SFL boss to propose 16-team top-flight

[ian1964 10,831]

Jul 12 2012 By Keith Jackson

 

SCOTTISH football was on the brink of a revolution last night as plans emerged to launch a 16-team top flight in two years â?? so long as Rangers go straight into the First Division.

 

The radical restructuring will be proposed by SFL chief David Longmuir, tomorrow when his clubs vote to decide which league the stricken Ibrox club should play in when the new campaign starts next month.

 

The sweeteners for accepting Rangers into the second tier include an immediate £1million pay-out to SFL clubs from the SPL.

 

But it will also see the two bodies streamlined into one senior professional set-up and include an immediate revamp of league structure â?? with the aim of expanding the top division to 14 teams in just 12 months.

 

The current First Division, with Rangers in the mix, will be rebranded along the lines of Englandâ??s Championship.

 

Three teams will win promotion at the end of its first season. Itâ??s believed the top two will go up automatically with a third winning a ticket to the top flight through the drama of end of season play-offs. Only one club would be relegated from the current top 12.

 

And the same â??three up one downâ? format would then stay in place for one further season, 2013-14, in order to have a 16-team top flight in place for the start of the 2014-15 campaign.

 

Itâ??s understood the blueprint has already been given full SFA approval and the personal blessing of chief executive Stewart Regan.

 

Now itâ??s up to SFL chief executive Longmuir to convince his member clubs to back the plan tomorrowâ?? at Hampden â?? after most had appeared set on sending Rangers down to the bottom rung. If 14 or more say â??yesâ? then Rangers begin again in the Scottish gameâ??s second tier, with SPL clubs then needing to rubberstamp the rest of the restructuring.

 

And last night in an emotionally-charged letter to his members, Longmuir said: â??Our duty as clubs and as football people is to ensure our national game has a viable future and fans and clubs are not lost to the game.â?

 

The letter continued: â??I would like to make it quite clear, and leave you in no doubt, that you have the complete freedom to make whatever choice you see fit on Friday.

 

â??No-one should feel under pressure or threat to make a decision that you feel is not in the best interests of our game. Whatever you decide, your board will support it.â?

 

And Longmuir concluded: â??I will circulate a document which has been prepared to give you clear information on what is under discussion for the short and medium term.

 

â??The document will be a Memorandum of Understanding between the three bodies which will be agreed immediately following our meeting on Friday dependant on how we wish to take the game forward.â?

 

The shake-up would also see a greater share of TV revenue drip down the divisions. At the bottom, the professional game will also open up so amateur and junior sides can win promotion through regional play-offs.

 

New and improved cash parachute payments will also be thrashed out to soften the blow of relegation.

 

The positive wording of a joint statement from the SFL, SPL and the SFA seemed to suggest last night an agreement on this radical overhaul is now closer than ever.

 

It said: â??We are asking clubs to consider a package of reforms which have the potential to rejuvenate Scottish football at senior level and safeguard its future at a time when uncertainty and fear prevail.

 

â??The proposals are based on five principles previously outlined by the Scottish FA as key to streamlining governance, ensuring greater financial distribution and above all, providing better entertainment, enhanced competition and value for money for supporters.

 

â??Upon agreement by the respective boards, the proposals will be placed before the SPL and SFL clubs for approval, to be activated immediately and phased in over a two-year period.â?

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2012/07/12/sfl-boss-to-propose-16-team-top-flight-within-two-years-if-newco-rangers-are-accepted-into-division-one-86908-23907507/

[andy steel 0]

Having slept on this, I feel it ought to be accepted for the benefit of the game as a whole - if we have a 16 team league, surely that means an end to the dismal spectacle of playing the same teams 4 times a year? Maybe not...Sky are unlikely to continue with their present offer if we're down to two OF games a year, which would leave us in the same position as now, ie financial crisis. So there will no doubt be a mechanism to ensure at least a third OF game.

 

But there are big old holes in their dream, not least that more than a few junior sides don't want to go professional for social and insurance reasons. The temptation would probably prove too much in the long run for them, though, the likes of Arthurlie or Cumnock might end up going for it.

 

But in order to swallow this bailing out of the SPL diddy clubs, I need something to balance it out. What weapons do we have available to deny these pricks revenue in the future? Certainly I won't be going to any non-Rangers ground, but is there anything more I can do to hurt those who have so hurt us?

[craig 5,199]

Having slept on this, I feel it ought to be accepted for the benefit of the game as a whole - if we have a 16 team league, surely that means an end to the dismal spectacle of playing the same teams 4 times a year? Maybe not...Sky are unlikely to continue with their present offer if we're down to two OF games a year, which would leave us in the same position as now, ie financial crisis. So there will no doubt be a mechanism to ensure at least a third OF game.

 

But there are big old holes in their dream, not least that more than a few junior sides don't want to go professional for social and insurance reasons. The temptation would probably prove too much in the long run for them, though, the likes of Arthurlie or Cumnock might end up going for it.

 

But in order to swallow this bailing out of the SPL diddy clubs, I need something to balance it out. What weapons do we have available to deny these pricks revenue in the future? Certainly I won't be going to any non-Rangers ground, but is there anything more I can do to hurt those who have so hurt us?

 

I was listening till you mentioned THEM (Cumnock)..... ludicrous suggestion Andy They are near the bottom of the West Superleague - who you SHOULD be mentioning are the world-renowned, ever famous, record-breaking, Scottish Cup record holding..... AUCHINLECK TALBOT

[andy steel 0]

I apologise unreservedly.

 

I was going to write Johnstone Burgh, but I thought that was taking it too far.

[amms 0]

I disagree Andy. At some point we need to accept the whole structure of the profesional game in Scotland is broken. Propping it up by gerrymandering the league set-up to appease TV and sponsors doesn't fix that. The reality is we have too many clubs who are insolvent, who don't produce football players of an acceptable standard, who are no longer in touch with their fan base or local communities and who rely totally on other clubs to survive. That's unsustainable, no amount of moving the blocks about is going to change that unfortunately. We are facing a few seasons of pain, as are a number of other clubs but I am increasingly of the view that it is in the mid to long term interests of the sport in Scotland that we change things.

 

We've lost our way, we no longer even remember why we're doing this anymore, ingrained tribalism, one-up-man-ship and blind hostility have taken over our game. Add in the constant spectre of avarice and you have Scottish football. Hand on heart when was the last time any of us went to a Scottish league game and actually admired the play or players of the opposition? I don't want to come over all Bob Crampsey-esque here, but we have an opportunity to completely change things. The thought that after all that's happened we end up with basically the same again with a few concessions we can probably renege on later is almost as depressing as the last 6 months has been.

 

We've a lot we could learn from the likes of Clyde and Annan, certainly more than we ever will from Dundee Utd and Kilmarnock.