http://news.bbc.co.u...ll/13509642.stm

Having read that - seems its a caveat brought in for the OF, surely this makes a mockery of the SPL as a competition? I know we can do the same, but clearly its not been designed for us smaller clubs, all to favour pandering to OF demands as usual. Poor show SFA

If the league kicks off on a certain date and fixtures scheduled then the clubs have to accept that if they want to be part of that league - perhaps those not wanting to play on schedules dates in favour of money making 'glamour' ties should forfit the match on that day and award the teams that are willing and able to play the 3points?

Edited May 24, 201115 yr by bdu98196

Then they'll complain when they have a fixtures backlog.

rangers should make this a testomonial for sebo yo comemerate a game he actually scored in

The whole early start thing is a nonsense. There's no need for it and no benefit to anyone. Celtic had agreed to play in Ireland before it was announced. Personally I think all the teams should have declared they were playing friendlies on 23rd July.

I don't agree with it, but not much else could be done as Celtic had already made arrangements to play in the Dublin Cup before any confirmation had been provided about the early start to the season. This left the SPL with two options....allow only Celtic to postpone one game (and you can imagine the uproar that would have created) or try and be fair to all by giving everyone the opportunity to do the same.

Unfortunately, in choosing the second option they then made a farce of it by offering a variety of dates which clubs could postpone games on (instead of making it a single weekend) and it's now looking like it could cause more problems than it solves. It's just typical SPL taking a less than ideal situation and making it worse.

If the league kicks off on a certain date and fixtures scheduled then the clubs have to accept that if they want to be part of that league - perhaps those not wanting to play on schedules dates in favour of money making 'glamour' ties should forfit the match on that day and award the teams that are willing and able to play the 3points?

Biggest problem is that the SPL is kicking off early ...... and Celtic had announced their pre-season game prior to the SPL management announcing their fixture dates .... In the last 5 years the SPL has only kicked off once in July and the last 4 years have seen it kick-off in August so you cant really blame Celtic for organising a friendly in late July. In anyone's book that should seem reasonable.

The Rangers one is a bit different ..... their friendly is organised for 6th August and this would have been before the normal league start in any of the last three seasons ..... BUT, as far as I can see they organised this after the dates had been announced by the SPL so there is definitely an element of taking the **** here !!! I am guessing that Chelsea would not have been up for a friendly any earlier as they want Rangers closer to the start of the EPL season.

Now that both of the terrible twins have exercised their rights to postpone a game I expect to see the SPL make a ruling that no more games can be changed to any date after 6th August !!!!!

League Start Dates - Last 6 seasons

2011-12 = 23/07

2010-11 = 14/08

2009-10 = 15/08

2008-09 = 09/08

2007-08 = 04/08

2006-07 = 29/07

One bonus ..... league fixtures will be released in only 24 days time (June 17)

The fairest solution would be to have the first old firm match midweek so that the game that they miss is an Old firm game.

But they wont do that will they

Another solution, see if it helps one of our clubs in Europe if they miss a game.

What should be an absolute must is that the game that they forfeit MUST be a home game to be played midweek.If they want to go away playing games to make cash and raise the profile of their clubs then it shouldn't be at the expense of other SPL teams.

What should be an absolute must is that the game that they forfeit MUST be a home game to be played midweek.If they want to go away playing games to make cash and raise the profile of their clubs then it shouldn't be at the expense of other SPL teams.

absolutely agree 100% and wholeheartedly ...... have a feeling that this is too sensible an idea though !

I agree that it must be a home game. Aside from that, I'm not too bothered. If a club postpones a game to make an extra bit of cash but ends up playing an extra match, so what? Doesn't rile me in any way.

Two ways of looking at this, what if Barca phone Dundee Utd, Aberdeen and us for a tour of Scotland. Would we turn them down? I dont think so.

Also if they go away seeeking cash and do two games in 3 days, they increase the chances of injury and stupid suspensions, tiring players out quick etc. Its only annoying because they can attract big tournaments. Because we are starting so early next season, we will be way ahead of the big Englandshire teams, which will possibly rule a few of them out of coming north for their preseason

Scottish football needs all the money it can get, so these lucrative friendlies/tournaments should be accomodated where possible provided there is no disadvantage to the other SPL teams.