Rangers will be more determined than ever to retain their crown and ensure veteran boss Walter Smith bows out on a high as the curtain eventually comes down on his long and successful managerial career.

But Celtic will be just as hungry for success as rookie boss Neil Lennon bids to mark his first season as manager with silverware.

On paper, this could be Celtic's year. They have wasted no time in boosting personnel during a summer of speculation which has seen them linked with a whole host of names.

So far, the Hoops have added Charlie Mulgrew, Joe Ledley, Cha Du-Ri, Daryl Murphy and Gary Hooper to their ranks, while others look set to follow suit.

Across the other side of Glasgow, the Ibrox faithful could be forgiven for feeling a little anxious, with the club so far yet to recruit any new players, while Kris Boyd, Kevin Thomson, Danny Wilson, Steven Smith, Nacho Novo and DaMarcus Beasley have all moved on.

Burnley's Chris Eagles rejected a move to the Scottish champions after failing to agree personal terms but Gers boss Smith has been assured there will be cash to spend - so fans will be hoping to see a fresh injection of talent and new purchases for the first time since August 2008.

Elsewhere, Peter Houston has set himself high standards to live up to in his first full season at the Dundee United helm.

A third place finish in the SPL and an Active Nation Scottish Cup triumph means expectations will be high and fans will be looking for United to claim the coveted 'best of the rest' tag yet again.

However, they look set to face stiff competition for the coveted third spot from both Edinburgh clubs this season.

Hibernian will need to prove they have the staying power to maintain a challenge this time around after falling short in the latter stages of last season, having enjoyed an excellent run of form which even saw them tipped to split the Old Firm at one stage.

Hearts could mount a far stronger challenge this time around, as boss Jim Jefferies embarks upon his first full season in charge after returning to Tynecastle for a second spell in office.

The acquisition of players such as Darren Barr and Kevin Kyle should see them improve on their sixth place finish.

One manager who will be under major pressure to deliver a significant improvement will be Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee, who has already endured the wrath of the club's supporters.

The Dons finished ninth last term but will be expected to be in among the European places and, at the very least, secure a top six finish. With Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley among McGhee's new signings, hopes are justifiably high for a better showing.

Age proved to be no barrier at Motherwell, with 70-year-old veteran Craig Brown guiding them to a Europa League berth despite a turbulent season which saw them lose manager Jim Gannon halfway through. The question is, can Brown do it again?

St Johnstone proved to be something of a surprise package in their first year back in the top flight and could be strong contenders to finish in the top half of the table, as could Hamilton, who narrowly missed out last time after a strong finish to the season.

Kilmarnock and St Mirren both have new bosses in the shape of Mixu Paatelainen and Danny Lennon respectively, and survival looks set to be the main aim once again for both clubs, who have made no secret of their limited resources.

Avoiding relegation will also be the priority for newly-promoted Inverness, who are back in the SPL after triumphing in a hugely competitive Irn-Bru First Division.

They will be hoping to emulate the likes of St Johnstone and Hamilton, who have both done well to consolidate their place among Scotland's elite.