League Reconstruction

[Kingsmills]

It looks as though Gretna might well not exist next season even if administration and an SPL advance help them limp on until the end of this.

So what do the SPL and SFL do in that event ? The stock answer in the past has been to recruit another club but it seems to me that there are no longer any substantial centres of population that are unrepresented in the league apart perhaps from the Borders which doesn't seem to have a great deal of appetite for the round ball game. So what would be the point in a small country with far too many league clubs as it is in recruiting another club ?

Even if it was relatively well run it would be another small part time club existing on league subsidies and crowds of three figures.

Surely the sensible thing would be to take the opportunity of some radical reconstruction which might not be in place for next season but which could certainly be achieved by the season after even if it meant the Third Division operating with only 8 or 9 clubs for a single season or, more sensibly, combining with the second as an 18 team league with each team plaing each other twice.

I say 8 or 9 as East Stirling have been pre warned that if they finish bottom this season, which would be the 8th consecutive year they've propped up a very poor part time league they risk being exluded from the SFL. If thy do finish last again this season then that is exactly what should happen.

That would leave 40 teams to organise a league system for starting the season after next.

My own prefernce would be for a full time top league of 18 teams playing each other twice thus getting rid of "the split" with a second national tier of 22 clubs which would be very largely part time. The additional games would give these clubs a little more revenue.

Another possibility would be to revert to four leagues of ten with the top two divisions being run by the SPL and the bottom two by the SFL. Perhaps 25% TV and sponsorship revenue could be distributed among the "SPL 2" clubs meaning that relegation from the top tier wouldn't be such a disaster an that a prudently run club could sustain full time football there without recurring annual losses. Any reduction in TV income to the top league clubs would be partly compensated for by the fact the they would have four guaranteed home matches against the Old Firm rather than three as at present.

[Caley Stan]

Playing teams four times a season is boring for players and fans.

SPL teams will never vote to reduce the number games they have against the old firm.

The old firm will never vote to reduce the number games they have against each other.

So we're stuck with what we've got, 10 teams, 12 teams, slit, no split - it's all a variation on the same thing.

My preference is also to have bigger league with teams playing each other twice like most European countries - but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

[Alex MacLeod]

Bring top three from Div 1 into SPL. Next four playoff for two remaining SPL slots. 16 team SPL. Remaining five div 1 join with Div 2 + one promoted team from Div 3 to make 16 team Div 1. Remainders + 1 team from preferrably south Edinburgh area make 10 team Div 2.

[dead_ball_specialist]

I'd like to see a system where all the leagues are joined together in a giant ladder, like in England - it's possible for teams way down in the Conference, the Unibond league, the Doctor Martins league etc, to work their way up to the big time.

It wouldn't exactly be rocket science to work out a structure which would allow Highland league, Junior or even North Caledonian league teams a path to bigger things. Break down the walls!

[Kingsmills]

I agree but the SPL and SFL need to get their own houses in order first.

[Action Man]

I agree but the SPL and SFL need to get their own houses in order first.

Amalgamation? If the SPL could lift their heads out of the trough this would make sense for all of Scottish football.

Not holding my breath.

[Linwoodictsc]

I agree but the SPL and SFL need to get their own houses in order first.

i agree there but the SFA need to get their act together as well starting with getting rid of that idiot Smith......... :003:

[Heilandee]

Just read this idea which apparently has Gordon Smiths backing,what do ya's think? I reckon it's a great idea which would maintain intrest in many more league games and improve crowds

12 team SPL..play each other twice.then top 8 play each other twice again  to decide Euro places and Champions...bottom four join up with top four of the 1st ..play each other twice...top four of that mini league are in the SPL the next season.. total 36 games a year...

[Johnboy]

Dae ye think DeeFC have a chance of finishing Div1 in the top four.... :023:

Seriously though.... I think that is a good idea.... As we've seen from recent cup games there's very little separates the top of Div1 with, even the middle of the SPL....

[Harry Chibber]

been going on about this for ages but it's never going to happen

[Heilandee]

been going on about this for ages but it's never going to happen

Change has to happen and sooner rather than later,(not from a self interest point of view JB) Fans are haemorageing at an alarming rate and not coming back,all outside the OF only have the die hards going as regular attendees,ICT game today was of zero significance to anything with 8 games stilll left! Fair play to them who could be ersed going along but it wouldn't be me.

[troublegum007]

Just read this idea which apparently has Gordon Smiths backing,what do ya's think? I reckon it's a great idea which would maintain intrest in many more league games and improve crowds

12 team SPL..play each other twice.then top 8 play each other twice again  to decide Euro places and Champions...bottom four join up with top four of the 1st ..play each other twice...top four of that mini league are in the SPL the next season.. total 36 games a year...

This may be a stupid question, but I haven't seen the idea anywhere but here - Surely you can only take the top 4 teams after all teams have completed all fixtures, so does this mean that Division 1 teams will have played 36 games by the time the SPL clubs have played 22, or would division 1, 2 and 3 be altered too?