First Division clubs invited to ‘SPL2’ meeting

CLUBS in the Scottish First Division have been invited to a meeting next Monday to discuss the creation of a second tier to the Scottish Premier League.
Hamilton, who proposed the meeting, taking on Falkirk last month. Picture: Gary Hutchinson/TSPLHamilton, who proposed the meeting, taking on Falkirk last month. Picture: Gary Hutchinson/TSPL
Hamilton, who proposed the meeting, taking on Falkirk last month. Picture: Gary Hutchinson/TSPL

The move follows Monday’s events in which SPL clubs failed to agree on proposals that would see a new 12-12-18 league system introduced, as both Ross County and St Mirren voted against the plan, scuppering the top-flight clubs’ 11-1 required majority.

The proposals had included a redistribution of money to lower-league clubs in the country.

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Hamilton Academical have called on their fellow First Division clubs to meet to discuss a response to what they are calling ‘a set-back’.

SPL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster argued that First Division clubs would have benefited most from the creation of two top-flight leagues that would have then split into three groups of eight halfway through the season.

It is thought that the idea of an ‘SPL2’ - a proposal that has been mentioned in the past - will be discussed at next Monday’s meeting.

The 30 football league clubs would have been able to vote on the proposals had the SPL clubs voted the plans through.

Falkirk chairman Martin Ritchie bemoaned the failed talks on Monday, saying: “I think the last few days have shown that we will never have a proposal that will satisfy 11 SPL clubs and 23 SFL clubs at the same time.

“I think reconstruction is a non-event now. I’m not sure if we are at the point yet where the SFA has to step in but I don’t see any other way of this going through, to be honest.”

Ritchie added that his club would ‘wait and see what happens over the next few days’.

BBC Scotland reported late on Tuesday that Doncaster had said that an ‘SPL2’ model for next season would be possible, if any proposals had the support of 11 member clubs.

Although initially disappointed with the outcome of Monday’s vote, he said that although there was ‘no plan B’, the SPL still had ‘much to offer’ in its current format.