Soccer: Celtic start at home

Champions Celtic begin the defence of their Premier League crown with a home match against St Johnstone at Parkhead on July 28.

Martin O'Neill led the Glasgow giants to an historic treble last season in his first season in charge and will be looking to get off to a flier again when the 2001/02 season gets underway.

Arch-rivals Rangers, however, will have other ideas and will be desperate to signal their intentions on the opening day, but they face a tough opening day trip to Aberdeen.

Celtic's stunning success and Rangers' poor form was humiliating for the players and fans, but they have the perfect opportunity to gain revenge on September 29 when the sides meet at Ibrox in the first Old Firm game of the new campaign.

The second Saturday of season again throws up some intriguing contests, the most notable of which sees First Division champions Livingston travel to Ibrox to face Rangers.

If Jim Leishman's men needed any confirmation that they had arrived in the top flight then it will come on August 4 as his new signings come up against Dick Advocaat's big-money buys.

Celtic face a tricky trip to Kilmarnock, who beat them on the last day of last season, while ambitious Hibernian clash with cosmopolitan Dundee at Dens Park.