Does the Premier League need Rangers and Celtic?

Ollie Irish

12th, November 2009

62 Comments

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Would you let these jokers into the Prem?

Still lots of chat about Rangers and Celtic joining the second tier of a new-look Premier League, and with high-profile characters like Martin O’Neill and Arry Redknapp endorsing the notion, it seems it could actually happen.

Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside is set to pitch plans for a two-tier league – of between 36 and 40 teams – on Thursday.

For what it’s worth, I think it’s a terribly elitist idea, born out of nothing more than greed. It would compromise the English game and make an even bigger joke of Scottish football. It’s also a massive insult to proud clubs like Hibernian, Aberdeen, Motherwell, St Mirren etc.

So can we please bag up this idea, weight it down and chuck it in the nearest canal.

Agree, disagree? Do you think Rangers and Celtic would add anything to the Premier League? Vote below, leave a comment, you know the drill…

Posted in Opinion, Scottish football

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62 Comments

  1. Mark says:

    Rangers and Celtic would add little to the English league, aside from their fans. It would destroy Scottish football and further alienate a lot of English football fans.

    And Michel Platini would be very angry, although that could just as easily be an argument in favour.

  2. Wayne says:

    The only thing they will gain is money, neither would qualify for Europe at the end of each season. The only reason they have attracted some quality over the years is because they could offer Champions League football, they couldn’t offer that in England. We have enough boring clubs like Birmingham and Wolves in this league already, we don’t need any more..

  3. Ben says:

    To be honest i think if Celtic and Gers were in the prem they would be mid table at best. To my mind they are a similar level to West Ham,Fulham maybe Everton. So i dont rly think the Prem really needs more mid table clubs. If Celtic and Gers were top top sides and could challenge for the title then fair enuf it might mix it up a bit, but they are really not good enough. Not at the moment anyway.

    • shaunthebrummie says:

      and what gives the 2 crap scottish teams the right to enter the prem..then there is the other issues…being scottish..terrorist lovers..paedo deniers..tax dodgers..anti english….naah stay in shitland and give us a laugh

  4. frankiebhoy says:

    Celtic and rangers would become top sides with in 5 yrs, they know they are not right now. Only man utd has a bigger support, the money they would gain would have them top 4 with in 5 years. Scottish football is terrible with them in it, so boring watching the same two clubs win everything. This would give the rest a chance to win trophies. The glasgow pair have out grown scotland and its slowly strangling them.They need this chance

  5. Joe says:

    In Response to comments number 2&3 people need to realise that currently Celtic recieve 1.5m tv money if they recieved £40mil a yr its highly unlikely that many of the current squad would be on Celtics books. Would take Celtic 5 yrs to get settled and then without any doubt in the world Celtic would be up there winning the Prem, Also Celtic dont currently have any debt so any additional funds recieved would be put straight into the squad, over 5 yrs thats an additional £200mil min plus the added on benefits, if you deducted that amt of money from current clubs in the Prem the majority would go bust. I also believe the Scottish game would improve as you could realistically have 7 teams competing for the title

  6. john says:

    you say that celtic are very similar to west ham etc there’s no disputing that but we are talking about the current celtic team if we got the money that these teams receive from tv rights we would have the cash for the big names and they WOULD join us because lets face it we are one of the most well known teams in europe, maybe the world say what you like but thats the facts

  7. Paul M says:

    If the old firm had received the monetary input that the current PL teams have had over the past 10 years, then yes, they would be challenging for the title. Such is their history, pulling power and reputation amassed over time. They indeed would be an asset to the PL.

  8. Chringle says:

    NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

  9. Reasoned response says:

    The premiership (or more realistically Sky Sports League) currently exists on the money from Sky television. Withdraw that and the Premiership would have the same status of the French or Dutch League. It would also see the end of quite a few clubs whose debts far out weigh any income derived from ticket sales. Maybe debt-free Celtic should pressure for a European League of Debt free, well run clubs.

  10. Numpty says:

    The OF might not even be allowed to qualify for Europe through their league position, even if they left… the Welsh teams that play in the English leagues certainly can’t.

  11. Ian says:

    I am a Celtic fan,I watch both SPL & Prem.

    Yes the SPL standard has been gradually getting worse, but for one reason alone MONEY. As pointed out before the gulf in T.V revenue is astonishing.

    Credit should be given to teams like Hibernian, Celtic for producing outstanding financial results against worsening financial climates, and still being able to compete. Granted the quality is far lower than the PREM but again its down to MONEY.

    I believe they should be granted entry and would add considerable benefit to the English League. They would not just be a boring side like Wolves. As both Rangers & Celtic would have the cash to buy better players.

    If you take it that both Celtic & Rangers have turnovers of about £50m to £60m in the SPL imagine what it would be in the PREM, can anyone name an English team outside the top 4 who could do that in the SPL? I cant see it.

    Take Robbie Keane, if Celtic had the funds to buy him who do you think he would sign for? Going back a few year, Celtic sourced Berbatov as a replacment for Larsson, but where priced out of the market. Is Berbetov a standard PREM player? The same thing happened with Ginola he signed for Newcastle instead, reason money. The list goes on. The fact is at present both the old firm cant compete financialy with any team in the PREM, because they cant rely on debt to finance there spending. Remember a football club is a business not just a past time. You only need to look at Leeds to see what happens when this is ignored.

    If Sky went bust or just pulled there investment in the PREM, how many English teams would survive?

    It all comes down to money, would Celtic or Rangers win the PREM doubtful. But qualifing for Europe I thing that would happen (Within a few years).

    You also need to remember the aim of this new proposal is to make the PREM a more financial secure place. I believe the OLd firm would only enhance the league.

  12. J says:

    To answer your poll question – Do the EPL “need” Celtic and Rangers?… the answer at the moment is a clear no as there would be no immediate benefit in terms of finance or the quality of the league.

    On the other hand if the question was “Would the inclusion Celtic and rangers benefit the EPL in the medium to long term?” then it’s clear that at least some of the EPL chairmen think that they would. While I don’t think an invitation will be extended at this point, it will remain on the agenda for the forseeable future.

    The EPL chairmen who back this are not looking to the next season or two, but rather looking 5 or 10 years down the line and coming to the conclusion that the EPL may be in need of some fresh blood at that point either to liven up a stale product where the same teams win repeatedly or just to replace some medium to big clubs who may have fallen victim to financial ruin by then.

    there’s no doubt though that Celtic would be competing with the big boys – they are already a match in quality for the mid-table EPL sides, with the addition of £30-40 million of TV money and the increased sponsorship deals etc they would soon be competing for CL places and cups or even the main prize itself. Rangers may take a bit longer to solve their debt problems and/or find a buyer, but the additional income would certainly make it easier to drag themselves out of their present predicament.

    So, I doubt if it will happen in the next couple of years, but if a majority of EPL chairment decide they want Celtic and rangers in it will happen, and any percieved opposition from the FA, UEFA or FIFA will quickly evaporate.

  13. mac says:

    I think that despite what a lot of people say Celtic and Rangers will be voted for by the other clubs.
    The new setup would leave the old league behind and only election would allow teams into it, hence the self preservation of the relegation bait clubs who are usually in free fall at the end of the season.
    Im not sure anyone has actually asked Celtic and Rangers if they would like to become part of the league setup. It always seems to eminate from England which is why I believe that the vote will be yes, even if we dont want our teams to play in England we will be invited and accept the offer, because like all other clubs in the world we all need the money and not only that club directors all have egos to feed.
    So given the circumstances I think its a goer, its all about self preservation at the end of the day.
    Scottish football is dying on its feet, the quality or what little there was, has gone from the game, most of the SPL would find it difficult to compete in the Championship and having watched a few games myself I would say would be lucky to survive.
    Lets just hope SKY doesnt go tits up or were all in the cack,
    Hail Hail

  14. nicko says:

    Let them in. Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Newport and Merthyr all play in the English league/Non-league system, I don’t see why Rangers, Celtic or even others shouldn’t.

  15. Ashley says:

    Some really interesting comments. I was going to make a jokey remark about saying no to the Old Firm, but we would have Partick Thistle, but I thought better of it.

    Personally I could live without the baggage that comes with both teams. Also the Prem doesn’t need them. I’d love to know too what the SNP makes of this. It would be a joke to have an independent Scotland with its two biggest clubs playing in England.

    What i would agree too would be a Glasgow team in the Prem. So maybe if Celtic and Rangers merged to become Glasgow United that would work. Just think no more silly religious and nationalistic bollocks in football – that would be great.

    If not then maybe Partick isn’t such a bad shout after all

  16. Ben says:

    Theres a lot of talk about Celtic and Gers in years time being great blah blah. If you are so confident of this then start them of now in league 1. Let them earn a place in the prem. Why should they be handed a place in the prem? because they are made to look good against Hibs and Gretna week in week out? If they are good enough then they will get back to back promotions and be sitting at the top of the prem in 3 years time and you smug bastards can all revel in what fantastic lords of football prophecy you are.

  17. Ian says:

    I don’t have a problem with the old firm being put in at league 1 level.

    They would earn promotion. If they can attract a good quality of player at SPL level with the financial constraints in that league then league 1 shouldn’t be a problem. After all that’s about the quality of our league.

  18. BlueBear says:

    No16 – Ben, your intelligence is surpassed only by your in-depth knowledge of Scottish football! Gretna went out of existence in Jun 2008! Both halves of the Old Firm have reached Uefa Cup finals and progressed to the last 16 of the Champs League in recent years (on a far smaller budget than most English Championship teams exist on!). That’s how we KNOW they are good enough for a place in your coveted EPL. You’re not the first country to claim your league is the most exciting in Europe but his doesn’t last forever. European interest (which drives the TV revenue)will wane unless you keep the product fresh and exciting. Adding two of Europes best supported clubs both with a rich history and worldwide fan base is one way of doing this. Good for EPL, good for Old Firm and many would argue that this would also be good for SPL by making the title race in Scotland exciting again as there would be 6 or 7 teams capable of winning the title!

  19. Dan says:

    I have watched both Rangers and Celtic semi-regularly for the last couple of years as my dad is from Glasgow and is a Rangers supporter. I can honestly say that both clubs would be utterly destroyed if they came to the Premiership – they would struggle to stay in the league, and would they be so keen to stay if they were relegated?

    Also, if we invite Rangers and Celtic over, why not invite Ajax and PSV over from Holland? And Lyon from France, maybe Porto from Portugal? In fact while we’re at it get Barcelona and Real Madrid as well, that would improve the Premiership no end. Oh no hang on, this sounds remarkably like that European Super League thing that was floated not so long ago, remember how popular that was?

    So in a word, do we really need Rangers and Celtic? NO!

  20. truevillan says:

    If Rangers and Celtic want to join the English leagues (note I say English leagues not EPL) then tehy have to join the lowest leagues and work they way up. Any other way would not be right or fair to the other 72 league sides and the thousands of other sides whose ambitions are to join the leagues the correct way by promotions until they reach league 3. We do not want them or their fans, this plan would mark the end of English football.

  21. alex says:

    The EPL doesn’t need them, but they need the EPL

  22. Ben says:

    Bluebear:

    ‘You’re not the first country to claim your league is the most exciting in Europe’ hmmm i dont recall saying that? you seem awfuly desperate to join the EPL? As for my mistake regarding Gretna, i apologise. You see my intelligence is actually only surpassed by lack of interest in Scottish ‘football’. I hate to be rude but the Blue Square premier league is far more entertaining than scottish football. Personally in terms of entertainment factor i put scottish football in the same bracket as watching paint dry or perhaps reruns of countdown. i can garuntee you that the majority of english fans swith off (either mentally or physicaly) final score when the scottish results are read out. no one really cares my friend. I would rather have newcastle and boro back in the prem than Arthur Boruc and Pedro Mendes

  23. Dan says:

    @Truevillain:

    If you are being fair to the 92 Premiership and League clubs by making Rangers and Celtic join the non-league first, what about the clubs in the Blue Square Premier? Are they going to be that happy about two of them being shunted to accommodate two ‘foreign’ clubs?

    Surely to make it totally fair, if Rangers and Celtic want to join the English leagues they should start from the very bottom of the pyramid – like any new team would have to do. Can’t see them being too happy about that, but AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester did it, Rangers and Celtic shouldn’t get special dispensation.

  24. Ben says:

    keep dreaming BlueBalls. the old firm have more chance getting into my sunday league than the Prem. You just aint good enough.As for your ‘worldwide fanbase’. Well, fairly laughable is the expression that springs to mind. Because the billions in Asia just love Celtic dont they? You see them all parading in their green and white or the blue of Gers. Oh wait…hang on…you see them all wearing man u, chelsea and arsenal dont you. There is one reason for this, Scottish football is frankly boring. even the most fiesty of old firm derbys is a dull affair compared to man u v city, arsenal v spurs, man u v Liverpool, newcastle v sunderland, blackburn v burnley, west ham v millwall, pompy v s’hampton, chelsea v spurs, bristol rovs v city, villa v b’ham. you see we have enough exciting games to last us a lifetime with out your cheap brand of 2nd tier football clogging up the fixtures list. And finally on this matter, as for an old firm move being good for the SPL, I couldnt care less what happens to the SPL.

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  27. Ian says:

    No-19 Dan,

    Are you nuts? Or did you just not read ant comments? Yeah we would find it difficult in the first few seasons. But the extra cash from the PREM would let us bring a better quality of player.

    Have you actually seen any games? How about when Rangers beat Lyon away 3-o (not so long ago) or when Celtic beat Man United, AC Milan, Benfica (Everton didn’t do that well)

    The both teams have done amazingly well on a small budget.

    And Ben , you haven’t got a clue. How can you comment on the SPL or any of there teams if you don’t even know which ones are still actually playing?

    Blue Square better than SPL, Yeah in the same world where Leeds are still competing in the PREM.

  28. Ben says:

    Ian

    Leeds are obviously not at the standard required for the EPL but they would likely win the SPL, were they in it. Jermain Beckford has more talent than the old firm combined.

    So you’ve given another excellent example of another team the EPL would be better off having than either cetic or gers.

  29. Ben says:

    Teams more deserving of a EPL spot than rangers or Celtic:

    Newcastle
    Boro
    West Brom
    QPR
    Palace
    Nott’m Forest
    Coventry
    Charlton
    S’ton
    Leeds

    i.e Teams with a history and heritage in ENGLISH top flight football. If scottish football is so great then simply stay there. Why are you trying to justify the quality of the SPL whilst simultaneously trying to get a ticket out and into ENGLAND?

  30. Ian says:

    Ben

    Possible, he is a good player but how well do you think he would do jumping up a few leagues?

    What makes you think Leeds could do better? The last time didnt workout very well.

    That is what the new EPL proposal is all about, if there was more financial security there then maybe that wouldn’t have happened.

    I still believe the old firm would be a benefit, they at least would not be parachute team like West brom, Derby ect. They had the extra cash and look what they achieved.

    I can see more benefits than negatives!

  31. Ben says:

    I just struggle to see any real long term bennefits of it. the new two tier system stops english teams like s’ton ever reaching the prem again, at the expense of two scottish teams. i feel that its a pointless excercise. if it aint broke dont fix it

  32. footie rulez says:

    I answered no in the poll as the EPL does not need CFC or GRFC in their oh so mighty league. I watch the EPL as they don’t show SPL here in Holland, but i sometimes watch Dutch footie and in comparison it is just as boring as the SPL.
    Will it happen? the chairmen will decide!!
    Will they be allowed to play in the FA cup or the SFA cup ?? who knows/cares.
    Ben (24) the only thing that makes those ties that you quoted any good to watch is the Foriegn imports who constantly deride the so called cream of English football.
    Get serious.. it will be decided whether you or i like it or not.
    Money , Money and ……Money will decide in the end what is done to ,lets face it an already good product, nameley a european league disguised as the english premier league.
    weegies?? who need em !!

    • shaunthebrummie says:

      bluebear…how much longer can sevco last in div 3 of scottish football…LMAO……you’re doomed

  33. BlueBear says:

    OK I see you are all wearing your blinkers, blinded by the current high profile of the EPL. When the spark goes out of the English game or Sky run in to difficulties and drop their interest (as nothing lasts forever)resulting in several EPL sides going to the wall due to their massive debts I’ll come back here and say “I told you so”. Meanwhile both halfs of the old firm will still be enjoying Champs League football and all the benefits it brings. At that point you’ll be begging us to join your faltering league but we wont be interested. Enjoy it while it lasts… ;~)

  34. Ben says:

    i also think that old firm fans are in for disapointment if they think they could achieve anything more than lower mid table, either now or in 5 years time. the current crop in each team i personally think would actually have them hanging around the relegation scrap.

    case point: alan hutton – bigged up as star of spl – reality, isnt getting close to cutting it at spurs. future?- hull?stoke?pompy?(i.e relegation battle)

    McGeady is the old firms most talented player. likely reality a move to EPL- Disapointment at the like of Villa, Spurs, Everton and eventual move to Prem Strugglers/championship

  35. Ben says:

    bluebear – im not sure there will ever be a time when the EPL begs for the prescence of the old firm. Certainly not before a snow warning in hell.

    For now i think we will stick with your decent exports, whisky and erm…whisky. Thanks anyway.

  36. Ian says:

    Yeah its not broke just now but how many times can you watch the same top teams battle for the main prize?

    Whats going to happen is that the gap between the top 5 now and the rest will get bigger and bigger.

    I can see where you are coming from but, its time for change. That league cant keep growing, at some point there will be a big decline and a lot of the teams will be in serious trouble. You only have to look t the Seria A, used to be considered the best in the world, not any more.

    To prevent it from happening the new EPL would do this and make it even stronger.

  37. Ben says:

    agree to disagree then i guess ian. We shall see i guess. personally i cant see it happening. the goons in charge of the epl dont have the balls to take a risk like that. but like the song says, money talks. So who knows. One day we may have the great joy of Hull v Rangers at the KC.

  38. Ian says:

    How many times!

    The players at the old firm at present may not be good enough for mid-table. But you have this magical thing called a “transfer window” which would let us buy players.

    You cant compare what players we have now to what we could have if allowed entry. Its a given if the old firm got in then we would over haul the squad.

  39. Dan says:

    Ian, number 25.

    Yes, you Scots have had success in Europe against big teams. Congratulations.

    However, this is totally irrelevant regarding joining the Premiership. Any team has a decent chance of beating any opponent in a one-off game (as those ties you quoted are – two-legged ties I would still regard as one-off games). Case in point: Northwich Victoria 1-0 Charlton in the FA Cup at the weekend. Does this mean that Northwich are a superior team to Charlton? Could they compete with the rest of League One? No.

    This is my point. Yes, Rangers and Celtic have beaten some pretty good teams in the past. However, could they do it 38 times over the course of a season? I’ve watched a lot of SPL games in the last two to three years and I’m almost certain the answer is no.

    Still, they shouldn’t be allowed to join the Premiership directly, read my post at 23 for reasons.

  40. Ian says:

    Yeah I understand but in that one off games how have EPL teams got on outside the top 4? Not good in comparison with the exception of Boro.

    Again you cant compare the Old firm squad now with what it would be like if given the funds in the EPL.

    I suspect the two teams would look very different. Given time and money then I cant see why the two Old firm teams cant compete. Look at Aston Villa, a good manager with a investment behind him. Now look at where they are. Same with Man City ect.

    Am not saying we would spend that big but if we can afford to spend £4m on a player in the SPL, then if given the money which the EPL produces then I cant see how we cant improve the quality of the squads.

    I don’t have a problem with the two clubs being put into lower divisions first. Like I said before if we can consistently produce profits, spend on players with the cash from the SPL then I cant see a problem with staring lower down the leagues.

    As far as I can see Cardiff, Swansea are allowed in so why not us?

  41. Dan says:

    Ian:

    “I don’t have a problem with the two clubs being put into lower divisions first.”

    Even if that means starting about nine rungs below the Blue Square Premier? Because that’s where I would be putting you if by some miracle I was persuaded that it would be a good idea to have you in England. I don’t see why you shouldn’t be treated any differently to any other new team to English football.

    Also, I’ve noticed one consistant theme when people are arguing for the Old Firm being introduced – their fans.

    Do we really want football fans that are basically intertwined into a religious war? I for one don’t want another introduction of sectarian songs back into English football, I thought we’d left that in the 1980s.

    Also does nobody remember the last time large quantities of Scottish club football fans came to England? I’m not sure Manchester will be that welcoming of Rangers fans after the UEFA Cup final debacle.

  42. Anonymous says:

    Mate I never mentioned the fans or being an argument! Yeah there is still a small contingent of sectarian singing but it is the minority.

    Every club have a minority of there support that undermine there club. Take the recent violence between Reading and West Ham.

    I cant speak for the Rangers fans recent display in Manchester, but there the support is generally very well behaved.

    To be frank mate both the clubs have made great strides to stamping out sectarianism. It wasent long ago that Celtic suport got the fair play award from both FIFA & UEFA, taking 80,000 fans to sevile for the uefa cup final!.

    I think you should look closer to home with regard to football violence.

  43. max says:

    Intermitantley I have posted on this piece of S**** that passes ass (meant) a football blog, but I must say, this is the most disturbing site I have seen.
    I’m sorry to say, you’re no more then a shit stirring dick.
    Catch you later in the ‘District’ bar.
    Been there before, had a ‘couple of Biers’ and everyone in the place knoew who I was, one of the best known UFB in the Souside.
    What did I get?
    NO-O-O-O-O-THING!
    I’ve also drqank in ‘The Grapes’, ‘the jester’, same scenario, N-O-O-O-O-OTHING!
    I also had a few night in the ‘WEE’ rangers club,I’ve been in them ALL, whit a joke!!!!!

    Yer only ‘frisky’ when you’re TEAM handed, otherwise you’re a right shower or whimpering appologists for the club you, AT HEART’ know you are!
    PITIFULL!!!

  44. Ian says:

    What are you on about mate?

    What where you wanting to get?

    Seriously

  45. Dan says:

    The fans comment wasn’t directed at you, I was generalising from the arguments put forward by most of the pro-moving commentators I have heard this week.

    The violence in England that you referred to, the West Ham-Milwall game, was fuelled by the rivalry between the clubs rather than religious differences between the two sets of fans, which Rangers and Celtic’s rivalry is purely based on?

    What I was trying to say there is that Millwall and West Ham fans rarely get involved in violence outside of that fixture, as there is no reason for West Ham fans to hate, say, Sunderland. However, what would Celtic fans do if they came up against Everton, a club formed by Methodist Protestants? Or Tottenham, a club well-known for being in a Jewish area of London?

    This is my point: the basis for the Celtic-Rangers rivalry can easily be switched to any other club with religious connections, whereas most of the English rivalries are either geographically or success motivated. I don’t want English football dragged into the religious war that is being fought between the Rangers and Celtic fans.

  46. captainramrod says:

    leave the jocs in there shit leauge to look avarage playing piss poor non leauge teams. DONT MESS WITH THE PREM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  47. frankiebhoy says:

    No 44 Go to school and learn to spell league instead of going to football matches. You lot are afraid of Celtic/rangers with the sort of money sky give your clubs with their tiny support

  48. captainramrod says:

    we all know that the jocs are a poor football nation. Dont let deep fried food and hard drinking gingers in to the best league world money or not thay are stll piss poor look at there champs league form over past 5 plus years also have a butchers and the scotish national team if you fancey a gigle

  49. ian says:

    OK will look at the champs league form.

    Celtic last 16 two year in a row, going further back Uefa cup final.

    Rangers last 16 champs league and Uefa cup final.

    Yeah thats funny Captain-moron! Do you actually know what your on about?

  50. ian says:

    To all you morons who started with the jock jokes and changing this debate into a slagging match.

    I think you are all scared, so very scared. Imagine a Scottish team winning the main prize in your much loved EPL. That day will come and when it does I will make sure to point and laugh!

    Thats why ou dont want us there, you would rather another West Brom or Derby. Nice easy teams no competition!

    Typical!

    We will take your money and we will take you league.

  51. DCDJ says:

    @ian (48):

    You say that others have turned this debate into a slagging match, but go on to say “Imagine a Scottish team winning the main prize in your much loved EPL. That day will come and when it does I will make sure to point and laugh!…We will take your money and we will take you league” – now that’s hardly a reasoned argument, that’s just baiting and slagging as well.

    Back to the point, which would basically be me reiterating what everyone’s already said: Rangers and Celtic would bring lots of fans, and I’m sure they’d improve very rapidly up the league (depending on where they started off). If we’ve got teams like Cardiff and Swansea already in the English League system, it seems hypocritical to deny the Glasgow teams the chance to play in it simply because ‘they’re Scottish’. I do think that this would be very bad for the Scottish game, and could be a forerunner for the talent drain that will be an inevitable European League – without the Old Firm derby, would Scottish footie really be the same? Fair enough, the same two sides always win it, but would it be any better for simply taking out those two sides? The Englsih top division has a lot of ‘big’ teams in, but once we start throwing in big teams from other leagues as well, it’s going to get clogged up very quickly. Since it seems only about 3/4 teams win or come close to winning our league, why not split them off to play Real and AC week in week out, while my lowly and pathetic Portsmouth feed off the scraps that ESPN throw out the back door for a Monday night kick-off.

    Also, I know they’d adapt in time and all that with the extra money, but I still think that Rangers and Celtic would struggle more than they think for the first few seasons.

  52. Adam says:

    I’m totally against this.

    It would split the Premier League and the Footbal League even further and disrupt the heirarchy of competitive football in England.
    It would create a massive sense of injustice amongst the Football league clubs who felt they’d been shafted for a place in the big league.
    It would completely and utterly destroy professional football in Scotland.

    A more full discussion of it, for those interested, is here:
    http://theythinkitsallover.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/epl2-what-is-this-madness/

  53. Ben says:

    ian i suggest you look at BBC SPORT.

    ‘Premier league rejects old firm’

    the second paragraph says why ‘because they are shit’

  54. captainramrod says:

    talk is cheep like rangers star foward! your all as week as the papper you eat your greasy chip shop dinners from washed down with a batterd special brew.

  55. ME BEING ENGLISH AND A BRUMMIE THE LAST THING I WANT TO SEE IMPORTED INTO THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUES,IS IRA TERRORIST SUPPORTERS(PUB BOMBINGS).LET THEM STAY IN THEIR CRAP INDEPENDENT LEAGUES TO ROT AND DIE…GOOD RIDDANCE TO THEM..

  56. ShaunKnobEnd says:

    Shaun the brummie. Your a fuckin dipstick. (Pub bombings) Who gives a fuck its football.

    Support your sad little team and watch them go down next year where they belong. Championship.

    • shaunthebrummie says:

      come to birmingham and say that you provo loving bastard….celtic..aka the sporting wing of the pira can fucking die a death in the spHell…..

  57. Western European Super league
    My idea for football is the western European Super league.
    So instead of the old firm joining the English premier league they could create a new league with countries in Western Europe outside of the big leagues in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy.
    Have half the season as the Scottish league but cut it to 22 matches a year then have the second half as a European super league., with promotion and relegation.

  58. i rape english women says:

    people slag the scottish league saying only two teams can win it…well only united or chealsea can win urs, cos compared to them the rest are shite aswell, and we dont want to be in your shitty league it was all gartside trying to make sure bolton dont fade away down the leagues as is coming all of your teams are shite you are all scummy english wankers

  59. shaun the brummie says:

    now now girls lets not your knickers in a twist,you aint wanted you’re a busted flush.we english dont want you,FUCKING PORRIDGE WOGS,stay in shitland.

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