Green: Scottish football is dying and we're getting double Celtic's crowds

[ian1964 10,625]

Charles Green believes Scottish football is on the verge of financial collapse unless there is drastic change. Pic: SNS Group

Charles Green believes television companies, sponsors and fans are on the verge of giving up on a â??dyingâ? Scottish game.

 

The Rangers chief executive, speaking to fans in Dubai earlier in the week en route to Australia, believes plans for a restructuring of Scottish football will continue to leave it in a perilous state.

 

A proposal for a 12-12-18 league model, which would also see a change to the redistribution of wealth amongst the 42 clubs, is currently being discussed by the SPL and SFL with a view to implementation for next season.

 

"Something needs to be done because Scottish football is dying," Green is quoted as saying in The National.

 

"More and more clubs are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy and unless something is done there won't be any television, sponsors or fans, because attendances are declining."

 

Green alleged diminishing attendances at city rivals Celtic, saying the top flight is struggling to thrive as it stands.

 

"You only have to look at Celtic's league attendance," he added. "The most successful team in Scotland today is Celtic, yet for a home league game they can't get half of what we are getting.

 

"Something is not right and it needs fixing. But to do it in the middle of the season is wrong."

 

Based on official figures published by both clubs throughout 2012/13, Celticâ??s average home crowd for league matches this season stands at 46,105, a total of 736 spectators less than Rangers have recorded.

 

Strathclyde Police figures recorded by officers earlier in the campaign showed that the number of people attending the first three league games of the season for both clubs were lower than publicised.

 

This is because clubs publish the total sales of tickets, including season books, rather than the actual number of spectators who physically attend.

 

Police numbers showed 6,944, 9,071 and 11,060 fewer fans attended Rangersâ?? Third Division fixtures versus East Stirlingshire, Elgin City and Montrose than were credited in figures given by the club to journalists.

 

Celticâ??s had 6,731, 7,328 and 9,324 fewer in attendance than was publicised in matches against Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee respectively.

 

Historic attendance figures held by the Scottish Premier League show of the ten clubs who participated in the top flight in both 2012/13 and 2011/12, four have reported higher average attendance figures year-on-year, with six down.

 

http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/rangers/213254-green-scottish-football-is-dying-and-were-getting-double-celtics-crowds/

[Guest Dummiesoot]

Using only first 3 matches of season is rubbish selliks attendances have been falling game on game. Ours have been fairly steady.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

i am quite sure hes right. only every third seat at torbett towers has a fan in it.