The Scottish Premier League (SPL) currently comprises 12 members and is organised on a peculiar system that has attracted considerable criticism. Once the teams have played 33 games, the competition is split into two sections: the top six teams play each other once more as do the bottom six. Teams carry forward the points they earned during the first phase but no matter how many they gain in the second phase, they cannot move out of their section. This means that a club could finish in seventh place with more points than teams above them. Fixtures are organised using a seeding system based on previous performance designed to ensure clubs play each other twice home and away but the system breaks down if a team finishes in the "wrong" section. In this instance a team could play an opponent once at home and three times away or vice versa. A further weakness was exposed last season when Gretna were relegated in March, rendering all remaining matches in the lower section meaningless.
The champions of the Scottish Football League (SFL) First Division are promoted each season provided that they meet the criteria for playing in the SPL. These include a 6,000 all seat stadium although clubs may be allowed to enter into ground sharing arrangements while they upgrade their facilities or build a new stadium.
There has been considerable speculation over a proposal to expand the SPL by absorbing the SFL First Division to form SPL2, a move that would almost certainly bring about the demise of the Scottish Football League, but these have yet to materialise.
Aberdeen have updated their all-red home kit to the latest Nike template and have a new shirt sponsor.
Celtic's kit always draw upon a limited pallette of green, white and/or gold, the colours of the Irish tricolour. Gold now features in the collar and shorts of the home kit.
This season the club has revived the green and gold change kit last seen in 2003-04. Because of concerns about the promotion of alcohol to minors, replica kits sold to the public in children's sizes will not carry the Carling logo.
Peter Smith provided details of the home kit and John Murdoch supplied the all-gold version of the change kit. A special edition, incoporating the Celtic cross, symbol of the club's charitable arm, was worn on 17 May to mark National Famine Memorial Day in Ireland.
United turn out in kits that are little different from those of last season, simply adapted to Hummel's latest template.
Falkirk revealed their new kits as far back as April 2008. Designed by Puma there is nothing particularly remarkable about the home kit, in traditional navy and white with a tiny amount of red.
The Accies' home kit is unchanged from last season while the Brazil-style away kit has a new shirt sponsor and is now used as a third kit. A new away kit appears that resembles Argentina's strip, completing the South American theme.
Hearts launched their new away kit on 2 June, a design in dark navy and white that recalls the strip worn for a single season in the early seventies. On the back of the shirt, just below the neckband, is a Scottish saltire and the words "Hearts, Hearts Glorious Hearts" are embroidered on the shirt tail. the new home kit, launched the following month, is a dramatic all maroon outfit with minimal trimmings.
Thanks to Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Fernández for reporting the home kit.
Since 2004, Hibs have worn green shorts with their traditional green tops and white sleeves (although they briefly returned to white shorts last October) and their new home outfit continues the trend. Marketed under the strap line, "Sunshine from Leith," Hibs new away kit is a stunning creation in yellow with two shades of green trimming on the right hand side. The combination of complementary greens was introduced last season and reflects the fact that Hibs wore dark green until 1938 when emerald green was adopted.
Due to UEFA's ban on advertising spirits, Hibs arranged alternate sponsorship for their Inter-Toto Cup games.
Neil R Sharp provided details of both kits.
The new ICT home kit, designed by Errea, marks a return to the all-blue theme that was previously worn when the team won the First Division championship in 2004. It is club policy to retain their kits for two seasons so last season's all black change outfit appears once again but without the names of supporters who subscribed for the privilege of appearing on the shirt last season.
Kilmarnock are this season manufacturing and marketing kits under their own brand, (the club was formed in 1869). For home games the kit is based on tradition while the change kit is a striking all-purple affair.
The third kit was used for the first time in January 2009 at Falkirk and was spotted by John Murdoch.
Motherwell's new kit incoporates the familar chest band, ideal for showing of the sponsor's logo to good effect, along with claret sleeves. The away kit in all-white is based on a new Bukta template.
Rangers' website breathlessly launched the "stunning new home kit" on 13 July. It is, apparently "anatomically cut to emphasise the athleticism of the modern player" (so bound to be popular with pie-eating fans) and features a "hybrid neckline with no exposed seems" (sic). Furthermore it includes "twill mesh body fabric," a "zonal body map mesh design" and, inevitably, a Scottish saltire on the back of the neck. Despite all this, it looks like a bog standard Umbro template.
On a positive note, the rear of the shorts features the logo of the Rangers Charity Foundation.
Luke Conboy provided the away kit details, Jonathon Gibb and Craig Love reported the new third kit.
For the first time since 2001-02, St Mirren are turning out in black shorts. The new kit features red trimmings as well as assymetric trim on both shirts and shorts. The all-red away kit has similar features.