We’ve had some fantastic feedback on The Celtic Star to the recent articles around the unfairness of the current league set up. This of course has centred prinicipally around the soon to return and highly annoying league ‘Split’.
It has opened up a wide and varied debate on the value of the league dividing into two groups of six and the fixture anomalies that result as a consequence. We also had Celtic historian David Potter join the debate last night, with another well thought out argument for a 10 team option.
Today we bring you a few more options that could be suitable alternatives to the status quo, from The Celtic Star readers and those on the brilliant Celtic Noise fans forum where this very debate originated from.
First up we hear from OJ 17 who believes Scottish Football could learn a lot from looking to the MLS for inspiration.
“I have said it for years and will keep saying it – Scotland needs an American style franchise model – with say 20 full time clubs playing each other twice for 38 games where there all the money is divvied up by the 20 clubs and there is no relegation. Tiers below play in a amateur or semi-pro league including top 20 second teams league and sorry that’s that. It may allow the smaller clubs of the top 20 plan for a bit better future without the uncertainty of relegation.
If you do want a promotion/relegation then perhaps that is done once every 5 years when the bottom two teams drop out on a 5 year co-efficient that could be calculated on results/attendances/facilities,” he argued.
The idea of a league without the excitement of promotion and relegation didn’t fill Spherical Planet with much joy and he responded with his reasons for it.
“I like your logic, OJ but part of the magic of football is that element of jeopardy and also hope for the teams in a lower division.
We’re lucky in Scotland, in as much as, we don’t have the vast geographical and meteorological landscape (or time zones) that they have in the States.
It’s also arguable if Scotland can sustain 20 professional teams without some kind of reconfiguration.
There are American owners at a few Scottish clubs now and I think part of that thinking is to use these clubs as a gateway into Europe for American prospects. I guess time will tell, but unless it’s a tax break for the American owners, I’m not sure in what any other way they can recoup their investment?”
Stephen McNeill contacted the Celtic Star with his plans for an expanded league and retaining the split.
“The solution is simple. Add 2 extra teams to the top flight. Play each other home and away, 26 games. Split top 7 and bottom 7. Play each other twice, 12 games. Total 38 games.
Only thing that would have to be considered is one team would have no game on the final day of the season from each side of the split but that could be solved by making sure that the teams that have no chance of winning the league or being relegated are the ones who don’t have a game on the last day.”
This one from Chris Mallon wanted some simplicity brought to the debate and also touched on the subject of ticket prices at the same time. Certainly a topical subject in the midst of the Twenty’s plenty campaign.
“Keep this simple and basic (something the SFA/SPFL can’t manage). 16 teams play home and away. Extended winter break where teams can feel free to play friendlies in better climates as there are plenty of leagues who play summer football. Or Use the cups to fill in any extended gaps. Or 18 team league. Home and away. No splits! These solutions involve less games which means less gate money for some teams.
But if they want more interest surely more teams that they are capable of beating and introduce a cap average of £20-25 (outwith Celtic and sevco games) to try get fans back in the grounds.
12 teams is utter dung and doesn’t work. And let’s face it……after this season ‘the’ Rangers would hate to play the bottom dwellers since they always drop points to the dross” he noted.
We then had an idea that Michael Duffy, a well-known contributor on Celtic Noise shot down with self-interest from the Blazers at Hampden being the reasoning behind it. It’s hard to disagree with his logic.
“Rugby union took that approach with smaller clubs feeding into the big regionals at Welsh, Irish and Scottish levels and subsequently the national squads too. No need to copy that and it’s still developing with a Borders side being talked of to joining Glasgow and Edinburgh, even a Highland side has been discussed, but there are lessons to be learned there. We’d need a will and sadly it is lacking. Also we’d need strong willed marketing to show the benefit. SFA were offered that by the Hearn family and ran a mile. Turkeys and Xmas comes to mind.
Unless the old boys network that governs Scottish football, do a turkey and vote for Christmas, then the old problems remain, self-preservation and short term thinking.”
Next up to join the debate was Docco putting forward an argument for some real expansion of the top flight while outlining the elephant in the room.
The Glasgow money tree…
“Its total madness…I’ve always thought that we should have an 18 team set up with each team playing each other twice. Never going to happen though due to money especially the 4 x games v the Rangers would only become 2.
Spherical Planet returned to the debate and this time put forward a solid argument as to why less Glasgow derby fixtures actually might be beneficial to TV companies and the clubs.
“What bugs me is that if there were only two fixtures involving them, then the hype and coverage would add extra value to broadcasters across the world!
These games would become proper “occasions” across the football world and generate even more revenue.
Even we had “old firm fatigue” in that season when we played them 7 times. They were still important, but they lost a wee bit of impact because of the familiarity
Even the away matches against every other side becomes an event, because that may be the only chance they’ll get the Celtic at their ground that season.
Their own fans are more likely to come out in force and that would also to apply to their own derby games.
Clubs like Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen would likely see a surge in attendances due to the one-time only nature of each game.”
Next up to join the debate was a well kent face on The Celtic Star. Sandman’s hilarious and often cutting assessment of the Celtic players performances is waited for with bated breath each week on The Celtic Noise forum and The Celtic Star. Sandman ran that same critical eye over the reconstruction debate.
“Top League of 16.
Play each other home and away = 30 games.
Split top 6 into a final home and away section = 10 games.
Total of 40, 2 more than current.
Other 10 play each other once for 9 more games (leaves a slight 4/5 or 5/4 home/away imbalance of a game but though shit for finishing lower than 6th; that’s part of the penalty for some. And it’ll be a minor disruption compared to the top 6 this season and Celtic’s penalty, no doubt.)
Means the top teams suffer no imbalance, as it should be.
Also leaves a showcase last fixture day of top 6.”
Next to join in was Winter. This idea incorporated the recent idea for Colt sides into the discussion.
“Have always been for a 16 club top flight there’s often little difference between the bottom 6 and the championship’s top 6. Let the top 4 play colts in the league cup all the way and you’ll have smaller clubs winning more honours increasing attendances for those clubs. Even a top flight 14 would still be better 13(H&A) & top 6 split (5H&A) is 36 fixtures, 2 less.
From the Kingdom of Fife came another look at the validity of amalgamations as a viable alternative. Cheezydee-a regular poster on Celtic Noise – was in favour of the idea but simply didn’t feel there would be an appetite for it amongst the rank and file.
“I’m in Fife, and this argument has been made here for as long as I’ve been old enough to talk football. We have the likes of Raith, Dunfermline, East Fife and fans from each area want to support their local team, even if it’s only 500 that turn up.
“It’s so entrenched in tribalism that I can’t see it changing. And in a sense, good on them. It’s kinda along the lines of the whole unionism/independence debate. Each to their own.
“Personally, I’d prefer a ‘Fife United’ that has a big enough crowd that they could financially compete in a top league, but it would be a generational change to see something like that succeed. Clubs (supporters) of these teams are never going to agree to follow a team outwith their town, so I think it would be a struggle to keep afloat long enough for new fans to come. They’d lose a lot of fans who ‘wouldn’t follow another team’.
Me personally, I’d have say a top 16 league (not sure if playing twice would mean enough fixtures) and a division of 20 under that. That’s it. The TV companies want 4 minimum ‘old firm’ games, but I’d rather just have that 1 away and 1 home game in a season, bar any cup games, and have each being the big day you can’t miss.
Potentially we could be playing the Rangers 6 times in a season out-with Europe or replays. It waters down the fixture, and although it’s a big ratings game currently, it’s getting watered down with it happening so much. I wonder if they’d get a bigger audience overall if it happened at each stadium once a year as opposed to 2/3 surely neutrals won’t see it as the big derby when it’s on every few months.
Scottish football just needs to be ruthless and cut the number of professional teams in Scotland,” he concluded.
Then Spherical Planet issued a warning from the past for teams who may think that following the well-trodden path will result in anything other than dire straits.
“Seen the issues up in Inverness. Both Caley and Thistle separately could draw bigger crowds than ICT. There would likely be a riot if it happened in Dundee and I know about the local rivalries throughout Fife too.
It’s more wishful thinking on my part than anything else, but I don’t doubt that a few of these clubs will go the way of Third Lanark and Rangers if they don’t start pooling their resources,” he stated.
And lastly we’ve heard from Tony Synnott who outlined his restructuring plan for Scottish football as follows:
All in all we’ve had some wonderful responses and ideas around league reconstruction over the last couple of days on The Celtic Star. It must be said there certainly doesn’t seem like there’s much support around the current system and the ridiculous imbalances we’ve endured for almost 20 years.
Hopefully the powers that be are aware of the discontent amongst the supporters of Scottish Football. Then again as we all know in Scottish football, it tend to be the hope that kills you.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to contribute to a brilliant debate on a subject with no easy solution.
If you haven’t already done so please also join up to The Celtic Noise fans forum where you can debate this very subject and many more besides. https://celticnoise.com/ You will be guaranteed a warm welcome on what is the friendliest wee Celtic forum on the internet.
And if you would like to write an article for The Celtic Star please send your submission – as long as it relates to Celtic – to editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll do the rest…
Niall J
OTHER ARTICLES ON THE SPLIT AND RECONSTRUCTION ARE BELOW…
Support Celtic Youth Development
Help raise money for Celtic Youth Development by joining the £1 weekly lottery and you could win up to £25,000 – just click on any one of the photographs below to join. Lots of our readers have already done so and they’re now doing their bit to help fund Celtic Youth Development that can deliver the stars of tomorrow and beyond. And you might even win a few bob too! And a special thank you to all The Celtic Star readers who have already signed up and are now supporting youth development to give us the Celtic Stars of the future…
