SCOTTISH football last night stood on the brink of revolution amid fears more than one SPL club is going to the wall.

 

Record Sport understands a move towards the restructuring of the SPL will start as soon as this season's championship and relegation issues have been decided.

 

Concerned chairmen have been holding emergency talks in secret for weeks. Matters are now coming to a head in advance of financial figures being released which will show the catastrophe that's on the way unless the Top Twelve is expanded into an 18-team league.

 

SPL chairmen met at Hampden yesterday as calls mounted for a change of direction and even the SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster has now publicly admitted the split isn't the answer to falling crowds and declining standards.

 

One concerned club spokesman said: "There are balance-sheet figures about to come out which are appalling.

 

"Clubs will go to the wall. unless there's change across the board, and soon.

 

"We can't go on paying salaries that the clubs just can't afford. Income must become relative to clubs' expenditure.

 

"Chairmen have been talking to each other in the background but it would be inappropriate to speak out before the major issues have been settled.

 

"Scottish football needs restructuring because the game is the big picture.

 

"If you sort out the product then the financial picture gets better in time.

 

"It might be sore to begin with, and income might drop by as much as 30 per cent, but if we don't take steps to find our true level then there will be serious consequences."

 

Rangers manager Walter Smith has already stated his preference for an 18-team Premier League, reducing the number of fixtures to 34.

 

That would take away the complaint that the same teams are meeting each other too many times during the season.

 

Support for that change to the current system was growing last night .

 

Formal moves to alter the structure of the SPL and redraw the remainder of the clubs in the Scottish Football League are now only a matter of weeks away.

 

Taken from the Daily Retard so may be utter bollocks, but I certainly hope not.

When I heard this I was expecting Sevco to be head of the list, surprised they are not involved.

Not part of Green's master plan http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22400088 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know it's been posted by me on another topic, but it's so risible it deserves total humiliation

The more I think about it, the more this stinks of the huns. Also where has the good of the Scottish game gone?

Not part of Green's master plan http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22400088 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know it's been posted by me on another topic, but it's so risible it deserves total humiliation

 

Wtf the fuck.  When did it become BBC editorial policy to publish Rangers' press releases directly without any comment or context whatsoever?

 

You might expect to see an article like that on the huns own website, but it's pretty bizarre to see it being published as 'News' by the BBC.

 

 

Wtf the fuck.  When did it become BBC editorial policy to publish Rangers' press releases directly without any comment or context whatsoever?

 

You might expect to see an article like that on the huns own website, but it's pretty bizarre to see it being published as 'News' by the BBC.

 

 

 

The comment is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22402871

Not much of a comment. Just a regurgitation.

Jim Spence ?@bbcjimspence 2m

Stand by.......SPL about to issue a press release on reconstruction. God news or bad news

Doesn't show up properly on my screen, but I'm assuming ^^^^ says this:

 

 

Scottish Premier League clubs have unanimously agreed to merge the organisation with the Scottish Football League, bringing about a single body overseeing all 42 senior clubs in time for next season.

All 12 top flight clubs also agreed on a new financial distribution model, the introduction of a promotion relegation play-off between the country's top two divisions and a "pyramid for the entire game".

Was a tweet from Jim Spence saying to stand by.

Fair play to Raith, I see they are willing to resign from the SFL to try and ensure league reconstruction goes ahead.

 

 

http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/football/raith-rovers/raith-to-quit-sfl-if-reform-talks-fail-1-2942270

Still don't get what the hard on is for change next season.  Why rush it?

Money?

Still don't get what the hard on is for change next season.  Why rush it?

 

 

Plummeting crowds?

Still don't get what the hard on is for change next season.  Why rush it?

 

Self preservation from first division clubs as they want extra cash and self preservation for bottom team in SPL who want a safety net if they get relegated.

 

 

Money?

 

Possibly in the short term but maybe not in the long term if they make a hasty incorrect decision.

STV understands that following a written resolution sent by email to the 12 member sides last week, a 12-0 vote has been returned in favour of plans for the new Scottish Professional Football League.

Top flight teams are now awaiting the outcome of a vote by Scottish Football League clubs, which will be held on Wednesday, June 12.

An indicative vote of SFL sides last week saw just 16 indicate their approval in a secret ballot, six short of the 22 required for the proposals to be rubber stamped.

It was hoped a meeting of Second and Third Division clubs in Stirling on Tuesday night would lead to clubs changing their position and their vote being brought forward to within a five day notice period.

It is understood insufficient backing was received for that to take place, with no indication whether enough will vote yes at Hampden in 13 days time.

SFL clubs still have reservations over the proposed financial distribution model and the composition of the new SPFL board, which would see teams from the bottom two tiers represented by just one individual, as opposed to three from the top flight and two from the second tier.

If the June 12 vote fails, First Division clubs have indicated they will resign their membership of the league and apply to break away and join the SPL.

League reconstruction plans

Under the proposal voted through by SPL clubs, the current 12-10-10-10 league structure would be retained.

A play-off between the top two tiers would be brought in, with the second bottom side from the Premier League facing the clubs placed second, third and fourth in the Championship.

Still don't get what the hard on is for change next season.  Why rush it?

 

The Dunfermline situation is the catalyst for it as far as first division clubs are concerned.  They know that if Dunfermline, one of the bigger yo-yo teams as I like to call them, can go bust, they all can.

 

The second division teams are roughly split on it - those who will traditionally go up and down between the divisions (QoS, Alloa, Brechin, Airdrie) would likely prefer the change.

 

The third division teams are pretty much "meh" about it all.  Nothing at all in this for them unless the 2nd and 3rd Divisions merge into an 18 team conference, with promotion and relegation to a Highland and recently mooted Lowland league.

Scottish Football League clubs have voted in favour of a proposed merger with the Scottish Premier League .

 

The bodies will form a new Scottish Professional Football League in time for next season, averting a threatened breakaway from Division One clubs.

 

A revised financial distribution model will be introduced, feeding more money into the second tier.

 

The league structure will remain the same, with a top flight of 12 and three lower divisions of 10.

 

SPL clubs had already unanimously agreed on a package of measures that would deliver a merged league body for the new campaign and play-offs between the top league and the second tier.

 

There had been dissenting voices from Second and Third Division clubs but 23 of the 29 clubs voting backed the plan for restructuring.

 

A minimum of 22 votes was required, while Third Division champions Rangers did not get a say as they remain associate members having joined last summer.

Absolutely fantastic news.  Scottish football is saved.  I think the governing bodies should all be proud that they've managed to agree on such fundamental changes with only 18 months notice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ripped from P&B:

 

Scotland on Sunday has obtained details of some of the new policies the united SPFL is apparently going to adopt:

http://www.scotsman....venue-1-2968762

 

Premiership-Championship Playoff

Quarter-Final... 3rd v 4th (2 legs)

Semi-Final... 2nd v 3rd/4th (2 legs)

Final... 11th v 2nd/3rd/4th (2 legs)*

*concludes May 10th - being last weekend of Top 6 season, i.e. Bottom 6 will end 1 week earlier than usual

[EDIT: That would appear to suggest Championship will end April 19th - which would be 2 weekends earlier than scheduled to do so as the First Division]

 

Presumably playoffs in lower tiers will remain standard Semi-Finals > Final format.

 

Winter Break

This has been scrapped. However, Premiership clubs can 'opt-out' of playing on the first 2 weekends in January with the games moved to the last 2 midweeks in January. By implication, and as you'd expect, presumably there is no form of break in lower tiers.

 

Heid Honchos

Replacement for Ralph Topping to be selected within 2 weeks. As regards CEO, article says Neil Doncaster and David Longmuir both to work for new body for initial weeks, but Doncaster "widely believed will fill role". New Board will be elected on 27th June, when SFL winds itself up. It will contain the Chairman, CEO, 3x Premiership reps, 2x Championship reps, 1x lower levels rep, and 1 independent member.

 

Cups

League Cup and Challenge Cup expected to continue unaffected.

I really hope it's not called the Premiership and Championship.

a quarter final FFS?

 

 

They never do anything simple do they

 

 

 

Bleeding as many games as possible out of a season?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23079880

 

Fuck up!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23079880

 

Fuck up!

 

for the love of fuck