SPL to dismiss SFL’s revamp bid and look at rival set-up

By STEPHEN HALLIDAY
Published on 19/11/2012 08:55

THE Scottish Premier League are ready to completely dismiss Scottish Football League proposals for reconstruction when they gather at Hampden today.

All 12 SPL clubs will meet to discuss a variety of their own ideas on how the structure of senior league football in Scotland should be changed. But their discussions will not include the SFL plan for a three 
division 16-10-18 set-up which was unanimously approved by all 30 of the current non-top flight clubs last week.

In what is now developing into a bitter battle for control 
of league football in Scotland 
between the two governing bodies, the SPL remain convinced that extending the top tier to 16 clubs is not viable on a commercial basis.

There is no formal agenda for today’s SPL meeting, when it is understood that more than one suggestion for overhauling the domestic set-up will be put 
forward by different clubs.

One of the possibilities under consideration is a two-tier top flight, probably rebranded to distance it from current perceptions of the SPL’s failures, with 12 teams in each division. Under that set-up, the top division would split after two rounds 
of fixtures with the top-eight clubs meeting each other twice more and the bottom four 
facing off against the top four in the lower division with 
four promotion and relegation places at stake.

For that plan to be implemented, the SPL will need to persuade 12 clubs from the SFL to resign and join them. Given the current unity being 
displayed by the SFL clubs, that appears no more likely than the SPL agreeing to take on board the 16-10-18 proposal unveiled by them last week.

According to a senior SPL source last night, the SFL plan will not come under consideration at today’s meeting.