BBC Scotland and the SPL agreed to switch the date to allow live coverage of the game at Firhill.

However, Celtic will play the second leg of their Champions League qualifier in either Switzerland or Slovakia against FC Basel or MSK Zilina three days after the Partick clash.

But the SPL will not change their decision, which follows the same pattern as the previous four seasons when games were screened by Sky.

Celtic boss Martin O'Neill had hoped the game would remain on its original date of Saturday 24 August to allow for a longer preparation.

And McLeod believes that the switch could prove to be detrimental to the Parkhead club's hopes of progressing into the group stages of the Champions League.

"This game is immediately prior to the vital second league qualification tie to gain entry into the Champions League.

"Given that this is the only opportunity for a Scottish club to participate, we would have thought it would have been in everyone's interest, including the SPL and the BBC, to provide us with every opportunity to succeed.

"We have appealed to the SPL and the BBC to maintain the Saturday fixture date and we still hope this can be achieved," he added.

But the SPL insist that the date will not be changed after the club agreed to the BBC contract recently.

An SPL spokesman said: "In keeping with the system that has operated for the last four years in the SPL, the BBC's contract allows it to screen matches on a Sunday involving clubs participating in European competition 72 hours later on a Wednesday.

"This also previously applied to our deal with Sky.

The BBC have agreed not to screen matches on a Sunday involving teams which are playing the following Tuesday.

The SPL spokesman continued: "All SPL clubs playing in Europe have operated on this basis for the past four seasons and an agreement merely maintains that status quo."

But Jags chief executive Alan Dick was delighted to hear that the SPL newcomers would be televised so early into their return to the top flight.

Dick said: "It will be nice for the club to be seen across the nation and is another sign that we are back among the big boys once again."