Kilmarnock defender David Lilley thinks finishing in the top half of the SPL will be harder than ever for his side this season.
Falkirk and St Mirren have strengthened their squads over the summer whilst Motherwell were lifted by the arrival of Mark McGhee and the return to fitness of a number of key players.
Killie have finished 5th in the SPL for 2 years in succession and will be looking to at least equal that feat with Lilley and the likes of David Fernandez and Eric Skora all returning from long lay-offs.
But Lilley thinks it will be harder to achieve given the improvement of other teams.
On Monday Killie host a Dundee United side new from a 1-0 opening triumph over Aberdeen that built on their impressive form for much of last season after Craig Levein had taken over in October.
Lilley, 29, said, "I think with the way United started and the way they looked in pre season they could be hoping to be top 6 as well. However, it is a hard league. Outside the Old Firm there is not a good deal between the rest of the teams. We are attempting to aim for top 6 again this season, which could be a good achievement for us, 3 years in a row. A lot of it is down to budgets. There is not a lot of money for managers to spend, so that is why there is not much between the teams."
Lilley moved to Ayrshire in 2004 following 18 months with Partick Thistle, all of which were spent in the top flight.
He felt the Firhill side were not as prepared for life in the SPL as they needed to be due to financial constraints.
He said, "Thistle was more a family-oriented club. Kilmarnock is obviously more of a professional set-up. The facilities are good and these small things all help."
But he expects the Jags and former Killie team mate Stevie Murray can bounce back to rejoin the SPL.
He said, "Sadly they have gone downhill a wee bit however they have got a new manager in Ian McCall. I spoke to Stevie Murray and he mentioned that they are looking good."
03 August 2007
Partick Thistle sign Everton youngster Stephen Connor on a 6 month loan deal.
The 18 year old striker, who can also play on the wing, was capped by England at Under-16 level.
Connor recently featured for Everton during a challenge match against a N. Ireland select.
And the Wirral born teenager will go straight into manager Ian McCall's Jags team for the 1st match of the season away to Stirling Albion.
02 August 2007
Derry City central defender Darren Kelly has until the weekend to win a transfer to Kilmarnock.
The 28 year old was on trial with the Scottish Premier League club and will be assessed again Friday.
Killie manager Jim Jefferies informed BBC Sport, "We had a look at him Tuesday and asked him back Friday. We have not got to the stage of discussing a fee, however we must decide whether we would like him and will have given him a decision by the end of the week."
Kelly is in his 3rd spell with Derry, having also been on the books of Shelbourne, Monaghan United, Carlisle United, who bought him for £100,000 in 2002, and Portadown.
Derry manager John Robertson has already signed a direct replacement in anticipation of Kelly's latest departure.
Mark McChrystal has rejoined the Irish club after being released by Partick Thistle.
Jefferies views Kelly as a replacement for Gordon Greer, who left Kilmarnock for family reasons in the summer and joined Doncaster Rovers.
Family reasons have also led to Kelly's wish for a return to the UK mainland.
And that alerted Kilmarnock, Dundee United, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Scottish Premier League newcomers Gretna to his availability.
Gretna were not prepared to pay the reported £50,000 fee being demanded by Derry.
Inverness dropped their interest as they could have preferred a loan deal.
Caley Thistle manager also decided against signing French trialist Giany Joinville as he seeks a replacement for Darren Dods, who moved to Dundee United in the summer.
The French central defender was on trial at Caledonian Stadium.
24 July 2007
Midfielder Derek Young has made a surprise return to Aberdeen, the club website has announced.
The 27 year old started his career at Pittodrie and made 129 appearances for the Dons between 1998 and 2003.
Current Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood brought Derek and his brother Darren to Dunfermline in 2003.
Following 3 seasons at East End Park, he started last term at St Johnstone however moved on to First Division rivals Partick Thistle.
Young made 31 appearances for the Jags, scoring 5 times.
He will meet up with his new team mates when they return from their visit to Egypt Wednesday.
18 July 2007
David Irons was said as the new head coach of Gretna, replacing Rowan Alexander ahead of the club's debut in the Scottish Premier League.
Irons, who was caretaker since Alexander had taken illness leave in March, will be assisted by new director of football Mick Wadsworth.
Wadsworth mentioned that it will be a joint effort between the 2 of them along with Gretna's other coaches.
"Davie will be heading the show," mentioned the former Carlisle United manager. "And we have faith in him to be an outstanding head coach."
Alexander, who was at Raydale Park for the past 7 seasons, led the club from Division 3 to the brink of the top flight.
But he was off with stress for the past 4 months, allegedly after a dressing-room row.
He said at the end of the season that he would return as manager, however his expects of leading Gretna in the top flight were dashed.
There was rumours that a compensation deal was being negotiated.
But managing director Brooks Mileson is refusing to reveal the role, if any, that Alexander will play.
Operations director Craig Mileson added, "Davie will be in charge for the new season along with Mick Wadsworth. We cannot said anything about Rowan at the moment."
The 46 year old Irons, who played for Ayr United, Dunfermline Athletic and Partick Thistle, joined Gretna 6 years ago as a player before being appointed assistant manager 2 years later.
Wadsworth was on a scouting position for the club over the past few months and previously had the title of director of club development.
09 June 2007
Aberdeen have withdrawn the offer of a new contract to goalie Jamie Langfield after a serious breach of discipline during a stag night.
The Scottish Premier League club will now listen to offers for the 27 year old international team keeper, who is getting married on Saturday.
Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood informed BBC Sport, "He slipped up 2 or 3 times at the end of the season. The 3rd one was maybe only a little bit over the top."
Calderwood was speaking following reports of a fight during a stag night in Spain.
A £70,000 transfer bid from Rangers was recently rejected, with the manager saying that the goalie preferred to remain at Pittodrie as 1st choice rather than be back up at Ibrox.
"Jamie has always been more than professional, however his recent behaviour has not been in keeping with that of a 1st team goalie at Aberdeen," mentioned Calderwood.
"He was disciplined and the offer of a new contract taken away from him."
Calderwood would not go as far as to say that Langfield would never play for the club again.
"Time will tell," the manager stated. "But he has a lot of bridges to build with myself and my assistant, Jimmy Nicholl. He has made a mistake and admitted that that, however the largest losers are his wife and family. He was absolutely brilliant for us and got himself back into the Scotland squad, however it is not going to be easy for him to get back into our 1st-team. If we do not get an offer for him that we find acceptable and Jamie finds acceptable, and if Derek Soutar gets an injury, he might get back in."
The goalkeeper, previously of Dundee, Raith Rovers, Partick Thistle and Dunfermline Athletic, was part of the Scotland team that travelled to the Faroe Islands in midweek.
And Langfield, who has a year of his current contract still to run, informed the Daily Mail, "It was my stag night and I was drunk. I think everyone was in a situation where they regret what they do on those sort of occasions. I spoke to the gaffer and he was not happy with me. I have apologised to him. However, if he has made up his mind then that is it. I must get on with my life now."
08 June 2007
Aberdeen deny that goalie Jamie Langfield is to be transfer listed following an alleged incident on his stag night in Spain.
The 27 year old was quoted as admitting that manager Jimmy Calderwood was unhappy with his behaviour.
But a Dons spokesman stressed that talks about a new contract would continue once Calderwood and Langfield return from their holidays abroad.
Langfield recently discarded a transfer bid from Rangers.
Calderwood has mentioned that the goalie preferred to remain at Pittodrie as 1st choice rather than be back up at Ibrox.
But, following the holiday incident, Langfield informed the Daily Mail, "It was my stag night and I was drunk. I think everyone was in a situation where they regret what they do on those sort of occasions. I spoke to the gaffer and he was not happy with me. I have apologised to him. However, if he has made up his mind then that is it. I must get on with my life now."
Langfield, previously of Dundee, Raith Rovers, Partick Thistle and Dunfermline Athletic, was part of the Scotland team that travelled to the Faroe Islands in midweek.
