Scottish league to start in July

THE SCOTTISH Premier League have announced that next season will kick off on July 23rd.

The earlier start date has been chosen to help SPL clubs get up to speed for the early rounds of European football and to reduce the number of midweek fixtures in the winter. But, in a concession to the Old Firm in particular, the SPL board have allowed clubs to opt out of one fixture early in the season to allow them take part in lucrative pre-season tournaments.

Celtic have already signed up for the Dublin Super Cup on July 30th-31st, which features Manchester City and Inter Milan and a League of Ireland select.

Jermain Defoe has suffered an ankle injury during the club’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai. Defoe broke down in Al Ahli’s Rashid Stadium where Spurs were training as part of a five-day break. It is unclear how long the striker will be out for.

Meanwhile, it’s been learned Randy Lerner has plunged more than €235 million into Aston Villa in the five years of his ownership. Villa’s salary payments amounted to €26 million in Lerner’s first year, a sustainable 60 per cent of the club’s turnover. Today, they have reached €94 million – nearly 88 per cent of total revenues.