OF FO?

For the umpteenth time, the issue of the Old Firm joining the English league structure has reared its head. Yet, again it will probably lead to nothing, there will be a considerable amount of press coverage, but then it will just go away for a few more years. Just like the 39th game. It does raise a few questions though. What benefits would English football gain from the presence of the Old Firm? Where would it leave Scottish football? And do we actually trust a word Platini says about the continued separation of the UK national teams?

I only really care about one of these questions, where would it leave Scottish football? Rangers and Celtic have made it clear for years that they will entertain ideas giving them an exit route from the overly routine Scottish football system, something they have dominated for many a year. It seems that they will listen to any idea, and given time, I think they will eventually exit the Scottish league for pastures new. Probably not England, but I can see there being a European league of some sort.

Now obviously the Scottish team will lose a lot of the finances available. Setanta are not going to be offering big money to show a league system that doesn’t involve their beloved Rangers and Celtic. Outside of that, there are hardly a plethora of games that will have people paying a subscription to watch. Add to that the largest away crowds which come from the Old Firm support 6-8 times a season in the league, and obviously there are going to be a drop in turnover for SPL clubs.

At the same time though, a genuinely competitive league could bring the fans in greater numbers again, stadiums might be filled if games are genuinely becoming deciders in where the league title went. Less TV coverage again could lead to more fans going along to support their local teams.

The UEFA coefficient will suffer also, but that really shouldn’t make much difference to Scottish clubs. Someone other than Rangers and Celtic will get a pop at Champions League qualification, and the Europa League entrants will generally be of a similar level as before.

There is a lot of risk associated with this happening though. We risk moving towards a less recognised, possibly lower quality league like in Ireland. Our teams might find it even more difficult to hold on to players when Championship and League One level clubs come looking. We may end up with a league that is still dominated by one or two teams (though third place has been filled by five different clubs in the last five years). Scottish football could become a bigger laughing stock than it already is.

To be honest though, if it was possible for clubs to do it just now, I would just ditch the Old Firm, since I think they would happily do it at the drop of a hat when the opportunity comes along. It wouldn’t be the most sporting though. I guess I will just have to wait till a point, probably still a long way off in the future, where I can follow my team in a league with an organisation running it that doesn’t pander to two teams interests at the expense of the other ten, where a fairer voting structure is put in place than eleven out of twelve required to make any decision (i.e. Old Firm veto) and where we don’t have two clubs willing to suck every penny they can out of other clubs in the league.

Maybe then when we go to Hampden for a cup game against Rangers or Celtic, then we have an equal chance of getting changing room or end of the ground on a pure random basis. What other national stadium in the world has an end dedicated to two clubs in the country?

In case any key decision makers in Phil Gartside’s plans are reading this blog though, I am just bitter. Rangers and Celtic would definitely bring a lot to your English league...

* Blog post by BFF member Dandy, an Aberdeen fan.