Scottish football is and always will be a joke to everyone around the world.

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

RANGERS could romp the Third Division and still end up in the bottom tier next season if a plan to

reconstruct the Scottish game is given the go-ahead.

SFL chief David Longmuir last night spoke to Record Sport as he attempts to broker agreement to do away with the current set-up and start again with a new three league 12-12-18 structure.

The deal would see the SPL and SFL merge into one body with Longmuir’s clubs sharing around £1million in extra TV revenue.

And he confirmed this could happen at the start of next season – meaning Ally McCoist’s side starting out at the bottom all over again – even if they wrap up this season’s title.

But Longmuir explained: “This isn’t about one club.

This is about what is best for all of Scottish football.

“People are getting ahead of themselves a little bit because no decisions have been taken with regards to how the new leagues would be made up.

“But if you look at the league tables as they stand today it doesn’t take much imagination to work out how to make it happen.

“Yes, that might be disappointing for some clubs in the Second and Third divisions if it was to work out that way but then we are talking about the long-term good of the game here.

“If change is going to happen then inevitably there would have to be one season when adjustments would have to be made.

That adjustment has to come at some stage.”

Longmuir had previously pushed for a far more radical shake-up that would have created a 16-10-16 set-up.

But the SPL clubs are refusing to go along with his vision along with some clubs from the First Division and so a compromise solution is now being thrashed out.

And Longmuir – likely to land a key role in any future new governing body – said: “I’ve made my own views known and I always backed a structure of 16-10-16.

“But people can get very hung up on the structures and the numbers.

“What we have to do is find a way of moving the game in this country forward – how to make the wealth more evenly distributed and how to make the game better for everybody.”

[govanblue 16,847]

"is and always will be a joke to everyone around the world"

I keep hearing this, but the truth is - that's bollocks.

The rest of the world neither know nor care what is going on in Scottish football.

Just as you and I have no idea what is going on in Namibian football, Chilean football, East Timorian football...

So while Scottish football may be a joke to those in Scotland, and England, that's really the extent of it.

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

So has this extra £4.5m dropped to £1m or is this what they will give to pay off the clubs they no longer want...these clubs should recall last summer that they threatened not to pay them their deal re money, if they did not vote they way the spl wanted the vote to go.

[As I Was Walking.... 100]

A side thought to this ---- are they doing away with their 10000 all seater stadium requirement?

You'd be hard pushed to find 12 clubs from outwith the SPL that can comply with this

And if they drop it the likes of Dundee are going to be really happy since spending that kind of money on a stadium instead of other things like players or wages etc....

like i said just a thought --

[loyalfollower 1,543]

So has this extra £4.5m dropped to £1m or is this what they will give to pay off the clubs they no longer want...these clubs should recall last summer that they threatened not to pay them their deal re money, if they did not vote they way the spl wanted the vote to go.

judging by the quote, then the first division clubs are doing as I expected.

There is no good in Scottish football no more, just selfishness especially towards the top end.

All t.v deals will include us, and we will be made to sign it aswell.

All they are is a bunch of parasites.

[.Williamson. 87,119]

The majority of people in N.Ireland couldn't give a shite about Scottish football, never mind the world

Small world we're creating here.

[JograBear 1,082]

"is and always will be a joke to everyone around the world"

I keep hearing this, but the truth is - that's bollocks.

The rest of the world neither know nor care what is going on in Scottish football.

I live in Netherlands and have to say Im always getting slagged off for the latest piece of crazy news from Scottish football. They are well informed.

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

judging by the quote, then the first division clubs are doing as I expected.

There is no good in Scottish football no more, just selfishness especially towards the top end.

All t.v deals will include us, and we will be made to sign it aswell.

All they are is a bunch of parasites.

We have our membership so they can piss off. CG has told them when it comes to signing a new deal, they will not get his backing.

[Gary-Rangers1 33]

What day do we find out if it is giving the go ahead

[govanblue 16,847]

I live in Netherlands and have to say Im always getting slagged off for the latest piece of crazy news from Scottish football. They are well informed.

Aye fair point, but that's the Dutch. They're an exception in many ways

Not least, their continued interest in Rangers.

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

The majority of people in N.Ireland couldn't give a shite about Scottish football, never mind the world

Small world we're creating here.

[govanblue 16,847]

I'm Disappointed Ed - you could have gone for this instead...

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

I'm Disappointed Ed - you could have gone for this instead...

Not on your nellie...........has to be Disney.

[govanblue 16,847]

Not on your nellie...........has to be Disney.

Aye, on reflection...

[WWTC 2,452]

"is and always will be a joke to everyone around the world"

I keep hearing this, but the truth is - that's bollocks.

The rest of the world neither know nor care what is going on in Scottish football.

Just as you and I have no idea what is going on in Namibian football, Chilean football, East Timorian football...

So while Scottish football may be a joke to those in Scotland, and England, that's really the extent of it.

Most football fans the world over know who we are, but very few will name the top two teams from those countries. Perhaps a better comparison would be the dutch, portugese or romanian leagues, leagues with atleast one world brand footballing name.

[govanblue 16,847]

Most football fans the world over know who we are, but very few will name the top two teams from those countries. Perhaps a better comparison would be the dutch, portugese or romanian leagues, leagues with atleast one world brand footballing name.

Agreed. And back in the day, when we had some big name international stars, that would guarantee us publicity in the relevant countries. I certainly saw that in North Africa, and also in Turkey.

But they didn't go around saying "12-10-10-10? - what a silly country you are - and as for having 3 governing bodies - you crazy crazy Scotsmen!"

Edit: Actually they did say that last part quite a lot, but it was usually in relation to whisky!

[MacNaCeardadh 94]

"is and always will be a joke to everyone around the world"

I keep hearing this, but the truth is - that's bollocks.

The rest of the world neither know nor care what is going on in Scottish football.

Just as you and I have no idea what is going on in Namibian football, Chilean football, East Timorian football...

So while Scottish football may be a joke to those in Scotland, and England, that's really the extent of it.

I think the problem is, it's been a two-horse race for so long that the resentment among other clubs was left to stew until it become the unadulterated venom directed at us last year and once Rangers became vulnerable, any chance to take them down was seized upon with reckless abandon without any real thought to the consequences for the Scottish game as a whole... Generally agreed by most as in dire need of a kick up the backside of some description.

Surely what we needed to improve football in Scotland was more clubs with the capacity to do well rather than less? I mean, the relatively poor quality of our opposition could always be seen as a plus by some Rangers fans who were used to winning all the time; but playing against tougher home-grown opposition with the potential for a few more losses wouldn't shake my loyalty to the club. Whatever happened to "We welcome the chase?"

One thing I will say though is that there's one thing which will absolutely guarantee Scottish Football will never get any better, and that's to dismiss and abandon it completely... I'd definitely rather not do that, I think it's quite sad that most of the people I speak to in England don't care about Scottish Football at all, but most Scottish football fans pay attention to the English leagues in some capacity, possibly to an even greater extent than the Scottish ones... What does that say about our pride in our own country and our desire to improve it?

[WWTC 2,452]

Agreed. And back in the day, when we had some big name international stars, that would guarantee us publicity in the relevant countries. I certainly saw that in North Africa, and also in Turkey.

But they didn't go around saying "12-10-10-10? - what a silly country you are - and as for having 3 governing bodies - you crazy crazy Scotsmen!"

Edit: Actually they did say that last part quite a lot, but it was usually in relation to whisky!

Hahaha, i bet!

As much as your example leagues were a bit of a piss take, i was tryin to point out that we're not always viewed as this league thats dying a slow death. Most leagues around europe, with the exception of the top leagues in england, spain and germany, will likely argue that their leagues and football is falling apart. The dutch, norwegian, romanian, italian etc leagues could all put up arguements about how their football is falling apart. When do we ever look at other leagues and critise them?

Here, we use our national team as some sort of marker on how our league and footballing setups are working, which is absolute nonsense.

[govanblue 16,847]

Hahaha, i bet!

As much as your example leagues were a bit of a piss take, i was tryin to point out that we're not always viewed as this league thats dying a slow death. Most leagues around europe, with the exception of the top leagues in england, spain and germany, will likely argue that their leagues and football is falling apart. The dutch, norwegian, romanian, italian etc leagues could all put up arguements about how their football is falling apart. When do we ever look at other leagues and critise them?

Here, we use our national team as some sort of marker on how our league and footballing setups are working, which is absolute nonsense.

Yes, I agree with you completely. But I've noticed MTAF starts quite a few threads with "the rest of the world are laughing at us" and it's just such a ridiculous supposition.

I felt like weighing in on another thread yesterday (Not MTAF's) when the Elgin player tweeted that Ibrox is the best atmosphere in the world. Maybe in his very limited world, but not in the whole world surely?

I would refer him to AC/DC at River Plate for example

[Kai_Johansen 978]

If the world is laughing, then at least they are being entertained!

[WWTC 2,452]

Yes, I agree with you completely. But I've noticed MTAF starts quite a few threads with "the rest of the world are laughing at us" and it's just such a ridiculous supposition.

I felt like weighing in on another thread yesterday (Not MTAF's) when the Elgin player tweeted that Ibrox is the best atmosphere in the world. Maybe in his very limited world, but not in the whole world surely?

I would refer him to AC/DC at River Plate for example

Id like to think on certain occasions, with certain songs, that it could well be up there! In my small world ofcourse!

[govanblue 16,847]

Id like to think on certain occasions, with certain songs, that it could well be up there! In my small world ofcourse!

Up there definitely.

But not at that Elgin game!

My point was more about how many of us (myself included) have a very narrow-minded view of what actually constitutes the world

[Madina 4,228]

The Scottish leagues are diddy ones. Most foreign football fans only know of us and the taigs because of our involvement in Europe. I doubt many spend their weekends watching SPL or Division 3 highlights. The "Old Firm" are big fish in a little pond. Reconstruct the leagues all they like but as Im prone to saying, you cant polish a turd.

[allcinaye 336]

Up there definitely.

But not at that Elgin game!

My point was more about how many of us (myself included) have a very narrow-minded view of what actually constitutes the world

The World

[govanblue 16,847]

The World

Where did you get such a preposterous idea?

Everybody knows it's...