Work has finally commenced on the new stadium for Hamilton Accies. Despite having left Douglas Park in 1994 for first team football, and January 1995 for reserve football, and having survived numerous squabbles and setbacks along the way, the local council only finally released planning consent on 4th May after the club and council reached agreement on a number of issues. Work began on site on 26th June, two weeks early, and the contractors are reporting excellent progress. Initially the club are building two stands - a main stand and a behind the goal stand - which will provide seats for 5300. The stadium is being built by Ballast Wiltshire who have also built new stadiums at Sunderland, Newcastle, Utrecht, Amsterdam Arena, Arnhem and others. Including site preparation, work should take 9 to 10 months to complete and all things being equal the club will commence season 2001-2002 back in Hamilton at the new and as yet un- named stadium. The site upon which the stadium is being built has not altered from the time when the original plans came out in 1992 and is, just 150 yards to the north of where Douglas Park was. The corrugated iron fencing at the back of the old shed terracing is the only thing remaining as where the pitch was is now Sainsbury's car park.    

Dundee, who made a flying start to the SPL season, have plans for a new training complex in the city, details of which are expected to be released soon. 

Dunfermline Athletic have moved the club’s dressing rooms from the main stand to the Norrie McCathie Stand. 

Hibernian have finally removed the legendary slope on the Easter Road playing surface. From one corner to the other it would rise an astonishing six feet!  Kilmarnock have also been busy with the pitch, having laid a new one. 

Motherwell have installed a new drainage system at Fir Park. 

St. Mirren move into the SPL with a new stand, while the roof of the North stand has had a repaint. The PA system has also been upgraded. 

Alloa have carried out a bit of work on Recreation Park by improving the floodlights and altering the drainage system.

Ayr United still await planning permission for a new stadium at Heathfield, while on the pitch a side capable of challenging for the First Division title has been assembled. 

Clyde are one of many clubs who have been working extensively on the pitch – yet there is still no sign of Broadwood’s capacity being raised to 10,000. 

Falkirk, like Ayr United, await permission for work to begin on their new ground at Westfield. When work does start, the Bairns will relocate to Stirling Albion’s Forthbank Stadium. The new ground will have a capacity of 10,200.

Morton get a mention here because of a lack of improvements. The ground is half demolished, and the team itself look little better. One wonders how long the club can continue in such a state. 

Ross County have rebuilt the West Stand at Victoria Park and it will have a capacity of 1510. It stretches the length of the pitch and will have six executive boxes and a new press box. A new car park for 220 cars is also being built. The stand is similar to the East Stand, having red and blue seating, with RCFC spelled out in white. Hospitality suites are being created inside the stand. 

 Arbroath have re-roofed the three sections of covered terracing at Gayfield Park. One day the ground will however fall into the North Sea.

Stranraer have had work carried out on the pitch, but nothing on the ground itself. 

Brechin City and Cowdenbeath have also had their pitches reworked. Cowdenbeath have also splashed out on new sets of goalposts.

Elgin City have carried out a lot of work on Borough Briggs. The previously bench-seated stand has been filled with seats removed from St. James’ Park, Newcastle.  Also, concrete terracing has been added to both ends of the ground, which previously were expanses of grass. The floodlights have also been upgraded. 

Peterhead are nearing completion on a new stand at Balmoor Stadium.

Linlithgow Rose’s 300-seater stand was scheduled to be open by the end of August, and staying in the Juniors, Beith Juniors have spruced up Bellsdale Park with the aid of a paintbrush.

Dumbarton finally moved off their Boghead ground at the end of last season.  The ground, which was featured in Issue 17 of this magazine, was bulldozed within weeks (see magazine) and work is now progressing on the new stadium at Dumbarton Rock.  In the meantime, the Rocks are playing at Cliftonhill.