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Major Restructuring in the Pipeline for SPL

BobbyBiscuit

By BobbyBiscuit
in Aberdeen Football Club

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Azteca1903

Azteca1903

Posted
Posted

Things take a turn for the bizzare.

 

The Scottish Premier League will explore the creation of a British League Cup if plans for a major shake-up of the game are ratified.

 

BBC Scotland has gained access to the SPL's 100-page strategic plan, which includes plans for a 10-team SPL.

 

It shows a desire to merge with the Scottish Football League in the summer - and a cross-border competition.

 

Clubs met at Hampden on Monday as they seek a consensus on a number of issues including league reconstruction.

 

A new league set-up has been driving the change among the SPL's members, but there are a number of other objectives that clubs are being asked to back in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the Scottish game.

 

The document makes specific reference to unification of the SPL and SFL with an attractive reason being to "enable the SPL to explore the possibility of cross-border matches (potentially British Cup matches) via the Scottish League Cup".

 

The idea of a British club tournament has been proposed in recent years, with a 2001 proposal backed by Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne, which was ultimately rejected by the Football League in England.

 

In 1902, a British League Cup competition raised money for the Ibrox Stadium disaster and included the winners and runners-up of the Scottish and English Football Leagues.

 

Several other official and unofficial cross-border competitions have also taken place over the decades, including the Empire Exhibition Trophy in 1938, the Coronation Cup in 1957, the Texaco Cup and the Anglo-Scottish Cup.

 

Some other proposals included in the SPL's strategic plan include:

   


  •    
  • The national team's Fifa ranking to improve from 66th to 15th within five years
       
  • The SPL's coefficient ranking to improve from 16th to 10th in five years
       
  • Broadcasting revenues to increase by 50% in five years
       
  • The Scottish Football Association to make payments to clubs when players are on international duty

A draft of the document was discussed at a meeting on 7 January but has since been re-drafted after prolonged deliberations over a number of months.

 

BBC Scotland has learned that a vote on the proposals should finally take place in mid-May.

 

Ambitious stuff, certainly to be filed in the 'believe it when I see it' pile.

 

Personally, my support for the British League Cup is conditional on it being called the Empire Exhibition Trophy again  :thumbsup:

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Goldie03

Goldie03

Posted
Posted

I like the way they say they want us to move up the rankings but then give no ideas as to how to do it.

 

Not sure getting a lawyer to re-write the rulebook will do it tbh be honest.

 

It reads more like a wish list than a Russian 5 year plan doesn't it  ;D

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Kowalski

Kowalski

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I'm not surprised the football league threw the idea out. Yes it would put bums on seats, but it would be more aggro than it was worth (from their perspective). They haven't got a clue.

 

I can't see what harm would have been caused with a trip to the likes of Leeds, Millwall or Cardiff!

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Harcus

Harcus

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Inverness have echoed Dundee United's opposition to the Scottish Premier League's proposals for a 10-team format.

 

The SPL's plans now hang in the balance ahead of a vote in May, with 11 of 12 clubs needed to approve change.

 

"Along with Kilmarnock, as things stand there would appear to be three of us against it," Inverness chairman George Fraser told BBC Scotland.

 

"But if the SPL have another document at the May meeting we'll look at it."

 

Kilmarnock's Michael Johnson has also previously expressed doubts about reducing the size of the SPL.

 

Many managers have spoken in favour of an enlarged top league, but that idea was ruled out when the clubs met to discuss reconstruction for the first time in January.

 

There were further meetings on the topic in February and on 18 April, while a vote should be taken by the middle of May.

 

On Tuesday, BBC Scotland learned that the Dundee United board, headed by chairman Stephen Thompson, would not vote in favour of the smaller top tier.

 

Fraser added: "Having spoken to Stephen a number of times over the last few months I felt that's the way he was leaning.

 

"It's good to hear that's the way he's moved and we'll be supportive of that going forward as well.

 

"We're keen on a 14-team league but I don't think that will happen just now.

 

"I think we'll stick with the current 12-team set-up - probably for a couple of years, see how that goes, introduce everything else in the SPL's strategic plan and then move on from there."

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Kowalski

Kowalski

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"A 14 reflects the wishes of the fans and would allow the development of players without the fear factor."

 

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure the majority of fans wanted a 16 or 18 team league (irrespective of the financial issues of moving to a larger league).  In saying that, I'd rather have 14 than 10.

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topcorner

topcorner

Posted
Posted

No, AFC just didn't go to the meeting.

 

They didn't, but still a quote from them later on...

 

Aberdeen continue to back a smaller division and a club spokesman told BBC Scotland: "The 10-club proposal is the only one that is financially viable.

 

"We have yet to see any other model which is workable financially.

 

"A top tier of 10 with another tier of 10 clubs below is the one which we have publicly backed and is the only one that stacks up."

 

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glasgow sheep

glasgow sheep

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Doesn't this 14 team proposal involve a league split of some sort?

 

I believe it does.

As some one who doesn't mind the current split I would say the 14 team league suggestion is utter madness.  If I remember correctly split would be after 26 games with a top 6 and bottom 8.  Yeeeehaaaa  :hammer:

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Tyrant

Tyrant

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Posted

Does the 14 league team not involve the bottom 8 playing more games over a season than the top 6?

 

Bigger joke than we have currently!

 

Aye this is my problem with it. They've actually managed to find a way to make it worse.  ::)

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