SPL managers come out in favour of league reform

• Jefferies would like to see a reform of the league

Jefferies has been one of the champions of league reform for some time, claiming clubs playing each other four times a season is having a detrimental effect on the Scottish game.

"I've been shouting about it for ages," said Jefferies, who believes the SPL would be made better by the inclusion of sides like Dundee, Dunfermline, Partick Thistle and Inverness.

"There are some good clubs in the First Division; there are some good facilities.

"If they were all back in the top tier, they would get bigger crowds – that's a fact.

Yesterday SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said expanding the SPL from 12 to 16 teams and introducing play-offs is a realistic possibility:

"There has been talk of the SPL expanding to 16 teams and we have been talking to supporters and there does seem to be some desire to freshen things up. That could mean more teams in the SPL, but we have be open to all ideas."

Jefferies said: "The quicker we get back to playing home and away, the better, I think – whatever the size of league, whatever the format.

"Playing each other four times has had its day.

"We're getting too familiar with each other – we know each other's games.

"I don't think there's any motivation for the supporters to go twice to see a team at home."

Jefferies acknowledged a 12-team division made the competition exciting.

He added: "You've still got to have that but, at the same time, the way that it's set up now isn't helping the football.

"And that's the main thing."

Hamilton manager Billy Reid has first hand experience of just how difficult it is to gain promotion to the SPL and believes more First Division clubs should be given the chance to play in the top flight.

The Accies boss also insists Scottish football is badly in need of an injection of freshness, with clubs bored of playing each other at least four times a season.

Speaking about the possibility of the SPL expanding to 16 teams, Reid said: "I've got to welcome it because when I was in the First Division, I was there for some time and finished in the top two or three for three or four years with Clyde and with Accies.

"The one team going up is not healthy."

He added: "We played Rangers five times last year and we will have played them six times again this year.

"It's a lot of games to play against the same club and I think a bit of freshness would be healthy.

"It would certainly help the whole game to open up a bit because there is a fear factor – there is question about it – and some of the football in the SPL is showing that."

Asked if there was enough quality in the First Division to make the step up to the SPL, Reid said: "There are big enough clubs there.

"There are certainly bigger clubs than Hamilton Accies – Dunfermline, Dundee, Partick Thistle and Morton can be a decent club when they're doing well.

"There are some big clubs in there and hopefully if they were in the SPL, the fans would come out and support them."

Hibernian boss John Hughes believes trialling summer football is more important than SPL expansion.

"Anything that helps Scottish football to develop and become better and become a better product on the pitch, I'm all for," he said.

"You'll find out if you're go and try it.

"One thing I'm all for is summer football."

Responding to concerns a summer season would overlap with a World Cup or European Championship, Hughes added: "So what? I'm here for the SPL, what's best for Scottish football.

"You get that and work around the rest of it.

"You'll get more fans coming out, you'll get better surfaces, you'll get better football."

St Mirren boss Gus MacPherson agreed changes needed to be made to the Scottish game.

"From a personal view, that's what required – a freshness about Scottish football," he told BBC Scotland, adding he thought league reconstruction is some way off because of the financial implications for clubs in an expanded division.