⚽ The Kick-Off - Monday 3rd August 2026
Weekend round-up. Latest SPFL transfers including Aberdeen signing Chris Cadden from Hibs. Kieron Bowie moves to Sassuolo on loan. Neil Lennon signs new Dunfermline contract.
Random Scottish Football Fact #361:
Maurice Malpas played so many games for Dundee United (830) he ended up having two testimonials. The first in 1991 and the second in 2000.
WEEKEND ROUND-UP
➡️ WILLIAM HILL PREMIERSHIP
The Premiership season kicked off in style, with a 4-3 win, late drama and storylines throughout. St Johnstone came from 3-2 behind to beat Kilmarnock 4-3 yesterday. Aberdeen were one down going into added-on time before turning zero points into three points. Motherwell scored a cracking late counter-attacking team goal to beat Hibs at Easter Road. Dundee United and Rangers drew 1-1 on Friday night. St Mirren picked up three points away to Falkirk.
Aberdeen 2-1 Heart of Midlothian
Dundee United 1-1 Rangers
Falkirk 0-2 St Mirren
Hibernian 1-2 Motherwell
St Johnstone 4-3 Kilmarnock
➡️ WILLIAM HILL CHAMPIONSHIP
Ayr United, Partick Thistle and Livingston all got their Championship campaigns off to a winning start. Ayr beat Arbroath 2-0 at home. Livingston beat Queen’s Park by the same scoreline and Partick Thistle beat Greenock Morton 1-0 away. Inverness and Dunfermline drew 0-0, and Raith Rovers were held to an opening-day draw by Stenhousemuir.
Ayr United 2-0 Arbroath
Greenock Morton 0-1 Partick Thistle
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0-0 Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston 2-0 Queen’s Park
Raith Rovers 1-1 Stenhousemuir
➡️ WILLIAM HILL LEAGUE ONE
East Kilbride and Hamilton Academical recorded opening-day statement wins. League Two champions EK beat Queen of the South 5-1 at home. Hamilton beat Montrose 5-0 away. Ross County started life in League One with a 1-0 away win at Peterhead. It was goalless between Alloa and East Fife, as well as Cove Rangers v Airdrieonians.
Alloa Athletic 0-0 East Fife
Cove Rangers 0-0 Airdrieonians
East Kilbride 5-1 Queen of the South
Montrose 0-5 Hamilton Academical
Peterhead 0-1 Ross County
➡️ WILLIAM HILL LEAGUE TWO
Elgin City kicked off their League Two campaign in style with a 5-0 victory away to Edinburgh City. With six minutes to go and 2-0 up at home, Annan Athletic must have thought they were going to pick up the points against The Spartans. Four late goals resulted in a 4-2 away win. One of the title favourites, Clyde, beat Stranraer 3-1, while Forfar and Stirling Albion also recorded home wins.
Annan Athletic 2-4 The Spartans
Clyde 3-1 Stranraer
Edinburgh City 0-5 Elgin City
Forfar Athletic 1-0 Kelty Hearts
Stirling Albion 2-0 Dumbarton
⚽️ THE LATE GOALS SOCIETY
(goals scored in the 85th minute or later)
Ibrahim Said (Motherwell - 85’), Killian Phillips (St Mirren - 87’), James Craigen (The Spartans - 88’), Lewis Mayo (90’ - Aberdeen), Marc McNulty (90+1’ - The Spartans), Kevin Nisbet (Aberdeen - 90+5’), Jack MacIver (90+5’ - Elgin City), Marc McNulty (90+6’ - The Spartans)
🔴 THE RED CARD CLUB
(sent off over the weekend)
Stuart Findlay (Heart of Midlothian)
LATEST NEWS
🔴 Aberdeen made their 12th signing of the season. Chris Cadden joined from Hibernian on a two-year deal. - Aberdeen FC website
✍️ Motherwell have brought defender Jamie Knight-Lebel to Fir Park on loan from Bristol City. - Motherwell FC website
🔵 Kilmarnock signed full-back Jonathan Meier on a two-year deal. The 26-year-old was most recently at German third-tier club SSV Ulm. - Kilmarnock FC website
⚫️ St Mirren announced the signing of winger Luke Thomas ahead of kick-off on Saturday. The 27-year-old was most recently at Bristol City and is the Buddies’ eighth signing of the summer. - St Mirren website
✍️ Kieron Bowie has moved to Sassuolo on loan with an obligation to buy upon the fulfilment of certain conditions from Verona. He will join up with fellow Scot Josh Doig at the Serie A club. - BBC
✍️ Here is your roundup of signings across the rest of the SPFL.
Alloa Athletic signed 19-year-old defender Joseph McGrath on loan from Hibernian. - Alloa Athletic website
Annan Athletic made a double-loan signing from Queen’s Park. Defender Darryl Carrick and Goalkeeper Milosz Sliwinski have moved to Galabank. - Annan Athletic website
Dumbarton signed 18-year-old Celtic midfielder Owen Hartington on loan. - Dumbarton FC website
Livingston have brought Bruce Anderson back to the club on a one-year deal. The 27-year-old striker originally left for Kilmarnock in 2024. - Livingston FC website
Queen of the South made a double loan signing from Kilmarnock as part of their co-operation agreement. Ruari Ellis and Cole Coughlin joined the Doonhamers.
The League One club also signed 18-year-old forward Brodie Dair on loan from Fulham. - Queen of the South website
Stenhousemuir signed Oscar MacIntyre on a one-year deal. The 21-year-old was most recently at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. - Stenhousemuir FC website
Stirling Albion re-signed Billy Hutchison on a season-long loan from St Mirren. - Stirling Albion website
⚫️ Neil Lennon and assistant manager Iain Brunskill have signed new deals at Dunfermline Athletic. - Dunfermline Athletic website
⚽ Fraserburgh were the biggest winners in the Breedon Highland League over the weekend. They beat Rothes 7-0 away from home. Buckie Thistle also scored seven in a 7-2 home win over Banks o’Dee. Brora Rangers, 4-1 winners over Formartine United, and Lossiemouth, 2-1 away winners over Invergordon, join Buckie as the only three clubs to win two games from two. - view the Highland League table here
⚽ There were also plenty of goals in the Lowland League East and West.
In the East, Broxburn Athletic and Tranent are the only two clubs to maintain a 100% record after three games. Broxburn beat Lochee United 3-0, and Tranent beat last season’s Lowland League winners Linlithgow Rose 1-0. Brechin City picked up their first win in Lowland League football with a 2-1 away win over Bonnyrigg Rose.
In the West, Auchinleck Talbot beat Newton Stewart 9-0 away. There were also nine goals in the Caledonian Braves v Cumnock Juniors game. The hosts came out on top 6-3. Pollok, Talbot, The Braves and Largs Thistle maintained their 100% records over the weekend. - view the Lowland League tables here
⚽ Andy Irving scored his first goal for Sparta Praha over the weekend.
🆕 Queen of the South launched their new home and away shirts.
©️ Kevin Nisbet was named Aberdeen captain on Friday, with Brad Lyons getting the nod as vice-captain. - Aberdeen FC on X
©️ Reece Lyon was announced as the new Ayr United captain. Marc MacKenzie is vice-captain. - Ayr United on X
🆚 All five Scottish clubs are in the European play-off draws today. Hearts will be in both the UEFA Europa League and Conference League draws.
🏆 Three Premier Sports Last-16 games will be shown live on Premier Sports. Kilmarnock v Ayr United will be live on Friday, 14 August. Dundee United v Celtic will be shown on Sunday, and Rangers v St Mirren on the Sunday. The remaining matches will be shown live on the Premier Sports Player. - SPFL website
📺 Dunfermline Athletic v Raith Rovers has been moved to Friday, 28 August for live BBC Scotland Championship coverage. Aberdeen v Rangers on the Sunday of that weekend will kick-off at 12 noon and will be live on Sky Sports - SPFL website
🤯 The season has barely started, and we already have a first proper ‘heads gone’ in the East of Scotland Football League.
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES TODAY
➡️ WILLIAM HILL PREMIERSHIP
Celtic v Dundee (7.30pm - live on Sky Sports Main Event)
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