Conference trucks::football;1

    
    Hello,
    
    	The league proposal was defeated ( I cant remember the numbers).
    	Dundee voted with the super league clubs as did a 2nd division
    	team..perhaps Berwick.
    
    	What this means for the future of the game here is anybodies guess
    	
    	Lets hope that the teams can agree and a set up can be formed that
    	will help all Scottish clubs.
    	
    	Andrew.

    
    Look for Dundee Utd to jump ship after falling out with Murray over
    the Ferguson bid see note 47. McClean said the rumour was a load of crap 
    until Murray went on national radio confirming the deal. Basically McClean
    is petty, moaning faced, old git who MUST get his own way.   

    
    League reconstruction in Scotland will take place from season 94/95,
    when there will be four leagues of 10 teams. This will mean that 2 new
    teams will join the league.
    
    I look forward to this move, which will be for a period of at least 5
    years, as it will mean that there will be more for the smaller teams to
    play for, but it will also isolate the non-triers from teams like
    Raith, Killie, Dundee, etc who are putting as much money as they can
    into trying to build a good side and better stadia.
    
    It will also reduce the number of games played by the top sides from 44
    to 36.
    
    Archie
    

    Another move by the rich to limit what the "smaller" teams have to play
    for is the ludicrous "one-up, one-down" and playoffs designed to give the
    team which finished 9th in the premier 2 games in which to salvage a 
    season in which they have been humped week after week.
    
    Whoever finishes second in the first division should be promoted on 
    merit, not have to play Motherwell home and away to see whether they
    are good enough to go up.
    
    The rich get richer- their heads get bigger- they care less about
    everyone else.
    
    Kev...

    
    What's the format ? is it still everyone plays each other 4 times ?
    Are the 3 and 4 th divisions going to be set up on a geographic basis,
    I can just see Stranraer having fun going to Brechin and Inverness
    4 times a year.
    
    Certainly getting the Premier League back to 10 teams is badly needed.
    The playoffs are good. There is no point having teams come up who are
    going to be so far out their depth that the fans don't bother to watch
    them.
    
    Whats the 5 year thing, have the clubs agreed not to revisit the system
    no matter what ?  Doubt that in 5 years time the structure of the
    European Cup/League does not have a bigger effect.
    
    Could Rangers or celtic not enter a reserve side into the  4th division
    
    Any other details would be appreciated.
    
    Denis

    
    
     There will be 4 leagues of 10 clubs, playing each other 4 times, a 
    total of 36 league games. To make up the 40 teams, 1 team (possibly an
    Inverness Utd) from the Highland league, and 1 from the Borders,
    probably Gala Fairydean will be invited to join the "big boys"
    
     29 votes were needed to block the changes. 25 were received from
    Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle, St. Johnstone, Airdrie,
    Dunfermline, Falkirk, Morton and Queen of the South. Raith Rovers were
    expected to cast their 4 votes with the above clubs but changed at the
    last minute to support the new proposals.
    
     At the end of next season, 3 clubs will be relegated from the Premier
    and replaced by the champions of division 1. Hopefully the 3 relegated
    will come from the 4 premier league clubs who voted against the change,
    just to protect their own standing in the Premier league. Thistle even
    wanted to join the super-league not so long ago, again for their own
    self interest. I hope they get stuffed on a regular basis next season.
    
     The vast majority of the so-called smaller clubs voted with the big
    boys for change. Those who voted against were the ones who will
    struggle every season in a premier league of 10. ie they voted for
    their own interest only.
    
     Danny.

    
    As far as I can remember, when the Premier consisted of 10 clubs,
    there was always one team who were so far behind that they were
    basically relegated by Christmas. The one down rule will take care of
    that team. The playoffs (I didn't know about this till I read it here)
    have proved to be a success in England, with normally a great deal of
    interest created. There is no point in a team being promoted from
    second top of Division 2, if they cannot beat the team second bottom of
    Division One.
    
    The hope is that the Five Year rule will create enough stability for
    Sponsors to come rushing forward with bigger cheques.
    
    It will also be good to have some new blood in the league set up to
    show just how poor the Albion Rovers, Stenhousemuirs, etc really are.
    
    Archie
    

    Archie,
    
    
             The play off system in England is a bit diferant in that the 
    teams taking part are all from the same league . The way we are to do
    it is with the 2nd div runner up playing against the 1st Div 2nd
    bottom. This is unfair on the lower league teams because it means they
    must have their "premier" class players in place before the season
    starts rather than get out of the 2nd and then sign better players as
    Killie will be doing this season.Although it will bring in some bumper
    crowds at the end of the season.Also will there be a play off system in
    all 4 leagues ?
            You are right about the "new blood", teams like Inverness are
    needed in the Scottish league and I agree they will go through the
    bottom two leagues like a hot knife through butter .
    
    
    
            Graeme.....

    Sal,
        If theres going to be a play off in all 4 leagues who are the
    bottom 2 of the 4th going to be playing ???
    
    
    This might leave the door open for the Mighty Ness or the rosey posey,
    I think that the Ness should be given the chance because we've done it
    all before.........Just ask sidley ??

    
    Dav, 
    
    
               Naw I think the Ness will have to stay in the Girl Guides
    league the other clubs will come from the semi pro leagues in the
    borders or in the highlands . Just you lot worry about trying to win
    the "Brown".... 8*))))))))

The playoffs in England started off like that with 1 of the higher division 
playing in a group with 3 from the lower - but it got changed after the first 
couple of seasons.

The playoffs are a farce. All they 'prove' is that football will come up with 
even more schemes to con us out of cash. Teams in a League should be promoted 
and relegated based on their performance over the season - not on a game or 2 
right at the end. 

Enjoy the matches, but don't imagine they prove anything!

g

Saw on the news this morning that the Scottish league will almost
certainly adopt the 3-points-for-a-win system starting from next season.

Dave

    
    About time too.

Heard on Radio 5 at lunchtime that the Scottish Football Association had
announced a press conference was to be held this afternoon,they were to make an
important announcement.

Has anyone any further news on what this is all about.

Steve

    
    
        Bet it will be about a new league set up-16 teams in the premier
     just so they can keep the Don's from playing in the 1st next season.

         There is a good chance that we will now go to a 16 team league...but 
    not for next season.The Sheep will have to play in the 1st Division 
    next season,costing them at least 1million quid....and most of there
    playing staff as other teams rape them for there good players...Brings
    a smile to your face doesn't it...one thing could have made it better 
    and this is that Willie Miller was still in charge. 
    
     I think they'll go to a 16 team league to prevent this sort of this from 
    happening again.

SFA announced the setting up of a 6-man committee chaired by ex SFA
Genral Secretary Ernie Walker (noe UEFA & FIFA official) to look at the
whole structure of the game in Scotland.  The committee will comprise at
least 2 people from abroad.

Walker doesn't seem to rate Scottish football at present saying "Every month
I attend European matches as a UEFA delegate.  I have recently seem PSG
against Barcelona & Milan and comparing with, say, Saturday's Scottish Cup SF
between Airdrie & Hearts you see that one is a football match and the other
is...well...a contest of some kind"