Bohemians

Manager: Roddy Collins (second full season).

Last season: Premier Division - third. Cup - runners up.

We'll know a bit more about what to expect from Roddy Collins's new-look Bohemians after Thursday night's game in Aberdeen but even that may be a little early for the new faces to show what they can do. What seems certain is that Avery John, Garreth O'Connor and Paul Byrne will be missed as well as some of the more experienced players like Eoin Mullen, Mo O'Driscoll and Derek Swan.

In: Rob Bowman (Carlisle United), James Fullam (Tolka Rovers), Trevor Molloy (St Patrick's Athletic), Simon Webb, Dave Morrison (Leyton Orient), Liam O'Brien, Dave Hill (both Cork City) Gary O'Neill (Tolka Rovers), Darren O'Keeffe (Drogheda United), Davie Williamson (from loan at Crusaders), Eoin Quigley (North End United).

Out: Paul Byrne, Jamie Harris (both St Patrick's Athletic), Ray Kelly (out of contract), Avery John (Boston Bulldogs), Garreth O'Connor (Bournemouth), Derek Swan (out of contract), Graham O'Hanlon (Finn Harps), Eoin Mullen (Kilkenny City), Maurice O'Driscoll (released), Ray Kelly (unavailable).

Bray Wanderers

Manager: Pat Devlin (sixth full season).

Last season: First Division - champions. Cup - semi-finals.

There's a touch of deja vu about all of this for Pat Devlin and quite a few of the players at the Carlisle Grounds with most punters tipping the newcomers to struggle yet again now that they're back in the top flight. The arrival of Eddie Gormley should add a bit of nous to a side that has lacked consistency. The former St Patrick's skipper Colm Tresson, should form a strong central midfield platform on which Devlin can base his campaign.

In: Eddie Gormley (St Patrick's Athletic), Keith Long (free), Gary Smith (TEK).

Out: Alan Lynch (Home Farm), Graham Cassin (out of contract).

Cork City

Manager: Derek Mountfield (first season).

Last season: Premier Division - second. Cup - last 16.

The record of managers brought into the league from outside is fairly dismal even if they have had, like Mountfield, outstanding careers as players. A few who made names for themselves in last season's Youths' Cup team look set to be rewarded with senior squad places: Fergie O'Donoghue will be back from injury and (at the time of writing) Derek Coughlan may be staying with the club rather than moving to England.

In: David Moore (Celtic)

Out: Gareth Cronin (Shamrock Rovers), Gerald Dobbs and Johnny Glynn (released), Joe Gamble (Reading), Dave Hill (Bohemians).

Derry City

Manager: Kevin Mahon (second full season)

Last season: Premier Division - seventh. Cup - last 32.

The sudden loss of Kevin Friel was a tragic blow for the club. However, it is a tribute to the sort of spirit that had been built around the Brandywell under the Strabaneman's leadership that the squad has stuck together despite the disappointment of last season. Lack of money has effectively ended City's hopes of winning the league and so the hope will be to qualify for Europe by other routes over the coming months.

In: John O'Loughlin (Middlesbrough), John Connolly (Newry Town).

Out: None.

Finn Harps

Manager: Gavin Dykes (first full season).

Last season: Premier Division - ninth. Cup - quarter-finals.

"Just about everything that could go wrong last season did," says Harps boss Gavin Dykes as he contemplates what he hopes can only be a happier campaign. Like several others in the league they have moved a number of their players onto a full-time basis with Mark Kelly returning from the US to take charge of the day-time sessions.

That in itself should be enough to ensure that the team doesn't end up having to kill itself to stave off the drop again this year although, in common with one or two of his counterparts around the country, Dykes will have to hope that players arriving from England make an immediate impact.

In: Mark Kelly (America), Graham O'Hanlon (Bohemians), Gareth Downey (Hartlepool United), Lee Ellington (Exeter City), Alex Nesovic (Harrogate Town).

Out: John Paul Boyle (America), Gavin Cullen and Kevin McHugh (loan to Omagh Town), Mark Hutchison (Shelbourne), Brian McKenna (Dundalk), Pascal Vaudequin (Shamrock Rovers), Eamon Sheridan (loan to Sligo Rovers).

Galway United

Manager: Don O'Riordan (Fourth full season).

Last season: Premier Division - eighth. Cup - semi-finals.

Don O'Riordan's twin ability to spot a bargain and uncover local talent has been employed again this summer and the hope around Terryland Park is that the signings can help the club to become a solid midtable outfit. Gerry Crossley's return to Ireland should be a great boost for United with the youngster bound to make an impression in central midfield.

In the continued absence of a proven goalscorer, though, United will find it hard to leave the relegation scrap behind them and so O'Riordan is continuing his search for somebody big and prolific.

In: Ger Crossley (Hamilton), Colin Fortune and Tom Silke (both Athlone Town), Bobby Ryan (Limerick), Darrell Mooney (Home Farm Fingal), Nigel Keady (Galway Hibernians).

Out: Fergal Coleman, Adrian Cregg, Mike Keane, Neil Ogden, Paul Thorntan, Luthar Watson and Michael Keane (all released).

Kilkenny City

Manager: Pat Byrne (second full season).

Last season: First Division - third. Cup - quarter-finals.

A welcome return to the top flight for Pat Byrne after last season's shenanigans in the promotion run in but no one knows better than the former Rovers and Shelbourne boss just how hard it's going to be between now and the end of April. "We're trying to compete when the reality is that in financial terms we just can't at this level," he says. "What we've looked to do, though, is bring in a few experienced lads who been around and know how it's done and we're hoping that with their help we can really give it a go."

Greg Costello, Tommy Byrne and Eoin Mullen will add experience and should make City a good deal more difficult to beat but whether they can score the goals required at the higher level is another thing.

In: Tommy Byrne and Greg Costello (both Shelbourne), Sean Riordan and Jason Kabia (both Waterford), Ray Kenny (Bray Wanderers), Eoin Mullen (Bohemians), Damien Brennan (Huddersfield Town).

Out: Jonathan Prizeman (Shelbourne), David Breen, Brendan Rae and Paul Scully (all Waterford).

Longford Town

Manager: Stephen Kenny (third full season)

Last season: First Division - second. Cup - last 16.

"It's all going to be a bit of an adventure for us," says Stephen Kenny as he and his players embark on what is sure to be a very tough campaign. Like Bray and Kilkenny, the aim will be to survive. If they manage it then Kenny's emergence as the Strokestown Road's answer to JFK will be complete and we can expect to see mugs and commemorative medals bearing the manager's likeness on sale around the town next summer.

The former St Patrick's man is adamant that the team's style of play will yield goals even if Niall Byrne's broken ankle during a preseason friendly is something of a setback. Like their fellow new arrivals, though, Longford will start amongst the favourites to go back down, and it's certainly hard to see them playing their way to safety before the final run in.

In: Niall Byrne (St Patrick's Athletic), Stuart Byrne and Robbie Farrell (both Home Farm Fingal), Stuart Holt and Kevin McCormack (Shamrock Rovers), Colin Notaro (Monaghan United), Eric Smith (Glenavon), Alan Murphy (Drogheda United).

Out: Evan Creedon, Ger Thompson and James Farrell (all Drogheda United), Wayne Fitzell (Monaghan United), Paul Flanagan (Home Farm Fingal), Richie Parsons (Athlone Town), Aidan Smyth (Mullingar).

St Patrick's Athletic

Manager: Pat Dolan (first full season). Last season: Premier division - sixth. Cup - last 32.

With four prominent members of last year's squad having departed Pat Dolan has had the opportunity over the summer months to remould the squad at Richmond Park where the major task was to mend the cracks that appeared during the course of last season. With Eddie Gormley, Colin Hawkins and Trevor Molloy all less influential last year than they had previously been, Dessie Byrne's departure is probably the biggest single loss.

Of those who have come in, Dolan is especially enthusiastic about Colm Foley, the young centre half who only broke into the Drogheda team towards the end of last season. Significantly, the St Patrick's boss talks of a restored sense of pride amongst the players.

In: Paul Byrne (Shelbourne), Colm Foley (Drogheda United), Martin Garratt (York City), Jamie Harris (Bohemians), Seamus Kelly (Cardiff City), Pat Purcell (Fairview Rangers), Ciaran Quinn (Manortown United), Gavin Doyle (St Francis), Pail Marney (Sutton).

Out: Dessie Byrne (Wimbledon), Eddie Gormley (Bray Wanderers), Robert Hannon (Monagahan United), Colin Hawkins (Doncaster Rovers), Trevor Molloy (Bohemians).

Shamrock Rovers

Manager: Damien Richardson (second full season).

Last season: Premier Division - fifth. Cup - last 32.

Ongoing delays with the development of their stadium mean that Damien Richardson and his players must spend yet another season in exile on the northside. The manager, however, is far more upbeat about his team's chances of achieving something concrete this term which might surprise some of their followers given his relative inactivity in the transfer market.

The three that have arrived will add to the overall quality of the panel without adding that much to the club's strongest first 11.

At the back there was certainly a need to tighten things up on last year when Rovers conceded almost twice as many goals as Shelbourne. The campaign gets under way next Monday evening and the injuries to Tony Cousins and Graham Lawlor are of more immediate concern.

In: Gareth Cronin (Cork City), Dave Smith (Waterford Utd) Pascal Vaudequin (Finn Harps).

Out: Kevin McCormack and Stuart Holt (both Longford), Ray McLaughlin (Sligo Rovers).

Shelbourne

Manager: Dermot Keely (third full season).

Last season: Premier Division - Champions. Cup - winners.

After an outstanding year for Dermot Keely's side, the fact that the recent European ties went so well will confirm the feeling inside and outside Tolka Park that these will be the boys to beat again.

Far from sitting back and counting his blessings, Keely has made what appear to be a number of good signings during the summer with Jim Crawford, Ian Gilzean, Davy Byrne and Richie Foran all broadening his options in midfield and attack.

That should give Keely the freedom to switch things around in a way that he simply couldn't do last season and presuming that things remain very solid - as they should - then Shelbourne look like the side for the rest to chase.

In: Davy Byrne (Dundee United), Ian Gilzean (Glentoran), Stephen Murphy (Halifax Town), Jonathon Prizeman (Kilkenny City), Jim Crawford (Reading), Chris Bennion (Middlesbrough, on loan), Richie Foran (back from loan at Home Farm Fingal).

Out: Tommy Byrne and Greg Costello (Kilkenny City), Danny O'Leary (Sligo Rovers), Jon Powell and Carel Van Der Velden (released).

UCD

Manager: Martin Moran (first full season).

Last season: Premier Division - fourth. Cup - last 16.

Once again the management at Belfield have managed to keep their maturing squad together and having shown such a dramatic improvement last term when they managed to qualify for the Inter Toto Cup, the benefits should again be obvious over the coming months.

"It was a big year for us," says Martin Moran "and I genuinely think that after achieving so much there is a real hunger there to do it all again. What we have to do if we are to keep progressing, though, is become a lot more consistent."

While the new scholarships will only be sorted out after the leaving cert results have been released there is one new arrival out at Belfield with former under-16 European Championship winner Kevin Grogan returning from Manchester United on long-term loan. Making his debut at the weekend he scored a hat-trick and was outstanding which should provide an additional lift for a team which has had its problems scoring goals against the more determined defences.

In: Kevin Grogan (Manchester United).

Out: None