clichy from Arsenal. City are now strong throughout their team with David Silva, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany being the outstanding performers during the last campaign. The pantomime villain Mario Balotelli has enjoyed a successful pre-season
(backheel drama aside) and will look to justify Mancini’s trust and perseverance with him this season. After finishing just behind second-placed Chelsea last time round Mancini and his men will have title ambitions this season and from the look of their squad they look like genuine challengers to Manchester United’s crown.

Weaknesses:

If there is a weakness in Mancini’s squad it is Mancini himself. The Italian must embrace some of the attacking players at his disposal and work out when to allow them the freedom to play their own game rather than adopting a defensive style that characterised the team at times, particularly against the top teams.

Young player to watch:

Mario Balotelli. It is hard not to be captivated by the young Italian what with his unfathomable behaviour both on and off the pitch, but on it, this could be his year. Mancini has shown patience and belief in the temperamental striker, now is the time for him to repay his mentor.

Last Season: 3rd
Prediction: 1st

Manchester United

Players in:

Phil Jones (Blackburn, £16.5m), Ashley Young (Aston Villa, £20m), David De Gea (Atletico Madrid, £20m), Pierluigi Gollini (free, Fiorentina)

Players out:

Wes Brown, John O’Shea (both Sunderland, undisclosed), Bebe (Besiktas, loan), Gary Neville (retired), Edwin van der Sar (retired), Paul Scholes (retired), Owen Hargreaves (released), Ryan Tunnicliffe, Scott Wootton (both Peterborough, loan), Conor Devlin (released), Joe Dudgeon (Hull City, undisclosed), Nicky Ajose (Peterborough, undisclosed), Robbie Brady (Hull, loan)

Strengths:

Alex Ferguson has instilled in his squad an unerring belief that whatever they score, they are never beaten until the final whistle. The remarkable comeback in the second half of last week’s Charity Shield game against Manchester City epitomised this. This, coupled with a supremely talented group of young players on the brink of the first team, make Ferguson’s men a force to be reckoned with. Phil Jones and Ashley Young have completed seamless moves into the squad with both impressing in the victory last weekend. Ferguson has told Jones he expects him to challenge Ferdinand
and Vidic for a starting berth this season and the young Englishman appears well equipped for the challenge. Wayne Rooney looks to be approaching top form again, and looks set to have a fantastic season after disappointing before Christmas last time round, while the young and effervescent Javier Hernandez is raring to build on the back of his superb debut season at the club.

Weaknesses:

Uncertainty surrounding Ferguson’s central midfield pairing remains, with a number of players vying for a starting role. His patience with Michael Carrick appears to be wearing thin, while the robust Tom Cleverly looks set to force his way into Ferguson’s thoughts after a strong pre-season. Interest in Wesley Sneijder is long-standing and his signing could be the one that solves Ferguson’s midfield dilemma.

Young player to watch:

Javier Hernandez. The Mexican hit the ground running after an impressive World Cup last summer and the feeling within the club is that the clever forward will go from strength to strength. A remarkable eye for goal and exceptional movement make him nightmare for defenders, and a wonderful partner for Wayne Rooney.

Last Season: 1st
Prediction: 2nd

Rangers look set to miss out on the re-signing of Kenny Miller from Bursaspor, after the Turkish outfit rejected Rangers ‘ridiculously low’ offer for the Scotland international. STV Sport have also reported that the Ibrox club have now pulled out of the running for the striker, unwilling to increase their offer.

Bursaspor have also intimated that the striker is on his way to Cardiff City to have a medical with the Championship side.

STV Sport report that Rangers placed a bid of €400,000, the same amount Bursaspor paid for the striker in January. The offer was rejected straight away by the Turkish side who want close to €1,000,000 for their player.

Bursaspor claim that Cardiff City have met their valuation and according to Erkan Kamat – the Director of Transfers – Miller will be heading to the Welsh capital for signing talks and a medical.

“The policy of Rangers is not good,” Kamat told STV. “I don’t like it. It is a ridiculously low offer. As far as we are concerned, Kenny Miller has been sold to Cardiff City. He is going to be their player and he is not going to Rangers.”

“We are in a very bad position now,” said Kamat. “We have a Europa League match next week, Kenny is going and we need another striker. We want one million euro to buy another player and we told Kenny’s agent this. I told also Andrew Dickson [Rangers' head of football administration] this.”

Meanwhile Carlos Cuellar has snubbed the deadline imposed by Rangers for the defender to make his mind up over a proposed return to Ibrox.

Despite a fee of around £2 million being agreed between Aston Villa and Rangers, Cuellar has headed back to his homeland rather than opening talks with the Ibrox side.

With the deadline looming for next week’s Champions League tie against Malmo, Ally McCoist and Rangers are left in No Man’s Land waiting for the Spanish defender to make a decision.

Ally McCoist said: “We wanted an answer from Carlos today, definitely. He knows that, as does his agent and lawyer. There has been no news yet, unfortunately, from Carlos. He’s not been in touch. I understand he’s in Spain. How would I assess our chances? I have no idea. There is only one man who can answer that question and that’s Carlos. I don’t know if he’s talking to other clubs in Spain but I’ve never asked for any assurances.

“Carlos has not been in touch with me. Andrew Dickson (Rangers’ head of football administration) has been in constant dialogue with his agent and obviously we are hoping to move it along. But the thing about his situation is that Carlos won’t be fit to play in the immediate future. So, as quickly as we want it over the line, it’s not a massive priority. At this stage, other players would be the priority.”

The Cuellar news came on the same day that Kyle Bartley announced that his main priority is to force his way into the Arsenal squad.

Bartley told Arsenal’s official website: “If I’m honest, I don’t think I was anywhere near the level to play for Arsenal last season. But I’ve come back, I feel really strong and I feel that I am ready now. I learned the demands of being at a top football club who are trying to win things and how important it is to be a champion and a winner. Every time you step on the pitch, you are going out there to win so there is a lot of pressure on you.

“I think I can offer something else [because] I am a little bit different to the other centre-backs. I like the physical side of the game and I see myself as a leader. If Arsene decides that he wants me in the first team then that will be fantastic.”

Bartley has recovered from the injury he sustained in March and is targeting a place in the Arsenal squad that will head to Germany for further pre-season duties.

He added: “I spoke to the boss on the Friday before they left [for Asia] and he told me that they had four centre backs [going on the tour] and obviously I wasn’t fully over my injury yet. It’s just one of those things.

“He has said he doesn’t want me going on loan yet and he hasn’t made his mind up. My hopes are the same as every year, to be an Arsenal first-team player. Hopefully, this year, that will happen.”

Maccabi Petah Tikva president Amos Luzon said on Thursday: “This is one of Israeli soccer’s biggest transfers. For the club this deal is unprecedented. I’m happy for Omar and for Israeli soccer. The deal is 90 per cent done. We have just a few last things to close. We’ve already moved the draft contract and the signature is only a procedural matter. I am very proud that our player goes from Maccabi Petah Tikva to Europe.”

However Celtic insisted yesterday that no deal had been agreed on, and were furious that it was revealed to the media that a deal had been done. According to the Daily Record, furious Parkhead officials were considering pulling the plug on a move after the Israeli side wrongly claimed that the £2 million switch had been sealed.

But now it looks like they have decided to ditch any move for Damari, after the Israeli’s tried to pressure Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell into pushing through the transfer, warning that he would move to Maccabi Haifa if the Parkhead side did not pay out the £2 million asking price.

Celtic will now turn their focus towards England international Jay Bothroyd, who left Cardiff City on a free at the end of last season after his contract at the Welsh club expired. Celtic have been linked with another move for Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy on loan, and according to Erik Huseklepp’s agent Celtic are reportedly back in for the Norwegian.

Source: Daily Record

Celtic are set to sign Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama and Israeli striker Omer Damari, however despite transfer fees and personal terms being agreed, the red tape of work permits await for both players.

Celtic have reportedly agreed terms with 20-year-old Kenyan Victor Wanyama, with a transfer fee of £1 million set to be paid to Wanyama’s current club, Germinal Beerschot.

It was reported that Rangers and Aston Villa were also interested in signing the teenager, while Standard Liege had an offer for the player accepted by Beerschot. Despite this Neil Lennon’s side agreed terms with the player, with only the work permit to negotiate.

And STV Sport have reported that Celtic have agreed a £2 million fee with Maccabi Petah Tikva for striker Omer Damari. It is reported that the Israeli club would be entitled to 30% of any future transfer fee as part of the deal.

“This is one of Israeli soccer’s biggest transfers,” Petah Tikva president Amos Luzon said. “For the club this deal is unprecedented. I’m happy for Omar and for Israeli soccer. The deal is 90 per cent done. We have just a few last things to close. We’ve already moved the draft contract and the signature is only a procedural matter. I am very proud that our player goes from Maccabi Petah Tikva to Europe.”

Tel Aviv duo Maccabi and Hapoel were also interested in signing the Israeli, however Luzon stated that he did not want to sell to another Israeli club, and this saw Celtic take pole position in the transfer race.

Israeli media have also reported that the striker is set to agree terms with Celtic worth £450,000 per year, just under £9,000 a week.

Both player’s application to the SFA for endorsing a certificate of sponsorship for a UK work permit will automatically be rejected by the governing body, as both players do not meet the criteria of having played 75% of competitive games for their countries in the last two years.

Celtic will then have to face an SFA appeal panel to gain their approval for their work permit application, before it is submitted to the Home Office for finalisation.

Source: STV Sport | Sky Sports | BBC Sport

Former SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith has been named as Rangers’ Director of Football. Smith will be based at Murray Park, with his responsibility being that of the club’s scouting system and transfer dealings, while overseeing the academy operations.

Another new appointment to the Rangers top brass, is that of Ali Russell who worked recently for Queen’s Park Rangers and Hearts, who will take on the role of Director of Operations and Commercial Activity

Russell will be based at Ibrox and will run the operation from there looking to build the commercial vitality of the club.

Whyte said: “I’m delighted that Gordon and Ali are with us and I think they will be key appointments for us. Gordon has a wealth of experience in football administration from his role with the SFA and his contacts in UEFA. He has a great Rangers background having been a key player in the 1970s for the club and I’m sure the fans will be delighted with his appointment. Gordon will be running things at Murray Park but he also has a good knowledge on the commercial side which is a great benefit. He will be working with the scouting set-up and also on transfers.

“Ali did a great job at QPR and he will be working with the management team we have at Ibrox. Due to my many business commitments I am unable to work at Rangers every day so Ali will be carrying out that aspect of things.”

Smith was appointed SFA Chief Executive in 2007, but after a number of high-profile scandals during his tenure – and the failure that was George Burley – the former Rangers, Brighton and Kilmarnock player departed Hampden in 2010, citing a number of reasons, including family illness.

At the time Smith said: “….there are external factors that need my attention. Stepping down, though, is something I have considered for some time. The majority of people I have encountered during nearly three years in the job have been extremely warm, friendly and hospitable towards me. Inevitably, there has also been a minority who have been less than supportive.

“It is not purely personal reasons, or the element of negativity I have experienced, that has made me leave the job. It is a combination of factors. Ultimately, I feel the timing is right.”

However Smith courted controversy even before he took the reins at Hampden Park, with comments made in the Rangers book ‘It’s Rangers For Me?’. He talked of bias against Rangers, and at the time when the SFA and Scottish Government are bringing in new legislation on Offensive Signing, Smith claimed that automatically banning songs because they can be taken as offensive was wrong.

He said: “The issue of sectarianism is topical again but we have to be careful we don’t become oversensitive to it all. Rangers fans sing God Save The Queen and Celtic fans boo it – does that mean the national anthem is offensive? Celtic make a point of extolling their background and tradition. They are quite happy to say that they have a tradition of Irish Catholicism and that they are a club founded by Brother Walfrid and immigrants to this country. And I am very comfortable with that. But why is there a problem when Rangers come out and say similar things? Why is it a problem when Rangers say they were set up by people from a Church of Scotland upbringing and that they have a Unionist background?”

After his resignation, Smith returned to media work with BBC Radio Scotland and re-registered as a Player’s agent.

His role as Director of Football, a common job title in European Football, has been tried before at Ibrox with former manager Dick Advocaat operating in the role when Alex McLeish was appointed Rangers manager in 2001.

However soon after Advocaat quit Rangers in September 2002, having made little impact in the role. Whyte, McCoist and Rangers fans alike will be hoping that Smith has more of an impact in the role as Advocaat did, and more of a positive impact than he did during his stint at the SFA.

One interesting point to note though, Rangers have tasked the two men – Smith and Russell – to do the jobs that former Chief Executive Martin Bain did solely, before being suspended by new Rangers owner Craig Whyte. While both men have extensive experience in the fields that they will be tasked to do, it is still confusing why the club feel the need to hire two men on significant wages to do the job of one man.

However the Rangers fans that I have talked too, welcome the hiring of both men and could bring further success to the club both on and off the field for the Ibrox side.