Aberdeen, ICT and Ross county should be ejected from the SPL on the basis of fuel economy.

Think of the environment man.

Don't think Ross County are in the SPL, unless they're a stealth team who will suddenly appear out of nothing - but I like your thinking...

Ross county, Forres mechanics...you know what I meant.

They should re-locate.

And whilst we're at it, we should free up a large slice of Dundee real estate by merging their two wee teams into one medium sized one...


oooft!

Ooooffft indeed.....only here for the banter, although I do think Dundee and East Craigie merging would be good for the city.

Can't see East Craigie merging with the wee team - no assets or potential for investment, so nothing to gain.

Rather than play on Friday evening I think matches should start at 9.00 on Sunday mornings. The churches would love it too. At the final whistle the pubs still won't have opened for us to drown our sorrows so we could go to chruch instead for a spiritual awakening.

Also, the game in Scotland would be much more attractive if they brought back Hazel Irvine on the telly.

"Dundee real estate"

The land Tannadice and Dens are on is worth about 50p... and that's including the players at Dens!

Yeah like you said how little thought is there really when they experiment friday night football using aberdeen and a team from the central belt . A 18-20 team league is the only way for me playing each other once home and away each season, teams like falkirk, raith, dundee etc will bring good crowds. An away day somewhere, can be just that going just once a season, also not so much pressure only dropping 6 points away to the old firm might encourage teams to have a real go instead of thinking about 'sneaking a point' or 'damage limitation'.
Also think bringing back a terraced area again could work with maybe tickets cheaper 20% or so under 20 quid anyway, that would do for a start anyway. As for sky wanting the 4 old firm derbys, could they not have a glasgow sheild or something.

Don't have enough teams in Scotland or enough money to spread around an 18-20 team league. We'd end up with teams like Brechin and Arbroath in the nation's top flight, and that'd just be crazy.

I don't want to hear anything else from Doncaster. He only cares about pandering to the likes of SKY and the fans are treated with contempt - given little or no consideration whatsoever.

Personally, I want a return to see at least 16 teams in the SPL and play each other home and away twice.

The current format is so boring and is driving thousands away from the game.

I very much doubt that I will be buying a season ticket next year unless the amount of teams is increased and Doncaster is sent back to...I don' t know...Doncaster perhaps?

We need to reduce prices and increase the number of teams in the league - that is what the fans want.

The clubs are ignoring the wishes of supporters and the dwindling attendances tell the story. I lkie my football and enjoy going to a game on a Saturday at 3pm. I'm sick to the teeth of having to turn up at 12 noon on either a Saturday or Sunday, and if they think I will bother coming along on a Friday night they are seriously deluded.

Why is it "boring" though? Are Morton, Ross County, Livingston and Accies really going to add anything to the SPL? They're currently the top 4 teams in the SFL, and I really doubt that people are going to say "We're only playing Accies once at home this season, let's make sure we attend". More likely, it'd just introduce more poor teams into the SPL and no-one wants to see that.

The size of the league is absolutely perfect at the moment, having more teams will mean lower attendances coupled with fewer games providing less gate money. It's unworkable. It doesn't matter if the fans want it, I'm sure they'd also like to be given a free car with every season ticket and a helicopter ride if you try one of the pies, but it can't be done either.

I'd rather go to Arbroath once in a season and play them at home once than be say going to Dunfermline twice you know?

This Friday night football sounds like a great idea in my opinion, they just need to not be completely stupid with the fixtures.

it'd just introduce more poor teams into the SPL and no-one wants to see that
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East Fife have beaten Dunfermline and Aberdeen already this season - so the 'gulf' in class is not what some may suggest.

The size of the SPL is the problem because there is a huge fear factor going on because every team outside of the OF can quite easily be drawn into the relegation zone after just a few poor results.

Take Aberdeen - supposedly they are having a nightmare season - but I think they are only 4 points behind DUFC and Killie.

We simply cant afford to lose clubs like Aberdeen, Hibs United etc to relegation.

There are plenty teams that would add interest to the SPL if it was enlarged; Dundee, Raith, Falkirk, Partick Thistle etc

The point you make about an increase in the number of teams is an assumption. What we KNOW now is that a poll of supporters showed that over 80% wanted to extend the number of the teams in the league. What we also KNOW is that season ticket sales and attendances are in decline year-on-year. That is surely down to the fact that the fans are not getting what they want.

You can't say it is 'unworkable' because we had a larger top league before and it DID work.

"That is surely down to the fact that the fans are not getting what they want."

Or perhaps due to no-one having any money anymore?


Seriously, you can say it all you like, but people will not turn out in their numbers more to see Raith Rovers than they already do. I worked it out a while back, to compensate for the fewer games and fewer games against big teams, a club like Motherwell would need on average to attract over 2500 extra fans every game just to break even compared to the 12-team league. You really think that'll happen? Another 2500 fans will turn up at Fir Park because they're only playing Hamilton once this season?

Twaddle.

Personally, I would be much happier to go along and see United play Raith, Dundee, Arbroath, Morton once a season as an alternative to a second home game against St Mirren, Hibs, Rangers, Celtic etc.

If the clubs can't aford to pay current wages then they will have to cut their cloth accordingly and pay their players less. They've been harping on about how football is a business for decades, in fact they never seem to tire of telling us that, so they should start acting like businesses and get their accounts in order pronto.

Many SPL clubs are heading towards administration/oblivion within the current format, so it needs to be changed to attract more punters back or it's 'game over' for some.

Personally, I hate what companies like Sky have done to football in my lifetime. It was so much better when we had terracing, atmosphere and great competitive games that were really open with both teams attacking each other and trying to win.

It was only when the SPL came into being that we encountered the 'fear factor' and teams started bringing every player back to defend corners and playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win.

Fair play to you Drunken - if you like what your watching, then you argue your case and stick with it.

Personally, my lifelong love affair with Dundee United and Scottish football looks like it's going to come to an end sooner rather than later.

Dont know how you can say theres nothing wrong with the size of our league at the moment hobo, its too big to play each other 4 times and not big enough to play each other twice . But its just the right size for 4 weegie derbies funny that. 18-20 team league, cheaper terraced areas, one scottish football organisation, and maybe a winter break or play league cup quarters and semis on a weekend.

Change doesn't mean cutting their income so drastically. If clubs are struggling at the moment (although many are on the road to recovery) then cutting their income by 1/3 is going to send them down the pan. Change for change's sake is not a good thing, especially if it means there's far less money to go around.


What's your criticism of the split Westcoast? I think it's a good solution as it cuts down on the number of meaningless mid-table clashes, as top 6 is a priority for every team that isn't a relegation candidate.


The reconstruction thing is just a distraction technique by the West Coast media (not blaming you westcoastarab ) from what the real problem in Scottish football is - the Old Firm. The refereeing is corrupt, there is no other word for it. The distribution of finances is ridiculous - 1/6th of the teams get 1/3 of the broadcasting income. They get away with singing illegal songs and tapping up players illegally but none of this ever gets a mention in the media - and when it does, it's to try and justify it. Increasing the size of the league would only make things worse.

Doncaster was at Norwich FC. When he left they got promoted two seasons running. Saw the light when this guy left their flailing business and they haven't looked back since.

If we only had to endure the OF twice a season it would open it up possibly for other teams. Not having to think about "must win" games against OF. Can't see anything wrong with that.

Arabs, i forgot that doncaster was at norwich........... look at them now in the EPL and sold 22,000 season tickets (a town about the same size as dundee) more than just a coinsidence i'd say, lets get him to f@ck.
All we need to do hobo is get rid of the old firm and were all laughing but i think the baggage they bring with them means no-one will have them.

Here they go again saying they want out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15109851.stm

Why is no action taken against them for constantly whoring themselves out to England? All it's doing is demeaning our league for their own selfish gain... nothing new there I suppose.

Its amazing that they are still talking about moving South after that was **** canned by the english clubs.
I think Whyte is hoping they go into administration so he can close doors and then "move" the club to England...
As for the future of the Scottish game, I think Scottish clubs are being forced to compete with English clubs financially which is not viable and never has been, this in turn has created negative media and an increase in costs involved with going to matches (along with fuel costs etc etc) which has all led to a reduction in the attendances.Couple that with the stress of worrying if your team is going to go into administration or not and of course fewer people want to go. Football was (is) an entertainment, a release for the work stress not a new source of it.

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