Scottish Football Reconstruction

[EdTheDuck]

How many teams should there be in the national league set-up?

20 Pro below that doesn't matter
When should the league cup final be held?

Ideally November but UCL prolly put paid to that forever
Would you be interested in a league cup group stage?

God No
Should the league cup semi final be played over 2 legs?

Yes
Should any league cup matches be played on a Saturday?

Final
Should splits be viewed as an important part of the league season?

Not really and not necessarily a split league, a split season could cook things up far more interestingly
Would your experience of Scottish football improve if the old firm moved elsewhere?

Not necessarily but in their current guise as moustache twirling pantomime villains definitely
Would an expanded top tier lessen the prestige of being there?

Not necessarily
What effect would an expanded top tier have on the 2nd tier? In terms of quality and competition.

As things stand it would make relegation even worse than it is now
What do you think would attract more fans to games?

Lower prices would help but creating more interest and promoting our football rather than constantly running it down would work better

What should the average price of a ticket range from at each level?

3rd/2nd £5-£7 1st £12 SPL £15
How many relegation and promotion places should there be in each league?Is there a proportion you think would work best (e.g. 1 in 5 to be potentially
relegated)?

Enough to keep the season alive for as many teams as possible without getting silly
Should the challenge cup involve more non league teams?
Yes
Should each league have the same number of teams?
Doesn't matter
Should we aspire to have larger leagues?

Only if it improves football across the board; the standard, the finances and the appeal to more people through the gate and on TV but the size of the league is utterly immaterial

[relichtie]

How many leagues games do you want in a season? (minimum/maximum/preferred) 38/38/38

What defines (or what might define) achievement and/or success at your club? promotion & then to build towards regaining full time status

How important is relegation and promotion? massive , 2nd biggest part of the game for me

What’s more important, exciting competition or having good players? exciting competition

How does youth development fit in? utmost priority

How important is success in Europe? Is it important to your club? n/a

What should the stadium/pitch requirements be? safe to be in & be able to have the choice between seats & standing

Do you like the idea of a winter break? When should it take place? no , never

Would you like more or less midweek games (or the same)? Postponements in SFL & replays in scottish cup / or league cup standard schedule provide plenty of midweek oppertunities imo

When should the season start/finish? start July end May

Is it important to have the same amount of home and away games in a season? yes

Is it important to play any club home and away an even number of times? yes

Do you dislike playing each club 4 times a season completely, or is it fine to play some teams 4 times if the matches are exciting? 4x meetings is absolutely fine

What should the voting structure be for decision making in Scottish football? Majority rule

Is it important what players/management thinks about changes? yes , more so than fans actually

How should TV/prize money be distributed? equal share to all members

Is it important to have an exciting 2nd tier? yes

How important is the League Cup? it spans to long for what it is

How important is the Challenge Cup? Not so much

How important is the Scottish Cup? Very

How many teams should there be in the national league set-up? for me 40 would be enough, but we have 42 so that is the fair number

When should the league cup final be held? October

Would you be interested in a league cup group stage? yes

Should the league cup semi final be played over 2 legs? no

Should any league cup matches be played on a Saturday? yes R1 only

Should splits be viewed as an important part of the league season? no

Would your experience of Scottish football improve if the old firm moved elsewhere? they are quite irrelevant to my experience of scottish football actually , but for the good of the game they should be removed

Would an expanded top tier lessen the prestige of being there? yes, for me the top league should be either the same size as the rest or the smallest league

What effect would an expanded top tier have on the 2nd tier? In terms of quality and competition. not very much at all

What do you think would attract more fans to games? lower prices, better catering, better competition, less

What should the average price of a ticket range from at each level? [Adult top > > bottom] £20 £15 £10 £7.50

How many relegation and promotion places should there be in each league?Is there a proportion you think would work best (e.g. 1 in 5 to be potentially relegated)? 2 automatic relegation & 1 automatic promotion place with 1 place to be decided by playoff battled out over 2 legs by teams poisitioned 3-4 in a semi final the winner of the tie meeting the league runner up in a 2 legged final

Should the challenge cup involve more non league teams? yes its the perfect cup to get them involved in much moreso than the scottish cup IMO

Should each league have the same number of teams? if possible yes

Should we aspire to have larger leagues? no

Your first question should have been - Do we need Reagan, Doncaster and Longmuir?

[lr19]

Relegation playoffs alone (or ridiculous league splits) are a total cop out. Play offs at the top would make for a much more exciting league. Imagine a playoff final to determine league champions at Hampden in May. More often that not it would be between the old firm and surely the tv companies would go mental over that, however there would be the chance for other teams to win the league, which is a more sensible way to redistribute wealth. Whats the point in the current ideas really, soon there will be no wealth to distribute. The teams at the bottom need the teams at the top to do well.

[Skyline Drifter]

So...

How many leagues games do you want in a season? (minimum/maximum/preferred)

I'm perfectly happy with 36. I don't think the clubs will tolerate much less and we don't really have space for much more.

What defines (or what might define) achievement and/or success at your club?

Not sure I understand the question. Surely by definition the league table does?

How important is relegation and promotion?

Very. It's the basis of a divisional set up.

What’s more important, exciting competition or having good players?

Exciting competition.

How does youth development fit in?

Fit in what? Youth development is important obviously but the focus should be the first team for me. I wouldn't want to be a club just associated with developing players to go elsewhere.

How important is success in Europe? Is it important to your club?

Not applicable really, notwithstanding the 2008 foray to Copenhagen.

What should the stadium/pitch requirements be?

For what? Top level football? I think the new proposal that anyone with a bronze licence would be eligible seems reasonable enough.

Do you like the idea of a winter break? When should it take place?

Absolutely not, no. Ridiculous idea. Certainly pointless in the SFL and I'm not a fan of the idea anyway.

Would you like more or less midweek games (or the same)?

Not really bothered much. Midweek games are more problematic to get to but I usually manage it.

When should the season start/finish?

It should finish when it does now. Not overly concerned about when it starts. No objections if people wanted to bring it forward a few weeks.

Is it important to have the same amount of home and away games in a season?

Yes, as far as possible. Though I'm old enough to remember the old 14 team division where you played 20 home and 19 away or vice versa and it didn't seem to overly bother anyone then.

Is it important to play any club home and away an even number of times?

Isn't that just a rewording of the above question?

Do you dislike playing each club 4 times a season completely, or is it fine to play some teams 4 times if the matches are exciting?

I don't mind it at all. Any match could be exciting. Or it could be rubbish. You can't decree how many times you play another team by how likely it is to be any good. On that basis nobody would ever have played against a Terry Christie team!

What should the voting structure be for decision making in Scottish football?

One club, one vote I guess, including the SPL and SFL clubs.

Is it important what players/management thinks about changes?

To an extent but it's not the crucial factor.

How should TV/prize money be distributed?

Really difficult for anyone here to answer such a complicated question. More evenly than it is at the moment though.

Is it important to have an exciting 2^nd tier?

It's important to have all tiers exciting.

How important is the League Cup?

It's financially important. It will always be a secondary competition compared to the Scottish Cup but stories of its demise are exaggerated.

How important is the Challenge Cup?

I'm a fan but we tend to do well in it. I've always liked it.

How important is the Scottish Cup?

Crucial

How many teams should there be in the national league set-up?

Probably about what there is now, but there should be a pyramid to allow promotion into it

When should the league cup final be held?

A little earlier maybe. Although it's not bad where it is.

Would you be interested in a league cup group stage?

Not especially. I suspect it would prove pointless. There's a reason they went away from that idea 30 odd years ago and haven't brought it back since.

Should the league cup semi final be played over 2 legs?

No. Absolutely not.

Should any league cup matches be played on a Saturday?

Yes, quite happy with the opening round being on a Saturday and I've no problem with the semi finals having a weekend either. Rounds in between should stick to midweek though;

Should splits be viewed as an important part of the league season?

Probably. Not something I pay an awful lot of attention to though in all honesty.

Would your experience of Scottish football improve if the old firm moved elsewhere?

No. It would be directly unaffected and it would most likely be bad for the game overall.

Would an expanded top tier lessen the prestige of being there?

Yes, probably.

What effect would an expanded top tier have on the 2nd tier? In terms of quality and competition.

Inevitably if the top tier gets bigger the second tier will be weakened.

What do you think would attract more fans to games?

Don't know. Cheaper pricing probably but that's not going to happen.

What should the average price of a ticket range from at each level?

Probably £2 - £3 less than it now but the inevitable knock on it that happened would be reduced wage budgets and less full time teams with more top players moving to other countries.

How many relegation and promotion places should there be in each league?Is there a proportion you think would work best (e.g. 1 in 5 to be potentially relegated)?

I think it's about right other than the fact there should clearly be a playoff from SPL to first division as well as the automatic swap.

Should the challenge cup involve more non league teams?

No. I don't really understand why it involves any at all. I don't really mind it per se, it just doesn't make any rational sense to me.

Should each league have the same number of teams?

Not necessarily. Not sure that's important.

Should we aspire to have larger leagues?

Not for me, no, though I suspect I'll have a minority view there.

[SpoonTon]

What defines (or what might define) achievement and/or success at your club?

Not sure I understand the question. Surely by definition the league table does?

I don't think it's a difficult question (not all questions are perfectly worded, but I tried to keep them as open as possible). For some it's staying in the SPL, for others it's trying to get to the SPL or getting to a cup semi-final, or getting to the first division. Or perhaps simply you might view it as winning the game in front of you. But the way in which you define success at your club might have an influence on what you want in reconstruction, e.g. a third division club who view sucess as making it to the first or finishing as high up as possible might have a different view on the 10-10 v 18 debate than a fan who sees promotion to the 2nd division as success.

How does youth development fit in?

Fit

in what? Youth development is important obviously but the focus should

be the first team for me. I wouldn't want to be a club just associated

with developing players to go elsewhere.

For someone like Steven Pressley youth development is (was?) the most important thing, so clubs and leagues should be structured with that in mind. So it fits in at the centre of clubs, leagues and therefore any reconstruction. For others it's the competition etc that is the most important, so youth development might still be very important, but not the basis of the league.

What should the stadium/pitch requirements be?

For

what? Top level football? I think the new proposal that anyone with a

bronze licence would be eligible seems reasonable enough.

Is it important to have the same amount of home and away games in a season?

Yes,

as far as possible. Though I'm old enough to remember the old 14 team

division where you played 20 home and 19 away or vice versa and it

didn't seem to overly bother anyone then.

Is it important to play any club home and away an even number of times?

Isn't that just a rewording of the above question?

Pitch requirements at any level, since this is addressed to fans of all clubs.

Not quite the same question. Currently in the SPL you might have 19 home and 19 away games, but play one team 3 times at home and once away, and another once at home and three times away. And it is certain that you will play some clubs twice at one place and once at the other. Again, quite an open question which gets at some of the things at stake in league splits.

How should TV/prize money be distributed?

Really difficult for anyone here to answer such a complicated question. More evenly than it is at the moment though.

A general answer (like the one you gave) is fine. But considering thethings at stake with, for example, prize money in the reconstruction,it's likely that people will have an opinion on it. Under the current proposals prize money is being taken away from the top clubs and given to the 2nd tier clubs. 3rd/4th tier clubs might be feeling a bit left out (so they might have answered 'in fair increments up through all the divisions').

[Skyline Drifter]

I don't think it's a difficult question (not all questions are perfectly worded, but I tried to keep them as open as possible). For some it's staying in the SPL, for others it's trying to get to the SPL or getting to a cup semi-final, or getting to the first division. Or perhaps simply you might view it as winning the game in front of you. But the way in which you define success at your club might have an influence on what you want in reconstruction, e.g. a third division club who view sucess as making it to the first or finishing as high up as possible might have a different view on the 10-10 v 18 debate than a fan who sees promotion to the 2nd division as success.

Ok, fair enough. As largely a middle order club I define success, using the league table, as anything that puts us in Scotland's top 20 or so. In the current set up, not being involved in any relegation concerns from the first division. If we go 12-12 then the same would apply and I'd hope to have seasons where we made the second eight in the 8-8-8 split.

For someone like Steven Pressley youth development is (was?) the most important thing, so clubs and leagues should be structured with that in mind. So it fits in at the centre of clubs, leagues and therefore any reconstruction. For others it's the competition etc that is the most important, so youth development might still be very important, but not the basis of the league.

I've already answered this then. Youth development has a place but it wouldn't be my focus. My focus is on the first team.

Pitch requirements at any level, since this is addressed to fans of all clubs.

I think the new idea that progress be based on the level of licence held with bronze being sufficient to play top level seems a much better idea than the arbitrary seat rule the SPL had / has.

Not quite the same question. Currently in the SPL you might have 19 home and 19 away games, but play one team 3 times at home and once away, and another once at home and three times away. And it is certain that you will play some clubs twice at one place and once at the other. Again, quite an open question which gets at some of the things at stake in league splits.

Ok, that hadn't occurred to me. A symptom of the fact I have never seen my club in the SPL. I don't really have a view on it and we don't have a derby rival of sufficient importance that I'd be overly bothered to lose a home fixture against them.

A general answer (like the one you gave) is fine. But considering thethings at stake with, for example, prize money in the reconstruction,it's likely that people will have an opinion on it. Under the current proposals prize money is being taken away from the top clubs and given to the 2nd tier clubs. 3rd/4th tier clubs might be feeling a bit left out (so they might have answered 'in fair increments up through all the divisions').

Take the point. I still don't feel qualified or informed enough to make any specific judgement on that though.

Thanks for the clarification. I have no idea how to split up a quote in the new system though so further answers above in red.

[SpoonTon]

Thanks for the clarification. I have no idea how to split up a quote in the new system though so further answers above in red.

I could only split the quote by having multiple tabs (one for each part) and editing them together in one at the end, and even this has a set of formatting annoyances. I have no idea if there's an easier way!

Ok, final questions:

How much of a problem is a 6/8 split leading to more games for some teams than others in a league?

Should we have end of season play-offs between the top and 2nd flight, 2^nd and 3^rd etc? What should they look like?

How many teams would you like to see in each tier? How many games would then be played in each tier?

Does the 8-8-8 system create a problem by taking away, what might be seen as, fundamental aspects of the league system (i.e. taking away points gained from earlier in the season and combining leagues)?

If you had to choose one (ignore the issue of colt teams which will not be voted through in any case):

12-12-18 v 12-12-10-10

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v the status quo with a play-off place to SPL

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and/or play-off spot

The status quo with a play-off place into SPL v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and/or play-off spot

[Jagsman411971]

1 league body

All income distributed fairly amongst all teams

2 leagues of either 18/20/22 teams

Gate prices - Premier, Adult £15, U16 £5, U12 Free. Championship, Adult £10, U16 Free

Wages are capped

Clubs spending budgets are capped

Start from there, and in 10 years Scottish football will be in the best position it has been in for years

[Jobber]

1 league body

All income distributed fairly amongst all teams

2 leagues of either 18/20/22 teams

Gate prices - Premier, Adult £15, U16 £5, U12 Free. Championship, Adult £10, U16 Free

Wages are capped

Clubs spending budgets are capped

Start from there, and in 10 years Scottish football will be in the best position it has been in for years

Naw, it wullnae be.

[EdTheDuck]

1 league body Never Happen - might be dressed up as that but it wont be

All income distributed fairly amongst all teams Never Happen

2 leagues of either 18/20/22 teams Never Happen

Gate prices - Premier, Adult £15, U16 £5, U12 Free. Championship, Adult £10, U16 Free Never Happen

Wages are capped Never Happen

Clubs spending budgets are capped Never Happen

Start from there, and in 10 years Scottish football will be in the best position it has been in for years If the above did Happen then this wouldn't happen

[EdTheDuck]

How much of a problem is a 6/8 split leading to more games for some teams than others in a league?

It's a problem for the top end of the 8, they're facing 3 months/14 games with absolutely nothing to play for

Should we have end of season play-offs between the top and 2nd flight, 2^nd and 3^rd etc? What should they look like?

Yes - either 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 11th OR 11th v 3rd and 2nd v winner of 11th/3rd

How many teams would you like to see in each tier? How many games would then be played in each tier?

10 in the top 2 tiers but I want a split season, Winter League/Spring League with playoffs and all that shit so that would be 2 X 18 games = 36 games, however as I'm never going to get it I'd go for 2 X 12 with the current split and 38 games

Does the 8-8-8 system create a problem by taking away, what might be seen as, fundamental aspects of the league system (i.e. taking away points gained from earlier in the season and combining leagues)?

I couldn't care any less about the fundamental aspects of the league system, but the 8-8-8 will have Epic Fail stamped all over it in no time; there's no consistency whatsoever and there is an Old Boy's Network smell about the whole thing.

If you had to choose one (ignore the issue of colt teams which will not be voted through in any case):

12-12-18 v 12-12-10-10

12-12-18 just so the Big League fans can get a glimpse of what meaningless games really look like

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v the status quo with a play-off place to SPL

Staus Quo with a playoff spot
12-12 (8-8-8 ) v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and/orplay-off spot
Current SPL split with extra bits

The status quo with a play-off place into SPL v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and/or play-off spot
12-12 with SPL split and extra bits

[stm]

How much of a problem is a 6/8 split leading to more games for some teams than others in a league?

6/8 split is problematic in that it creates a decent number of games for top six but, wait for it, meaningless fixtures for teams in 7-10 post split. A club also loses a European 'ticket' in January if it did not make the top six. This would be unpopular with top/middle ranking clubs who would fear missing out on top six so it's a non-starter. 40 matches are also difficult to accommodate in top tier.

Should we have end of season play-offs between the top and 2nd flight, 2^nd and 3^rd etc? What should they look like?

Under current system I'd have bottom two relegated automatically and 10th v 3rd in two legged play off.

How many teams would you like to see in each tier? How many games would then be played in each tier?

SPL 10 teams, 1st division 10 teams, 3rd tier 18-20, 4th tier regional pyramid 14-16 (North, East, West). Games, 36,36, 34-38, 26-30.

Does the 8-8-8 system create a problem by taking away, what might be seen as, fundamental aspects of the league system (i.e. taking away points gained from earlier in the season and combining leagues)?

I don't see a problem with zero points or halving of points. It would work to suit certain league models.

If you had to choose one (ignore the issue of colt teams which will not be voted through in any case):

The status quo with a play-off place into SPL. Would be choice from all those listed basically.

[SpoonTon]

How much of a problem is a 6/8 split leading to more games for some teams than others in a league?

Every system has down sides. The biggest of the 14 league structure is the uneven split. I think it works well for the top six, but not the bottom 8.

Should we have end of season play-offs between the top and 2nd flight, 2^nd and 3^rd etc? What should they look like?

End of season play-offs are exciting, and should play a part at each level. But they also need to be balanced and fair. I don't like the current play-off system, mostly because the team in the bottom play-off place ends the normal season almost as close to the relegation places as top place.

How many teams would you like to see in each tier? How many games would then be played in each tier?

There are a few systems I would be happy with. 10-16-16, 12-12-18 or even 12-18-regional (which would guarentee 2 strong top region leagues and help the pyramid). I don't think the top tier should be any bigger than 12 at the moment, and playing 36-38 games. The 2nd and 3 tiers could have anything between 12 and 18 teams, and play between 34 and 44 games (although anything over 40 might be tough to fit in - it would require the challenge cup to be scrapped, the league cup to be midweek only and the league season to stretch from mid-July to the end of May). I don't thinka league system should be static, and change should happen every few years, so there's a few that I wouldn't mind.

Does the 8-8-8 system create a problem by taking away, what might be seen as, fundamental aspects of the league system (i.e. taking away points gained from earlier in the season and combining leagues)?

I don't have a problem with the 8-8-8 itself, I like the idea. On paper it solves so many of the problems. But I am worried that too many fans won't take to it. If fans don't know what the value of the competition is, then the myriad of 'meaningful' games might all become quite meaningless.

If you had to choose one (ignore the issue of colt teams which will not be voted through in any case):

12-12-18 v 12-12-10-10

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v the status quo with a play-off place to SPL

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and play-off spot

The status quo with a play-off place into SPL v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and play-off spot

I can't imagine any changes beyond these options, and it's probably 8-8-8 or the status quo (for some reason I can't yet fathom). As much as I like the 8-8-8 thing, It's probably more sensible to try to let the real benefits of the restructure come into play before we do anything too drastic. I also think that the SPL clubs have to accept more relegation places, as overspending in the hope of avoiding relegation is the main thing that has been killing finances for the last few years. With 2 strong top tiers we'll be in a much stronger position to move forward.

I think a national division of 18 is a good idea. It keeps all the clubs closer to the bigger leagues and is good for any ambitious club. I do, though, think that it should be done in stages. 12-12-10-10 next season, with 12-12-18 and regional divisions coming in the following year. Give the 4th tier 2 play-off places for 2nd tier next season.

[Skyline Drifter]

How much of a problem is a 6/8 split leading to more games for some teams than others in a league?

I've maybe missed something but where is the idea of a 14 team league split like this coming from? Is this a proposal from somewhere I've missed along the line? I don't think it's a very good idea anyway.

Should we have end of season play-offs between the top and 2nd flight, 2^nd and 3^rd etc? What should they look like?

Yes, absolutely. And ideally, exactly as they are now in the other divisions but failing that I'll accept a straight 11th v 2nd playoff. I'd prefer it to be on a neutral ground than two legs probably.

How many teams would you like to see in each tier? How many games would then be played in each tier?

I don't have any problem with the current set up personally. I don't think there's much wrong with eh 12--10-10-10 model. I just think it needs the playoff for a second potential promotion spot between SPL and First Division.

Does the 8-8-8 system create a problem by taking away, what might be seen as, fundamental aspects of the league system (i.e. taking away points gained from earlier in the season and combining leagues)?

Possibly. But I am not convinced that's a bad thing. It's not really any different in principle to qualifying for Europe this year and playing in it next year when you may have a different set of players or management.

If you had to choose one (ignore the issue of colt teams which will not be voted through in any case):

12-12-18 v 12-12-10-10

Probably the 12-12-10-10 as I prefer that size of leagues but I don't especially want another two clubs in the SFL either. I'd rather stick with 12-10-10-10 in all honesty.

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v the status quo with a play-off place to SPL

Definitely status quo with playoff.

12-12 (8-8-8 ) v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and/or play-off spot

Prefer the latter but wouldn't have either over the status quo.

The status quo with a play-off place into SPL v 12-12 with current SPL split and an extra promotion and/or play-off spot

The former, definitely.

[SpoonTon]

How much of a problem is a 6/8 split leading to more games for some teams than others in a league?

I've maybe missed something but where is the idea of a 14 team league split like this coming from? Is this a proposal from somewhere I've missed along the line? I don't think it's a very good idea anyway.

14 team leagues is an idea which is often banded about, especially by Charles Green. Such a league would mean either a really short season, a really long season, a really uneven season, a 7/7 split which would leave a team without a game each week (and a team finishing the season a week before the rest) or a 6/8 split. So while 14 might seem a decent compromise, it's hugely problematic.

[Jagsman411971]

1 league body Never Happen - might be dressed up as that but it wont be

All income distributed fairly amongst all teams Never Happen

2 leagues of either 18/20/22 teams Never Happen

Gate prices - Premier, Adult £15, U16 £5, U12 Free. Championship, Adult £10, U16 Free Never Happen

Wages are capped Never Happen

Clubs spending budgets are capped Never Happen

Start from there, and in 10 years Scottish football will be in the best position it has been in for years If the above did Happen then this wouldn't happen

Correct on every answer. And this is why Scottish football will never improve. Every single person involved in making any kind of decision on the future of Scottish football, cannot, or will not, look any further forward than the end of the next week. Almost every country in Europe has left us behind in terms of developing the game in their countries. For too long, Scottish, and English aswell, have held a morally superior and arrogant stance with regards to football in these islands. While we have sat around proclaiming things like, our clubs are the best supported teams in the world, we've had the highest attendances for this game and that game, we were the first team to do this, and we gave the world the game, the Europeans have identified their problems, fixed them, and are now getting the rewards for the efforts.

Prime examples of this are France, Germany and Spain. They all changed their domestic game because they felt they were not as good as they could be. Its just a pity they never had any success after they done it, isn't it.

What do football hierarchy do in this country? Well, they find a country that has a league system that they like, and then proclaim it as a beacon of progressive thinking and a perfect example of how football should be structured. All before they butcher the aforementioned system to suit this countries own "special" domestic footballing needs. Changing the amount of teams, playing however many games in whatever amount of leagues, will not improve Scottish football on its own. Take England as a prime example. Their league system is probably one of the best in the world, but it is filled with foreign players, because they cant, or dont, produce anywhere near the same amount of top class players as Spain, France Germany and Italy do.

The league system in this country has been broken for years, so it has to be changed, completely. To use a computing metaphor, the current system is like an old Windows 98 PC with crap memory, graphics and storage. Doncaster, Regan and Longmuir's suggestions amount to basically upgrading the memory and the graphics, so in the end you have a PC with better memory and graphics, but its still running Windows 98.

League reconstruction wont fix things by itself. But it is an important starting point. Important enough to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. I just wish they would go and look at what these other countries done, and learn from it. If they dont, I fear we will be back here in 10-15 years asking the same questions.

[EdTheDuck]

14 team leagues is an idea which is often banded about, especially by Charles Green. Such a league would mean either a really short season, a really long season, a really uneven season, a 7/7 split which would leave a team without a game each week (and a team finishing the season a week before the rest) or a 6/8 split. So while 14 might seem a decent compromise, it's hugely problematic.

It could mean a X3 playing for 39 games of course which would be barf inducing for most everyone and would be unpalatable to the point of rock throwing for whichever one of the Born-Again-Old-Firm lost out on the league by less than 4 points and had 2 away games at their rivals...

[SpoonTon]

It could mean a X3 playing for 39 games of course which would be barf inducing for most everyone and would be unpalatable to the point of rock throwing for whichever one of the Born-Again-Old-Firm lost out on the league by less than 4 points and had 2 away games at their rivals...

That was the 'really uneven season'

[CallumH]

The whole reconstruction debacle proves that our glorious football authorities are incompetent.

How far has the National Team fallen since the introduction of the SPL?

How many teams have went tits up since the introduction of the SPL?

As another example take the Dunfermline saga; other clubs owed money, players not paid, club potentially unable to fulfill fixtures and we do not know what punishment admin will attract.

Amazing silence from football authorities!

Scottish football is run by diddies and is in the pish state it is because of these diddies. I am close to giving up going every week, probably like many others.

[Jagsman411971]

Listening to Doncaster on Sportsound, he should have been a fucking politician. According to him, its the whole deal they agreed to in January, or its nothing. He's like a kid who wants it all his way, or he's not playing.