Post Split

[Tannochsidebear 2,352]

The split is quite simple. The SPL seed the top 6 from the previous season when considering the fixtures for the new season.

 

If we get the same top 6, the fixtures work themselves out and everyone plays everyone twice at home and twice away.

 

The problems come when someone from the top 6 does not make the top 6 the next season. This season, Rangers, Scummy, United, Sheepy, and Motherwell all look to be repeating their top 6 finihs of last season. Hearts however look to be replacing Hibs from last season.

 

Where does this leave us?

 

We must play the scum at Ibrox.

 

Other than that there are 2 home games and 2 away games against Sheepy, Hearts, United and 'Well.

 

Given that by the time of the split we will have played Hearts, Motherwell, and United all twice at home and only once away, and have played Sheepy twice away and once at home, we clearly need to play either Hearts, 'Well or United 3 times at Ibrox.

 

Now this is where the SPL have been guilty of making it up as they go along, but as things stand I understand the team coming 6th gets their fixtures changed. This would mean Motherwell coming to Ibrox for a third time this season and we would go to United and Hearts.

 

However the SPL have also used in the past the team that was unseeded gets their game changed. This would mean Hearts coming to Ibrox and we would go to Motherwell and United.

 

For certain, we play Scummy and Aberdeen at home and United away. The other two will be down the SPL "computer" (Mr Lawwell) to decide which of the previous rules they wish to follow this time around.

[Super_Ally 0]

Aberdeen being at home is probably a bonus.

 

Any of those will be difficult away with our form. Though when fighting for the title after the split, if you cant win at these places, you don't deserve to be Champions.

 

Are yous ure about this part:

 

Now this is where the SPL have been guilty of making it up as they go along, but as things stand I understand the team coming 6th gets their fixtures changed. This would mean Motherwell coming to Ibrox for a third time this season and we would go to United and Hearts.

 

However the SPL have also used in the past the team that was unseeded gets their game changed. This would mean Hearts coming to Ibrox and we would go to Motherwell and United.

 

For certain, we play Scummy and Aberdeen at home and United away. The other two will be down the SPL "computer" (Mr Lawwell) to decide which of the previous rules they wish to follow this time around.

 

That was the only part that was news to me.

[Tannochsidebear 2,352]

From memory Ally, when the split was first introduced the way they solved the problem if an unseeded team made the top 6 was to swap the unseeded team's fixtures around the old firm fixtures.

 

This resulted in us having to go to Aberdeen for a third time that season.

 

A few years later, using that rule would have meant us having an easier run-in than the mopes. When the fixtures were announced for the post-split games, we were sent up to Aberdeen for the third time that season again. The excuse from the SPL was that the rule had changed and it was now the 6th place team who would get their fixture changed as that was seen to be the less important fixture to change.

 

What it is now, is anyone's guess.

 

I remember it well as at the time I was at the Scottish Grand National at Ayr when the fixtures were released for the post-split and had a mate who I had been discussing this with the previous day phone me to tell me about the fixtures and the reason given, despite there being nothing in the papers about it, or on their web-site since the previous time it had happened.

 

Perhaps if journalism in this country was of a better standard, the papers would have been asking the SPL to set out their reasoning in advance. It would surely make for a better article than another transfer rumour non-story.