stulch

Yer right...

So if there were 28 teams next season, two leagues of 14 with each playing each other once. Created by very rough seeding, top, one division, second and third the other, fourth same division as the top one etc. etc. Then the top seven of each in the 14 team first division, bottom seven of each in the 14 team second division. Basically a little qualifying round to work out the two leagues! Results carried forward between teams who find themselves in the same division again as the qualifying round. To cut down on fixtures, there's no need to play the same fixture at the same venue again. The remainder of the home and away fixtures are then completed for the first and second divisions. Seven extra fixtures compared to a home and away 14 team league. So 33 fixtures for each team overall. 26 counting towards the final positions in the first division and the second division as would normally be the case. Promotion and relegation at the end of the season, two up, two down. Maybe three up, three down just next season? Third promotion spot as a playoff between third bottom of the first division and third in the second division? 2019/20 is then simple league fixtures for each club. If you get more applications next season teams might escape relegation and extra teams might be promoted. New teams in the second division. Or just create a second division north and a second division south. Just an idea and of course there might not end up being 28 teams. It sounded more straight forward before I wrote it down! [emoji23] I'm now running away to hide as this went down really well on another thread. [emoji23]

It sounded more straight forward before I wrote it down! [emoji23] Basically a little qualifying round to work out the two leagues!

[emoji23]

Or just create a second division north and a second division south.

Third promotion spot as a playoff between third bottom of the first division and third in the second division?

Maybe three up, three down just next season?

If you get more applications next season teams might escape relegation and extra teams might be promoted. New teams in the second division.

So if there were 28 teams next season, two leagues of 14 with each playing each other once. Created by very rough seeding, top, one division, second and third the other, fourth same division as the top one etc. etc. Then the top seven of each in the 14 team first division, bottom seven of each in the 14 team second division. Results carried forward between teams who find themselves in the same division again. The remainder of the home and away fixtures are then completed for the first and second divisions. Just an idea and of course there might not end up being 28 teams. Seven extra fixtures compared to a home and away 14 team league. So 33 fixtures for each team overall. 26 counting towards the final positions in the first division and the second division as would normally be the case. Promotion and relegation at the end of the season, two up, two down. 2019/20 is then simple league fixtures for each club.

There's issues, as we all know, whatever way you go. The comparisons I was making were against before the League Cup went back to an initial group stage. Recently Premiership 38 league games, at least one League Cup game (previously) and at least one Scottish Cup game - total at least 40. 16 team league 30 league games, at least six League Cup games and at least one Scottish Cup game - total of at least 37 (so a drop of only three games, but as you say less quality, however, at least more variety). Recently In terms of home games 18-20 league games, possibly no home cup games - total of at least 18. 16 team league 15 home league games, three home League Cup games - total of at least 18 (so 0-2 less home games, but as you say less quality, however, at least more variety). To avoid more "meaningless mid-table" games you'd have more relegation/promotion places and promotion play-offs with entries just from the same division. Additionally there are also a lot of countries (and UEFA) who think 20 in a league is too many, because 38 league games are too many, so then you would be looking at a 18 team league playing just 34 league games (17 home league games). Anyway, 16 team leagues is just how I'd go after listening to the discussions over the years...

To be honest I'd prefer leagues of 18 but I've heard stronger arguments against that and 16 is a compromise on that. If need be the first rounds of the league cups would be Champions League group stage style, each team plays each team home and away. With the home games included in the season ticket and played in the season at weekends. If still further games were needed I'd even have a third cup. Something drastic needs to be done but my main point was my other point, the attempt to get past the seemingly Junior/SFA impasse. But of course, another alternative, as has been said before, the SFA could just grow a pair...

They could even create a travelling costs pool for the whole of the new regional tier three which every tier three club contributes equally to but you get more out of it if you have to travel further and less if you travel less. Therefore meaning every club pays the same amount for travel.

Long term I'd like to see all the way down, 16 team leagues with each team playing 30 league games so teams are just playing each other once at home and once away. League cups would then create more guaranteed fixtures with first rounds being played on group basis like the actual League Cup now is. However, a major sticking point seems to be the fifth tier split with the Juniors appearing to want it three way and the SFA two way, I imagine so it's not such a jump going national when teams are promoted, how about they just make League One and League Two regional for now? So tiers three and four would become just tier three and tier five tier four, this could then be split three ways (Highland, Lowland West and Lowland East). Not an ideal solution but it might solve a current problem meaning longer term Scotland could get its preferred league structure. Tier three could be split along similar lines to the current Lowland/Highland leagues but the split would be flexible and you might not move teams every year just to get the split perfect. There's the possibility this could make both parties happier and you could move closer to one integrated structure for the good of Scottish football.