Scottish Premier League splits

**pete** · 16/04/2002, 3:33 PM

from ireland.com)

Scottish Premier League splits in TV cash row For more soccer news visit World Football

Last updated: 16-04-02, 13:24

Scotland's two leading clubs, Celtic and Rangers, have been left marooned after the other 10 clubs in the Scottish Premier League voted to resign from the league today.

The SPL clubs made the decision at a meeting at Hampden Park following the two Glasgow clubs' withdrawal from the league's pay-per-view television plans last week.

The 10 teams have given two years notice to quit the league.

"The clubs require to take control of their destiny," said Hearts chairman, Chris Robinson, at a news conference.

Rangers director John McClelland said: "We [the Old Firm] are standing side by side. We supported the SPL channel conceptually but not the business case so last week we didn't vote for it.

PA

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I always wondered what the SPL would be like without the old firm. I would have thought Hearts or Hibernian support was much lower cos of the big Glasgow 2. Must be fairly disheartening to know 0 chance of winning the league every year no matter what.

Suppose the 10 teams are calling the old firms bluff now. Find themseleves another league or commit to the SPL long term.

IMO i can't see nay hope of the old firm getting into the english premier league. Most english clubs don't want them & would set a bad precedent for UEFA to allow them.

**Macy** · 16/04/2002, 3:57 PM

Rangers and $€ltic could just play each other 4 times for the league instead...... hang on that's what basically happens at the moment anyway.......

**MikeW** · 16/04/2002, 7:09 PM

I know this is all very unlikely, but just as a matter of interest what would people think of a joint Irish Scottish league including the North if the old firm were to join the english? I think it would be a good idea for some of the so-called weaker leagues from countries of similar culture, geography, living standards etc. to join together to form stronger leagues that could compete with the bigger ones in Europe e.g. Spain, Italy, England, Germany etc. So you could have say a Scandinavian league, an Irish-Scottish league, a Swiss-Austria league and so on. All of these countries are reasonably similar is size so no-one should dominate the other and close to each other. What UEFA think of this would be a different matter though.

**joe** · 16/04/2002, 7:59 PM

there was a rumour a couple of weeks back that Rangers and celtic would be invited to join the english premier league II if a breakaway from the nationwide league was formed there.

**Seanie** · 16/04/2002, 8:33 PM

Sounds like a great idea, but one which would be bound for failure. Clubs in the Scottish Premier can often only survive from revenues generated from games against the Old Firm - with that gone and replaced by increasing travelling expenses back and forth across the Irish sea, I doubt any would survive. Our League here is already burdened enough by lack of cash so no go!

**Jim Smith** · 17/04/2002, 9:35 AM

... I honestly think it would be the best thing for Scottish Football for the Evil Twins to go away and play themselves 30 times a season.

They have bled the rest of Scottish Football dry for years (using sectairianism and hatered as their main tools) and are bad for the game. O.K. gates would drop and clubs would have to cut their finances. However, as proved by Hibs and their stint in the first division, more people will turn up to watch a team that has a chance of winning something than watch a team that is fighting for a European place so the drop might not be as big as the doom merchants predict. A cut in money would place a stronger reliance on developing young Scottish talent which would be good for the game - you only have to look to the national team to see how desperately this is needed.

I grew up in a town of about 45.000 people that had over 50 busses leaving for Old Firm matches week in week out and Ayr was by no means unique. Rantic are a cancer and it makes me laugh to see them try to blame the body that they have all but killed for the fact that they have no real competition in their own league

**Xlex** · 17/04/2002, 9:52 AM

I don't think you can blame the Auld Firm for the scottish Leagues problems... True whats happening is as a result of them... I suppose alot of Scots follow either before their home club.... Like the West Brits here. My Mates are mental about Celtic and anyone else they wouldn't watch if they were playing in their back garden....

I get abuse but they don't realise that an eL team could go out and á lá Bohs beat SPL opposition. They can't see past the 'Firm'... I watch four Celtic games a year, the old firms, and I would watch any other SPL game to save my life... Its rubbish...

GavinZac · 20/04/2002, 3:55 PM

Originally posted by Xlex
I get abuse but they don't realise that an eL team could go out and á lá Bohs beat SPL opposition. They can't see past the 'Firm'... I watch four Celtic games a year, the old firms, and I would watch any other SPL game to save my life... Its rubbish...

how do you know if you don't watch it?

Hibs for Europe next season