PRE-SEASON FIXTURE FRENZY

SCOTTISH clubs have announced a host of attractive pre-season friendlies to whet your appetite for the new campaign.

The action doesn't start for real until July 29 when the SPL kicks off in earnest but there's some glamour ties before then over the summer.

Champions Celtic return from their tour of Poland and America to face Premiership giants Everton and Manchester United on July 23 and 26.

New Rangers boss Paul Le Guen takes his Ibrox bow on July 22 when Gareth Southgate (below right) brings his Middlesbrough side to Glasgow.

The pre-season games start on July 6 when Aberdeen visit Peterhead, while last year's dream team Gretna visit Dunfermline on July 15.

The Pars also play host to Spain's Osasuna five days later - the same day Jim Jeff eries' Kilmarnock entertain Bryan Robson's (below) West Brom.

Here's a full list of the pre-season fixtures already announced:

Tuesday 4th July

Legia Warsaw v Celtic (7.45pm)

Wednesday 5th July

Lask Linz v Hearts, Windischarsten, Austria (7pm)

Thursday 6th July

Peterhead v Aberdeen (7.45pm) Dalbeattie Star v Queen of South (7.30pm), Linfield v Rangers (7.45pm), Wisla Krakow v Celtic (7.45pm)

Saturday 8th July

Nairn County v Ross County (3pm), Raith Rovers v Dundee Utd (3pm), Rangers U19s v Dumbarton, Murray Park (7.30pm), Spartak Trnava v Hearts, Austria (tbc)

Sunday 9th July

Elgin City v Aberdeen (2pm)

Tuesday 11th July

Forfar Athletic v Dundee (7.30 pm), Edinburgh Uni v Cowdenbeath (7.30pm), Queen of South v Kilmarnock (7pm), Rangers v opposition tbc, Johannesburg, South Africa (tbc), Dwingelo v Falkirk, Holland (tbc)

Wednesday 12th July

DC Utd v Celtic (2.30pm), Elgin City v Inverness Caley Thistle (7.45pm), Dalbeattie Starv Gretna (7.45pm), East Fife v Cowdenbeath (7.30pm), Stenhousemuir v Moth-erwell (7.30pm), Hergolge v Dundee Utd, Denmark (7pm)

Thursday 13th July

Rangers U19s v Queen's Park, Murray Park (tbc), T.Fean 58 v Falkirk, Holland (tbc)

Friday 14th July

Rangers v Jomo Cosmos, Blomfontein Rugby Stadium, South Africa (2pm), Aberdeen v Blomfontein Celtic, Blomfontein Rugby Stadium, South Africa (4pm), Chivas of Gaudalajara v Celtic (midnight), Nordsealland v Dundee Utd, Denmark (6pm)

Saturday 15th July

Dunfermline v Gretna (2pm), Dalbeattie Star v Wishaw JFC (2.30pm), Stenhousemuir v Airdrie Utd (3pm), Forfar Athletic v St Johnstone (3pm), Raith Rovers v Livingston (3pm), Clyde v Rangers reserves (tbc), Stirling Albion v St Mirren (3pm), Ennstone Challenge Cup Semi-Final Kilmarnock v Elgin City, Borough Briggs (2pm), Ross County v Inverurie Locos, Borough Briggs (4pm), Preston North End v Hearts (tbc), Crusaders v Mother-well (3pm), FC Groningen v Falkirk, Holland (tbc)

Sunday 16th July

Rangers v Memelodi Sundowns, Johannesburg, South Africa (2pm), Aberdeen v Cosmos, Johannesburg, South Africa (4pm), Ennstone Challenge Cup 3rd/4th Place Loser of Match 1 v Loser of Match 2, Borough Briggs (1pm), Ennstone Challenge Cup Final Winner of Match 1 v Winner of Match 2, Borough Briggs (3pm), Dalbeattie Star v Livingston (2pm), Rizespor or Den Clerbirligni v Falkirk, Holland (tbc)

Monday 17th July

Cowdenbeath v Dunfermline Athletic (7.30pm), Buckie Thistle v Formartine JFC (7.45pm)

Tuesday 18th July

Alloa Athletic v St Johnstone (7.30pm), Stenhousemuir v Hamilton Academical (7.30pm), Ballymenav Motherwell (7.30pm), Peterhead v Inverness Caley Thistle (tbc), Ayr United v St Mirren (tbc)

Wednesday 19th July

Deveronvale v Inverness Caley Thistle (7.30pm, Raith Rovers v Falkirk (7.30pm), Forfar Athletic v Dundee Utd (7.30pm), Aberdeen v Jomo Cosmos, Johannesburg, South Africa (4pm), New England Revolution v Celtic (2.30pm), Hearts v Osasuna, Murrayfield (tbc), Dumbarton v St Mirren (tbc)

Thursday 20th July

Dunfermline v Osasuna (6.45pm), Kilmarnock v West Brom (7.45 pm), Montrose v Partick Thistle (7.30pm), Rangers reserves v Gretna, Murray Park (1.30pm), Stenhousemuir v St Johnstone (7.30pm), Livingston v Hearts (tbc)

Friday 21st July

Fraserburgh v St Johnstone (7.30pm), Dalbeattie Star v Cowdenbeath (7.45pm), Larne v Motherwell (7.30pm), Inverness Caley Thistle v Sheffield Utd (tbc)

Saturday 22nd July

Dunfermline Athletic v Carlisle Utd (2pm), Deveron-vale v Montrose (3pm), Dalbeattie Star v Queen's Park U19s (3pm), Ashington v Cowdenbeath (3pm), Buckie Thistle v Shotts Bon Accord JFC (3pm), Forfar Athletic v Airdrie Utd (3pm), Elgin City v Peterhead (3pm), Falkirk v Norwich City (3pm), Morton v St Mirren (3pm), Kilmarnock v Preston North End (3pm), Alloa Athletic v Partick Thistle (2pm), Stenhousemuir v Raith Rovers, (3pm), Rangers v Middlesbrough (tbc) Aberdeen v Wits, Johannesburg, South Africa (3pm), Dundee v Dundee Utd (tbc), Ross County v Inverness Caley Thistle (tbc)

Sunday 23rd July

Celtic v Everton (2pm), Motherwell v West Brom (3pm), Inverurie Locos v St Johnstone (2.30pm)

Monday 24th July

Deveronvale v Ross County (8pm), Elgin City v Livingston (7.45pm)

Tuesday 25th July

Dunfermline v West Brom (7.45pm), Dalbeattie Star v Gretna U19s (7.30pm), Falkirk v Airdrie Utd (7.30pm), Nairn County v Livingston (7.45pm), St Mirren v Partick Thistle (7.30pm), Brechin City vSt Johnstone (7.30pm)

Wednesday 26th July

Dalbeattie Starv Dumfries (7.45pm), Celtic v Manchester Utd (7.45pm), Montrose v Aberdeen (7.30pm) Buckie Thistle v Ross County (7.45pm), East Stirling v Falkirk (tbc)

Thursday 27th July

Cowdenbeath v St Johnstone (7.30pm), Rangers U19s v St Mirren, Murray Park (tbc) Friday 28th July

Peterhead v Rangers reserves (tbc)

Saturday 29th July

Buckie Thistle v Elgin City (2pm), Dalbeattie Star v Maryhill JFC (3 pm), Preston Athletic v Deveronvale (3pm), Forfar Athletic v Nairn County (3 pm), East Fife v Raith Rovers (3pm)

Sunday 30th July

Clyde v Hearts (tbc)

Tuesday 1st August

Falkirk v Stenhousemuir (tbc)

Tuesday 8th August Aberdeen v Everton (7.45pm)

Wednesday 9th August

Chelsea v Celtic 7.45pm

Taken from the Sunday Mail