Rangers could be fast-tracked into second tier via league reconstruction

[Steve1872 4]

Rangers could be fast-tracked into second tier via league reconstruction

 

 

By Brian Marjoribanks

 

PUBLISHED:22:45, 22 August 2012| UPDATED:22:47, 22 August 2012

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SFA chief Stewart Regan has revealed that league reconstruction is still being planned for next season â?? in a move which could see Rangers fast-tracked to the second tier of Scottish football a year ahead of schedule.

Regan will kick-start plans to revitalise the professional game on Thursday when a working group, featuring representatives from the SPL and SFL and headed by an independent chairman, are tasked with devising a new structure.

The exact model is yet to be determined but the starting point for discussions will be proposals for a 16-team Premier League, with two divisions below, which would give the Ibrox club a quicker route back to the top flight should they navigate their way out of the Third Division as expected.

 

Reborn: Rangers have been in impressive form in league and cup

 

 

This plan, which included play-offs and a fairer distribution of income among the leagues, was overwhelmingly rejected 25-5 by SFL clubs last month as part of Reganâ??s botched bid to parachute newco Rangers into the First Division.

The SFA confirmed at the time they would push on with a reform agenda, amid widespread scepticism that it would ever see the light of day. But Regan insisted on Wednesday that a new league system will â??ideallyâ?? be in place by the start of season 2013/14.

He said: â??We have a meeting on Thursday and the plan is to put a working party in place to come up with reconstruction proposals that can be implemented ideally from next season.

â??The joint proposal put forward (in July) was not something the SFL wanted to take forward but reconstruction remains part of the agenda for Scottish football.

â??The (SFL rejection) was accepted because itâ??s a democratic process and now we move forward.

â??The SPL and the SFL will take new proposals back to their respective members and it will require a 75 per cent vote from the SFL and an 11-1 vote by the SPL to vote change through.â??

Meanwhile, Regan would not be drawn on whether Rangers owner Charles Green will face fresh disciplinary action following his latest outburst towards the SFA, in which he accused them of persecuting the club.

 

All change: Stuart Regan (right) expects to see league reconstruction

 

But he called on the outspoken Yorkshireman to draw a line under his ongoing war of words with the governing body and suggested they were purely designed to sell season tickets.

Green is up before the SFA next week after suggesting bigotry was at the heart of his clubâ??s banishment from the SPL, while manager Ally McCoist also faces a charge relating to comments about the organisationâ??s judicial panel in April. â??Charles Green has his own reasons why heâ??s making the comments he is,â?? said Regan. â??But itâ??s clear Rangers have galvanised their fans behind the club and sold a huge amount of season tickets.

â??Theyâ??ve used the situation to get the fans behind them but itâ??s important for Scottish football that we move on now and restore focus on the football itself and look forward to league reconstruction and helping produce good young talent.â??

Regan also admitted the Scottish game was in a â??better placeâ?? than he feared when he famously claimed that Rangersâ?? demotion to the Third Division would lead to the â??slow, lingering death of Scottish footballâ??.

But he did not regret the rhetoric which prompted calls for his head.

â??I think we have to move forward,â?? said Regan. â??We are in a better place than could have been imagined in terms of the negotiations between the SPL and its commercial partners.

 

 

On the up: Ally McCoist continues to impress at the Ibrox helm

 

'Iâ??m not sure the contracts have been signed yet but the feedback about those renegotiations have been positive. We will have to wait and see but everyone is doing their best to move on and try to build a stronger game.

â??Do I regret some of the language? I think at the time, the information put forward by everyone was based on knowledge we had of the get-out clauses that existed in contracts for commercial partners.

â??What was done at the time was to draw attention to potential consequences for the game and that has now been progressed to a stage where those contracts are in a slightly better place.

â??But we donâ??t know what the consequences will be until they play out in the coming months.

â??The greatest opportunity for the game right now, in terms of revenue, are discussions with UEFA to secure income for international matches between 2014 and 2018.

â??All 53 nations have given UEFA a mandate to negotiate centrally for the sale of television rights across Europe.

â??If that can be delivered successfully, that will give us a substantial boost of tens of millions of pounds over a four-year period and weâ??re confident that will happen.

â??That money would help underpin the infrastructure of the game and the development of young players

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2192271/Rangers-fas-tracked-second-tier.html#ixzz24JzFhMGC

[Gribz 743]

Should have been done 10 years ago but they try to bury Rangers then use us again to revitilise their game. I dont know how they sleep at night.

 

Read yesterday Aberdeen are the first club in danger of going out of business due to their stadium plans....1 down! A few of my AFC friends on facebook are worried and as much as I wanted to post back 'haha this is what you deserve' to get back at their comments this year, I just didnt lower myself to their level. A wry smile on the keyboard is enough for me.

 

But if we are fast tracked then its good for us, however for the first season back (should this be earlier than planned) then avoiding away grounds in the SPL is a MUST! They wanted us out for 3 years so we dont visit their grounds for 3 years.

[tango 0]

Sorry not for me , let's work our way back up the leagues and then nobody can throw it in our faces that the leagues were changed to help us,the diddly teams are now starting to realise that life without Rangers is not as much fun as they thought,they wanted it let them keep it ,it's sporting integrity don't you know

 

As for regan calling for a line to be drawn,what a dick,let's draw a line but we still want to come after you for your titles surely drawing a line means all hostilities stop ? Or is it just Rangers who have to stop ? All the rest still get to have a fly kick

 

I have nothing to say about the sheep shagger situation but "die" this could be a good year

[UCF2008 0]

Sorry not for me , let's work our way back up the leagues and then nobody can throw it in our faces that the leagues were changed to help us,the diddly teams are now starting to realise that life without Rangers is not as much fun as they thought,they wanted it let them keep it ,it's sporting integrity don't you know

 

We won't have a choice in the matter beyond our own vote.

[tango 0]

We won't have a choice in the matter beyond our own vote.

 

I realise that , I just don't want it .

[DUDE 0]

I agree tango, going through the leagues seems like a more decent setting for a comeback. Not that I'd care for anybody holding a promotion through league reconstruction against us, just doesn't seem right. It's another year to properly regain strength before going into SPL firing on all cylinders.

[Bluedell 5,329]

They are looking to do it while the illegal transfer ban still applies.

[Frankie 8,150]

My information is that Regan is currently head-hunting businessmen for an independent 'steering' committee RE: league reconstruction. He wants them to report back by November and this is a reaction to uncertainty over the existing TV deals.

 

May well be the case that an extended SPL will be on the cards. Question for Green is do they accept this parachute (makes business sense) or go against fan opinion and remain in the SFL.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

jumping up one league allows us to be in Europe again after 3 years not 4 that would be good.

[chilledbear 16]

We are the only show in town/the country.

 

Rangers should realise this and make the best of it. [squeeze the SPL teams till they beg]