SPFL ANNOUNCE KEY DATES FOR NEXT SEASON

SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster today announced that the 2017/18 season fixture programme will run along similar lines to the current campaign, although due to the staging of the World Cup Finals in the summer of 2018, it will finish a week earlier.

The season will again commence on Saturday July 15th with the first of five sectional rounds of the Betfred Cup, formerly the League Cup.

For the second season running this competition will be brought to a conclusion in late November with the final staged at the National Stadium.

All four Ladbrokes Leagues will commence over the weekend of 5th/6th August with the final fixtures in the Championship, League 1 and League 2 being played on the last weekend of April, the Premiership’s scheduled fixtures ending two weeks later.

The Premiership will again have a winter break in early January, but Championship clubs by all accounts voted by a clear majority to carry on playing during this period.

The Championship, League 1 and League 2 play-off’s will take place over the normal ten day period at the beginning of May month.

The Premiership Play-Off Final is scheduled for May 17th and May 20th at present.

Discussions are still taking place within the corridors of power about the make-up and scheduling as well as the sponsorship of the Challenge Cup for next term, with this season’s tournament under the sponsorship of Irn Bru currently at the semi-final stage.

Queen of the South are due to entertain Dundee United on February 18th, with the ‘Loons’ conquerors the New Saints due to visit St. Mirren 24 hours later.