SFA continue to seek change consensus with two leagues

THE Scottish Football Association will continue working with the two league bodies in a bid to produce a consensus for changes to the game’s governance and structure.

BBC Scotland last night quoted an anonymous chairman of a Scottish Premier League club claiming that the SFA could take control of a new unified league set-up.

However, attempts to produce change will centre on co-operation with the SPL and Scottish Football League. An SFA spokesman said: “Discussions with the SPL and SFL in relation to our five principles are ongoing.”

The SFA’s aims include producing one league body, introducing promotion play-offs and a pyramid structure allowing entry to the league from below, and changes to the distribution of finances to clubs.

The other principle is the formation of an under-20 league, which was approved by SPL clubs last week. An SPL spokesman added: “We are working closely with the Scottish FA and SFL for the good of Scottish football and will continue to do so.”

SPL clubs are due to discuss changes to voting rules on 30 April, with the ten clubs outside the Old Firm pushing for the introduction of a 75 per cent majority rule across all issues.

Major structural change currently requires an 11-1 majority vote and the ten clubs will have to persuade the Rangers administrators to back their proposals, with Celtic having made clear their opposition. SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster last season failed in attempts to change the league structure to two divisions of ten teams amid a lack of consensus.