Who does Phil Gartside think he is?

[Gwylan]

The problem is this. You would hope that a lot of Football League clubs would be against this - but they may not get the chance to vote it down. If 18 of the biggest were tapped up to resign from the FL and be guaranteed a place in PL 2, they would probably do it. Done deal, fait accompli, FL powerless.

I think this is right, it wouldn't matter that 54 clubs voted against it, the top 18 would bugger off.

The only thing that could stop this is if promotion is part of the league's regulations. In other words, is there a legal requirement for the top teams in League 1 to be promoted on the Championship? If so, the PL couldn't just hive off the 18 teams they fancied for the new league, not without a legal battle.

 

[CHAPPERS]

BBC SPORT | Football | Premier League | Premier League rejects Old Firm

No Old Firm, other plans being included in strategic review.

 

[Simster]

Personally I believe the only way the OF are ever going to be able to play in a league dominated by English clubs, is part of a pan European review on the way the continent's leagues are structured.

As it is, the problem Rangers & Celtic have is exactly the same one experienced by Benfica, Porto, Sporting, Feyenoord, Ajax, PSV, and the top 6 or 7 Scandinavian clubs. They are big fish in small ponds, and just forming a new "Atlantic" league or whatever is a simply not going to work. For a start, the winners would be champions of what exactly? Plus, how do other clubs get the opportunity to join this league? How would TV rights be managed, and would TV companies be attracted to it?

It seems to me that if Rangers and Celtic want to be truly competitive at the highest level, the underlying leagues in the British Isles need to be closer tied together, and that breakaways simply are not the answer.

 

[Tooting Gull]

It seems to me that if Rangers and Celtic want to be truly competitive at the highest level, the underlying leagues in the British Isles need to be closer tied together, and that breakaways simply are not the answer.

You might be right, but tell that to Plymouth fans. They have it bad enough already - not going to be too keen on a 1,300-mile round trip to Inverness. I estimate in a coach that would mean leaving at midnight Friday for a Saturday 3pm kick-off, and you'd be back in good time by 7.30am on Sunday morning.

 

[Simster]

You might be right, but tell that to Plymouth fans. They have it bad enough already - not going to be too keen on a 1,300-mile round trip to Inverness. I estimate in a coach that would mean leaving at midnight Friday for a Saturday 3pm kick-off, and you'd be back in good time by 7.30am on Sunday morning.

Two things:
a) I'd assume it would need to involve regional divisions outside the top 2 flights
b) If Aberdeen v Plymouth was ever played, no-one is actually *forcing* Plymouth fans to go to Aberdeen.

 

[Tooting Gull]

b) If Aberdeen v Plymouth was ever played, no-one is actually *forcing* Plymouth fans to go to Aberdeen.

Come on, they're a devoted mob, we've all seen the advert. Altogether now: "Green ARRRRMMMYYY". The hours would fly by in the coach.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I see the Prem chairmen have rejected the Old Firm AGAIN, but I don't think this issue will go away all the while the OF continue to become poorer and while the same Big 4 dominate the domestic game here.

Eventually, the OF WILL join the Premier League and when they do clubs like Hull will need to spend even harder to try and compete.

I understand that when Adam Pearson left Hull in 2007 they were £3million in the black but now - 2 years on - they're £40million in the red and staring relegation in the face. If Rangers and Celtic joined then with Man City that the top 7 spots locked up for the foreseeable.

So many clubs have been financially f***ed trying to compete that you could see more teams in the future who get promotion from the Championship not even trying to compete but just enjoying a season in the sun and garnering enough cash for their promotion assault the following season.

As time goes on there will be more and more Prem places locked in - the Big 4 plus Man City, Everton, Villa and Spurs have already tied up 8 spots and you can see Sunderland making that number 9 shortly.

In time once Leeds, Newcastle and West Ham get their acts together there will be another 3, so add in the Old Firm and that will be 14 teams with the resources to remain in the top flight.