[Football] Old Firm to Premier League

[beorhthelm]

Rangers and Celtic do want it.

They have huge support and with the vast riches of EPL money, they'd very soon be amongst the top clubs.

are there reports from the clubs to that? the story is always paper driven rumours. i cant imagine Celtic fans ever accepting joining the English league. i dont see the clubs would risk regular titles for being like Newcastle, big clubs without success and occasional trip down the leagues.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Actually it would make the SPL more competitive and probably stimulate interest if others had a chance of winning it. However I have always believed that it is the SFA that fiercely guard their territory and don’t want a British league that would reduce their influence. All the Home Nations have a vested interest ,since none of them are actual countries are they?

With talk of an independent Scotland still on the cards that makes it less likely

 

[Weststander]

are there reports from the clubs to that? the story is always paper driven rumours. i cant imagine Celtic fans ever accepting joining the English league. i dont see the clubs would risk regular titles for being like Newcastle, big clubs without success and occasional trip down the leagues.

Not the clubs obviously, why would they make statements to that effect, when it's so unlikely.

I've spent a lot of time in Scotland, travelled up and down watching games all over, I spent 8 years with a Rangers supporting family.

The big 2 feel left behind by the riches of the EPL and Sky.

They have huge support in England, Scotland and from different parts of Ireland. Rangers had 100,000 fans in Manchester in 2008 (per BBC and MEN), Celtic 80,000 in Seville in 2003. I remember 10,000's visiting English cities for pre season 'friendlies'.

Never going to happen though.

For starters clubs like Brighton, Fulham and Newcastle won't in effect vote for their likely moving down a division in a short time.

 

[vagabond]

Shut up Moyes.

Why should Celtic and Rangers have the right to join our English league?

 

[GT49er]

Rapidly followed by the imposition of a Great Britain team replacing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland national teams (FIFA and UEFA are just itching for the chance).



So let me think carefully about this .......................... NO.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Not the clubs obviously, why would they make statements to that effect, when it's so unlikely.

I've spent a lot of time in Scotland, travelled up and down watching games all over, I spent 8 years with a Rangers supporting family.

The big 2 feel left behind by the riches of the EPL and Sky.

They have huge support in England, Scotland and from different parts of Ireland. Rangers had 100,000 fans in Manchester in 2008 (per BBC and MEN), Celtic 80,000 in Seville in 2003. I remember 10,000's visiting English cities for pre season 'friendlies'.

Never going to happen though.

For starters clubs like Brighton, Fulham and Newcastle won't in effect vote for their likely moving down a division in a short time.

Plus I imagine any vote will include reducing the league size to 18

 

[Weststander]

Shut up Moyes.

Why should Celtic and Rangers have the right to join our English league?

This time last year 95% of NSC'ers wanted the 2019/20 season null and voided. Apparently for virtuous, selfless reasons

Lamie and me rowed against the tide.

Turkeys don't vote for Christmas. Similarly, the Albion (club and fanbase) will never agree to Rangers and Celtic joining up with English leagues.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I'm not a fan of foreign clubs being in our league so it's a boo and a thumbsdown from me.


Would they be immune from relegation or stay in the English pyramid?

 

[Eeyore]

Rapidly followed by the imposition of a Great Britain team replacing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland national teams (FIFA and UEFA are just itching for the chance).



So let me think carefully about this .......................... NO.

Won't happen, which brings us to a related point.

How can it happen given that in five years time it is highly possible that Scotland will be in the process of leaving the UK anyway ?

 

[dazzer6666]

A 'Britain-wide' pyramid? With a system whereby a lowly Devon club could end up having to play midweek in Fife? Come on, that's never going to happen. Clubs couldn't afford those sort of travel bills. Can we not just put this, Celtic-Rangers nonsense to bed. I would hate them being in our league. If it happened I would throw the towel in and go and watch Worthing or Lewes

The pyramid is already regionalised, that wouldn’t need to change.

 

[blockhseagull]

I'm not a fan of foreign clubs being in our league so it's a boo and a thumbsdown from me.


Would they be immune from relegation or stay in the English pyramid?

This was my first thought

What happens if they were to get relegated ...... would they push to go back to Scotland so they could win something ?

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

A 'Britain-wide' pyramid? With a system whereby a lowly Devon club could end up having to play midweek in Fife? Come on, that's never going to happen. Clubs couldn't afford those sort of travel bills. Can we not just put this, Celtic-Rangers nonsense to bed. I would hate them being in our league. If it happened I would throw the towel in and go and watch Worthing or Lewes

The travel argument probably made sense in the 19th century when the leagues were set up and most of the teams were within 50miles of Manchester, but given teams like Plymouth have to travel to Sunderland or Barrow now it's not that much of a leap. Particularly since, as already pointed out, below a certain level the pyramid is regionalised.

Ideally all the teams travel costs would be shared anyway so it wouldn't be a problem at all, but that's an idea I picked up on one of my brief holidays in Sensibleland. Msybe we could go back to sharing the gate money while we're at it

Personally I'm completely down with the idea of a proper pyramid that covers the whole country. Completely against the idea of arbitrarily shoving the Old Firm into the English system, however it's supposed to work.

 

[Jeremiah]

No thank you.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

No thanks...

Anyway why want independence yet want to play in our league...

Scotland can feck off.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

A 'Britain-wide' pyramid? With a system whereby a lowly Devon club could end up having to play midweek in Fife? Come on, that's never going to happen. Clubs couldn't afford those sort of travel bills. Can we not just put this, Celtic-Rangers nonsense to bed. I would hate them being in our league. If it happened I would throw the towel in and go and watch Worthing or Lewes

The lower divisions can be regionalised as in the Conference North/South. That Devon club you mention would only have to pay the expenses of traveling to Scotland if it had the money from a successful rise up the leagues. I would be very much in favour of this idea. We have historic ties with Scottish football and I would much prefer a game against Rangers, Celtic, Hearts etc than one with Dynamo Kiev or Malaga.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Oh - hell - no - that is like putting Celtic and Rangers into a British Super League.

From my understanding of the rules it is not possible - it would breach FIFA's rules about national federations and leagues. Before Wimbledon were franchised out to MK there was talk of them moving to Dublin and FIFA blocked it before the FA even discussed it. Similarly, there has been more than one attempt to set up and all-Ireland league but again FIFA blocked it and said that the FAI and IFA would have to merge to make it happen. Derry City do play in the LOI - but that is a direct result of the sectarian conflict in the North - clubs based in Protestant communities refused to play in the Brandywell and Derry City folded until a phoenix club was allowed enter the LOI in 1985 after the IFA and FIFA agreed.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

I have no issue if Celtic and Rangers were to join the EFL. No different to Swansea, Cardiff or Newport IMO. What I would take issue with however is if they were given two spots in the PL at the expense of Championship sides. If their inclusion is to happen, it would need careful planning and should be done on merit, not history. So put them in the Championship and see if they can get promoted like everyone else.

 

[Swansman]

Wouldnt Linfield get grumpy and demand to join as well?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I'm not a fan of foreign clubs being in our league so it's a boo and a thumbsdown from me.


Would they be immune from relegation or stay in the English pyramid?

If it were a British pyramid they would be relegated back to playing in the Scottish bit if they were a bit shit. Same applies to us as we can at present be relegated to regional football in the existing pyramid.

 

[vagabond]

Personally I'm completely down with the idea of a proper pyramid that covers the whole country.

But Celtic and Rangers aren’t in our country...?

I don’t see why it’s our job to accommodate them. They have their own national league, why can’t they improve that. They’re jealous and want a piece of the Premier League, let’s be honest.