Scottish Championship Season Predictions 25/26 - Kai Watson's 1-10
Kai Watson 
Time for the third day of football predictions here on Free Bets, and today, we've got our Scottish Championship season predictions from Kai Watson.
He's our expert north of the border for all things Scottish, and has already put together two excellent previews for us, covering League Two and League One. Get a look at those on the links below, or scroll down to see what he thinks will happen in the Championship this season.
And finally, don't forget, Kai's Scottish football tips will be on site every week of the season here.
Scottish Championship Season Predictions 25/26
Day three and we’re almost at the top. That being said, I think the Championship is the most exciting and competitive league in the SPFL!
Both Ross County and St. Johnstone were relegated and Arbroath were promoted from League One, this could be the most competitive the league has been in a while in my eyes.
It’s still early in the summer transfer window so a lot can change but this is currently how I predict things to go.
Ross County - 1st
1st - Ross County - Although Ross County lost some important players in the likes of George Harmon, Jordan Amissah, Ryan Leak, James Brown and Joshua Nisbet, they’ve been incredibly active in the transfer market so far.
They’ve made some incredible signings for the Championship level, names such as former Scotland international Declan Gallagher, former Dundee United midfielder Ross Docherty, ex-Celtic and Kilmarnock man Gary Mackay-Steven and former Motherwell midfielder Dean Cornelius all bring Premiership experience to the side.
Arron Lyall also joined having impressed at Morton last season, Len O’Sullivan is also a highly thought of left back joining from Glenavon but my favourite signing they’ve made this window was the permanent addition of Adam Emslie from Aberdeen.
I was really surprised they were willing to let the 20-year-old go on a permanent deal given his exploits at Cove Rangers last season. In League One he scored sixteen goals with six assists on top of that in 2758 minutes. Another loan deal seemed likely for this season but Ross County have made an excellent move sealing his services permanently in my opinion.
He’s an exciting young forward that can win you games by making something happen out of nothing, definitely one to watch. On top of that they’ve also kept experienced Scottish Premiership players like Jordan White, Eamonn Brophy, Connor Randall and Ross Laidlaw. For now they’ve also managed to keep two of their best players last season in Noah Chilvers and Ronan Hale and that’s not even mentioning Jay Henderson returning from loan.
Yeah, this Ross County side is incredible and I genuinely expect them to dominate the division.
*Ross County are strong favourites with UK betting sites to win the Scottish Championship this season.
St Johnstone - 2nd
2nd - St. Johnstone - I was really happy when St. Johnstone appointed Simo Valakari as their manager last season. In my eyes it showed a forward thinking approach that not many clubs in their position were willing to do.
They hired a manager that had a distinct style that wasn’t defensive and direct, it was bold and, ultimately didn’t work out, but the squad needed a massive overhaul to be capable of what he was wanting. Stepping down a division and essentially starting again could be exactly what they need, it allows the players to get more used to the demands whilst playing against ‘lower quality opposition’, in theory at least.
They’ve put a massive focus on the Scottish market with their business so far which really surprised me but I think they’ve made some smart signings. Jamie Gullan and Sam Stanton both joined from Raith, two players who are capable of producing quality and helping their team win games.
They had another double swoop from a fellow Championship club when they signed Jack Baird and Morgan Boyes from Morton, strengthening your squad whilst weakening the opposition is a clever game plan. Reghan Tumilty is another solid addition, the right back has plenty of experience at this level and will be incredibly reliable.
They also still have the likes of Bozo Mikulic, Jonathan Svedberg, Victor Griffith, Jason Holt, Sven Sprangler, Adama Sidibeh, Makenzie Kirk and Josh McPake who should all be able to contribute effectively at this level.
Louis Lloyd is one to watch for me, the 21-year-old scored 21 goals for Caernarfon in Wales last season and will be looking to make a name for himself in Scotland.
*Betway are currently top price on St Johnstone to win the Championship and you can find out more from this brand by checking out our Betway review where we look in depth at what they offer.
Ayr United - 3rd
3rd - Ayr United - Scott Brown had an excellent season with Ayr last time out, although they did fall away from the title challenge towards the end of the campaign. They lost some important players this summer, including George Stanger to rivals Kilmarnock, Paddy Reading to Partick and Connor McLennan to recently promoted Livingston.
They have managed to keep the majority of the rest of last season’s side though and add well to it. Shaun Want is a quality replacement for Stanger, he left Hamilton for Larne and has gained European experience whilst playing there. Liam Dick joins from Raith as a direct replacement for Paddy Reading and Stuart Bannigan, perhaps surprisingly, left Partick to add grit and experience to the midfield.
On paper the most exciting signing for me though is of Dom Thomas who only signed for Derry six months ago and finds himself back in Scotland. He was a key player for Queen’s Park and one of the most effective attacking players in the league on his day. He’s the type that can consistently create for others and is also a goal threat himself, a really shrewd piece of business.
They did lose young striker Fraser Bryden to Crusaders this summer but one of the biggest things for Ayr will be having talisman Anton Dowds back this season. He scored thirteen goals in the 23/24 season and had scored five goals in six Championship games and nine in eleven in total before injury ended his season. George Oakley stepped up and they added Curtis Main but Dowds was the main man and I’m sure Brown will be deleted to have him back.
Dunfermline - 4th
4th - Dunfermline - I said Dick Campbell shouldn’t be underestimated in yesterday's piece and then I underestimated him but I’m definitely not underestimating Neil Lennon for the upcoming season.
Dunfermline’s takeover and change in recruitment strategy has led to them adding some excellent young Scottish players to their side. Although Connor Young’s move hasn’t worked out yet, he still had big potential in my opinion. Keith Bray is an excellent signing though, he was confirmed in January but was allowed to stay at Inverness till the end of the season. He scored eight goals and got two assists and he only turned 19-years-old in April, a big talent.
They carried that January business on by signing ex-Celtic youngster Alasdair Davidson, Zeke Cameron from Dundee United but the most exciting one for me is Rory MacLeod who was also at Dundee United. The 19-year-old spent last season on loan at Southampton’s U21s but wasn’t signed permanently so the Pars swooped in. He is Dundee United’s youngest ever player having made his debut at 16 years and 6 days in February 2022.
He’s a player that could have a big future and another I’m surprised the Premiership club were so willing to let leave. To push up the table they’ll need to stop relying solely on Chris Kane to score goals and will hope midfielders like new signings Charlie Gilmour and Alfons Amade can help add quality at both ends of the pitch.
I would be very surprised to see them not do drastically better than they did last season but, given the investment, I think the pressure may be on Lennon to succeed.
Partick Thistle - 5th
5th - Partick Thistle - Mark Wilson got the Partick Manager’s job permanently this summer but also lost right-hand man Brian Graham. That wasn’t just a blow from the managerial/coaching side of things, he was also their top scorer last season, by a distance. He left having scored 21 goals last season and over 100 goals in over 200 games for Thistle, a true modern day club hero. He’s left to go to Falkirk which I’m sure the fans will understand, albeit through gritted teeth.
To replace him though they have gone big and recently announced the signing of Tony Watt! Of course he’s famous for scoring ‘that’ goal against Barcelona but he also has an incredible amount of experience both inside and outside of Scotland. He only managed one goal the whole of last season but the season before he scored thirteen for Dundee United to help them win promotion.
Quality strikers are the difference between being at the top or bottom of the table, as Brian Graham proved last season, can Watt regain that form from two seasons ago? Scott Martin was an excellent addition from Hamilton in January and I think he really improves their midfield and lessens the blow of losing Stuart Bannigan. Logan Chalmers and Aidan Fitzpartick will be huge in terms of adding a goal threat from the wings whilst also being able to create for others.
Ricco Diack is also just off the back of a decent loan spell at Airdrie where he showed some moments of real quality, is the 20-year-old capable of being another option to replace Brian Graham?
*Partick are double figures to win the league, but biggest with Betfred, who have them a 11/1 and for more on this brand, make sure you read our in depth Betfred review.
Raith Rovers - 6th
6th - Raith Rovers - Barry Robson’s Raith side ended the season really well and they started doing exactly what he was asking them to do since he came in. However, I just think the other teams I’ve ranked above them have stronger squads. This summer they’ve lost Liam Dick to Ayr, Jamie Gullan and Sam Stanton to St. Johnstone and Euan Murray and Aidan Connolly to Queen’s Park.
They have made some interesting moves though Jai Rowe is a highly rated English right back coming from Boston United and Richard Chin is a Malaysian/English winger that joined from Farnborough who, from the footage available, looks like an exciting signing. Josh Rae joined on a free from St. Johnstone having ended the season on loan at the club.
Former Dundee wide man Paul McMullan has also signed from Derry City and adds a mass of experience and energy further up the pitch.
A huge plus for them going into this season is being able to keep a hold of Dylan Easton. Often a controversial figure due to how he winds up opposition fans but his quality simply can’t be denied. He scored thirteen league goals last season and was probably Raith’s best player throughout the campaign.
The experience of Hanlon and Stevenson at the back is huge but I don’t think all of that combined is enough to push them into the Play-Offs.
*Raith are splitting opinions with bookmakers, as low as 9/1 in places, but they're available at the much bigger price of 14/1 with Parimatch.
Morton - 7th
7th - Morton - There were strong rumours that Dougie Imrie was going to go to Partick before Mark Wilson was announced as their permanent manager. Back at Cappielow it’s been a busy summer so far and some big, important names have left the club.
As previously mentioned Jack Baird and Morgan Boyes went to St. Johnstone, midfielder Arron Lyall went to Ross County and goalkeeper Ryan Mullen joined Premiership side St. Mirren. They’ve been more active on the outs than ins so far which is why I have them finishing seventh, they’ve only really put real focus on their defence so far.
Sonny Hart, a centre back, has joined on loan from Swindon for the season, Jackson Longridge joins from Hamilton as an experienced option at left back. The best signing so far though, on paper, is Kris Moore, another centre back, who joins from Leeds where he played thirteen Premier League 2 matches last season.
I just don’t think they have enough going forward to put any real pressure on the teams at the top of the table. Jordan Davies arrived having done well in Wales but has only managed two goals in 43 appearances in Greenock. Tomi Adeloye is a striker that’s very capable at this level and scored three in ten at the end of the season.
Owen Moffat is a good option from the wing but I just think the squad needs a lot of work done in the forward areas to even attempt to push into the top half.
*Outsiders of the pack in the football betting markets, Morton are available as big as 50/1 with many firms, but Kai doesn't have them finishing bottom of the table.
Arbroath - 8th
8th - Arbroath - I really liked watching Arbroath under co-managers David Gold and Colin Hamilton, they blew away the opposition in League One but it’s a really difficult step up. Especially when you consider how reliant they were on Fraser Taylor in terms of creating chances from both open play and set-pieces.
They also lost some experience with the likes of Keith Watson, Billy King, Jason Thomson and Innes Murray all departing. I have been impressed by some of their recruitment though. They have made some smart signings for the level, bringing in Aaron Muirhead from Partick, Craig Watson from Airdrie and Nikolay Todorov from Hamilton.
On paper, their best signing is Ross Callachan, a stand out for Ross County before his move to Motherwell was marred by injury. At full fitness he’s a Scottish Premiership level midfielder, tough as nails, aggressive as they come and a good one to add to your bet builder for a booking! Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia is a signing that I like, got some minutes at Queen’s Park last season but was never a regular, this is the type of move that can kick start his career at this level and benefit Arbroath in the long run.
My favourite signing though is a loan deal (sorry Arbroath fans) for Findlay Marshall from Aberdeen. Playing in a variety of positions from central midfield to out on the right, he scored eight goals and got four assists for Cove Rangers last season. He’s a player I think has a big future and goal scoring midfielders are worth their weight in gold, he and the rest of the aforementioned signings should be enough to keep them safe for me.
Queen's Park - 9th
9th - Queen’s Park - Queen’s Park lost a lot of first team players this summer and I don’t think the quality of players they have replaced them with will help them stay out of a relegation fight. English defenders Josh Scott and Will Tizzard moved back down south to Darlington and Sutton United respectively. English midfielder Jack Turner also headed back down south to sign for National League side Woking. Newly promoted Livingston swooped in to take Cammy Kerr and Zak Rudden to the Premiership for their upcoming relegation dog fight.
Then they lost their best player, in my opinion, Jack Thomson to Kilmarnock, I don’t think any of the departing players can be blamed for wanting to move considering the club seem to be on a downward trajectory.
Josh Fowler is a signing that I think could be exciting though, the left-footed right winger joins after having spent some time in the Middle East having previously played Junior football in Scotland.
Euan Murray and Aidan Connolly are also decent and experienced signings from Raith, smart business from the club, for a change. Then the other three signings all come from Dumbarton who were relegated from League One. Matty Shiels, Michael Ruth and Carlo Pignatiello all joined on free transfers. Ruth scored nine goals in a terrible side last season but has minimal Championship experience and I don’t think he offers what Zak Rudden could in terms of ability and experience.
Pignatiello comes in to replace Cammy Kerr and, again, I think it’s a downgrade for a side that already struggled last season. To put it bluntly, they lost good players and replaced them with average ones. I think it’ll be a long season for QP fans.
Airdrie - 10th
10th - Airdrie - I love Rhys McCabe and how he wants to play the game. He speaks about the game so well and shows a real intelligence that was even evident in his younger playing days at Rangers. However, I don’t think the player-manager has ever been given anywhere near enough for them to sustainably stay out of a relegation fight.
They only ever play one way and if you make a mistake, you still continue to play the same way, aggressive, intense and possession based. They lost some massive players this summer which will make that style even more difficult to get right. Mason Hancock was the perfect left sided defender for the system, comfortable on the ball, athletic and a strong one on one defender but he got a great move for himself and signed for Walsall in League Two.
Ben Wilson left to chase a European dream with The New Saints in Wales, Elliot Dunlop who had a strong season at Stranraer signed for Crusaders whilst Lewis McGregor joined him in Northern Ireland, signing for Coleraine. If they all weren’t a big enough loss then Adam Frizzell left to join Derry City, he was one of the most creative forces in the team, which is difficult to replace.
Jamie Barjonas has been signed to ease that burden though, a really strong passer and set-piece taker who could be the perfect younger model to take over from Frizzell. Sean McGinty and Euan Henderson made it a trio of signings from Rivals Hamilton and Alexander King came back to Scotland after leaving Crusaders.
They’ll be exciting to watch but they will still concede plenty which means they will lose plenty of games, sometimes calling a team ‘box office’ isn’t a compliment.
Scottish Championship Odds
Here's a look at the full list of odds for the Scottish Championship this season, so you are able to compare each team and see what bookmakers think of their chances.
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Finally, tomorrow is the last of our season previews from Kai, and it's the big one! He'll be releasing his Scottish Premiership preview at midday.
