Scottish football. What a joke!

[goldstone]

I used to have a passing interest in Scottish football. I would check the results every week and probably know who was top of the Premier League at any given time. For some reason I liked St Johnstone and Morton and would look out for their results in particular.

But now ... I don't even bother to look at the Scottish results.

Who is top of the Scottish Premier? No idea. But I can guarantee it'll be either Rangersceltic or Celticrangers. When was a team other than these two ever in the top two of the league?

And the teams play each other far too often. What is it? Three or four times a season? How stupid is that? Make the divisions bigger so that they play each other just twice like in proper football.

And they apparently have this league set-up where they draw a line half-way down the league table at some stage of the season. And then what?

If I was a Scottish football supporter I'd be thoroughly pissed off at the joke of a league my team played in.

Rant over.

 

[Wardy]

I used to have a passing interest in Scottish football. I would check the results every week and probably know who was top of the Premier League at any given time. For some reason I liked St Johnstone and Morton and would look out for their results in particular.

But now ... I don't even bother to look at the Scottish results.

Who is top of the Scottish Premier? No idea. But I can guarantee it'll be either Rangersceltic or Celticrangers. When was a team other than these two ever in the top two of the league?

And the teams play each other far too often. What is it? Three or four times a season? How stupid is that? Make the divisions bigger so that they play each other just twice like in proper football.

And they apparently have this league set-up where they draw a line half-way down the league table at some stage of the season. And then what?

If I was a Scottish football supporter I'd be thoroughly pissed off at the joke of a league my team played in.

Rant over.

Think this answers your questions

During the course of a season, which runs from August until May, each club plays the others at least three times, either once at home and twice away or vice-versa. After this first phase of matches, by which time all clubs will have played 33 games, the league splits into a 'top six' and a 'bottom six'. Each club then plays a further five matches against the other five teams in their own section. Points achieved during the first phase of 33 matches are carried forward to the second phase, but the teams will compete only within their own sections during the second phase. After the first phase has been completed, clubs cannot move outwith their own section in the league, even if they achieve more or fewer points than a higher or lower ranked team, respectively.

 

[Gwylan]

Who is top of the Scottish Premier? No idea. But I can guarantee it'll be either Rangersceltic or Celticrangers. When was a team other than these two ever in the top two of the league?

So unlike the Premier League then?

 

[Wardy]

So unlike the Premier League then?

Don't think either Celtic or Rangers have ever been top of the Premier league.

More seriously at least it is 1 from about 3 or 4 clubs down here. And at 1 point this season Hull were top if IIRC.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

At least 2 clubs can win it, unlike 1 in the Premier League. And theres a genuine race for the other European places, for clubs that will respect them and not field weakened teams.

 

[Superphil]

I've been following Annan Athletic this season, elected to the league after Gretnas demise, finished strongly in the league despite a poor run in were nearly in the play-offs. And had the highest attendances of the Scottish third division. Good for them, I shall make the trip to Galabank for a match next season, perhaps stay up after the Carlisle game and catch an Annan game the following week.

 

[Austrian Gull]

For the size of the population, Scotland's league is not a joke. To have two clubs competing reasonably in European competition is not too shabby.

Compare Scotland with similar sized countries (Belgium, Austria, Sweden) & their club sides come out pretty well.

 

[auschr]

It wasn't that long ago that the bigot brothers overstepped the mark and had all the clubs threatening to leave the SPL. I know they receive about 80% of the television money for finishing first and second. Having the SPL and media in your pocket usually helps keep dominance.. and buying any player that looks like they could threaten their position and then dumping them in the reserves for a few years.

It's not really a surprise Scottish football has not been reaching it's potentional because of the club level. Footballers like Derek Riordan, Alan Gow, Andy Webster, and many others were very promising at one time, but seem that at that important part of their career would rather take the big bucks and watch from the side.

 

[1swedegull]

Swedish football is at best championship standard but there has been some good games early in the season and plenty of goals but it does tend to be the same teams at the end like gothenburg and AIK.
saying that my swedish team IFK lulea are riding high in the 2nd division north (which is more like conference south )

 

[severnside gull]

I think the split at the end of the season kind of devalues things....for the clubs in mid- table it can be totally meaningless and a team in the lower half can end up with more points than a team above them........more than contrived IMO

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Oh, for the years during the 1980s when Aberdeen and Dundee United consistently had the whip-hand over Rangers and Celtic.... great times!

 

[Dosser]

I think the split at the end of the season kind of devalues things....for the clubs in mid- table it can be totally meaningless and a team in the lower half can end up with more points than a team above them........more than contrived IMO

Teams finishing mid table in Scotland generally can't achieve anything anyway. Its unlikely the team in 6th come the split will achieve 3rd place in order to get Europe, and its unlikely the team finishing in 7th at the split would ever be relegated.

The split has contributed to a bit more excitement in terms of meaningful games at the end of the season. Last year there was a good chase for 3rd position in the league (and Euro qualification) between 3 clubs, and this year will probably be a close run thing for relegation. The only thing I like about the split is that it essentially means a dog fight between the clubs involved in a race for Europe, or those trying to avoid relegation, and a larger % of games tend to be meaningful.

I guess it could be contrived, but then Motherwell who are likely to finish 7th in the league may well play in Europe through the Fair Play thingy - now that is a contrivance!

Larger leagues are not the answer in Scotland - there is simply not enough money in the game to ensure competitive leagues (clubs in the SPL regularly miss out on players as they cannot afford the wages being offered by the Championship clubs in England, and even some of the League 1 clubs). If there was a league of 16+ we would still have the OF vying for bragging rights at the top, 2 or 3 other clubs fighting for Europe, and 3 or 4 clubs fighting for survival. The others may as well go on holiday come Christmas.

Its worth noting that the old Premier League, the forerunner to the SPL, reduced League size to produce more meaningful games.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Come on the Honest Men ! It is time. You can do it !


I heard that the Championship is the 4th best attended league in Europe. Anyone any idea where the SPL stands ?

The Scottish football I have seen was pretty ordinary, and it seems players from our lower leagues can sometimes fit in well in the SPL. As for playing teams so often,well,that must impact on attendances,must'nt it ?

Would anyone of us fancy Carlisle away twice a season,decent place that it is and all ?

 

[SirDouglasLoft]

Stenhousemuir are the way forward in the Scottish League, and just got into the Play offs this season and are going up :yahoo:

 

[logan89]

If they made the leagues bigger, then surely there would be a lot of crap teams in the highest league, making the games easier for Rangers and Celtic to win.

By doing it the way they do it, they give 4 Old firm matches a season, just in the league, which are the only games that i am remotely interested in. If they only had 2 Old firm matches a season, i think the interest from the 'neutral fan' will dwindle.

 

[OzMike]

The romance died with Gretnas' demise.

 

[logan89]

Come on the Honest Men ! It is time. You can do it !


I heard that the Championship is the 4th best attended league in Europe. Anyone any idea where the SPL stands ?

The Scottish football I have seen was pretty ordinary, and it seems players from our lower leagues can sometimes fit in well in the SPL. As for playing teams so often,well,that must impact on attendances,must'nt it ?

Would anyone of us fancy Carlisle away twice a season,decent place that it is and all ?

It helps when each team plays 46 games in a season, and theres 24 teams. Compared with 38 games (It's a guess) and 12 teams. Of course it's going to be more supported. Unless it's done on a fans per meatch ratio.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I used to have a passing interest in Scottish football. I would check the results every week and probably know who was top of the Premier League at any given time. For some reason I liked St Johnstone and Morton and would look out for their results in particular.

But now ... I don't even bother to look at the Scottish results.

Who is top of the Scottish Premier? No idea. But I can guarantee it'll be either Rangersceltic or Celticrangers. When was a team other than these two ever in the top two of the league?

And the teams play each other far too often. What is it? Three or four times a season? How stupid is that? Make the divisions bigger so that they play each other just twice like in proper football.

And they apparently have this league set-up where they draw a line half-way down the league table at some stage of the season. And then what?

If I was a Scottish football supporter I'd be thoroughly pissed off at the joke of a league my team played in.

Rant over.

Fixed your post:

English football. What a joke!

I used to have a passing interest in the English Premiership. I would check the results every week and probably know who was top of the League at any given time. For some reason I liked Aston Villa and Fulham.

But now … I don’t even bother to look at the Premier League results.

Who is top of the English premier? No idea. But I can guarantee it'll be either Manchester United or Chelsea. When was the last time a team other than these two (and Arsenal and Liverpool) won the league?

And the teams play each other on TV far too often. What is it? Over a 100 games a season? How stupid is that? How can you encourage people to support their local team when they can switch on the box and watch a more glamorous team with far more money,

And they apparently have this league set-up where the money barely filters down to the lower divisions, and the gap between big club and small clubs get bigger. And then what?

If I was a English football supporter I’d be thoroughly pissed off at the joke of a league my team played in.

Rant over.

 

[logan89]

Fixed your post:

English football. What a joke!

I used to have a passing interest in the English Premiership. I would check the results every week and probably know who was top of the League at any given time. For some reason I liked Aston Villa and Fulham.

But now … I don’t even bother to look at the Premier League results.

Who is top of the English premier? No idea. But I can guarantee it'll be either Manchester United or Chelsea. When was the last time a team other than these two (and Arsenal and Liverpool) won the league?

And the teams play each other on TV far too often. What is it? Over a 100 games a season? How stupid is that? How can you encourage people to support their local team when they can switch on the box and watch a more glamorous team with far more money,

And they apparently have a this league set-up where the money barely filters down to the lower divisions, and the gap between big club and small clubs get bigger. And then what?

If I was a English football supporter I’d be thoroughly pissed off at the joke of a league my team played in.

Rant over.

1994/95 Blackburn Rovers

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

1994/95 Blackburn Rovers

Not that long ago then is it