Darthter 542 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The SPL/SFA have said that by going to a bigger league setup ie 16 or 18 teams, there would be more meaningless games per season.....this being the case, what does it tell us about the thoughts on the "new" 3rd tier or National division. The National division is planned for an 18 team league, therefore a number of meaningless matches. This tells me that the powers-at-be have no interest in the lower division, and are once again looking after their own interests, rather than the interests of Scottish football as a whole. Gordon Waddell posed some interesting questions in todays Sunday Mail: Whoâ??s in charge? The SPL was formed because the big teams didnâ??t like the fact diddy teams had an equal say. They said the tail wagged the dog. Do they all have an equal say now? Whoâ??ll be chief executive? If itâ??s the same man who has been in charge of a failed organisation for the past three-and-a-half years there will be some unhappy campers. How many go down from the third eight into the bottom 18 and how many come up? One automatically? Two? Two and a play-off? Keep an eye out for the self-preservationists ruling on that one. What are the stadium criteria for the two 12s? One way of keeping the riff-raff out, as the SPL showed. Apparently theyâ??ve agreed to abide by SFA licencing rules, which means no more arbitrary 6000 seats guff, but will they allow terracing? Will they allow Astroturf, which has become the lifeblood of so many community clubs? Will they insist on undersoil heating? How do you sell a season ticket? Bottom 18, fine, you know what youâ??re getting. Top 24? You might get 18 games guaranteed but you wonâ??t have a clue what youâ??re paying for. And if you start selling 22-game and 14-game packages itâ??s going to deny clubs huge chunks of cash when they need it at the start of the season. Whatâ??s the voting structure? The 11-1 in the SPL was a scandal to keep the diddies in their place. Surely it has to be fairer? How many up and down from the bottom once you get the pyramid started? Where do they go and how do they get back? If Forres Mechanics go up and East Stirling go down you canâ??t have the Shire in the Highland League. Will clubs face a liquidity test before being allowed entry? Will you stop them spending more than they have? Whoâ??ll own the TV rights to the new leagues? Will the clubs have any obligations to run youth set-ups? If they get it through in time for next season will they simply cancel the Third Division play-offs this term? If they donâ??t, will they even bother playing the Third Division next season when every result in it would be redundant? Will they have a winter break? And if so when will they start the season, if it means getting everyone to 22 games at the same time? Who gets to play in the Ramsdens Cup? Those who start the season in the Championship or the teams from middle earth? Will they dole out a trophy at the end of 22 games for the Championship? To a team who could end up not getting promoted? Talk about a pyrrhic victory. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,612 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Am I the only one who thinks Longmuir is playing devils advocate in all this. He knows these 2x12 (3x8) won't work & dumbcaster will fall on his sword leaving him in charge 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Am I the only one who thinks Longmuir is playing devils advocate in all this. He knows these 2x12 (3x8) won't work & dumbcaster will fall on his sword leaving him in charge Dumbcaster won't resign and his puppetmaster liewell will do everything in his power to keep him in his job. Unless Liewell has a new replacement ready to take over of course. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy 0 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 If you were running an SFL 3 side, with no ties to Rangers in any way whatsoever, would you actually vote against this reconstruction proposal? Another year of visiting Ibrox, playing in front of world wide audiences and watching the cash roll in from visiting Bears and media companies? Furthermore, if you were one of the clubs hovering around the relegation zone in SFL 2, would you vote against the proposals in the full knowledge that you'll be one of the few sides to cash in on our demise down the leagues if nothing changes? The SFL 1 sides will be buoyed by fairer distribution of cash and the fact we will come along eventually. From the outside looking in our only leverage is the signing of TV deal. If the club can stand their ground and refuse to sign, then that might be our only hope of not been shafted for as many times possible in one year. However, if the SFL can look at the long term and base their decision on what's right for the game, we should be okay and avoid the madness. Short term cash injection versus long term prosperity. Unfortunately there are no plans for long term prosperity that I can see. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy dewhurst 0 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 were doomed captain , i say doomed its like putting a priest in charge of a childrens home . 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Whatever happens in the future for Scottish football surely the first thing they have to consider when talking about reconstruction is the amount of teams. We need to get to a position where we have 10/12 decent regional teams that have decent stadiums and centralised training complexes. The idea that we can support about 40 teams is farcical. For example we need to get to a position where we have one team from the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Dundee/Tayside, Stirlingshire, Ayrshire, Borders, another Glasgow side, Inverclyde etc. etc. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,720 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 "PETERHEAD manager Jim McInally has called on supporters of Third Division clubs to take legal action against the Scottish football authorities if the contentious 12-12-18 league reconstruction proposal is put in place for the start of next season. The former Scotland midfielder is incensed that his team’s bid for promotion to the Second Division via the current play-off system may be rendered irrelevant by the immediate implementation of an 18-club National League for 2013-14. McInally’s comments came as significant doubts began to emerge over whether the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League will receive the support they require from member clubs to push through the 12-12-18 plan which was announced last week in conjunction with the Scottish FA. The SPL are scheduled to meet on 28 January with an 11-1 vote in favour needed to back the change, but Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson and St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour have both expressed reservations about the set-up, which is unpopular with supporters. SFL clubs are due to gather on 31 January to consider the proposal. With Rangers ineligible to vote as associate members, 22 of the remaining 29 SFL clubs are needed to support it. McInally, whose Peterhead side are currently third in the Third Division and on course for a play-off place, believes supporters of clubs in the bottom tier will have been paying for admission to matches under false pretences if 12-12-18 becomes a reality as soon as next season. “If this league is made to be meaningless I would be one of many who would be upset,” said McInally. “If it does happen, I would hope that the fans would take the SFA, the SPL and the SFL to court as they have paid good money for something that would become a non-event. “Supporters are the most important people in the game but they are not treated like that as TV companies run the game. Supporters should have a bigger say. “The Third Division is a brilliant league apart from Rangers, who are running away with things as expected. It is really competitive and the football has been good and the clubs in the division should be proud of the football they have played this season. It should not become a non-event to suit someone else’s agenda. “The Third Division clubs have enjoyed Rangers being there and the Second Division clubs will do so next year, with the First Division clubs doing so the following year. If clubs do things right, they will make more money from two home games against Rangers than they will through any new package. “This is an SPL-driven change and the clubs in the SFL should be against it. I’m mad about it. But we’ve got to take it on the chin, because we’re a wee diddy team from the Third Division and no-one cares what we think. “Thankfully, Rangers are there. I would like their chief executive Charles Green to get together with the other SFL clubs and put on a show of strength.” There is also anger among SFL clubs over the lack of detailed information provided to them so far about the proposal. Cowdenbeath secretary Alex Anderson, whose club will assess the views of their support at a meeting on Thursday night, has written to SFL chief executive David Longmuir to complain about being left out of discussions so far. “We, as a football club, will be asked to vote on an historic change to Scottish football but we have no detail from the SFA or the SFL,” said Anderson. “We can only read in the newspapers and make an opinion on what they are reporting. “The clubs need to know the fine details in this proposal sooner rather than later – a breakdown of finance, ground criteria, etc.” The notion of unity among SPL clubs over the proposal, expressed by their chief executive Neil Doncaster last week when he said all 12 had backed it, has also been called into question. St Mirren chairman Gilmour insists that level of support was only given to look into the 12-12-18 plan, not to give its introduction the green light immediately. “Contrary to popular belief, the clubs are not 100 per cent behind this,” said Gilmour. “What we voted on unanimously before was to take it to another level, to fully explore it – no more than that. “We have all still to vote on whether we agree to it and I know a few of us feel that the exploration is a long way from being done.” 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DietofWorms Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 "PETERHEAD manager Jim McInally has called on supporters of Third Division clubs to take legal action against the Scottish football authorities if the contentious 12-12-18 league reconstruction proposal is put in place for the start of next season. The former Scotland midfielder is incensed that his teamâ??s bid for promotion to the Second Division via the current play-off system may be rendered irrelevant by the immediate implementation of an 18-club National League for 2013-14. McInallyâ??s comments came as significant doubts began to emerge over whether the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League will receive the support they require from member clubs to push through the 12-12-18 plan which was announced last week in conjunction with the Scottish FA. The SPL are scheduled to meet on 28 January with an 11-1 vote in favour needed to back the change, but Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson and St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour have both expressed reservations about the set-up, which is unpopular with supporters. SFL clubs are due to gather on 31 January to consider the proposal. With Rangers ineligible to vote as associate members, 22 of the remaining 29 SFL clubs are needed to support it. McInally, whose Peterhead side are currently third in the Third Division and on course for a play-off place, believes supporters of clubs in the bottom tier will have been paying for admission to matches under false pretences if 12-12-18 becomes a reality as soon as next season. â??If this league is made to be meaningless I would be one of many who would be upset,â? said McInally. â??If it does happen, I would hope that the fans would take the SFA, the SPL and the SFL to court as they have paid good money for something that would become a non-event. â??Supporters are the most important people in the game but they are not treated like that as TV companies run the game. Supporters should have a bigger say. â??The Third Division is a brilliant league apart from Rangers, who are running away with things as expected. It is really competitive and the football has been good and the clubs in the division should be proud of the football they have played this season. It should not become a non-event to suit someone elseâ??s agenda. â??The Third Division clubs have enjoyed Rangers being there and the Second Division clubs will do so next year, with the First Division clubs doing so the following year. If clubs do things right, they will make more money from two home games against Rangers than they will through any new package. â??This is an SPL-driven change and the clubs in the SFL should be against it. Iâ??m mad about it. But weâ??ve got to take it on the chin, because weâ??re a wee diddy team from the Third Division and no-one cares what we think. â??Thankfully, Rangers are there. I would like their chief executive Charles Green to get together with the other SFL clubs and put on a show of strength.â? There is also anger among SFL clubs over the lack of detailed information provided to them so far about the proposal. Cowdenbeath secretary Alex Anderson, whose club will assess the views of their support at a meeting on Thursday night, has written to SFL chief executive David Longmuir to complain about being left out of discussions so far. â??We, as a football club, will be asked to vote on an historic change to Scottish football but we have no detail from the SFA or the SFL,â? said Anderson. â??We can only read in the newspapers and make an opinion on what they are reporting. â??The clubs need to know the fine details in this proposal sooner rather than later â?? a breakdown of finance, ground criteria, etc.â? The notion of unity among SPL clubs over the proposal, expressed by their chief executive Neil Doncaster last week when he said all 12 had backed it, has also been called into question. St Mirren chairman Gilmour insists that level of support was only given to look into the 12-12-18 plan, not to give its introduction the green light immediately. â??Contrary to popular belief, the clubs are not 100 per cent behind this,â? said Gilmour. â??What we voted on unanimously before was to take it to another level, to fully explore it â?? no more than that. â??We have all still to vote on whether we agree to it and I know a few of us feel that the exploration is a long way from being done.â? ...and again the soundbites from Regan et al are shown to be a pile of shite. These guys lie more than politicians. Jesus! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 we can hate on doncaster and regan all we like but they are the future of scottish football and are here to stay. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenzie1 0 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Wishful thinking, friend. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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