SFL open the doors to SPL2

[ian1964 10,831]

SCOTTISH football was in meltdown last night â?? as SPL2 edged closer.

 

On a crazy day of claim and counter-claim, SFL chief David Longmuir first insisted member clubs had been convinced to delay reconstruction for a year.

 

But within hours the SPL announced they intend to try to steamroller change through this summer.

 

That would see the controversial 12-12-18 set-up in place for the start of NEXT season.

 

Itâ??s understood several First Division clubs agree with SPL sides that the time for change is now.

 

Timing And they fear delays could see any reconstruction deal off the table by next summer.

 

SunSport can reveal they made their concerns known to the SPL immediately after a five-hour SFL meeting at Hampden broke up.

 

SFL chief executive Longmuir had emerged from the talks to insist: â??The key issue is timing. We feel we can deliver the changes, just not quite in time for next season.

 

â??I donâ??t think a year is a lot to ask for to get everyone together. The clubs are fully supportive of this and sent out an important message today.â?

 

Longmuir admitted he had held a further informal meeting with concerned First Division clubs but claimed: â??I am comfortable that what Iâ??m presenting will have their support.â?

 

But that appears unlikely, with SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster insisting: â??Weâ??ve spent months negotiating the detail of the deal which was announced on January 8.

 

â??There is no attempt to rush anything, but we have a window of opportunity and we will be going forward on April 15 with documents that reflect the deal that was done for implementation this summer.â?

 

That is set to lead to chaos for the immediate future of the game.

 

The SPL announced yesterday they will kick off next season on August 3.

 

They are budgeting on having a mandate for change from their meeting a fortnight on Monday â?? and suspect SFL clubs wonâ??t be able to reach an agreement on whatâ??s best for THEIR future.

 

That would allow the SPL to cherry-pick clubs for a 12-team second tier league â?? which would see Rangers invited into the second-top division and potentially offer crisis club Dunfermline a lifeline.

 

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/feeds/smartphone/scotland/4865099/SFL-open-the-doors-to-SPL2.html#ixzz2OsuAah9f

[ian1964 10,831]

Naive & wrong

 

TURNBULL HUTTON last night accused his fellow SFL chairmen of NAIVETY.

 

The outspoken Raith Rovers chairman insists it is wrong for clubs to postpone changes to the leagues for a year.

 

Raith stand to benefit from SPL plans to push through the 12-12-18 re-structuring at their meeting on April 15.

 

Hutton fears any delay could mean the moment is lost — and any deal could be off the table by this time next year.

 

He said: “I think there’s a failure of understanding or a naivety to think that we can negotiate something that will take place a year from now.

 

“Circumstances could be vastly different then. There could be different owners and boards of directors at clubs who have no history of where we’ve been this year.

 

“I’m sure the offer could be off the table and we’d all have to start again.

 

“There’s a split between those SFL clubs who would like change to be implemented now and those who’d like to see it a year from now.

 

“There’s an agreement over the need for change, but a disagreement over the timing.

 

“There seemed to be a willingness with the SPL, and certainly among the First Division clubs, that we were all talking the same language.

 

“But there’s obviously a body that, for various reasons, would prefer a delay.

 

“We’ve said from the start that we regarded what was on the table as a good deal.

 

“There’s a window of opportunity for Scottish football and we’ve been clear we want there to be change now.

 

“From that point of view, I’m disappointed because it sends a confusing message back to the SPL.

 

“They’ve moved a long way in terms of what was on offer and the reality is what is on offer is on offer now.

 

“There wasn’t an offer that said we can pick it up in a year’s time. To me it isn’t a viable position to be keen on change but just not now.”

 

It’s understood Second and Third Division clubs were most vociferous against immediate change at yesterday’s talks.

 

But the split between the SFL clubs came at the end of an amazing day where they met at Hampden in a bid to thrash out an acceptable road map for change.

 

Chief executive David Longmuir believed he had smoothed out a way ahead, but it now seems those are forlorn hopes.

 

He revealed the meeting of the clubs had finished with an almost exact 50-50 split — with Dunfermline not present and Rangers not entitled to vote as an associate member. Longmuir felt he had broad agreement for change to be delayed when he said: “We asked the clubs if they were able to support the package for next season.

 

“Arguments both for and against had equal merit and it was equal in terms of those in favour and those not.

 

“But the view is that if change were to take place in one season’s time — not the start of next season — we fully believe that the possibility of change for the good of the game can happen.

 

“I don’t think a year is a lot to ask for to get everyone together.

 

“The clubs are fully supportive of this. The key issue is timing. We feel we can deliver the changes, just not quite in time for next season.

 

“We’re trying to get to a place that can serve us for the foreseeable future. We don’t want to rush into something and then find we haven’t made a change that has taken the game forward.

 

“If it’s right today, it’s not beyond us all to agree that we’ll stick together on it for a year.

 

“Certainty of competition next season would be a good thing for everyone.”

 

Longmuir also admitted he held an informal meeting immediately after the talks with concerned First Division clubs. But he insisted: “The First Division clubs made a full contribution.

 

“A group of them had a separate meeting afterwards, but we have spoken to them and I’m comfortable that what I’m presenting will have their support.

 

“I’ve already communicated the outcome of our meeting to the SPL and I’m hopeful they’ll be prepared to wait until next year as well.

 

“The meeting today was thoughtful and balanced.

 

“Clearly there are differences of opinion on what can and can’t be achieved in terms of timescale.

 

“There is nobody who is against change. But there were NO discussions about the sizes of the leagues today.

 

“Rangers were also present and contributed to the meeting in a fulsome and wholehearted way.

 

“We’re moving at a speed that’s not normally known in Scottish football and we are faced with fear of the unknown. We’re trying to take away that concern about the unknown quantities.”

 

Annan Athletic chairman Henry McClelland was among those adamant that change should not be done hastily.

 

He said: “We believe it shouldn’t be rushed.

 

“I think it should take a bit more time and that, with a reasonable timetable, a further season would be enough to get everything implemented.”

 

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/leaguedivision3/4865044/Naive-wrong.html#ixzz2OswBuEWr

[Guest alfiebass]

Turnbull Hutton seems to remind me of Yorkston of Dunfermline one year ago. Perhaps he should look at the news and take the hint that if you back the wrong side your club will suffer.

[Guest alfiebass]

That would allow the SPL to cherry-pick clubs for a 12-team second tier league — which would see Rangers invited into the second-top division and potentially offer crisis club Dunfermline a lifeline.

 

That would be on the assumption that Rangers would go along with it and that the price they'd have to pay to get them to do so would not expose any club regarding any illegal activities regarding the punishments dished out to Rangers last year.

[UCF2008 0]

I can understand why first division clubs might want to press ahead with the proposals for next season. I can also understand why some 2nd Division clubs would want to postpone reconstruction to the following season. They'd get to play Rangers next season either way but if it's postponed they would have a fighting chance of staying out of Scotland's bottom tier.

 

What I don't get is why a majority of 3rd Division clubs would want to postpone it. They'd be passing up on a further windfall from Rangers and at the same time it would render next season meaningless for them.

[GovanAllan 0]

What was it I as saying about making up the rules as they go along.

[der Berliner 4,048]

This will end up being a right good old farce ...