What do YOU make on League Reconstruction?

[CaleyThistle]

Is it a good idea?

After such an exiting season do we want the league to change after all?

Should it be in place for next season?

What should the pyramid look like?

[Guest Mahonio]

It should be a top league of 16 or 18, it probably did need changing because teams playing each other 3 to 4 times is stupid, but, the plus side of the split is the excitement.

Mr Doncaster doesn't seem to listen to fans because the told him, we need more teams in top flight, yet he puts 10 in, nutter he is!

[Caleyjag157]

Get rid of the split I hate it. Makes planning for games a nightmare.

[CaleyD]

Is it a good idea?

 

Yes, but more in regards to the "non-playing" aspects of it...merging SPL/SFL, financial reconstruction etc.  My preference would be a larger top league now, but if we can't have it now, then at least we'll have a more democratic setup in order to make it more likely to happen in future.

 

After such an exiting season do we want the league to change after all?

 

It would be totally naive to view this season as being anything like the "norm".  It's never been like this previously and it's not likely to remain like this in the future if not changed.

 

Should it be in place for next season?

 

The sooner the better....so yes.  Delaying things serves no purpose because we'll just find ourselves 12 months down the line having the exact same discussions and getting nowhere.  Also, the sooner we get the new setup in place, the sooner we can see how well it's working and looking to increase the size of the top league.

 

What should the pyramid look like?

 

If we're going with the two leagues of 12 at the top, then I think the pyramid should kick in immediately below that.  Instead of a league of 18, there should be two leagues of 10 sitting side by side and split regionally.  Each of those "regions" can then decide how best to fit in with the structure below that depending on local needs/requirements.

[Laurence]

I think it will be a shambles

 

I think the play offs when the teams start at zero points  is a farce

 

I think we should have a top league of two teams that play each other 38 times a season with no promotion or relegation

 

A second division of 22 teams

 

Forget about Glasgow let them stew in their own juice.

[TheDictator]

Almost 100% of fans I know want more teams in each league, not less! 

[+bughtmaster]

The first phase of reconstruction should involve the people that are supposedly reconstructing it. i.e.  Doncaster & co. how or why they have survived is a mystery to me.

Second phase is to find a working established successful formula.

Third phase implement that.

 

Until then leave well alone, this has been and still is the closest and most exciting season for yunks ( however long that is ?)

Really all we have to do is rid ourselves of the other thorn in the flesh, which is currently sponging up all the money then equality would balance the power and bring even more to the SPL.

As for the Colts idea............well         

[Biggin]

Strongly against the proposal to split top league and 2nd league after 22 games and zero the points - this has been tried in Switzerland and has been thrown out  -so why would we want to go that road - a bigger league is what is required  and should be put into place at the end of next season when everyone knows what they are playing for

[caleydawson]

i don't like saying this but i agree with charles green it should be 14-14-14 

[lukemackay]

i don't like saying this but i agree with charles green it should be 14-14-14 

god forbid playing 39 games a season!!......according to the spl!

[caleydawson]

i don't like saying this but i agree with charles green it should be 14-14-14 

god forbid playing 39 games a season!!......according to the spl!

if they got rid of the split then it would be fine 

[Bloodstone]

i don't like saying this but i agree with charles green it should be 14-14-14 

I think is is a good idea as well. Play each team twice for 26 games then split into top 7 and bottom 7 and play each team twice again for a further 12 games bringing total to 38, the same as now. Should also iron out the pesky too many home or away games we face at the moment with 12 teams. 

[CaleyD]

i don't like saying this but i agree with charles green it should be 14-14-14 

I think is is a good idea as well. Play each team twice for 26 games then split into top 7 and bottom 7 and play each team twice again for a further 12 games bringing total to 38, the same as now. Should also iron out the pesky too many home or away games we face at the moment with 12 teams. 

 

The 12-12 to 8-8-8 delivers the same outcome!!!

[starchief]

Just cant see myself caring too much about winning a post split 2nd division.  Or even winning a pre split 2nd division. It just all seems so meaningless.

[gingerjaggy]

not many people if any are happy with the proposals but it isnt the format of the leagues themselves that is important it is that we get one govening body which will make change easier in the future and better money distribution to stabalise clubs finances. So what if it becomes a flop, with these bigger changes in the background then the league structure itself can be changed much easier in the future without all this hassle.

[Caleyjag157]

I would rather the league's stay as they are for next season rather than rushing the 12, 12, 18 idea with the ridiculous split. That gives over a year to get some sensible ideas on the table to discuss. What is the point of going from bad to worse and driving away even more fans from the Scottish game.

[Biggin]

I have to agree with Caleyjag 77 we dont want to rush into change for changes sake  lets take our time and think about it and dont bring in any change until the start of season 2014/15

[Bluesman]

Doncaster is a tattie talking mince.

 

In a better world only chairmen who have clubs running effectively and without piles of debt would be allowed to debate what can work going forward and that would narrow the number down a fair bit wouldn't it. The rest are just grabbing at anything that will get them a wee bit more cash in and to hell with the fans (mugs) who actually pay and come along.

 

Our national team is already a laughing stock, the league will be even more so. Half way through a season some clubs go back to zero points and start again - complete rubbish.

 

I'd like to see Doncaster's point of view but I can't get my heid that far up my own arse.

[Caleyjag157]

The way it is going the whole of Scottish football is becoming a joke and we need a clearout of personnel from the top and people put in place who care about the Scottish game. I really fear for the future if these ludicrous reconstruction plans go ahead.

[CaleyD]

I would rather the league's stay as they are for next season rather than rushing the 12, 12, 18 idea with the ridiculous split. That gives over a year to get some sensible ideas on the table to discuss. What is the point of going from bad to worse and driving away even more fans from the Scottish game.

 

We've had just about every alternative idea put on the table (some more than once) over the last few years and this is the ONLY one which looks like getting sufficient support to allow change to happen.

 

Sadly the media (and those who form their opinions based purely on the info provided therein) have turned this into a single issue debate, and it is far from being that.

 

Convenient how they all but ignore the fact that fans asked for the following...which is being delivered....

 

More variety in opposition

Improved Promotion, relegation & Playoffs

Merging SPL/SFL

Fairer Financial Distribution

Improved Governance (Accountability)

A more Democratic Structure

Change from 4 leagues to just 3

 

What's also conveniently ignored is the fact that fans have pretty much wanted rid of the 12 team league with top/bottom 6 split since the day it came in to force.

 

If all clubs stuck to their guns on the "No change unless I get what I want now" stance, then it would never happen because it takes 11 clubs to change it.  What we have in this proposal is a realisation among the SPL clubs (apart from Ross County it would seem) that they were at a stalemate and without agreement on the league structure then all the other good stuff fails to materialise.  The 12-12 to 8-8-8 structure was the only setup that ticked enough boxes for enough clubs in order for a viable proposal for change to be put on the table.

 

Why/How have they suddenly found this common ground?  I think the way the league has played out on the park this season has a lot to do with that.  What we have is a situation where 3 of the clubs in the top half of the league which is giving up a bit of their "share" are those with the lowest budgets....so they are still going to be financially better off anyway.  Clubs at the lower end, some of whom consider themselves "big" clubs, were/are going to lose out financially, but with the revised financial distribution they don't lose out by quite so much.  They've also realised that any one of them could end up in a relegation battle, so it makes sense to ensure they are better protected financially if that happens.

 

That, IMO, is why some think that this could be a one off opportunity (and I agree)....not to get a specific league structure, but to get a administrative setup that's not held back by a minority in future.  League structure doesn't matter right now and with a more democratic organisation running the game, if it it doesn't work then it can be looked at and changed by the will of the majority...which is how it should be.

 

All that aside though, you have to ask yourselves if the majority of fans really are against the idea, or if they really care what the setup is.  I don't think any club got more than 150 people along to a meeting about it (we only managed about 40)....even the Scottish Football Survey which could be completed as and when a person so wished got a response rate of under 5%.of Season Ticket holders across the country.  Frustrates the hell out of me that fans come on forums, facebook, twitter etc demanding a voice and demanding they be listened to....but when they get the opportunity, they don't take it.  Ironically, these people effectively expect the SPL to make decisions based on a lower minority than currently exists with the 11/1 voting structure!!!

[Sir C the 3rd]

I don't understand why Neil Doncaster and everyone else involved when asked about a 16 team league says that there will be lost revenue, fewer games etc.  If they are so keen on splits, everyone plays each other twice and split into 2 8's making 37 games.  Obviously its been thought of but the meagre (in football terms) handouts from Sky and ESPN dictate everything.

 

But then why would they pay proper money for a product that no one is watching.  How many people will be watching the game tomorrow?? Most people who are interested will be at the game!!

[CaleyD]

16 with a split does not offer any opportunity for an even number of home and away fixtures for every club.  It also reduces the number of derby matches....things which are not acceptable to enough clubs (only takes two) to prevent them getting the 11 majority required for change.

[Kirishima]

The only way Scottish football would get stronger was if half of the clubs went into administration today. That is the real reason why no radical change can happen because as we all know loan payments are hardly optional. if clubs were solvent, they'd be able to take a few years downtime.

Put all debt ridden clubs into administration. gonna happen sooner or later anyway.

[Caleyjag157]

What is the rush to get this through for next season. It has already been proven that the 12 12 18 model with the split does not work. The whole situation is crazy there is just over a month till the end of this season and you have teams who have no idea what league they will be playing in next season. As I said before there needs to be a clearout of the the top dogs in Scottish football and strong characters who know and love the game brought in to guide Scottish football forward and make it stable and stronger for the future.

[davie]

Thing is, it hasn't been proved it doesn't work. It just didn't in switzerland and for a variety of reasons. As various people have already said, the reason for change NOW is that there is a window to alter the voting structure that won't be there in a couple of years if we sit on our hands. The status quo will have been restored and the west coast city dwellers will be happy. So it has to be now, or never really. It's always going to happen that change will bring some kind of uncertainty, but that's no reason not to change. So change now, and then if the league is as bad as some are predicting (although I fail to see how) we at least have a voting structure that allows us to tinker with it.