It seems like just yesterday that the Dons were securing a last-day win at Parkhead to clinch a fourth consecutive runner-up finish in the Scottish Premiership.
We’ve seen a World Cup and the Betfred Cup group stage since then and tomorrow, league actions gets underway in all four tiers of the SPFL.
It’s anyone’s guess who will be celebrating and who will be drowning their sorrows come the end of May, but our sports team have had a go at predicting just that.
We asked them to predict the order of Scotland’s top flight this season, plus who will be on the move in the Championship, Leagues One and Two and who will win the Highland League.
There’s agreement that Celtic will clinch an eighth successive title and Livingston will be relegated, while all six of our team have also predicted Peterhead to return to the third tier by winning League Two and Cove Rangers to retain the Highland League.
But who out of sports editor Danny Law, sports reporters Dave Edwards, Jamie Durent and Andy Skinner, feature writer Neil Drysdale and digital reporter Stuart Findlay has called the most correctly?
We’ll check back in May to find out.
The predictions
Danny Law
Premiership
1 – Celtic 2 – Aberdeen 3 – Rangers 4 – Hibernian 5 – Hearts 6 – Kilmarnock 7 – Motherwell 8 – St Mirren 9 – St Johnstone 10 – Dundee 11 – Hamilton 12 – Livingston
“Aberdeen have been Celtic’s closest challengers for the past four seasons and I fancy them to make it five in a row if Derek McInnes strengthens the squad before the transfer window closes.
“It will be intriguing to see what impact Steven Gerrard has at Rangers but it will take time for him to get used to the Ibrox hotseat and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they make a slow start to the campaign.
“Livingston caused a major upset by winning promotion to the top flight but Kenny Miller’s side could be destined for a quick return to the Championship.
“Hamilton Accies have become specialists at escaping demotion through the play-offs but I reckon this will be the year they finally drop out of the Scottish Premiership.”
Championship
Champions: Ross County
Play-offs: Caley Thistle, Dunfermline and Dundee United
Relegated: Alloa
League One
Champions: Dumbarton
Relegated: Stenhousemuir
League Two
Champions: Peterhead
Bottom: Edinburgh City
Highland League
Champions: Cove Rangers
Dave Edwards
Premiership
1 - Celtic 2 - Aberdeen 3 - Rangers 4 - Hibs 5 - Hearts 6 - Kilmarnock 7 - Motherwell 8 - Dundee 9 - St Johnstone 10 - St Mirren 11 - Hamilton 12 - Livingston
“I feel that Celtic, with all their Euro millions to play with, will be just too strong for the rest.
“However, once again, I think that Aberdeen are best equipped to mount a challenge but for me the jury is still out with Rangers and their as yet, untried manager, Steven Gerrard.
“Even though Kenny Miller will do his best to inspire Livi I think they will be the team to drop back down come the end of the season.”
Championship
Champions: Dunfermline Athletic
Play-offs: Ayr United, Partick Thistle, Ross County
Relegated: Alloa Athletic
League One
Champions: Dumbarton
Relegated: Stenhousemuir
League Two
Champions: Peterhead
Bottom: Cowdenbeath
Jamie Durent
Premiership
1 - Celtic 2 - Rangers 3 - Aberdeen 4 - Hibernian 5 - Hearts 6 - Motherwell 7 - Kilmarnock 8 - St Johnstone 9 - Dundee 10 - St Mirren 11 - Livingston 12 - Hamilton
“Celtic should be too strong for everyone else again – their strength in depth and financial muscle is simply too great for anyone to get close to.
“Rangers and Aberdeen will fight it out the majority of the season to be best-of-the-rest and if the Dons can find another goalscorer, they may well pip the Ibrox outfit.
“Steven Gerrard has provided some much-needed optimism around Rangers and recruiting players of the calibre of Allan McGregor and Connor Goldson should improve a leaky defence.
“If Hibernian can keep John McGinn it will be huge and could be the key to getting European qualification again, while Hearts are in a similar position with Kyle Lafferty. St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Motherwell will all fancy their chances of claiming the final top-six spot and if Chris Cadden and Allan Campbell continue their development, it could be another promising season for the men at Fir Park.
“At the bottom, I feel it is one season too far for Hamilton. Losing their two most creative players in Ali Crawford and David Templeton was huge and their porous defence will make it hard to stay in games.”
Championship
Champions: Ross County
Playoffs: Caley Thistle, Partick Thistle, Dunfermline
Relegated: Alloa
League One
Champions: Dumbarton
Relegated: Stenhousemuir, Forfar Athletic
League Two
Champions: Peterhead
Bottom: Berwick Rangers
Highland League
Champions: Cove Rangers
Andy Skinner
Premiership
1 - Celtic 2 - Rangers 3 - Aberdeen 4 - Hearts 5 - Hibernian 6 - Kilmarnock 7 - Dundee 8 - Motherwell 9 - St Johnstone 10 - St Mirren 11 - Hamilton 12 - Livingston
“Although the margin of Celtic’s Premiership title triumph was cut down to single figures last season, there was always a feeling Brendan Rodgers’ men could up the ante if they found themselves under any genuine domestic threat.
“That never materialised, and I back them to win the title at a canter again this year. That comes despite some decent looking recruitment from Steven Gerrard at Rangers, who should finally pip Aberdeen to second place.
“The financial disparity between the two clubs dictates that ought to have happened long before now, but that it has not is kudos to Derek McInnes, who I back to end Celtic’s treble-treble hopes by securing a domestic trophy.
“Hearts’ squad really ought to have done better than finish sixth last season, but I’ll leave it up to the Edinburgh natives to debate over whether finishing above Hibernian really means natural order is restored.
“Kilmarnock will continue to finish in the top-six while Steve Clarke remains in charge, while at the bottom end of the table, I expect Livingston and Hamilton Accies, without David Templeton, to be cut adrift.
“The Championship title race is a far tougher one to predict, but the depth of squad assembled by Ross County, and particularly their recruitment and retention of players who are not only familiar with the league but also know what it takes to win it, stands them above the rest.
“Dundee United are into desperation stakes now ahead of their third campaign in the second-tier, but I think they will have to accept play-offs at best along with Partick Thistle and Caley Thistle, who continue to improve under John Robertson and were desperately unfortunate to miss out last year.”
Championship
Champions: Ross County
Play-offs: Partick Thistle, Caley Thistle, Dundee United.
Relegated: Alloa Athletic
League One
Champions: Raith Rovers
Relegated: East Fife, Stenhousemuir.
League Two
Champions: Peterhead
Bottom: Berwick Rangers
Highland League
Champions: Cove Rangers
Neil Drysdale
Premiership
1 - Celtic 2 - Hibs 3 - Rangers 4 - Aberdeen 5 - Hearts 6 - Kilmarnock 7 - Motherwell 8 - St Mirren 9 - St Johnstone 10 - Hamilton 11 - Dundee 12 - Livingston
“I can’t see anybody stopping Brendan Rodgers’ team, but Hibs are full of young talent and often a joy to watch.
“Still not convinced Rangers are out of the financial mire and I’m concerned Aberdeen might struggle to repeat recent fine achievements, now Rooney and McLean have gone.”
Championship
Champions: Partick Thistle
Play-offs: Ross County, Falkirk, Dundee United
League One
Champions: Arbroath
Relegated: Montrose, Stranraer
League Two
Champions: Peterhead
Relegated: Edinburgh City
Highland League
Champions: Cove Rangers
Stuart Findlay
Premiership
1 - Celtic 2 - Rangers 3 - Hibs 4 - Aberdeen 5 - Hearts 6 - Motherwell 7 - Dundee 8 - Kilmarnock 9 - St Mirren 10 - St Johnstone 11 - Hamilton 12 - Livingston
“Steven Gerrard’s arrival at Ibrox will give Rangers some much-needed solidity after a sloppy couple of seasons back in the top flight. But it will be a bridge too far as far as overhauling Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic team is considered, as the reigning champions are still looking stronger in almost every area of the park.
“Hibs will continue their improvement under Neil Lennon – as long as the Northern Irishman doesn’t rage quit after a derby defeat – while Aberdeen will cement their place as top-six mainstays but will struggle against the big guns once again because of their lack of firepower.
“Elsewhere, Motherwell will take Kilmarnock’s place in the top-half, prompting the glorious return of Gordon Sawers’ X-rated rants, and St Mirren under Alan Stubbs will enjoy a comfy return to the top tier.
“Livingston don’t look to have made the type of signing that will keep them in the division, so unless player-boss Kenny Miller can wind the clock back a decade and fire 20 league goals it’ll be a hard slog for them.
“St Johnstone will continue their downward spiral as they find themselves in a relegation tussle against seasoned basement dwellers Hamilton Accies, who again will do just enough to keep their heads above water and then grind out another playoff success.”
Championship
Champions: Ross County
Playoffs: Caley Thistle, Partick Thistle, Dunfermline
Relegated: Alloa
League One
Champions: Arbroath
Relegated: Stenhousemuir, Montrose
League Two
Champions: Peterhead
Bottom: Albion Rovers
Highland League
Champions: Cove Rangers
