Deila´s Celtic journey begins at St Johnstone

Celtic will begin a new era under Ronny Deila four days after the opening weekend of the season due to the Commonwealth Games.

With Celtic Park in use for the Games, the defending Scottish Premiership champions requested their original fixture against city rivals Partick Thistle be rearranged, meaning their first game will see Celtic travel to St Johnstone on August 13.

The only two Glasgow sides in the top flight will instead play their match in April, while the return fixture at the Firhill Stadium will take place on New Year’s Day.

Celtic’s second home game of the season sees them welcome Aberdeen, with Motherwell making the trip to Glasgow a week later.

Deila’s side close their campaign away in the Highlands with a trip to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Celtic’s initial delay at the start means last season’s runners-up Motherwell will have the chance to seize an early initiative when they host St Mirren at Fir Park.

Newly promoted Dundee begin their return to the top flight at home to Kilmarnock, while Hamilton, who beat Hibernian on penalties in the play-offs to gain promotion, welcome Inverness to New Douglas Park.

Ross County’s first Highland derby against Inverness will be in early October and the two sides meet again on January 1.

Meanwhile, the first league Dundee derby of 2014-15 is scheduled for the weekend of September 20 at Den’s Park, with the second set to complete a bumper fixture list on the opening day of 2015.