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Possible League Reconstruction.


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Just saw this story about possible league reconstruction and thought what the fuck? Why not just expand the top tier and leave the set up as it is.

http://www.sundaypost.com/sport/football/scottish-football-set-for-battle-over-revolution-1.878370

Scottish football could be set for its most radical shake up ever.

Discussions are ongoing between the SPFL and SFA, aimed at league reconstruction in time for the start of the 2016-17 campaign.

And, it is understood, serious consideration is being given to revolutionary proposals that would see two leagues of 12 – split into three of eight – after each team had played each other twice.

It is a system which used to operate in Switzerland and Austria, and has long been championed by SFA’s former Chief Executive Gordon Smith, who played in both countries.

At its heart is a mini play-off league – Premiership 2 – in which clubs fight it out to be one of four who claim a place in the following year’s top flight of 12.

The four losers start the next season in the second tier.

Such a set-up this year would have pitted Championship front-runners Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Queen of the South against Premiership quartet St Mirren, Motherwell, Ross County and Partick Thistle in a League of Death.

As an extension of the plan, Smith would like to see clubs retain the points they collected in the first half of the season against the clubs who would be their opposition in the second half of the campaign.

Had the system been in place this season, Rangers would have started bottom of the eight, having gathered just three points in their first two meetings against their fellow Championship sides.

That would have left them a whopping 15 points behind the Jambos, who would have started the second half of the campaign ahead of the clubs who had dropped down from the top flight.

Advocates argue the 14-game campaign – each team would again play each other home and away – would hold huge appeal for broadcasters and sponsors alike.

Also that the format would be fairer than the play-offs currently raging just now because it would ensure the best teams over a longer period would win out.

A similar proposal was considered by the SPL and SFL two years ago but failed to gain sufficient support. That led to the birth of the SPFL in June, 2013.

Under an agreement struck then, no change can be made to the existing structure until next summer without the unanimous backing of the 42 clubs. That, it is generally accepted, is not going to happen this summer.

The ongoing discussions are therefore with a view to getting a new set up in place in time for the start of the following season, 2016-17.

The 12-12-18 is not the only proposal that will be put on the table.

Among other alternatives are ones which would see the current 12-team top tier either reduced to 10, or expanded to 16.

But with the country desperate to find a radical alternative that can capture the attention of fans and television companies alike, it is seen as having a live chance of success.

The SPFL have already shown their willingness for innovation, with big changes planned for the League Cup in 2016-17.

Early ties are set to be played in July, with the Final in October or November.

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I don't want their help getting up either, it should be achieved purely on merit. What I can't stand the thought of is having 2 leagues which then splits up into 3 smaller leagues. It may be good for a school football tournament, but not the national league set up!

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the biggest issue we have is TV companies want 4 old firm games a season, expanding the top tier will obviously shit can that, which in turn means less of the meagre TV money to go round. Club chairmen do not want this, so are willing to forsake the league and standard of football for the sake of the pittance they currently get. Football in scotland is fucked.

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Aye this idea is woeful. I was listening to Superscoreboard a bit a while ago (Had to catch the aftermath of the Scottish cup semi) and they where saying how much we all love the split. Then heard Jeff Stelling talk about how the team that finished 7th has more points than that of the 6th position it was fucking embarrassing.

What wrong with a league of 18 or 20. I don't get the meaningless game stuff becuase for me Ross county vs St Mirren is pretty meaningless and thats happened 4 times this year.

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14 team premier playing each other twice. 26 games, one champion. Simple. No more watching same teams at lest 4 times a season.

Leaves plenty of room too for a short winter break, European commitments and money spinning friendlies, as well as the two cup competitions.

And the rest would be:

2 premier teams relegated, third bottom in relegation play off against third top Championship team.

Next tier would be 14 teams in a North division and 14 teams in a South division, Top 7 teams from each would split after the fourteen games in to a Championship league with 2 teams promoted, and a play-off for third placed top against third bottom premier team.

Bottom tier at end of season would have two relegations (two non league teams promoted and also a relegation play-off for third bottom team)

Could also fit in a new "regional" cup competition for lower teams with above set up. For example FIfe Cup, Stirlingshire Cup. West and East Lanarkshire Cup. Northern Cup etc or even revive an Anglo-Scottish cup if possible for the lower division teams.

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Hahahahahahaha, Scottish football is a complete and utter joke. I'm not just saying this because it involves us this season, but I'd do away with the playoffs involving the second bottom team from the spfl. It should be either 2 or 3 straight down imo and the playoffs should only be for promotion from the division below. I'd make the spfl a 16 team league, play each team twice, winter break, and perhaps playoffs for European qualification like they do in holland to add a little more excitement to the end of the season.

Unfortunately everything is determined by TV money and that in turn is determined by old firm games. Scottish football is dying a long slow painfully death right now.

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