New structure explained...

[graeme_4 37,334]

At first I was dead against this new structure, as I'm a long time advocate of an 18 / 20 team league.

However, I've had a look at how it works (see below) and it actually makes a fair bit of sense.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/209239-explained-how-the-scottish-football-league-reconstruction-model-would-work/

• It does keep pretty much everybody with something to play for up until the end of the season
  
• It will give us 4 old firm games a season
  
• There will be playoffs for going up and down (which is something I think we really lack at the moment and is a potential moneymaker)
  
• Slightly more cash is distributed to the lower league clubs
  
• Folding of SPL and SFL (or merging so we have one governing body)
  

I'm not the biggest fan of it in the world, it does render this season pretty much pointless for us (apart from good experience for the youngster and a trophy), but I'm willing to give it a chance.

It will be interesting to see how the SFL clubs vote.

[The Godfather 75,513]

Sorry mate but it's a lot of bollocks.

Polishing a turd comes to mind.

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

At first I was dead against this new structure, as I'm a long time advocate of an 18 / 20 team league.

However, I've had a look at how it works (see below) and it actually makes a fair bit of sense.

http://sport.stv.tv/...del-would-work/

• It does keep pretty much everybody with something to play for up until the end of the season
  
• It will give us 4 old firm games a season
  
• There will be playoffs for going up and down (which is something I think we really lack at the moment and is a potential moneymaker)
  
• Slightly more cash is distributed to the lower league clubs
  
• Folding of SPL and SFL (or merging so we have one governing body)
  

I'm not the biggest fan of it in the world, it does render this season pretty much pointless for us (apart from good experience for the youngster and a trophy), but I'm willing to give it a chance.

It will be interesting to see how the SFL clubs vote.

We the fans don't want four old firm games a season.

[Fools Gold 488]

IF they go ahead with this Frankenstein of a set-up, we should be going into the 2nd league. How the fuck can we win the league this season, yet not gain promotion, and still be in the bottom league for 2013-14?

Beggars belief.

[st1965 14]

i am ok with it as well however I have to agree with previous post re Stranraer in 1994 i.e. precedent has been set and if we win the 3rd division we should be promoted to the 2nd division (SPL2). If they dont they should delay it one season so that all clubs know what they are playing for the following season. Although, they must ensure that the 3rd division winners are also promoted the following season to a higher level to ensure the league is worth playing for. Surely this would be sporting integrity at its best!!!!!!

[El Carpintero 546]

We the fans don't want four old firm games a season.

Maybe you don't but you don't speak for me.

[danger ranger 922]

What money, there's no money thats the problem and they want rangers to give them the money.

Football has been dying for the last 40 years or so , and the only answer is to live off rangers

its all about rangers

[gogzy 31,195]

no

[scarkev 3,540]

The problem is not the amalgamation of the two bodies or the distribution of wealth....(though I still dont understand where this extra money is coming from). The problem is this structure is designed to benefit the SPL clubs and ultimately it will become much harder for teams to break into the top league as time passes. The 8/8/8 split is ridiculous and resetting points midway through a season defeats the purpose and concept of a league season. Also this will restrict youngsters getting a game as the timescale for accumulating points is reduced.

The fans dont want 4 games a season against the same team....As much as I enjoy the old firm games I can assure you they will mean more and be even more enjoyable if we go back to 2 games a season. Players want to play against different teams in different stadiums. The other and biggest factor for me is no matter what suggestion we go with it is the same idiots, fueled by greed, that are running our game and therefore you can dress it up all you want it will ultimately fail.

[EatDolphins 5,360]

I just think it's overly esoteric. 12 teams then 8 after slpits and play offs. Its like they threw in everything to disguise the fact they have on new ideas. It's like putting go faster stripes on a fiesta. It won't go faster, but it'll definitely look more ridiculous.

[blueoutthedome 87]

We can do without four old firm games and while I'm at it lets get rid of this old firm shite I want nothing to do with those manky barstewards.

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

Why is no one asking these clowns at the SPL SFA etc where there getting this money from?

Surely there not cheating by trying to buy teams off with money they haven't got?

I would call that cheating? You have to laugh when that idiot Doncaster keeps coming out with "sporting merit"

What is "sporting merit" when a team that wins there division doesn't get promoted? That is not sporting merit you clown.

[Bothwellbear 1,392]

Sorry but no.

[govanblue 16,847]

At first I was dead against this new structure, as I'm a long time advocate of an 18 / 20 team league.

However, I've had a look at how it works (see below) and it actually makes a fair bit of sense.

http://sport.stv.tv/...del-would-work/

• It does keep pretty much everybody with something to play for up until the end of the season
  
• It will give us 4 old firm games a season
  
• There will be playoffs for going up and down (which is something I think we really lack at the moment and is a potential moneymaker)
  
• Slightly more cash is distributed to the lower league clubs
  
• Folding of SPL and SFL (or merging so we have one governing body)
  

I'm not the biggest fan of it in the world, it does render this season pretty much pointless for us (apart from good experience for the youngster and a trophy), but I'm willing to give it a chance.

It will be interesting to see how the SFL clubs vote.

Other people have evaluated it, and come to completely different conclusions. See this blog for example...

http://afanssay.blogspot.co.uk/

[Moody Blue Legend 63,260]

Laughing stock, utter shambles.

[JograBear 1,082]

NO!

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

It's simple. Nothing is going to change in Scotland. The teams are shite and thats that, it's not going to change.

The only thing that is annoying us is that we're going to win the league but still be playing the same teams next season.

While we should be playing 2nd division teams only we have to play both 3rd division and 2nd division clubs.

That is stupid as fuck. Surely everyone can see that?

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

At first I was dead against this new structure, as I'm a long time advocate of an 18 / 20 team league.

However, I've had a look at how it works (see below) and it actually makes a fair bit of sense.

http://sport.stv.tv/...del-would-work/

• It does keep pretty much everybody with something to play for up until the end of the season
  
• It will give us 4 old firm games a season
  
• There will be playoffs for going up and down (which is something I think we really lack at the moment and is a potential moneymaker)
  
• Slightly more cash is distributed to the lower league clubs
  
• Folding of SPL and SFL (or merging so we have one governing body)
  

I'm not the biggest fan of it in the world, it does render this season pretty much pointless for us (apart from good experience for the youngster and a trophy), but I'm willing to give it a chance.

It will be interesting to see how the SFL clubs vote.

I already understood it perfectly mate.

That's why I reckon it's nonsense.

This is the most interesting bit for me.

Financial distribution

An additional £1m would be taken out of the current SPL pot to trickle down through the leagues to the remaining 30 clubs, taking the amount paid to non-top flight clubs per season to £3m.

Both league bodies have stressed the importance of closing the financial gap between the team finishing 12th in Scotland and the side finishing 13th, or top of the First Division.

Last season, the team finishing bottom of the SPL was given £750,000 in prize money, whereas the First Division champions received just £70,000.

The exact level of change to financial distribution is currently unclear.

Top tier loses £1m to bribe the other clubs on top of the £2m they couldn't afford to pay without a TV deal last year.

How will they manage that with less money still?

[govanblue 16,847]

I already understood it perfectly mate.

That's why I reckon it's nonsense.

This is the most interesting bit for me.

Top tier loses £1m to bribe the other clubs on top of the £2m they couldn't afford to pay without a TV deal last year.

How will they manage that with less money still?

The cynic in me is beginning to wonder if they've intentionally picked the worst option they could possibly think of, knowing that eventually, when clubs see sense, it will be voted down, and they can then say "well, we tried to redistribute the money, but you all said no"

[WATP-FOREVER 5,231]

At first I was dead against this new structure, as I'm a long time advocate of an 18 / 20 team league.

However, I've had a look at how it works (see below) and it actually makes a fair bit of sense.

http://sport.stv.tv/...del-would-work/

• It does keep pretty much everybody with something to play for up until the end of the season
  
• It will give us 4 old firm games a season
  
• There will be playoffs for going up and down (which is something I think we really lack at the moment and is a potential moneymaker)
  
• Slightly more cash is distributed to the lower league clubs
  
• Folding of SPL and SFL (or merging so we have one governing body)
  

I'm not the biggest fan of it in the world, it does render this season pretty much pointless for us (apart from good experience for the youngster and a trophy), but I'm willing to give it a chance.

It will be interesting to see how the SFL clubs vote.

What you must bear in mind mate, is that this has been tried - and it has failed - in Switzerland & Belgium. Why can we (Scotland) not come up with an original suggestion.

After all - we're Scots. Not this oirish cabal that canny string two honest words together, and the oirish are hardly on the cutting edge of world intelligence.

Kepp Scotland Scots, get rid of this decisionmaking foreigners.

[Big Al 55 9,503]

I don't have a huge issue with it and often wonder if the major problem is that the SPL proposed it.

I would prefer an 18 team premier league, but not sure how viable that actually is, and you would then have the uncertainty surrounding SKY regarding the 4 OF games.

However should our reconstruction plans revolve around pacifying a broadcaster, rather than taking into account the desire of the fans?

The whole promotion issue is nonsense IMO; before reconstruction, almost to a man, we all said we wanted to work our way back up through all the leagues.

Without reconstruction it would take us 3 years to get back to the top league, that hasn't changed so whats the big problem?

Are people annoyed simply because they haven't been offered something they don't want anyway?

as you can tell I'm not sure at all, there are pros and cons for both proposals IMO.

[docspiderman 1,294]

At first I was dead against this new structure, as I'm a long time advocate of an 18 / 20 team league.

However, I've had a look at how it works (see below) and it actually makes a fair bit of sense.

http://sport.stv.tv/...del-would-work/

• It does keep pretty much everybody with something to play for up until the end of the season
  
• It will give us 4 old firm games a season
  
• There will be playoffs for going up and down (which is something I think we really lack at the moment and is a potential moneymaker)
  
• Slightly more cash is distributed to the lower league clubs
  
• Folding of SPL and SFL (or merging so we have one governing body)
  

I'm not the biggest fan of it in the world, it does render this season pretty much pointless for us (apart from good experience for the youngster and a trophy), but I'm willing to give it a chance.

It will be interesting to see how the SFL clubs vote.

At some point there may be 4 old firm games, promotion and relegation from national and division 2 still to be worked out.There will not be one governing body; back to two governing bodies as it was before the spl was introduced.Never mind when it fails it can be changed again and again as long as the suits in the SFA and whatever other governing league body keep their jobs and perks.

[Craigie79 67]

I don't have a huge issue with it and often wonder if the major problem is that the SPL proposed it.

I would prefer an 18 team premier league, but not sure how viable that actually is, and you would then have the uncertainty surrounding SKY regarding the 4 OF games.

However should our reconstruction plans revolve around pacifying a broadcaster, rather than taking into account the desire of the fans?

The whole promotion issue is nonsense IMO; before reconstruction, almost to a man, we all said we wanted to work our way back up through all the leagues.

Without reconstruction it would take us 3 years to get back to the top league, that hasn't changed so whats the big problem?

Are people annoyed simply because they haven't been offered something they don't want anyway?

as you can tell I'm not sure at all, there are pros and cons for both proposals IMO.

And if they brought it in for season 14/15 then we also to wait the same years to get back to the top only we wouldnt be having this meaningless season, which what this season is if the plans get the go ahead.

[Big Al 55 9,503]

And if they brought it in for season 14/15 then we also to wait the same years to get back to the top only we wouldnt be having this meaningless season, which what this season is if the plans get the go ahead.

Not necessarily true since 2 of the current 2nd division will go into the new second tier of 12.

That was my understanding. Interestingly how do you choose them?

[Craigie79 67]

Not necessarily true since 2 of the current 2nd division will go into the new second tier of 12.

That was my understanding. Interestingly how do you choose them?

the top 2 i would imagine.

We get the same reward as the club that finishes bottom this season which equates to a meaningless season.

if they waited till the following season they would have a good few months to figure who gets promoted and relegated, but for some reason they want to try and rush it through.

Personally i will be surprised if the like of St Mirren and Killie vote this through as they are at most risk of getting relegated nearly every season.