Scottish Football League in Turmoil, SPL2 the answer?

[ictchris]

Haven't seen anything on here about the ongoing turmoil in the SFL. Eight of the ten First Division clubs have held a meeting discussing their options for a breakaway league, perhaps aligning itself to the SPL in a SPL2 development. The SFL has no sponsor, no television coverage and the First Division next season only contains one club with a 'significant' travellling support (Partick Thistle). Our chairman has spoken on the issue, offering his support to the idea of an SPL2 for full time clubs outside the SPL.

Here is the story from today's Daily Record:

EXCLUSIVE: SFL REBELS IN BREAKAWAY

Exclusive

By Hugh Keevins

FIRST DIVISION clubs were last night on the brink of revolt with a plan to break away from the SFL and form a new competition called the Scottish Championship.

A proposal has been drafted and will be put before clubs at a meeting on Friday. Those who vote in favour will formally present their notice to quit the Scottish League.

Clubs who decide not to go with the breakaway movement will be left behind and their places will be offered to Second Division clubs until a group of 12 is formed.

A two-year period of notice to quit the SFL is in their constitution but this will be ignored and a legal battle will be mounted if necessary to bring about the new set-up in time for the start of next season.

Consultation will also take place with the Premier League board to seek their backing for what will effectively be an SPL 2.

It is intended to have the names and aims of the Scottish Championship in place before he SPL's strategy meeting in June and in time for consideration at the SFL agm in the close season.

The SFL, led by president John Smith of Stirling Albion, are sure to resist the idea of revolution and a legal fight could be set in motion.

But a meeting of the dissident clubs will take place at Clyde's ground on Friday to draw up battle lines.

The SFL has lost Bell's, its sponsor, and there is growing concern that unless something radical is done to address financial worries some clubs will face the prospect of going under.

It is the biggest crisis football has faced since the SPL was brought into being in 1995 but the ultimatum from the First Division is on its way.

Pearse Flynn, owner of Livingston, who have just dropped out of the SPL, said: "Clubs involved in this movement are passionate about the need to help themselves.

"I've discovered that the difference in earnings made by the top team in the league and East Stirling, the bottom club in the Third Division, was just £15,000 in the year gone by.

"It isn't good enough and the clubs that formed the idea of the Scottish Championship can't wait to fulfil a two-year notice period to quit.

"We need to do something now."

The SFL will shortly lose commercial wizard Bill Wilson due to retirement and the running of that department will be left in less experienced hands.

This has helped prompt the idea that a breakaway is the only answer to protect clubs who want to hold on to full-time football.

Lex Gold, SPL chief executive, has held informal talks with worried clubs but told them to discuss their plan with the SFL before getting back to him.

Now the interested parties have taken the first step towards forming an organisation beneath the SPL that will be attractive to sponsors and TV.

Friday's vote will test the resolve of the clubs involved in the battle for their own survival. Eight have already given assurances they will do whatever is necessary to move forward.

The rest now know that if they resist they will be left in limbo.

It seems that the 'big' clubs of the SFL see themselves as being held back by the 'smaller' clubs and think they can attract sponsors, TV deals etc better on their own. They would also be able to keep the profits of these deals for themselves rather than share it with the other sides.

I think that creating more division and governing bodies in football is wrong. If these so-called big clubs were offering a superior product then sponsorship woudl be forthcoming, but it isn't.

[+Gringo]

I believe an SPL2 will be the final nail in the coffin of the wee teams from the 2nd and 3rd divisions and, possibly, a further nail in the coffin of Scottish football in general.

[Guest calaiscasual]

there is an even simpler solution to this "crisis" and that is to not pay such high wages

[CaleyD]

Although David Sutherland spoke of his support for the idea of an SPL 2, he also said that their was very little enthusiasm for the idea from the Div1 teams - the article seems to back that up with them instead talking about a 3rd setup called the "Championship". I have to admit that it all sounds rather scary, and it's about time the SFA regained total control of football in Scotland before it goes totally bonkers and implodes.

I can't see this "Championship" idea becoming a reality in all honesty as the SFL and SPL would stick the fingers up at them and just refuse them promotion/relegation spots. All that would happen is that the current 2nd would become the new 1st and it would take years for these teams to close the gap, and probably result in a lot more casualties as clubs overspend in an attempt to do so.

Stuck out there on their own, the Championship would soon become stale; they would struggle for recognition from UEFA, FIFA etc and never be able to win European tournament places. We would quickly see member clubs re-applying for places back in the existing setup as the idea becomes the joke most of us already see it to be.

The only way I could see it working is if the 'top' Div 1 teams can persuade the majority of the current SPL teams to join them in creating this new championship, but that is a long shot when you consider the relative financial security that the SPL currently provides.

All in all I think it is nothing but hot air, and the only good that may come of it is a realisation by the SFA of how bad things are getting for Scottish football and forcing them into some positive action for the overall benefit of the game and its setup.

[metalgecko]

It may not be a bad thing for Scottish football. It may well be what has been needed for a long time: reduce the number of member clubs, strengthen others with fan numbers and player quality.

Cull those who have contributed little to nothing over the years other than hold a perhaps undeserved league place: East Stirling, Albion Rovers, Montrose for example. A kick up the arse is the best way to get you back on your toes.

[Kingsmills]

I suspect that this, or something very like it, will indeed happen but whether in time for the start of next season is a different matter.

[CaleyD]

David Sutherland Backs BreakAway Plans

Clicky Clicky

[caley100]

A freshen up is probably on the cards and has been needed for a while in the SFL, I can see a set up whereby we have the SPL, and an SPL2/Championship with 2 or 3 regional leagues fighting for a place/places in the SPL2.

This would cut costs for smaller clubs and make travelling easier for fans.

[CaleyD]

I still can't help think that this could be a case of "careful what you wish for" - although a pyramid system would in theory be great, if it was a geographically based setup then just have a look round and see who we would end up playing if we were to slip backwards.

[kencar]

More teams in the SPL and/or 2 up 2 down

[CaleyD]

According to David Sutherland Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs are pushing for a smaller top league, not a larger one. They may well use the chance of an SPL2 to push through that idea which is also worrying.

[Guest kingkojak]

fecks sake - why cant we just have an italian style system of two feckin bigger leagues.

maybe call it mcleague 1 and mcleague 2 :017:

[Northern_jaggie]

it will be interesting whatever happens.

The little clubs could always pull out of the scottish cup. The competition would be a farce if the likes of county, livvy and st johnston were to pull out.

[Kingsmills]

To be fair, a league of 12 with a split is utterly contrived. SPL one and two each with ten teams and two promotion/relegation laces to be fought for might have merit.

[Guest Sam]

I think the time is right for a revamp of the complete league system in Scottish football. We already have a "top" flight which has experienced problem after problem and "lower" leagues which are struggling to keep member clubs happy and desperate to find a sponsor.

Rather than 12 clubs setting up the SPL, and five or six clubs wanting to set up a SPL2, here's an idea... why not all get together and create one SIMPLIFIED structure for Scottish football, with one organisation overseeing everything. Why must some chairmen/officials see the need to complicate the structure further? Utter madness.

And get it sorted once and for all so we can get rid of this pointless year on year debate about whether we should extend the top flight, whether we should change the lower leagues, whether we should have play offs or splits, relegation from the Third Division or not. If people want to breakaway etc, then get the whole lot sorted in one go.