Craig Levein on why Celtic and Rangers should leave Scottish football and pay back £100m per year

Craig Levein has insisted Scottish football could "grow immeasurably" if Celtic and Rangers left to join the Premier League in England providing they commit to sharing their wealth with clubs north of the border.

The expanding gap between Glasgow's big two and the rest of the Scottish Premiership has been highlighted with 25 points currently separating second-placed Rangers from Hearts in third with 10 games still to play.

Levein branded the league as the least competitive in Europe and believes a move to England for both Celtic and Rangers would provide a solution providing they pumped back £100m a year into the Scottish game. And he insisted he would "drive the Old Firm down there myself" if an offer to join the EPL was forthcoming.

"We’ve probably got the least competitive league in Europe," the former Hearts and Scotland boss told the Daily Record. "And the problems are the same as they were 20 years ago when my Hearts side finished third by whatever points gap you mentioned. They’re financial. Joe Savage [Hearts director of football] wants to split the Old Firm and that’s great. It’s a good ambition to have. But having that and making it happen are two completely different things.

Former Hearts manager Craig Levein insists Celtic and Rangers moving to the EPL would benefit Scottish football. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

“My views are very straight forward - when the next financial crisis happens in the Premier League in England and they are looking for something different then I would absolutely drive the Old Firm down there myself. I would love the two of them to play in England and represent Scotland, get the money that’s associated with that which would allow them to grow and be competitive in that league.

“And at the same time if they both gave the teams in Scotland £50m a year, so a combined £100m, for allowing them to move down there then that would allow the Scottish game to grow immeasurably. Scottish football would thrive.”

Levein guided Hearts to third place in the SPL in two successive seasons during his first spell in charge but he insisted that it is is virtually impossible for clubs outwith the Old Firm to finish any higher. He added: “Would I be aiming for third? Yes. Anybody who says they had ambitions to finish first then I wouldn’t believe them. The last time Hearts finished second was when Romanov was there and threw £40-£50m at it. Until someone else is prepared to do likewise then the gap won’t close.

“Hearts will get to the point where they can handle Europe and the league campaigns simultaneously. The regular Euro money will help as well. But the Old Firm will still be making more year on year so that doesn’t bridge that gap. There’s signs that Hearts are the team that could gain that level of consistency that will pull them closer to the Old Firm. But trust me, they won’t be competing at the same level for a long, long time unless those two disappear down to England.

“I honestly think it will happen one day. When a broadcaster gets a bit bored of the Premier League and are looking for something different. There’s a precedent set with the Welsh teams playing in the Premier League so I don’t see why it would be an issue.”