Kivlehan
15/10/2007, 3:12 AM
Celtic Premier League
2 automatic Champions League entries (1st, 2nd)
2 qualifying Champions League entries (3rd, 4th)
3 UEFA Cup Entries - (5th, 6th, League Cup)
Premier Division
Celtic
Rangers
Aberdeen
Hibs
Hearts
Inverness
Falkirk
Drogheda
St. Pats
Bohs
Cork
Shams
Linfield
Glentoran
Derry City
Ballymena Utd
Cardiff City
Swansea
Llanelli
New Saints
Promotion/Relegation: 3 up, 3 down
First Division
Dundee Utd
Motherwell
St. Mirren
Gretna
Kilmarnock
Gretna
Dunfermline
Sligo Rovers
UCD
Galway
Bray
Waterford
Dungannon Swifts
Coleraine
Cliftonville
Portadown
Wrexham
Rhyl
Carmarthen
Welshpool
Promotion/Relegation: 3 up, 3 down
Second Division
Hamilton
Dundee
St. Johnstone
Morton
Partick
Clyde
Livingston
Longford
Cobh
Finn Harps
Dundalk
Limerick 37
Glenavon
Newry City
Lisburn
Loughgall
Haverfordwest County
Connah's Quay Nomads
Port Talbot Town
Aberystwyth Town
Promotion/Relegation: 3 up, 3 down
Third Division
Queen of the South
Stirling
Ross County
Raith
Alloa
Peterhead
Airdrie Utd
Shelbourne
Kildare County
Monaghan Utd
Athlone Town
Wexford Youths
Kilkenny City
Armagh City
Larne
Institute
Crusaders
Caernarfon Town
Airbus UK Broughton
Newtown AFC
Promotion/Relegation: 4 up, 4 down (1 each scot, irish, n. irish, welsh from/to country specific divisions below this level)
Why it works for everyone:
Celtic & Rangers: With two automatic champions league places, the Old Firm get the security of knowing they'll be spared champions league qualifying rounds for the foreseeable future. Matches in Ireland and N. Ireland respectively give the opportunity to become a more active part of those regional fan bases. This expanded league and the increased sponsorship that will go with it offers the chance to truly compete with the best of Europe in the Champions League by opening up the amount of potential revenue and investment into the league the Old Firm play in. It gives them what they want to gain by joining the Premier League, without the negatives of joining the Premier League (not playing other Scottish clubs and competing against ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool for Champs League spots).
The other Scottish teams: More champions league and UEFA Cup places mean better shots at Europe and really making an eventual run at the Old Firm.
The Irish teams: Attendances will boom when Celtic and Rangers visit, and competing in a league against them will draw significant local interest that over time mean Old Firm fans look at teams closer to home. Well-run clubs could make major leaps forward under this system.
The N. Irish teams: Attendances will boom when Celtic and Rangers visit, and competing in a league against them will draw significant local interest that over time mean Old Firm fans look at teams closer to home. Well-run clubs could make major leaps forward under this system.
The Welsh teams: Cardiff City will immediately become one of the big teams in the league and will have the best chance to knock off one of the Old Firm for a champs league automatic spot. This Celtic league offers the Welsh clubs the best chance to compete in a big league and keep meaningful UEFA tournament options available in a way superior to playing in English leagues.
What about the money? How will the lower income teams afford the travel?
A Celtic Premier League should attract major sponsorship and a certain amount of the gate and sponsorship money should be skimmed off the top and shared evenly to all teams in the 4 divisions. This is especially important at the beginning of the league and could be relaxed over a longer period of time. Celtic and Rangers could have a smaller % skimmed off the top of their gates to make it appealing enough for them to participate. Their total gates will be bigger, so a smaller percentage from them could still have them contribute their fair share to the pool.
What about the Scottish/N. Irish/Welsh teams not listed?
Below these four levels would be country-specific leagues where the champion would replace the lowest finisher of the same country in the 4th division in promotion/relegation style.
In a few years, the top league will be filled with teams from [Insert Country Here] and all of [Insert Other Countries Here] will be in lower divisions, so this is pointless isn't it?
For the first 5 years of the league's existence, limits should be placed so all levels must have at least 4 Scottish teams, 3 Irish teams, 2 N. Irish teams and 2 Welsh teams. If one of the last of these number are to be relegated, the lowest finishing team of another country not tripping up the same rule would be relegated in its place. This will allow time for the non-Scottish teams to "burn in" and establish themselves. Alternatively, there could simply be no promotion and relegation for a few years, but I feel it is fairer to set minimums for a few years rather than do away with promotion/relegation.
Four divisions are too many! It would be unworkable for 2nd and 3rd division teams!
Hopefully the revenue sharing financial model would make it workable but if you prefer, the country specific division could start below the 1st division if it was best. That isn't really the point.
I can't believe [insert club here] is in [insert division here], that is crazy!
Which clubs are in which divisions aren't the point, that's just a rough estimation based on current standings in their respective leagues or in the case of the Northern Ireland League the IFA club ratings posted in the Irish League forum. Also, you might notice I treated Derry City as a NI club in this scenario. I'm sure some thorough research would determine which clubs deserve to be in which divisions better than I could.
What is the point?
Between them, Scotland, Ireland, N. Ireland and Wales roughly have a population of 14,000,000. While this isn't close to England's 50,000,000, it would at least put the clubs in those countries in a better position to draw strong sponsorship and for the bigger clubs compete with the top clubs in Europe. Every team in the league would benefit by having a much higher potential revenue. The fans would get a more exciting club league product while maintaining their independent national teams. It should be something that benefits all stakeholders.
This was an awful waste of time, it will never happen, why did you bother?
Because Football Manager isn't customizable enough for my liking and I wish I could set a league like this up, but I can't so I figured I'd just get it out of my damned head by posting it here.
2 automatic Champions League entries (1st, 2nd)
2 qualifying Champions League entries (3rd, 4th)
3 UEFA Cup Entries - (5th, 6th, League Cup)
Premier Division
Celtic
Rangers
Aberdeen
Hibs
Hearts
Inverness
Falkirk
Drogheda
St. Pats
Bohs
Cork
Shams
Linfield
Glentoran
Derry City
Ballymena Utd
Cardiff City
Swansea
Llanelli
New Saints
Promotion/Relegation: 3 up, 3 down
First Division
Dundee Utd
Motherwell
St. Mirren
Gretna
Kilmarnock
Gretna
Dunfermline
Sligo Rovers
UCD
Galway
Bray
Waterford
Dungannon Swifts
Coleraine
Cliftonville
Portadown
Wrexham
Rhyl
Carmarthen
Welshpool
Promotion/Relegation: 3 up, 3 down
Second Division
Hamilton
Dundee
St. Johnstone
Morton
Partick
Clyde
Livingston
Longford
Cobh
Finn Harps
Dundalk
Limerick 37
Glenavon
Newry City
Lisburn
Loughgall
Haverfordwest County
Connah's Quay Nomads
Port Talbot Town
Aberystwyth Town
Promotion/Relegation: 3 up, 3 down
Third Division
Queen of the South
Stirling
Ross County
Raith
Alloa
Peterhead
Airdrie Utd
Shelbourne
Kildare County
Monaghan Utd
Athlone Town
Wexford Youths
Kilkenny City
Armagh City
Larne
Institute
Crusaders
Caernarfon Town
Airbus UK Broughton
Newtown AFC
Promotion/Relegation: 4 up, 4 down (1 each scot, irish, n. irish, welsh from/to country specific divisions below this level)
Why it works for everyone:
Celtic & Rangers: With two automatic champions league places, the Old Firm get the security of knowing they'll be spared champions league qualifying rounds for the foreseeable future. Matches in Ireland and N. Ireland respectively give the opportunity to become a more active part of those regional fan bases. This expanded league and the increased sponsorship that will go with it offers the chance to truly compete with the best of Europe in the Champions League by opening up the amount of potential revenue and investment into the league the Old Firm play in. It gives them what they want to gain by joining the Premier League, without the negatives of joining the Premier League (not playing other Scottish clubs and competing against ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool for Champs League spots).
The other Scottish teams: More champions league and UEFA Cup places mean better shots at Europe and really making an eventual run at the Old Firm.
The Irish teams: Attendances will boom when Celtic and Rangers visit, and competing in a league against them will draw significant local interest that over time mean Old Firm fans look at teams closer to home. Well-run clubs could make major leaps forward under this system.
The N. Irish teams: Attendances will boom when Celtic and Rangers visit, and competing in a league against them will draw significant local interest that over time mean Old Firm fans look at teams closer to home. Well-run clubs could make major leaps forward under this system.
The Welsh teams: Cardiff City will immediately become one of the big teams in the league and will have the best chance to knock off one of the Old Firm for a champs league automatic spot. This Celtic league offers the Welsh clubs the best chance to compete in a big league and keep meaningful UEFA tournament options available in a way superior to playing in English leagues.
What about the money? How will the lower income teams afford the travel?
A Celtic Premier League should attract major sponsorship and a certain amount of the gate and sponsorship money should be skimmed off the top and shared evenly to all teams in the 4 divisions. This is especially important at the beginning of the league and could be relaxed over a longer period of time. Celtic and Rangers could have a smaller % skimmed off the top of their gates to make it appealing enough for them to participate. Their total gates will be bigger, so a smaller percentage from them could still have them contribute their fair share to the pool.
What about the Scottish/N. Irish/Welsh teams not listed?
Below these four levels would be country-specific leagues where the champion would replace the lowest finisher of the same country in the 4th division in promotion/relegation style.
In a few years, the top league will be filled with teams from [Insert Country Here] and all of [Insert Other Countries Here] will be in lower divisions, so this is pointless isn't it?
For the first 5 years of the league's existence, limits should be placed so all levels must have at least 4 Scottish teams, 3 Irish teams, 2 N. Irish teams and 2 Welsh teams. If one of the last of these number are to be relegated, the lowest finishing team of another country not tripping up the same rule would be relegated in its place. This will allow time for the non-Scottish teams to "burn in" and establish themselves. Alternatively, there could simply be no promotion and relegation for a few years, but I feel it is fairer to set minimums for a few years rather than do away with promotion/relegation.
Four divisions are too many! It would be unworkable for 2nd and 3rd division teams!
Hopefully the revenue sharing financial model would make it workable but if you prefer, the country specific division could start below the 1st division if it was best. That isn't really the point.
I can't believe [insert club here] is in [insert division here], that is crazy!
Which clubs are in which divisions aren't the point, that's just a rough estimation based on current standings in their respective leagues or in the case of the Northern Ireland League the IFA club ratings posted in the Irish League forum. Also, you might notice I treated Derry City as a NI club in this scenario. I'm sure some thorough research would determine which clubs deserve to be in which divisions better than I could.
What is the point?
Between them, Scotland, Ireland, N. Ireland and Wales roughly have a population of 14,000,000. While this isn't close to England's 50,000,000, it would at least put the clubs in those countries in a better position to draw strong sponsorship and for the bigger clubs compete with the top clubs in Europe. Every team in the league would benefit by having a much higher potential revenue. The fans would get a more exciting club league product while maintaining their independent national teams. It should be something that benefits all stakeholders.
This was an awful waste of time, it will never happen, why did you bother?
Because Football Manager isn't customizable enough for my liking and I wish I could set a league like this up, but I can't so I figured I'd just get it out of my damned head by posting it here.