Hearts back playoff idea for SPL title

Published on Monday 20 December 2010 12:07

HEARTS officials today declared their support for a restructuring of Scottish football incorporating play-offs for the SPL title between the league's top four teams.

The proposal would ensure a tense ending to the season climaxing in a grand final at Hampden Park, although Old Firm managers Walter Smith and Neil Lennon are against it.

The Evening News has learned that the idea was originally formulated at Tynecastle and has support from at least three other SPL clubs, including Kilmarnock and Dundee United.

It would see teams finishing first and fourth face each other in a play-off semi-final, likewise those who finish second and third. The two winners would then progress to the grand final to play for the championship, with as much as 4 million in gate receipts alone predicted.

A Hearts spokesperson told the Evening News: "We read with interest the proposals for play-offs at the top of the league and this is something we would like to see discussed in more detail. It certainly appears at first glance that this would truly open up the SPL to real competition and give every team in the league a chance of competing at the highest level."

Hearts believe the play-off proposal is the only way to guarantee that a new ten-team SPL retains public interest. Club officials had hoped to join forces with Stephen Thomson and Michael Johnston, chairmen of Dundee United and Kilmarnock respectively, to formally present the idea at a meeting to discuss changes to the top flight yesterday.

However, due to inclement weather, the meeting has been put back until January. Hearts will now spend the intervening period canvassing other SPL clubs to see how much support there is for title play-offs. In order to push the motion through, they would not necessarily require backing from Rangers and Celtic as a 10-2 majority vote would be sufficient.