Director of football Dalglish and coach John Barnes will take their new team north to Aberdeen on the first day of the Scottish Premier League season on July 31.

Dalglish's first competitive return to Parkhead after a 22-year absence will come against St Johnstone seven days later.

Treble winners Rangers open the new campaign as they ended the last, with a home game against Kilmarnock - for what will be the earliest start to a Scottish season.

But the Glasgow giants could be overshadowed on day one by the Dundee teams, who meet each other in a fascinating derby at Tannadice.

Easter Road will be packed to the rafters when newly-promoted Hibernian entertain Motherwell, while St Johnstone open a season to remember against Hearts at McDiarmid Park.

Rangers get home start

Rangers have the advantage of playing three home games out of their opening four matches, with Motherwell and Dundee United also set to make the journey to Glasgow.

But Dick Advocaat's men must travel on the weekend of August 7 when they face Hearts.

The first of the four Old Firm derbies will take place on September 18 at Celtic, with the return fixture at Ibrox on November 6.

The Scottish Football League does not kick-off its programme until August 7, the date when senior soccer will be played in the Borders for the first time.

Crisis-club Clydebank will play their home games in Gala next term and have been given an attractive opener against Airdrie.

First day fixtures:

Saturday July 31 1999
Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League
Aberdeen v Celtic
Dundee Utd v Dundee
Hibernian v Motherwell
Rangers v Kilmarnock
St Johnstone v Hearts

Saturday August 7 1999
Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League
Celtic v St Johnstone
Dundee v Hibernian
Hearts v Rangers
Kilmarnock v Aberdeen
Motherwell v Dundee Utd

Scottish League Division One
Clydebank v Airdrie
Dunfermline v Inverness Caledonian
Falkirk v Greenock Morton
Livingston v Raith
St Mirren v Ayr

Division Two
Clyde v Alloa
Partick v Stenhousemuir
Queen of South v Arbroath
Ross County v Hamilton
Stirling v Stranraer