SPL ON TOUR

SCOTTISH football is wakening from a six-week slumber as our top clubs prepare for another assault on the SPL.

Whether it's survival or silverware that's on the agenda more mileage will be undertaken than ever before as our top 12 head far and wide for the customary pre-season tours.

Each of our sides will set out on their travels next month and Record Sport has compiled the football tourist's guide to their destinations.

ABERDEEN

Jimmy Calderwood's side have been warned by their boss not to return from I holiday overweight and it's just as well given the extra baggage they'll need as the fly to South Africa on July 11.

The scales will be out today when the squad report back to training with games against Peterhead and Elgin lined up before heading to the dark continent to play four matches.

CELTIC

The Parkhead outfit are hoping to stamp their championship credentials as emphatically as their passports will be over the next six weeks with Warsaw, Washington, Philadelphia and Boston all on the agenda.

Their programme begins with a visit to Poland to meet Legia Warsaw and Wisla Krakow in the first week of July.

They will then head out to a training camp in the United States and will kick off a three-match tour when the face DC United on July 12. It's Chivas of Gaudalajara two days later and they finish off against New England Revolution on the July 19.

Glamour friendlies against Premiership opposition have been arranged on their return. Parkhead will host both Everton and Manchester United with the climax a clash with English champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

DUNDEE UTD

It's all change at Tannadice with Craig Brewster's squad being revamped and they've lined up two games against local opposition during their pre-season train-ing camp in Denmark.

The first-team squad fly out on July 10 and return five days later and after games against Herfolge and Nordsaelland.

DUNFERMLINE

The Pars will face Turkish Super League side Rizespor during their pre-season trip to Holland.

The match takes place on Monday, July 10 and manager Jim Leishman said: "They finished ninth in their division last season behind champions Galatasary and are clearly a good team who will provide us with the kind of test we are looking for going into the new season."

Dunfermline will also face a Dutch amateur club in Enschede on July 8 and are hoping to schedule a game against a third team while they are away.

Leishman added: "We've got Hearts in our opening league game of the season at East End Park and the Holland trip can only stand us in good stead for the forthcoming campaign."

On their return home Dunfermline will also play friendlies against Gretna, Cowdenbeath, Osasuna, Carlisle and Cowdenbeath before the Jambos call on July 29.

FALKIRK

The Bairns have scheduled four games into a week-long stay in Holland as John Hughes fine tunes his players for another season in the top flight.

The club start their tour on the July 10 and will play Dwingeloo, 't Fean '58, Groningen and Turks Rizespor before returning to take on Norwich.

HIBS

Intertoto Cup duty means Tony Mowbray's side will pass up the chance to head to warmer climes.

The Easter Roasd outfit will face the winners of the tie between Dinaburg, of Latvia, and Torshavn, of the Faroe Islands, on July 1.

HEARTS

The Jambos players will assemble this morning after their break and are ready to enjoy the hospitality of millionaire owner Vladimir Romanov on a luxury yacht in the south of France.

Their pre-season tour of Austria next month will see them face local side Lask Linz and Slovakian UEFA Cup-bound outfit Spartak Trnava.

The Scottish Cup winners play Lask Linz -newly promoted to Austria's top flight - on July 5 and will lock horns with Trnava three days later although venues for the two matches are still to be announced. Hearts will spend 10 days in the Alpine country between July 3 and 13 to prepare for the coming campaign.

Club officials soon hope to announce opponents for a third match which will take place on July 12.

INVERNESS CT

Charlie Christie's Highlanders will content themselves with a week in Italy after missing out on a place in the Intertoto Cup.

The squad are expected to leave for Tuscany on July 3 for their base in Tuscany for seven days' training in the sun.

KILMARNOCK

Another side who have opted to head to for the Italian sunshine as Jim Jefferies takes his players to his favoured facility in Il Ciocco.

Their stint in the luxurious setting which has been previously favoured by Rangers will stretch from June 30 to July 7.

MOTHERWELL

New Fir Park boss Maurice Malpas has opted to take the short ferry crossing to Northern Ireland for a six-day stint which has a packed itinerary. Starting on July 15, they take on Crusaders, then visit Ballymena before finishing up with a game against Larne.

RANGERS

Paul Le Guen and his players will jet off for three games in South Africa.

Before they depart they will play Linfield at Windsor Park on July 6. On their return they will meet Middlesborough at Ibrox on July 22.

ST MIRREN

The Buddies may me the newest arrivals to the SPL but they are the last of the clubs to call a halt to their holiday. Gus McPherson's side will not report back for duty until next Monday and will then set off to their training base in Austria from July 3 to 9.

Taken from the Daily Record