Scottish Football Revamp:

[News]

RIVAL clubs are ready to tell the Old Firm it's time they took part in a play-off for the SPL title.

 

Hearts, Dundee United and Kilmarnock are preparing to lobby for the most radical change in the history of the Scottish game if the SPL presses ahead with a return to a 10-team set-up.

 

The three clubs would not even need support from the Old Firm for any proposals to succeed as structure changes in the SPL can be carried through on a 10-2 vote.

 

A meeting of the top 12 planned for Hampden today has been postponed as a result of the bad weather and will not take place until January 4.

 

Members of the SPL's strategy group, which is keen to introduce two leagues of 10 in time for the 2012-13 season, were looking for a consensus to take forward to a formal vote later next month.

 

However, they had no chance of winning support for their changes, not least because the plan to return to a top flight of 10 is so unpopular as up to three clubs could be relegated under play-off proposals for clubs in the bottom half of the table.

 

Hearts, United and Killie believe the only way a 10-team league could work is if clubs were given a greater incentive to win the championship itself.

 

Under plans, first-placed Rangers and Motherwell in fourth would have met in a home and away semi-final last season, with second-placed Celtic taking on third-placed Dundee United.

 

The winners would then have met in a grand final at with a place in the Champions League up for grabs.

 

A Hearts spokesman said: "We are very open-minded about change in the game.

 

"There are opportunities to explore and we're confident we can move forward with other clubs to ensure we bring real competition back to Scottish football."

 

Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson added: "If we have to go down the road of a 10-team SPL at least make it radical and consider other ideas, including play-offs at the top and bottom."

 

Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston said: "A 10-team league could work but there are all sorts of permutations that could work better."

 

Supporters of the plan believe end-of-season play-offs at the top of the SPL could generate more than £4million in ticket revenue alone from 200,000 supporters and also prove hugely attractive to broadcasters.

 

The plans emerge as 93 per cent of 3000 fans polled by Supporters Direct claimed they had not been adequately consulted on the proposed changes put forward by the SPL strategy group.

 

In total, 88 per cent of fans are against a 10-team league while 87 per cent called for greater fan representation in the SFA.

[hegz]

What a joke of a proposal, its totally heart breaking seeing our game run into the ground like this. 14 Teams MINIMUM is the way to go with one straight down (possibly 2 depending on numbers) and 2 play off spots for relegation/promotion. Actually make it interesting, just look down south at how well their set up runs? Why cant we do that just with less leagues? It really baffles me get these dinosaurs and selfish pr1cks out of our game and get someone in who has A. a football brain and B some business sense. I get so worked up about this topic!

[eastfifearabman]

What a joke of a proposal, its totally heart breaking seeing our game run into the ground like this. 14 Teams MINIMUM is the way to go with one straight down (possibly 2 depending on numbers) and 2 play off spots for relegation/promotion. Actually make it interesting, just look down south at how well their set up runs? Why cant we do that just with less leagues? It really baffles me get these dinosaurs and selfish pr1cks out of our game and get someone in who has A. a football brain and B some business sense. I get so worked up about this topic!

 

 

Brilliant idea, play offs at the top. Think the OF will be running scared on that one tho!

[ya cant]

Just exactly how would a team finishing fourth, 20+ points behind the first place team over a 36 game season then being able to take the title potentially on a penalty shoot out in a play off final represent ‘freshening up’ Scottish football?

 

He says the idea is 'radical'. In the same way that Craig Levein was being 'radical' playing no-one up front against the Czech Republic.

 

ridiculous idea................

[Young Thor]

What a farce, we'll end up like bloomin ice hockey the way we're carrying on

 

Why not have a greater number of teams in our league, say an even number like 14, 16 or 18, play each other twice and the team with the most points at the end of the season wins the league

No play offs, no split, straight- forward like most other countries

[Caldoc]

Just exactly how would a team finishing fourth, 20+ points behind the first place team over a 36 game season then being able to take the title potentially on a penalty shoot out in a play off final represent ‘freshening up’ Scottish football?

 

He says the idea is 'radical'. In the same way that Craig Levein was being 'radical' playing no-one up front against the Czech Republic.

 

ridiculous idea................

Pete, the same as a Fourth placed team winning the Champions League.... Am i correct in saying that when Man Utd won it, they didn't actually win the league the previous season ????

[jterry]

Just exactly how would a team finishing fourth, 20+ points behind the first place team over a 36 game season then being able to take the title potentially on a penalty shoot out in a play off final represent ‘freshening up’ Scottish football?

 

He says the idea is 'radical'. In the same way that Craig Levein was being 'radical' playing no-one up front against the Czech Republic.

 

ridiculous idea................

 

as good as it would be to see someone different challenging for the title, rather than the OF ruining our top league, the idea would make a mockery of our national game!