That wonderful Scottish anomaly, "the split"

[Green Team]

Might be getting ahead of myself here but it's coming soon!

If I've got this right we'll have another visit to them and the sheep. With "the cheeks" at home along with either Kilmarnock or St Johnstone as it currently stands.

I'm assuming that if some how Motherwell make the top six they'll be at ER for a third time.

This is one thing I've not missed about the top flight... only in Scotland!



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[Billy Whizz]

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Might be getting ahead of myself here but it's coming soon!

If I've got this right we'll have another visit to them and the sheep. With "the cheeks" at home along with either Kilmarnock or St Johnstone as it currently stands.

I'm assuming that if some how Motherwell make the top six they'll be at ER for a third time.

This is one thing I've not missed about the top flight... only in Scotland!



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We should be due 3 at home and 2 away after the split
Home to Rangers, Celtic an another
Away to Aberdeen and Hearts

[Eyrie]

You're assuming that we get three home games after the split because we only have sixteen prior to it.

We wouldn't be the first team to get shafted by only having two home games because that was the only way to get the schedule to work for everyone else.

Another reason why the current split isn't fit for purpose.

[Billy Whizz]

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You're assuming that we get three home games after the split because we only have sixteen prior to it.

We wouldn't be the first team to get shafted by only having two home games because that was the only way to get the schedule to work for everyone else.

Another reason why the current split isn't fit for purpose.

Yeah I’m presuming that

[hibIBZ]

I have always liked the idea of the split, but it looks like it will be open to is getting shafted. A 3rd trip to Ibrox would not surprise me, but since we always seem to win there I’ll take it

[Hibby70]

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I have always liked the idea of the split, but it looks like it will be open to is getting shafted. A 3rd trip to Ibrox would not surprise me, but since we always seem to win there I’ll take it

If we have to visit Ibrox again we should be given a bigger allocation as a compromise.

[KWJ]

It's not perfect but I do think it adds a bit of excitement for the season as a target to achieve with obvious awards. And then it is more exciting facing the teams you're competing with for places. It'd be crap if we were close to Aberdeen for 2nd but they were playing Hamilton and County at home. Hopefully the Aberdeen and Rangers games are with these places still up for grabs. Wouldnt mind no derby either 😈

[lucky]

If we only get 2 games at home after the split I wonder if Hibs will make deduction of next years season ticket to compensate

[Billy Whizz]

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If we only get 2 games at home after the split I wonder if Hibs will make deduction of next years season ticket to compensate

What do you think?
Season tickets will be on sale before the split is announced

[Wilson]

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It's not perfect but I do think it adds a bit of excitement for the season as a target to achieve with obvious awards. And then it is more exciting facing the teams you're competing with for places. It'd be crap if we were close to Aberdeen for 2nd but they were playing Hamilton and County at home. Hopefully the Aberdeen and Rangers games are with these places still up for grabs. Wouldnt mind no derby either 😈

On the other hand we might have been better served if Aberdeen were playing a team fighting tooth and nail to avoid the drop as opposed to playing a team adrift in 6th with no chance of Europe.

There are arguments for and against the split but for me it is a farce. It exists to cut out matches against the unfashionable teams - giving us extra games against clubs we already play too many times a season.

[KWJ]

It exists because 44 games is too many for a league season.

Not many leagues have the majority of matches meaning something going into the final 5. EPL is all too aware of that.

[Billy Whizz]

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It exists because 44 games is too many for a league season.

Not many leagues have the majority of matches meaning something going into the final 5. EPL is all too aware of that.

Looks like plenty to play for this season, top and bottom

[ian cruise]

On a plus point our away form is pretty good, another trip to Ibrox is guaranteed 3 points.

[Michael]

Playing teams 3/4 times gets so boring. In the short term let's increase the number of teams and play each other twice. Longer term let's get the Atlantic league sorted out.

[NAE NOOKIE]

There is nothing wrong with the split in theory .... its the reality of it that's the problem.

Its daft that in order to make the top 6 which obviously means more money some teams have what on paper is a tougher schedule than others. EG having to visit Parkhead, Ibrox or Pittodrie twice when other teams have to do it once.

If the league was once home and away prior to the split that would make it fair and then the same after the split .... that's possible with a 16 team league splitting into an 8/8 after the first round of fixtures .... the only problem with that is that it would give a total schedule of 44 games, 6 more than now.

A 14 team league with a 7/7 split would give each team a pre split schedule of 26 matches and a post split schedule of 12 matches giving exactly the same amount of fixtures as now IE 38 matches .... it would of course mean that post split one club would have to sit it out every weekend, which doesn't seem that big a deal if the end result is a level playing field over the whole season.

Having said that of course it would mean one team from both sides of the split having to finish their season a week earlier than everybody else and without having a free week where they could rest their players ..... that could be applied to the team bottom of the league at the split and the team who squeaked into the top half in 7th place when the split came.

[jacomo]

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Playing teams 3/4 times gets so boring. In the short term let's increase the number of teams and play each other twice. Longer term let's get the Atlantic league sorted out.

Yes this is the bigger problem imo.

It also helps those teams with bigger budgets as you are less likely to come out on top the more games you play. We were quits with Celtc after 2 league games but will be lucky to come out even after four.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Playing teams 3/4 times gets so boring. In the short term let's increase the number of teams and play each other twice. Longer term let's get the Atlantic league sorted out.

Its never going to happen mate ...... that guaranteed 2nd home game against Rangers is worth a fortune to the likes of Celtic and Aberdeen and without the 4 OF derbies and possibly 4 Edinburgh derbies we wouldn't even get the meagre TV deal we do now. And before you diss the TV money tell that to the likes of St Johnstone or Motherwell as the play their 3rd meaningless game with about another 3 to go as a result of an 18 team league, having already forfeited at least one home game against Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen they might have had if they made the top 6 in the old set up.

Look at Motherwell ..... that would be giving up potential away crowds of 3,000 each from the Uglies and at least 1000 each from Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen ... that's a total of 9,000 fans paying on average about £22 each, or £198,000 ..... a fortune to Motherwell. You can also chuck in the drop in their home fans who cant be bothered to watch yet another meaningless fixture to the likes of St Johnstone or Dundee.

As for an 'Atlantic League' ..... That's going to be dictated by TV audiences as well, not crowds. The big markets like The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Sweden will dictate how many clubs from each country make any Atlantic league. Where's the evidence in that scenario that a country like Scotland will even get more than the two obvious candidates into such a league?

[Diclonius]

If all goes to plan, this'll be the first time we've made the top half of the split since 2010. That's quite extraordinary.

[marinello59]

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Might be getting ahead of myself here but it's coming soon!

If I've got this right we'll have another visit to them and the sheep. With "the cheeks" at home along with either Kilmarnock or St Johnstone as it currently stands.

I'm assuming that if some how Motherwell make the top six they'll be at ER for a third time.

This is one thing I've not missed about the top flight... only in Scotland!



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The split works pretty well, things are kept interesting for most teams throughout the whole season. Not a popular view I know but increasing the size of the league would kill attendances when most games become meaningless.

[Billy Whizz]

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If all goes to plan, this'll be the first time we've made the top half of the split since 2010. That's quite extraordinary.

Great news, but extraordinary isn’t the word I use

Huge incentive to hang on to 4th, or even get 3rd
Last year 3rd got £1.7 million and 4th, £1.5m. Even 6th got £1.3m
Not sure what this seasons payments are?

[jacomo]

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Its never going to happen mate ...... that guaranteed 2nd home game against Rangers is worth a fortune to the likes of Celtic and Aberdeen and without the 4 OF derbies and possibly 4 Edinburgh derbies we wouldn't even get the meagre TV deal we do now. And before you diss the TV money tell that to the likes of St Johnstone or Motherwell as the play their 3rd meaningless game with about another 3 to go as a result of an 18 team league, having already forfeited at least one home game against Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen they might have had if they made the top 6 in the old set up.

Look at Motherwell ..... that would be giving up potential away crowds of 3,000 each from the Uglies and at least 1000 each from Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen ... that's a total of 9,000 fans paying on average about £22 each, or £198,000 ..... a fortune to Motherwell. You can also chuck in the drop in their home fans who cant be bothered to watch yet another meaningless fixture to the likes of St Johnstone or Dundee.

As for an 'Atlantic League' ..... That's going to be dictated by TV audiences as well, not crowds. The big markets like The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Sweden will dictate how many clubs from each country make any Atlantic league. Where's the evidence in that scenario that a country like Scotland will even get more than the two obvious candidates into such a league?

All this assumes attendances stay the same, which is a false assumption.

Most Scottish football stadia have spare capacity most weeks. It stands to reason that if a club is playing one home league fixture against a rival rather than two, attendance for that match would increase.

[Boyle89]

Havent read through thw thread so dont know if mentioned but if killie make the top 6 the rangers will have played the other teams in the top 6 at home twice before the split.

[Joe6-2]

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If we only get 2 games at home after the split I wonder if Hibs will make deduction of next years season ticket to compensate

Hibs not to blame, although we should stand up for ourselves

[Captain Trips]

I have always found the split a target for failure, I can say I am not interested in making the split I am interested in finishing in the top 4 every season of course by default making top 6 of split. I just really ignore it tbh.

[Eyrie]

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All this assumes attendances stay the same, which is a false assumption.

Most Scottish football stadia have spare capacity most weeks. It stands to reason that if a club is playing one home league fixture against a rival rather than two, attendance for that match would increase.

I agree that there would be an increase, but not a sufficient increase to compensate for the reduced numbers at the replacement fixture. Dundee United or St Mirren may bring as many fans as Partick or St Johnstone for a once a year trip to Easter Road, but that isn't going to replace the income from three sell outs against Hearts, Celtc and Sevco. And the attendance for a game against Dunfermline will be lower than that for a game against Aberdeen because it is a less attractive fixture. Fewer attractive fixtures means less gate money, less advertising revenue and a lower TV deal, which means a lower standard of player to watch.

Maybe the solution is a 44 game season, with more midweek games to force clubs to rotate their squads which would mean giving youngsters like Murray or Porteous more game time than they get at present. But that would favour the clubs with more money who would have deeper squads.

Personally I liked the 12/12 splitting into 8/8/8 idea. OK, we would still play some teams twice at home, but those games would be against teams of equal quality to ourselves so the matches would be more competitive than seeing Livingston or Morton put ten men behind the ball. It would also mean that relegation was less serious, so teams would not be so worried about a bad season since they'd be able to bounce back quickly the next year. That in turn should lead to better football being played.

[MrSmith]

16 teams playing each other twice per season. I don't care whether or not there are pointless games or drop in attendances or finances because, the only way we can fix Scottish Football, is by returning it to the point it worked best! Drop in attendances and finance is a complete red herring as it would mean that all clubs were unable to live within their means at this very point. True of some but forcing the issue re FPP, for me and IMO, is to ensure clubs do live within their means. TV money will only get worse in the coming years as our league is a joke and in need of serious redevelopment inclusive of the SPFL and the SFA. Scottish Football needs to learn to live without a TV subsidy.