Accies start their Clydesdale Bank Premier League season at home to Dundee United on Monday, August 11 at New Douglas Park.

The First Division champions at least get to mark their achievement in front of their home fans after St Mirren were controversially forced to travel to Inverness on their return to the SPL two years ago.

Reid told PA Sport: "We are happy to get a home tie and unfurl the league flag as champions.

"I suppose we would have liked a Saturday but we are in the top league now and that involves Sundays and Monday nights and live television, and we will take what's given to us."

The Lanarkshire side then face consecutive away games against Inverness and Kilmarnock before hosting Hearts, and Reid is looking for his side to hit the ground running.

"The first three or four games of the season are games where we are looking to put points on the board, that's the case for everybody," he added.

"That's no disrespect to the likes of Inverness and Kilmarnock, they are seasoned SPL teams and going there will be tough.

"But if we want to make an impression on the league we have to take points from these games."

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The New Douglas Park clash is one of three games to be screened live by Setanta on the opening weekend.

Rangers kick off the season at Falkirk on Saturday August 9 at 12.30pm, while Celtic begin their title defence at home to St Mirren at the same time on the following day.

Another intriguing encounter sees Mark McGhee take his Motherwell team to Tynecastle after he rejected a move to Hearts following the end of last season.

Aberdeen host Inverness on the opening day and the Pittodrie outfit are happy with a more consistent fixture list.

Managing director Duncan Fraser said. "From an Aberdeen perspective, the fixtures are far more balanced than they have been in recent seasons, and it would certainly appear that our strenuous pleas to the league for a reduction in the level of back-to-back home and away games have been heeded.

"This makes it substantially easier from a supporter's perspective in terms of budgeting, it's something we've been very vociferous about and well done to the league for taking that on board."

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Rangers fans are furious with the SPL fixtures for the new season - particularly in the opening month of the campaign.

The Ibrox club will play three out of four games away from home - including tough trips to Aberdeen and Celtic.

Sandwiched between those two clashes will be their final Champions League qualifier.

"It`s mystifying," said Stephen Smith, spokesman for the Rangers Supporters Trust.

"Most people I've spoken to aren't very happy and can't understand why the games can't be played home and away alternately instead of three out of four games away from home.

"One of the Champions League qualifiers will also be away from home so there is a 50% chance of having three consecutive games away from home.

"Being mindful of how the season ended, this could cause a lot of problems for us again."

Fans were unhappy at the fixture congestion faced by their club towards the end of last season, as well as the Scottish Premier League's refusal to sanction a further extension to the campaign to aid Rangers` hopes of winning the UEFA Cup.

"There is a school of thought among Rangers supporters that what happened at the end of last season cost Rangers the title," added Smith.

"Fans will not be happy at all and if the Scottish football authorities are looking to provoke a backlash, they are going the right way about it."

Smith also had concerns about Rangers making the long journey to the Highlands to face Inverness Caledonian Thistle on January 3.

He said: "It`s criminal stupidity to ask one of the biggest supports in the country to travel the longest journey over the festive period. There must be a sensible solution that suits everyone."

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