djbroxybear

In the new round of league reconstruction discussions between the Scottish Football League (SFL) and the Scottish Premier League (SPL), one of the more surprising topics to reappear from the dead of previous meetings is a Rangers and Celtic second team, or 'colts' playing in the lower leagues. - SPL clubs to vote on April 15 A few other countries, most famously Spain, have a similar system where the bigger teams have another side in the lower divisions. It gives an avenue for their young players to play competitive football, and in return allows more money to the opposition through media interest and support. But would it work here? The answer has to be yes. Many forget that Rangers and Celtic fans make up around two-thirds of the total football support in Scotland. Considering most SFL3 teams get an average of 500 people at their games, there would be no problems in equalling or exceeding that gate for the 'colt' sides weekly. And that is a very conservative estimate. If the colt sides are playing an important match or against each other, then the attendances would rise to thousands, maybe even over ten thousand. For those scoffing at such a figure, Rangers had just under 3,000 already this season for a reserve match, and in the past, Rangers versus Celtic reserve games have had more than 30,000 spectators. We live in an austere economy so reduced prices and less crowded matches are sure to attract those who can't afford a weekly match at Ibrox or Celtic Park. And as Rangers fans have discovered to their surprise, apart from the Light Blues themselves, most SFL3 teams play good passing football. During the Second World War, Rangers had a second team in the North-Eastern League as well as the first team in the Southern League. This was done to help the northern sides stay solvent and amazingly the second string sometimes got higher crowds than the first due to closer competition. Of course this won't be repeated, but there is no doubt that seeing a Rangers team battle with a Celtic team, in whatever guise, would be popular. Yet it won't happen. There is too much bad feeling in Scottish football to see another Rangers and Celtic in the league. Instead of just saying 'no' like mature adults, we have whispering campaigns against David Longmuir, the CEO of the SFL, for putting the proposal forward. The gossip is that he is helping Rangers by proposing the concept. The suspicion is that it would help Rangers while they are in the lower leagues. But surely believing the cost of setting up, administering and running a second side in a professional league would be a money-spinner in the short term is madness. Even in the long term, any profit would be minimal. This is about helping Rangers and Celtic develop players and also to give money back to the lower clubs in increased attendances. Even if 500 extra fans went per game it would double the matchday revenue for those sides. If thousands went, it would support our game tremendously. But the football demographics are forgotten and jealousy rises to the surface. Rangers and Celtic don't get more money or attention in Scottish football because they have carefully placed stooges. It's because collectively their fans are the majority of Scottish football. Instead of letting the distorting effects of the huge size of the Rangers and Celtic fanbase work to their favour, they deny it exists or move into quasi-conspiracy mode. As ever, pettiness and Scottish football go together. Unsurprisingly, when Rangers offered to play a second team in the North-Eastern League during WW2, there was the same jealousy from the southern clubs. The unnamed Rangers response*, rumoured to be Bill Struth, pointed out that it was just "a pathetic admission by certain people of their inability to field a team capable of attracting public interest". In that respect, nothing has changed.

Nobody wanted to help Rangers they couldn't wait to kick us when we were down, Dunfermline reap what they sow.

Seems the SFL and SPL are still wide apart to a 12-12-18 or 12-12-10-10 i think Longmuir doesn't want to rush into it as seems SPL want to get it through for start of next season, which would result in us playing same teams again next season. If that happens i would like to see us get out of Scottish Football and go to the Conference if they would have us and all relevent bodies are happy with it.

Great piece would like to see us going down this road but i don't see it , we would need to change management team.

Scottish Football League chief executive, David Longmuir, emerged from the shambles that the game’s administrators got themselves into last year with a remarkably solid relationship with the SFL’s member clubs, indeed, he has been singled out for high praise from the Newco-club. The flow of sentiment reversed after he wrote to member clubs suggesting Celtic and Newco-Rangers enter ‘colt’ clubs in the Third Division. This bizarre suggestion was justified on the basis that if Celtic and Rangers join another league, while leaving the rest of the leading clubs behind, their colt teams would continue to bring interest and revenue to the game. Mr Longmuir seems to have missed the fact that in the event any of the above comes to pass, the departure of Celtic and Newco-Rangers would then create an opportunity for colt clubs to be considered. Their inclusion now is unnecessary, especially when Newco could potentially enter administration next season, lose players, suffer the mandatory 25 point penalty and be relegated into the bottom division with their colt players, who presumably would also suffer administration-related penalties. Speculation that Mr Longmuir is taking care of current business until he is ready to move to Newco is becoming hard to ignore. Newco need to get themselves out of the bottom league first, though. The colts team idea is certain to be rejected, the question will not even reach the SPL or Celtic. The 12-12-10-10 idea favoured by Newco is looking an increasingly hard sell, with 12-12-18 more likely. Mr Longmuir better look after the interests of all his member clubs if he wants to hang on long enough to move straight to Newco. If he loses his ability to be a dealmaker I’m not sure what he can offer an aspiring £100m company. The Obsession from the Enemy.

If Rangers had won 5-0 on saturday Huttons tweet would have been seen in a different light.

David Longmuir might be guessing or maybe he knows something, could it be Charles green proposed move to the Conference might come off and he thinks Celtic might follow suit to Rangers. By having the Old Firm still in scotland even if it's reserve teams would still be a money spinner if that was possible to work.

I would imagine mate they live within there means like the small clubs in the SFL Dunfermline has hit the rocks due to overspend playing in SPL , Hearts in trouble , not heard of any teams in SFL in trouble and with Rangers having played them this season it will keep them going for a few years.

Quote Scottish Football League clubs are being asked to consider allowing 'colt teams' from Celtic and Rangers to join a new 12-12-10-10 divisional set-up. Chief executive David Longmuir suggests in a document sent to all 30 SFL outfits that the colts would operate separately from the 'parent' clubs. He is influenced by the prospect of the Old Firm leaving Scotland behind. And he says "both clubs have intimated their desire to be considered as part of this strategy". Scottish Premier League teams are due to vote on a 12-12-18 structure at a meeting on 15 April. In an extract from the document drafted by Longmuir, he says: "If both clubs were to leave without the legacy of a colt team and an annual financial settlement, then Scottish football as an industry would face significant drops in commercial, marketing and media investment. "Our games may be more competitive with more clubs evenly matched, but that would come with a potential reduction in quality and resources. "The legacy of a colt team would allow Scottish football to profit from the global success of the parent club or team, but also provide a level of domestic football which would be competitive, interesting and attractive to fans, sponsors and media alike. It would operate more along the lines of a community club. "Only when the parent clubs moved out of Scotland, would the colt team then have the freedom to progress through the leagues unhindered, and based on their sporting success." Longmuir is exploring the possibility of introducing the changes in time for next season and calls on SFL clubs to view his proposal "strategically and look at this as a significant opportunity". In November, the SFL suggested the present four tiers in Scottish football be reorganised into three leagues of 16, 10 and 16 teams. The SPL countered with proposals for two top divisions of 12, with a split into three leagues of eight after each team had met home and away, and a third division of 18. However, some SFL clubs were worried an 18-team tier would create too many meaningless matches. "By introducing two colt teams next season, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to introduce change which would generate increased interest and awareness," adds Longmuir. Looks like Longmuir is thinking ahead incase we move down south "We would continue to progress the discussions on a pyramid structure below our bottom tier but not until we are fully satisfied with that structure and operational mechanism. Colt teams would also face the same risk as any other club in the division of possible play-off and relegation through the pyramid." Longmuir points to Barcelona and Real Madrid operating such teams in Spain's lower leagues and both Milan teams having B sides in Italy. He explains: "The colt team would be unable to be promoted to a division above if that colt teams 'parent' team were participating in that division, nor could they participate in any cup competition where the 'parent' club were participating."

In all due respect you can't match that team to present team and they didn't play bottom tier of scottish Football, but i would take that team now over present team.

It's sad really Hutton could still be at training practicing certain aspects of his game rather than tweeting about going home, it seems the trend under Ally a lot of the players tweet about being in Nandos most of the time. A complete overhaul is required at Ibrox to move the club forward.

Ally's the manager he dictates the training regime i believe they train 10-12.30 a day no wonder the standards have dropped.

I fail to see how Ally won't be in charge next season.

Ally will be in charge next season and if things don't change in regards style of football i think CG will make a decision based on what he see's and if fans start not turning up his decision will be made easier.

If we are stuck in bottom tier next season playing same teams as this season i see Charles Green pushing to get us out of Scottish Football he is already put feelers out to the Conference.

Zappa i think most fans are fully behind Ally and the players there comes a time when fans patience bursts, this is not Ally's first season in charge, pre admin we were knocked out of Europe twice by minnows and knocked out league cup by Falkirk. When Ally got the job via Walter telling everyone Ally was ready i was fully behind him but as results on the park showed i don't think Ally was ready......I thought starting a fresh in Div 3 he said at start he was bringing a brand of attacking football mixed with SPL players and youth the football has been dire to watch at times and last saturday was the final straw for a lot of fans after that performance, i just don't think Ally has got it to be managerial material and the coaches don't fill me with confidence maybe if he gets rid of Durrant and McDowall and bring in new team with new ideas and have wealth of experience it might be all different.

The way i see it is with the squad we have paying 2nd highest wage bill in Scotland we are expected to win all the leagues up to the SPL , .....now would they be good enough to win the Conference maybe not the standard of football is higher than possibly Div 1,2,3 put together .... so we would need to get a better calibre of players in to play in that league i would think Charles Green would invest in that module. I would love the chance to see if we could get to the championship in England and to do that we would be winning silverware in the process whether it will happen time will tell.

Let's be honest Scottish Football is at an all time low no money, the way we have been treated by the SFA and SPL still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, the whole shambolic of the league reconstructure for next season etc. Charles Green has come in as an outsider to Scottish Football and he has identified how bad it is he realises how big Glasgow Rangers are and the potential there is to make money that's why he has looked at starting bottom of England Conference in regards to fans he will argue the amount of buses that come from England to ibrox to watch Rangers the fan base is huge and will get bigger and the buses from Scotland will still follow on..... The big picture here is the time scale to get back to SPL we will not be far from Championship if we win respective leagues, the standard of football is going to be better and the money is going to be more from tv rights etc i think Green will wait and see the outcome first and then decide to where to take Rangers i think it's Green's dream to get us into England and i would back that 100%.

Charles Green is ruthless from what it would appear, Ally will get the gig next season we will be in Div 2 or third tier of 18 league or wherever we play. I would guess if the football product doesn't get better and the fans are starting to stop coming to ibrox i am sure Ally's reign will come to an end.

Could be 14 points ahead by tuesday if Queens Park keep playing the way they are and we don't improve our lead could be chopped more. I was looking to win this league by 20 points or more it.s not good enough.

With CG statement through the week i think Ally's card is marked Green isn't daft he see's the same game as fans he did play the game at pro level, he got the gig due to standing by club in administration his famous saying " We don't do walking away " let's be honest after his first season in SPL won nothing , cost the club millions not qualifying for europe at 2 attempts knocked out by poor european teams any other manager would have been sacked, I don't think Ally has got it to take the club forward no matter how money he spends based on what we see on the park, i think he should dump Durrant and McDowall and get new coaches in to help him will he do that to his mates doubt it, it will cost him his job though.

Some of the names Ally is getting called is uncalled for , he is a Rangers Legend and deserved his chance to manage the club he loves. There may be reasons to why Ally is not producing the basics from training at Murray Park to tactical decisions , the football on show at the moment is poor to see yesterday was a disgrace these players look like they don't want to play for Ally are they following his instructions, something isn't right. Ally will get next season and if it doesn't get better i am sure Ally will know when time is to go.

Is the wolves at the door yet

who is feeding these 2 clowns info somebody has to be within ibrox..

Oh dear seems the Timothy Rhats are clutching at straws again Gobshite and his bitch...