No go for reconstruction

[Guest alfiebass]

It looks like the master plan has come off the rails, maybe now we will see the actual details of the Sky deal that everybody was expected to agree to without having seen it. I'm sure that there will be some kind of plan B to be wheeled out at the last minute to try and save their bacon, but it now looks like folk are finally demanding to see the fine print rather than just taking the word of Doncaster, Regan and Liewell.

[stewarty 1,877]

Fair enough to St Mirren. They've consulted internally, and with their fans. They've had concerns which haven't been addressed which they feel are fundamental. Yet still Doncaster and the like say its imperative we accept flawed concepts as a package of measures as thats the only way to get the things we can all agree on. There is going to be a lot of people with egg on their face if St Mirren et al hold firm. And I can't wait!

[RANGERRAB 3,299]

Let's just wait til the vote has actually taken place. We all know what kind of people we're dealing with here don't we?

[ian1964 10,447]

Dundee: Scot Gardiner ire at St Mirren SPL vote stance

 

Dundee chief executive Scot Gardiner has accused St Mirren of acting self-interestedly in stating they will vote against league reconstruction.

 

Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour has declared that he will vote against the Scottish Premier League's proposal .

 

"Everyone has to compromise to come up with a system that keeps 42 clubs happy," Gardiner told BBC Scotland.

 

"I'm afraid it's utopian and doesn't relate to real life to think that some clubs can cherry-pick what they want."

 

He also told BBC Scotland's Sportsound programme, that voting against the proposal would mean retaining the present situation.

 

"A vote against isn't just a vote against 12-12, it's a vote to keep the status quo, and the boot will be kept on the neck of Scottish football.

 

"Because there's no more compromises; everyone's given in something, so, for some clubs to say 'we'd like also that and we'd like also that', that's a red line for us.

 

"I think it's self-interest."

 

Gardiner also insisted that he was prepared to support keeping the 11-1 voting system in the SPL - one of Gilmour's main objections to the reform plan.

 

"It's easy to make statements where you say 'we shouldn't do this and we shouldn't do this'," he said.

 

"There's been an enormous amount of compromise from clubs all over the country.

 

"I put my hand up against in January, but there are very good arguments for keeping it when you get into the detail.

 

"The 11-1 is there for protected matters, and that means protecting everyone, not jsut one or two clubs."

 

And the Dundee chief also maintained that change had to happen if Scottish football was to survive.

 

"We have a sick patient here," he said.

 

"Crowds are going down, sponsorship is going down, TV audiences are disastrous and the First Division is effectively a basket case.

 

"Our game is in dire need of change.

 

However, Gardner did admit that the football bodies had not presented the new proposal to the public well.

 

"I believe, if things are explained properly about where we're at, then fans can realise this is the situation we're in," he said.

 

"PR-wise, could things be handled better? Absolutely.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22073506

[blueflag 378]

the first division is a potential basket case . pmsl funny guy.

 

 

interesting comments about sponsorship down and how they should be telling the public the whole situation there in!

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Edited April 8, 2013 by blueflag

[Gribz 743]

Let's just wait til the vote has actually taken place. We all know what kind of people we're dealing with here don't we?

Agreed, last hour blackmailing will be on the cards.

 

It looks like the master plan has come off the rails, maybe now we will see the actual details of the Sky deal that everybody was expected to agree to without having seen it. I'm sure that there will be some kind of plan B to be wheeled out at the last minute to try and save their bacon, but it now looks like folk are finally demanding to see the fine print rather than just taking the word of Doncaster, Regan and Liewell.

The worrying thing for me is I wouldnt put it past Doncaster to offer a plan B which it is really his plan A knowing this 12-12-18 wouldnt go through.

[ian1964 10,447]

THEY were all supposed to be Buddies.

 

On January 28, SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster emerged from a crunch meeting to reveal agreement in principle had been reached on a new 12-12-18 set-up.

 

Self-interest was put to aside for the greater good of Scottish football.

 

It wasn’t perfect, but it was viewed unanimously as the best way forward for our stricken game.

 

One league body, a redistribution of wealth, a pyramid structure, play-offs — all the boxed were ticked.

 

Clubs with differing agendas agreed to compromise on several key issues and a new dawn appeared to be on the way.

 

Then St Mirren moved the goalposts with a shock U-turn that yesterday saw them come out AGAINST the plans. With Ross County also understood to be pondering a ‘No’ vote, reconstruction is on the verge of collapse.

 

And one SPL source told SunSport a failure to act now will only turn our game into a LAUGHING STOCK.

 

This highly-placed figure insists the status quo of the current, unpopular set-up will lead to:

 

Dwindling crowds

 

Drops in sponsorship and broadcasting cash

 

No stability and continual fighting

 

Disparate league bodies

 

Less meaningful games

 

The SPL source said: “If this doesn’t go through, then Scottish football is left with the status quo. Nothing changes.

 

“You will still have two league bodies and people will still be talking about reconstruction for the whole of next season.

 

“There is no stability, no attraction and our game becomes a laughing stock.

 

“If we don’t all get together to the push this through, the alternative is drastic.

 

“Clubs can all have their own self-interest but the status quo would be a DISASTER.

 

“The new structure provides more meaningful games, it excites sponsors and also excites broadcasters. Look at the excitement at the weekend when clubs were fighting for the last top-six place. That’s what fans want to see.”

 

The Paisley club say they are in favour of the bulk of the plans — including one league body and a greater share of cash from the top down.

 

They believe the proposed 12-12-18 league set-up is NOT the way forward.

 

Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour also voiced concerns over the 11-1 voting structure and a three-year restriction on change.

 

St Mirren’s change of heart has been badly received by SPL clubs — who are puzzled after a six-figure sum was spent to get to this stage.

 

Dundee chief executive Scot Gardiner slammed Gilmour last night and his views are shared among many top-flight clubs.

 

They were convinced change was on the way when all 12 clubs agreed to compromise on the plans.

 

The top two SPL clubs had even agreed to take a £1m hit to push it through.

 

Our source said: “To bring the SPL clubs together and agree in principle to take the vote was a real breakthrough.

 

“That hadn’t happened for a long time and it gave clubs the confidence to think something was going to change.

 

“For Stewart to now come out and have a change of heart after agreeing it all in principle is disappointing.

 

“It’s extremely late in the day. Why did he not come out and say this two months ago? It appears St Mirren’s stance is based on self-interest. You can’t cherry-pick from what is a balanced package.

 

“Any club in the SPL could have put out the kind of statement St Mirren did.

 

“They say they want to cherry-pick the parts of the proposals that they like, but every club could do that.

 

“If clubs start to cherry-pick, the whole thing unravels. For every winner, there is a loser.

 

“This agreement is a compromise. It’s a balanced package for the greater good of the game.

 

“Depending on the clubs, there were aspects of the proposals people liked, and others people didn’t like.

 

“But they all took a responsible view for the greater good of the game that while it wasn’t perfect — but it was the best.

 

“The 12 clubs decided in principle to go forward with it because it brings stability to Scottish football and offers something fresh.”

 

Gardiner has accused Gilmour of putting self-interest first by coming out against the plans.

 

Under new proposals, the top two leagues of 12 split into three eights after 22 games.

 

Clubs in the ‘Middle 8’ then fight for four top-flight spots — and St Mirren would be in that division going by this year’s placings.

 

Our source said: “Maybe Stewart doesn’t want to run the risk of St Mirren being one of the four teams relegated from the middle division. There’s maybe a greater risk on St Mirren’s behalf but that’s what they are putting in the pot.

 

“The top two clubs are giving up at least £1m — this is all part of the balanced package.

 

“In addition, the redistribution of wealth means that clubs who do get relegated have a softer landing.

 

“More money is going down into the SFL and that will help clubs avoid financial problems.

 

“These proposals offer an all-through distribution model, pyramid structure and delivers everything the SFA want.”

 

St Mirren’s major issue with the 11-1 voting structure has also been met with bemusement — as this rule is preventing the plans being pushed through against the Buddies’ will.

 

Our source said: “The irony is that the 11-1 vote is actually protecting Stewart in this instance — and he claims it is wrong.

 

“If this vote was 8-4, it would go through without question and he’d have something he doesn’t want.”

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/4879013/Laughing-stock.html

[ian1964 10,447]

ST MIRREN chief Stewart Gilmour has been accused of wrecking league reconstruction plans through self-interest.

 

Dundee chief executive Scot Gardiner laid into the Buddies chairman in a stinging live radio blast last night.

 

Gilmour explained why Saints will next week vote against 12-12-18 proposals.

 

The Paisley club are dead against various aspects of the changes being pushed forward but the deal-breaker for them surrounds the 11-1 SPL voting structure.

 

Ironically that is what will stop tabled proposals being rubber-stamped, with Ross County set to back St Mirren up.

 

But their stance has left other top-flight chiefs FURIOUS — with Dens Park boss Gardiner hitting out.

 

He said: “We’re one of the clubs disappointed in the statement from St Mirren and we won’t be the only one. There have been elements of this we don’t agree with.

 

“But to have a situation where you come up with a system which makes provision for 42 clubs — ranging from PLCs with a turnover of £100million, to clubs effectively run by committee, it’s nigh on impossible to do.

 

“It has been long hours, with hard work, to get to this current set-up that we have.

 

“And I’m afraid it’s Utopian and just doesn’t relate to real life to think some clubs can just cherry-pick what they want from it.

 

“That’s particularly the case when those clubs didn’t bring up those things throughout the process — and I’m talking about St Mirren here.

 

“It’s easy to say we shouldn’t do this or we shouldn’t do that.

 

“We have a sick patient here with Scottish football.

 

“Are St Mirren acting selfishly? I think it is self-interest. I’m sorry, but I do.

 

“I respect Stewart’s position when he says that he’s voting for the sake of St Mirren because it’s better for them if things stay the way they are.

 

“But my position is that it’s certainly not for the good of all of the Scottish game. Almost everyone else in the SPL agrees with me on that.”

 

Gilmour stood his ground last night and defended the League Cup winners’ right to vote against the proposals.

 

Gilmour — whose opposition to the plans is likely to be backed by Ross County chief Roy MacGregor — fired back: “I have board of directors who have self-interest.

 

“They have that because they have invested in a football club.

 

“They have worked at the sharp end of the game for the last 15 years and they don’t think this is right.

 

“When things have been terrible at their clubs they’ve had to sit and write cheques.

 

“Our duty, as directors of St Mirren Football Club, is to look after St Mirren Football Club.

 

“We try and look at the big picture but the problem with the whole big picture of Scottish football is with the 11-1 voting structure.”

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4879083/Buddie-selfish.html

[Darthter 542]

The media & other Chairmen clearly building the pressure on St Mirren......if it fails it will all be there fault. St Mirren alone will have brought about the downfall of Scottish Football.....

[Thinker 887]

I don't think St Mirren were acting out of self interest.

 

The concerns they raised should worry pretty much every club, not just St Mirren. When Gardiner says there needs to be compromise is he talking about a compromise with stupidity? In order to get some sensible improvements implemented do we have to accept some idiotic ones too, because they've been presented as a package?