League Reconstruction for 2013/14 (merged)

[monktonharp]

Cheers! Will the play off final be at hampden?

almost certain that it wont be at Tynie!

[down-the-slope]

Play-off for the 11th team is fair enough.
Better deal for the div1 clubs.Plus it's easier for a bigger club to be promoted if they have 1 bad season.
Pyramid system yes.been crying out for it for years.
Though i've no idea how they will work it, they'd better get it right and quickly.

It's all about as perfect as we're going to get imo.
Hope it all pans out like they want it to.

:agree: Add one league body (cant play pass the buck / additional admin jobs cash waste)

Only 5 weeks till fixture list should appear - so will need max effort to get it all structured and agreed

[MyJo]

Good start, next steps will be re-structuring and rebranding of the leagues and I'm assuming as there will essentially be no more SPL then the vote on league restructure in future would be a vote put to all 42 clubs rather than it having to get past an 11-1 majority of the 12 spl clubs before anyone else gets a vote. No more nonsense like previously where 2 out of 42 clubs being against a plan seen it scrapped despite the vast majority wanting change

[Makaveli]

Play-off should be 2nd bottom vs 2nd top, like when we beat Airdrie.

A team finishing 4th out of 10 doesn't deserve a shot at promotion.

I deplore this growing fetish for ensuring everyone has "something to play for" in May. If you've been gash for the rest of the season then tough.

[Sylar]

It's a start and a decent one - the pyramid to the lower leagues is a great move and will eventually see perennial underachievers like East Stirlingshire (consistently one of the worst clubs in Scotland, finishing bottom of the 3rd regularly and struggling to attract anything resembling a crowd on a weekly basis) get punted into the lower leagues again whilst a club with some degree of ambition, who have been knocking on the doors for a while get a shot at proving their worth.

The abolishing of the three bodies is also a good move and hopefully means that one of either David Longmuir, Stewart Regan or Neil Doncaster will be given their jotters and chased out of Scotland or more pointedly, football!

The playoff system is also well overdue but the attempt to mirror the Championship down south by creating a knockout type final with 4 teams seems excessive to me...why not just let second top of the first face second bottom of the SPL? As pointed out above, fourth in the first division really don't deserve a crack at promotion - take the current First Division standings - Livingston in fourth, though they played some lovely football at times this year, were streets away from Partick Thistle and that gulf was demonstrated when Partick horsed Livi 6-1 a couple of months back...

Hopefully the abolition of the "SPL" does indeed mean the abolition of the 11-1 structure as that personifies all that is wrong with Scottish Football.

[down-the-slope]

It's a start and a decent one - the pyramid to the lower leagues is a great move and will eventually see perennial underachievers like East Stirlingshire (consistently one of the worst clubs in Scotland, finishing bottom of the 3rd regularly and struggling to attract anything resembling a crowd on a weekly basis) get punted into the lower leagues again whilst a club with some degree of ambition, who have been knocking on the doors for a while get a shot at proving their worth.

The abolishing of the three bodies is also a good move and hopefully means that one of either David Longmuir, Stewart Regan or Neil Doncaster will be given their jotters and chased out of Scotland or more pointedly, football!

The playoff system is also well overdue but the attempt to mirror the Championship down south by creating a knockout type final with 4 teams seems excessive to me...why not just let second top of the first face second bottom of the SPL? As pointed out above, fourth in the first division really don't deserve a crack at promotion - take the current First Division standings - Livingston in fourth, though they played some lovely football at times this year, were streets away from Partick Thistle and that gulf was demonstrated when Partick horsed Livi 6-1 a couple of months back...

Hopefully the abolition of the "SPL" does indeed mean the abolition of the 11-1 structure as that personifies all that is wrong with Scottish Football.

I wonder if the new leagues new rules is indeed a clever way for this to be dealt with without anyone having to be the 'bad guys' ......Hope so

[.Sean.]

Play-off should be 2nd bottom vs 2nd top, like when we beat Airdrie.

A team finishing 4th out of 10 doesn't deserve a shot at promotion.

I deplore this growing fetish for ensuring everyone has "something to play for" in May. If you've been gash for the rest of the season then tough.
:agree: Especially the bit in bold.

It's a start and a decent one - the pyramid to the lower leagues is a great move and will eventually see perennial underachievers like East Stirlingshire (consistently one of the worst clubs in Scotland, finishing bottom of the 3rd regularly and struggling to attract anything resembling a crowd on a weekly basis) get punted into the lower leagues again whilst a club with some degree of ambition, who have been knocking on the doors for a while get a shot at proving their worth.

The abolishing of the three bodies is also a good move and hopefully means that one of either David Longmuir, Stewart Regan or Neil Doncaster will be given their jotters and chased out of Scotland or more pointedly, football!

The playoff system is also well overdue but the attempt to mirror the Championship down south by creating a knockout type final with 4 teams seems excessive to me...why not just let second top of the first face second bottom of the SPL? As pointed out above, fourth in the first division really don't deserve a crack at promotion - take the current First Division standings - Livingston in fourth, though they played some lovely football at times this year, were streets away from Partick Thistle and that gulf was demonstrated when Partick horsed Livi 6-1 a couple of months back...

Hopefully the abolition of the "SPL" does indeed mean the abolition of the 11-1 structure as that personifies all that is wrong with Scottish Football.
Correct, hopefully it's the boot up the arse the likes of Montrose and East Strirling need, awful crowds and they're more than happy knowing they're in no danger of demotion even if they finish bottom of the pile. There are umpteen junior sides with bigger followings who have been deserving of a 3rd Division spot for years.

[MyJo]

I wonder if the new leagues new rules is indeed a clever way for this to be dealt with without anyone having to be the 'bad guys' ......Hope so

If this is all voted through with a sensible voting system in place, like 75% majority (32 out of 42) in time for next season i can see the 12-12-18 structure being floated again in time for the 2014/15 season with Rangers in the 2nd tier and less chance of it failing.

[ancient hibee]

It's a start and a decent one - the pyramid to the lower leagues is a great move and will eventually see perennial underachievers like East Stirlingshire (consistently one of the worst clubs in Scotland, finishing bottom of the 3rd regularly and struggling to attract anything resembling a crowd on a weekly basis) get punted into the lower leagues again whilst a club with some degree of ambition, who have been knocking on the doors for a while get a shot at proving their worth.

The abolishing of the three bodies is also a good move and hopefully means that one of either David Longmuir, Stewart Regan or Neil Doncaster will be given their jotters and chased out of Scotland or more pointedly, football!

The playoff system is also well overdue but the attempt to mirror the Championship down south by creating a knockout type final with 4 teams seems excessive to me...why not just let second top of the first face second bottom of the SPL? As pointed out above, fourth in the first division really don't deserve a crack at promotion - take the current First Division standings - Livingston in fourth, though they played some lovely football at times this year, were streets away from Partick Thistle and that gulf was demonstrated when Partick horsed Livi 6-1 a couple of months back...

Hopefully the abolition of the "SPL" does indeed mean the abolition of the 11-1 structure as that personifies all that is wrong with Scottish Football.

You're way off beam if you think the SFA is disappearing.

[HibeeSince85]

So they've added playoffs and merged in to one single governing body. Other than the pyramid system which is a welcome move I can't see how any of this will change much.

Doncaster is an absolute disaster too.

[StevieC]

The abolishing of the three bodies is also a good move and hopefully means that one of either David Longmuir, Stewart Regan or Neil Doncaster will be given their jotters and chased out of Scotland or more pointedly, football!


I viewed it as an amalgamation of the SPL and SFL. I can't see the SFA getting sucked into the changes as they cover a lot more than just the professional league.


Hopefully the abolition of the "SPL" does indeed mean the abolition of the 11-1 structure as that personifies all that is wrong with Scottish Football.

I suspect that an amalgamation will require a complete re-write of the rules for the new body, or at the very least some tweaking to squeeze both sets of rules together as one.

[MB62]

Originally Posted by MB62
Many moons ago, when fitba was really fitba and the only colour in boots was the white addidas stripe and when you curled a ball round a wall it was because you had a bit of skill and not because the ball is only slightly heavier than a balloon, and if you got hit in the nuts with it you knew all about it (no honestly, these days did exist) I played in a league in Australia where they used to have a league winner, whoever was top after all the league games were played, but they then had a GRAND FINAL, where thew top four teams played a play off for THE championship.

How it worked was,
1 v 2 (1 being the home team)
3 v 4 (3 being the home team)

The winners of 1v2 went straight in to the final, the losing team had another shot against the winners of 3v4 (losers were out)

The GRAND FINAL was on neutral venue and it was a big nervy occasion and I would be in favour of giving this a try out in reverse for the play off spot.


That's called a Page Playoff system. It's used a lot in curling (world championships, Olympics).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Page_playoff_system


Play-off should be 2nd bottom vs 2nd top, like when we beat Airdrie.

A team finishing 4th out of 10 doesn't deserve a shot at promotion.

I deplore this growing fetish for ensuring everyone has "something to play for" in May. If you've been gash for the rest of the season then tough.

I believe the system I mentioned above allows the clubs who have had a better record or played in a higher division, a wee bit of recognition for their efforts and is certainly something that brought a great deal of interest for those involved.

[Part/Time Supporter]

Apparently this proposal is that 3rd would play 4th, then the winner would play 2nd, then the winner of that would play the 11th SPL team. All over two legs. Not a Page playoff, but it would give a clear advantage to finishing 2nd over 3rd or 4th.

[MB62]

Apparently this proposal is that 3rd would play 4th, then the winner would play 2nd, then the winner of that would play the 11th SPL team. All over two legs. Not a Page playoff, but it would give a clear advantage to finishing 2nd over 3rd or 4th.

A similar idea then, and not against the idea, although probably prefer the PAGE PLAY OFF system.

[greenpaper55]

I see they plan to retain the 11-1 voting structure, so in two years we will back to being run by the OF !. All the chairmen should be ashamed if this is the case, what a chance to break the monopoly that the OF had.

[Gatecrasher]

I think its a good start to be honest, Body Merger, Pyramid system, play offs. Again Doncaster is caught taqlking out his arse with the all or nothing comment. The 11-1 needs to go though

[Billy Whizz]

I think its a good start to be honest, Body Merger, Pyramid system, play offs. Again Doncaster is caught taqlking out his arse with the all or nothing comment. The 11-1 needs to go though

I agree, gives a platform for future change

[lord bunberry]

I see they plan to retain the 11-1 voting structure, so in two years we will back to being run by the OF !. All the chairmen should be ashamed if this is the case, what a chance to break the monopoly that the OF had.

How can there be an 11-1 voting structure with 42 teams

[StevieC]

Apparently this proposal is that 3rd would play 4th, then the winner would play 2nd, then the winner of that would play the 11th SPL team. All over two legs. Not a Page playoff, but it would give a clear advantage to finishing 2nd over 3rd or 4th.

Can't see it .. that could take 3 weeks to play out!

[lord bunberry]

Can't see it .. that could take 3 weeks to play out!

The first division normally finishes 2 weeks before the spl so it would make sense for them to have a few games in that time

[greenpaper55]

How can there be an 11-1 voting structure with 42 teams

Don't ask me , i thought i had got it wrong but not according to a wee line near the bottom of this in todays Herald .

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/if-this-is-a-cherry-pick-then-the-fruit-is-small.21023629

[Eyrie]

It sounds like the SPL clubs want to keep the 11-1 for certain matters which affect them, so that they couldn't be forced into (say) sharing gate money by Division Two and Three clubs.

Don't really see what is proposed as making much difference. Main gains would be a single league body, the pyramid system, an improved financial distribution to the Division One teams and the introduction of playoffs at the bottom of the SPL, but against that there is still the ridiculous split after 33 games, retaining the 11-1 vote and a strange playoff system where the third or fourth teams in Division One would have to play a further six matches. What's wrong with the same play off system already used by the SFL?

[KWJ]

I like it all, step in the right direction and keeping the league structure as it is makes sense to me for now.

Hopefully this will allow the 1st division sides to become stronger, with more getting a taste for the top flight and in time we can increase to a league of 18-20. Although I'm starting to think that we need to get our co-efficient up before we do this now as there simply won't be enough to play for in the upper echelons of such a league unless Celtic begin to suffer.

[Sylar]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22601342

Looks like this has been scuppered again!

[Eyrie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22601342

Looks like this has been scuppered again!

That depends on the SFL clubs. All that has happened is that the SPL doesn't agree with their proposed amendments.

[Keith_M]

According to this (http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/sfl-on-brink-of-collapse-after-vote-causes-split.21170796) report in the Herald

[Arbroath Hibby]

What with all the boo-haa about changing the structure of the league, using the "internationally famous" Swedish model (NOT).
Why are they not looking at the German model, ( no Not the stuka-dive bomber ).
Or just simply have two leagues every one plays eachother twice. With that they could reconstruct the semi-pro & the Highland league teams into regional leagues with play-offs against the teams that finish bottom of the 2nd div. :confused: Just a thought. :confused:

[hibby rae]

I'd favour a two league set up. To get an equal amount of games two more teams would have to be admitted into the league but there's no shortage of applicants. Spartans and someone else.

[MyJo]

What with all the boo-haa about changing the structure of the league, using the "internationally famous" Swedish model (NOT).
Why are they not looking at the German model, ( no Not the stuka-dive bomber ).
Or just simply have two leagues every one plays eachother twice. With that they could reconstruct the semi-pro & the Highland league teams into regional leagues with play-offs against the teams that finish bottom of the 2nd div. :confused: Just a thought. :confused:

The most sensible solution would be an SPL of 16 a Championship of 16 and a 3rd league of 10, regionalised leagues below this in a pyramid system with play-off tournaments to decide who gets promoted to the 3rd division at the end of the season but it would never happen as it reduces the number of games in a season and also reduces the number of visits from the OF for each team so would result in a drop in income so nobody will vote it through.

[SHODAN]

Reading through the lines of the Annan chairman's statement, it appears the SFL have been rejecting this proposal as a result of - I **** you not - the fact that there will be a 41-1 voting system. Unbelievable. :bitchy:

[deeks01]

Let's be honest for pretty much every team in Scotland the attendance figures have been steadily declining. Increased ticket prices , playing the same teams far too many times in a season & the ridiculous split in the SPL. Now if we look at this objectively - can we do something about ticket prices? Not at present. That leaves us 2 options to get fans back through the gates in Scottish football. Make it more interesting. No more teeny tiny league where you play each other several times a season & no split where the team in 7th could have more points than the one in 4th.

I could write up a proposed structure right now that would get the FANS interested but it won't happen until there are major changes to the attitudes at people at the top of our game both in the SFA/SPL/SFL or the amalgamated version whatever they're calling it. That , for me , is the sad truth. However I could be wrong & personally I'm relishing the thought of being at ER next season whatever the outcome of all these proposed restructure.

[SHODAN]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22864944

Wonder how this one will pan out?

[DAVE1875]

http://i.imgur.com/cfLZD.gif

[JHFC]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22864944

[JHFC]

vote on Wednesday as in Today?

[Cabbage East]

These people are so incompetent that is actually hilarious.

[hibs0666]

Reconstruction has been agreed

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/229116-scottish-football-league-clubs-pass-league-reconstruction-vote/

[down-the-slope]

Reconstruction has been agreed

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/229116-scottish-football-league-clubs-pass-league-reconstruction-vote/

Was always going to happen - with money so tight / sponsorship up in the air there had to be agreement or we would have had SPL2 (or same thing under another name)

Just a shame some of the better parts of original proposals have been lost.

The play offs will; be exciting (as long as viewed from afar :wink:)

[hibbeedavid]

Good to see this radical action being taken to improve our dying game.....by keeping the failing structure as it is!

[ruthven_raiders]

wonder if Hibs were looking ahead by puting a reserve team into EOS set up, leaves an avenue for them to have a team in the lowland league and promotion into the third division?

[VickMackie]

Good to see this radical action being taken to improve our dying game.....by keeping the failing structure as it is!

Good to see this though.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/229106-how-much-money-does-your-club-stand-to-make-from-league-reconstruction/

Big drop for 1st and 2nd in the league, especially second.

It would be great to see the new voting structure though.

[lord bunberry]

wonder if Hibs were looking ahead by puting a reserve team into EOS set up, leaves an avenue for them to have a team in the lowland league and promotion into the third division?

We can run up huge debts then go bust just as our other team is being promoted to the top flight

[neilmartinrocks]

wonder if Hibs were looking ahead by puting a reserve team into EOS set up, leaves an avenue for them to have a team in the lowland league and promotion into the third division?

what would happen if we drew them in the scottish cup?:confused:

[Moulin Yarns]

what would happen if we drew them in the scottish cup?:confused:

We would get beaten, twice!!:rolleyes:

[Ross4356]

Just a shame some of the better parts of original proposals have been lost.



Other than the top 16 what?

I think this is brilliant news

[neilmartinrocks]

We would get beaten, twice!!:rolleyes:

well thats just :faf::faf: would the st holders have to sit in the away end if the big team is drawn away to the wee team? would there be segregation?

[LancashireHibby]

Good to see this though.

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/229106-how-much-money-does-your-club-stand-to-make-from-league-reconstruction/

Big drop for 1st and 2nd in the league, especially second.

It would be great to see the new voting structure though.

That just illustrates how ridiculous the previous situation was, incredible difference between second and third. Delighted this has been pushed through long before the Zombie Huns get chance to get back in to the SPL.

[Lucius Apuleius]

As an aside, why is it every time I see a picture of Doncaster smiling I want to put a baseball bat across his pus?

[Ozyhibby]

Given that the winner of the spl gets to enter the Champs league and earn many £m, there should have been a much larger drop in income for first place.

[brydekirk]

That just illustrates how ridiculous the previous situation was, incredible difference between second and third. Delighted this has been pushed through long before the Zombie Huns get chance to get back in to the SPL.

Agree, but just oor luck to come 2nd this season and miss out.

[Eyrie]

Agree, but just oor luck to come 2nd this season and miss out.

That would be a nice problem to have.

[jgl07]

Given that the winner of the spl gets to enter the Champs league and earn many £m, there should have been a much larger drop in income for first place.

The winner gets to enter the second qualifying round. Anyone but Celtic would be unseeded with next to zero chance of getting beyond the third round let alone the challenge round. So there is bugger-all money available.

[Ozyhibby]

The winner gets to enter the second qualifying round. Anyone but Celtic would be unseeded with next to zero chance of getting beyond the third round let alone the challenge round. So there is bugger-all money available.

Cool, make the rule that if you make the group stages then no prize money but if you don't then you get prize money. Everyone's a winner.

[Keith_M]

Yes folks, that's the names (http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/names-confirmed-board-next-as-spfl-comes-into-being.21437557) our great leaders have chosen for the all new SPFL as of next season.



Sooooooo original......

[SlickShoes]

All part of a move to engineer Celtc and Rangers in to the English leagues, they can say they got the names mixed up and turned up and started playing in the wrong one.

[Green&White]

Yes folks, that's the names (http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/names-confirmed-board-next-as-spfl-comes-into-being.21437557) our great leaders have chosen for the all new SPFL as of next season.



Sooooooo original......


Makes not one iota of a difference to anything! pointless from the muppets "running" our game

[Part/Time Supporter]

Yes folks, that's the names (http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/names-confirmed-board-next-as-spfl-comes-into-being.21437557) our great leaders have chosen for the all new SPFL as of next season.



Sooooooo original......

That's what the pumpkins on Final Score usually call the Scottish divisions anyway...

[Steve-O]

Yes folks, that's the names (http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/names-confirmed-board-next-as-spfl-comes-into-being.21437557) our great leaders have chosen for the all new SPFL as of next season.



Sooooooo original......

Hmm, now where have I heard those names before...

We should be trying to present ourselves as different from England, not 100% copy them FFS! :rolleyes:

[jgl07]

Hmm, now where have I heard those names before...

We should be trying to present ourselves as different from England, not 100% copy them FFS! :rolleyes:

The English copied the name 'Premier League' from the 'Premier Division' of the SFL as was.

[Barney McGrew]

As it says on the tin.

Brilliant :rolleyes:

[Gatecrasher]

How on earth did he get that job? He has pretty much stumbled his way through the last couple of years with sheer incompetence and landed his arse in another cushy number. No wonder our games is up **** creek.

[ian cruise]

Thing about Doncaster is he's basically a mouthpiece for the SPL and now SPFL which us the clubs. He's a chairman which means he basically gets told what people wants to discuss at meetings, sits at the top of the table while said meetings goes on and then reiterates what the clubs decided amongst themselves at the meetings. It's not a presidency where they give their view and he ultimately gets to decide a course of action. All he can do is tell us what the chairman have decided (our Rod included, sorry Andy)

[Hibercelona]

Doesn't he more or less hire himself anyway?

[ian cruise]

Doesn't he more or less hire himself anyway?

No everything he does or says is completely at discretion of member clubs. He probably can't wipe his arse in ham often without their days so. It's no wonder he got the job as he's a good little puppet who seems quite happy to take the flack for all their decisions and gets no praise for anything they get right. Or maybe they've just not got anything right yet for that to happen.

[Gatecrasher]

Thing about Doncaster is he's basically a mouthpiece for the SPL and now SPFL which us the clubs. He's a chairman which means he basically gets told what people wants to discuss at meetings, sits at the top of the table while said meetings goes on and then reiterates what the clubs decided amongst themselves at the meetings. It's not a presidency where they give their view and he ultimately gets to decide a course of action. All he can do is tell us what the chairman have decided (our Rod included, sorry Andy)

The guys a fanny, All he does is stand in front of the camera with the Sky TV £ signs in his eyes kissing arse at the ***** TV deal we have. He's more interested in that than actually finding ways to move our game forward. I don't actually know anyone who thinks this guy is worth his wages. Even reading what other fans from other clubs think he's useless. Maybe our chairman are smarter than we give them credit for because they take none of the grief :greengrin

[ian cruise]

The guys a fanny, All he does is stand in front of the camera with the Sky TV £ signs in his eyes kissing arse at the ***** TV deal we have. He's more interested in that than actually finding ways to move our game forward. I don't actually know anyone who thinks this guy is worth his wages. Even reading what other fans from other clubs think he's useless. Maybe our chairman are smarter than we give them credit for because they take none of the grief :greengrin

That's pretty much same conclusion my point came to. A man with morals would stand up to the clubs. For the punters he's not worth the wage. To the clubs he's invaluable.

[brian6-2]

Absolute bell end of a guy who will make our game even worse (if thats possible)

[Beefster]

Thing about Doncaster is he's basically a mouthpiece for the SPL and now SPFL which us the clubs. He's a chairman which means he basically gets told what people wants to discuss at meetings, sits at the top of the table while said meetings goes on and then reiterates what the clubs decided amongst themselves at the meetings. It's not a presidency where they give their view and he ultimately gets to decide a course of action. All he can do is tell us what the chairman have decided (our Rod included, sorry Andy)

Agreed. He's just a decoy for all the anger that should really be directed at the SPL chairmen. Works perfectly too.

[SkintHibby]

Absolute bell end

:agree:

[Wilson]

Agreed. He's just a decoy for all the anger that should really be directed at the SPL chairmen. Works perfectly too.

I get the decoy bit but surely you still have to be a credible representative? Doncaster is a clown - I've no idea how he keeps getting work.

[Moon unit]

As a mouthpiece....at least he is an articulate mouthpiece,unlike some of the wind blowers from the spl/sfl who have spouted from their fat erses' for years! i detect a wee bit of anti English from some in the Scottish media and posters about this guy!

[Saorsa]

As it says on the tin.

Brilliant :rolleyes:How uninspiring. Change the name, leave the same clowns in charge who have bungled and bumbled their way along for years. Wonder what cushy number Longmuir will get in the game because he'll get something, jobs for the boys.

A new start should have ridded the game of the erseholes like regan, dungcaster, Longmuir and ogilvie who have made a mockery of the game in this country, nothing will change with the same self serving clowns in place.

[Wilson]

As a mouthpiece....at least he is an articulate mouthpiece,unlike some of the wind blowers from the spl/sfl who have spouted from their fat erses' for years! i detect a wee bit of anti English from some in the Scottish media and posters about this guy!

Not at all. You're the first person to mention anything to do with Englishness. I just don't think he covered himself in glory with his slaverings over league reconstruction.

I will rip off my own ears and eat them rather than listen to a second if this nitwit's havering.

[cabbageandribs1875]

Thing about Doncaster is he's basically a mouthpiece for the SPL and now SPFL which us the clubs. He's a chairman which means he basically gets told what people wants to discuss at meetings, sits at the top of the table while said meetings goes on and then reiterates what the clubs decided amongst themselves at the meetings. It's not a presidency where they give their view and he ultimately gets to decide a course of action. All he can do is tell us what the chairman have decided (our Rod included, sorry Andy)


this :agree:


Absolute bell end of a guy who will make our game even worse (if thats possible)

and this :agree:


As a mouthpiece....at least he is an articulate mouthpiece,unlike some of the wind blowers from the spl/sfl who have spouted from their fat erses' for years! i detect a wee bit of anti English from some in the Scottish media and posters about this guy!

not this(thumb down smiley)

[jacomo]

As a mouthpiece....at least he is an articulate mouthpiece,unlike some of the wind blowers from the spl/sfl who have spouted from their fat erses' for years! i detect a wee bit of anti English from some in the Scottish media and posters about this guy!

Sorry but this is rubbish. He's not that articulate, he's just quite good at sticking to an agreed line and using phrases like 'going forward' and 'commercial partners' to disguise a total lack of progress and inability to sign a title sponsor.

Not his fault, just a deeply mediocre middle manager who's been appointed way above his abilities.

I accept that he is just the mouthpiece of the clubs, but the Scottish game is crying out for some leadership and conviction.

Put it this way - if you ran a company and had a big pitch coming up, would you really send this guy to represent you and seal the deal? Of course you wouldn't.

[snooky]

Sorry but this is rubbish. He's not that articulate, he's just quite good at sticking to an agreed line and using phrases like 'going forward' and 'commercial partners' to disguise a total lack of progress and inability to sign a title sponsor.

Not his fault, just a deeply mediocre middle manager who's been appointed way above his abilities.

I accept that he is just the mouthpiece of the clubs, but the Scottish game is crying out for some leadership and conviction.

Put it this way - if you ran a company and had a big pitch coming up, would you really send this guy to represent you and seal the deal? Of course you wouldn't.

To paraphrase the old Billy Connolly joke ......

"Hee-haw-lways says that"


A bit like hiring Thomas Bouch to design the new Queensferry Crossing is it no'.

[Keith_M]

Inspirational Appointment

[mca]

all new singing and dancing fancy spfl logo.. same old phannies running it.. :hmmm:



get that doncaster and longmuir to fluck out of scottish fitba.. someone fancy posting a poll..

[Hibernia Na Eir]

who cares?!!

[jacomo]

who cares?!!

Well, Scottish football is in deep trouble and the SPFL is now responsible for running the entire professional league. It kind of matters!

[jacomo]

Doncaster patter here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23150164

Asked about the lack of a sponsor, he had a great opportunity to extol the virtues of the new set up and try and talk it up. Instead he says:


"Sponsorship itself only makes up around 20% of the income of the league historically, so it's not quite as big a deal as some might say.

Erm, gotta do better than this.

[GraniteCityHibs]

It's his haircut....I just can't take anyone seriously who thinks that is an acceptable thing to do to his hair.

[green is good]

He should definitely spend some of his £200k wages on a better haircut :agree:

[.Sean.]

English wannabe moneyman with ***** hair, get rid of the twat.

[Lucius Apuleius]

English wannabe moneyman with ***** hair, get rid of the twat.

Why so abusive Sean? Not disputing he has not exactly covered himself in glory but I just don't get the personal abuse.

[jacomo]

It's his haircut....I just can't take anyone seriously who thinks that is an acceptable thing to do to his hair.

:agree:

[ballengeich]

Doncaster patter here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23150164

Asked about the lack of a sponsor, he had a great opportunity to extol the virtues of the new set up and try and talk it up. Instead he says:



Erm, gotta do better than this.

That statement is incredible. A CEO who seems unworried by a 20% drop in his organisation's income! I just hope he's got something substantial lined up to be announced soon. Also, the tv deal he seems so satisfied with is substantially less than the amount brought in by various countries with comparable populations to ours.

The man's had a large salary increase recently and is supposed to be in charge of marketing Scottish league football. He seems to me to be utterly incompetent. We'd be better with Gerald Ratner.

[ian cruise]

That statement is incredible. A CEO who seems unworried by a 20% drop in his organisation's income! I just hope he's got something substantial lined up to be announced soon. Also, the tv deal he seems so satisfied with is substantially less than the amount brought in by various countries with comparable populations to ours.

The man's had a large salary increase recently and is supposed to be in charge of marketing Scottish league football. He seems to me to be utterly incompetent. We'd be better with Gerald Ratner.

Tartan army bake sale and face paint day at hampen will cover the difference, that's what big clubs do.

[down-the-slope]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23255749

Not really a surprise after Doncaster got top job

[Spike Mandela]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23255749

Not really a surprise after Doncaster got top job

I wonder if he got the big pay off he was due and whether he has signed some sort of non disclosure agreement to keep his mouth shut about various shenanigans that have went on since the Sevco fiasco.:rolleyes:

[scoopyboy]

I like David Longmuir.

Played bowls against him on many an occasion in East Lothian v. Perth matches.

Bloody good player with a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend / wife.

Hope he gets another position in the near future.

[down-the-slope]

I like David Longmuir.

Played bowls against him on many an occasion in East Lothian v. Perth matches.

Bloody good player with a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend / wife.

Hope he gets another position in the near future.


Scoops - in conversations with RP the time I saw him most animated was when he was defending Neil & David saying public perception and the reality of how they worked out of view was huge. He seemed pretty aggravated about it all and that people would never know how hard they worked.

I guess the fact David was high up in business before getting involved in football will see him alright

[The Modfather]

Scoops - in conversations with RP the time I saw him most animated was when he was defending Neil & David saying public perception and the reality of how they worked out of view was huge. He seemed pretty aggravated about it all and that people would never know how hard they worked.

I do wonder if that's because Petrie and all the other chairman are part of the problem with Scottish football. Short term views and pound signs in their eyes. It wasn't so long ago we as fans voted unanimously on a bigger league yet Petrie decided to vote the exact opposite way.

[R'Albin]

SPFL divisions to be named Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two #SSN (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSN&src=hash)


Wonder how long it took them to come up with these?

[poolman]

SPFL divisions to be named Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two #SSN (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSN&src=hash)


Wonder how long it took them to come up with these?



Its a lot to think about

[davhibby]

SPFL divisions to be named Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two #SSN (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSN&src=hash)


Wonder how long it took them to come up with these?

At least Celtic fans won't be able to moan about wanting to play in the premiership anymore!

[green.and.white]

At least we didn't copy the English leagues anyway...

[Spike Mandela]

SPFL divisions to be named Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two #SSN (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSN&src=hash)


Wonder how long it took them to come up with these?

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.:cb

[PatHead]

Take it there is no sponsor yet.............

[McSwanky]

Think this has been known for a while.

It saddens me that the folks in charge of Scottish Football feel the need to look down south for any sort of inspiration. Scottish Football will never be English Football. It just makes us look like the wee brother trying to copy everything the big brother does.

What's wrong with a good old fashioned League 1, 2, 3 and 4? It's good enouh for the likes of France and Germany...

[Hibtastic]

I really like the new lion logo though.

[jonty]

Think this has been known for a while.

It saddens me that the folks in charge of Scottish Football feel the need to look down south for any sort of inspiration. Scottish Football will never be English Football. It just makes us look like the wee brother trying to copy everything the big brother does.

What's wrong with a good old fashioned League 1, 2, 3 and 4? It's good enouh for the likes of France and Germany...

This. 'Premiership'? 'Championship'? gimme a break. Mutton dressed up as lamb. Lets just call it as it is with pretending its some sort of superior fare. Leagues 1,2,3,4 ta.

[Mr White]

Think this has been known for a while.

It saddens me that the folks in charge of Scottish Football feel the need to look down south for any sort of inspiration. Scottish Football will never be English Football. It just makes us look like the wee brother trying to copy everything the big brother does.

What's wrong with a good old fashioned League 1, 2, 3 and 4? It's good enouh for the likes of France and Germany...
Yes especially now that they're all under one league body.

[SaulGoodman]

Now all we need is World Class players, bumper crowds, foreign millionaires and a national team that actually qualifies for major competitions.

Then we really will be just like the country they're trying to imitate.

[Sylar]

This. 'Premiership'? 'Championship'? gimme a break. Mutton dressed up as lamb. Lets just call it as it is with pretending its some sort of superior fare. Leagues 1,2,3,4 ta.

Nothing much further need be said on the matter...

[GordonHFC]

This. 'Premiership'? 'Championship'? gimme a break. Mutton dressed up as lamb. Lets just call it as it is with pretending its some sort of superior fare. Leagues 1,2,3,4 ta.

I think you will find we are Mutton dressed as Mutton.

[GlenrothesHibee]

It is actually embarrassing copying England like this. Can we not get our own identity? Championship? wtf is that all about anyway?

[Mr White]

It is actually embarrassing copying England like this. Can we not get our own identity? Championship? wtf is that all about anyway?

Makes sense in England since it's the top division of the football league, but here I agree, it's embarrassing.

[Framie]

It is actually embarrassing copying England like this. Can we not get our own identity? Championship? wtf is that all about anyway?

They copied us orginally when they started the premier league in the 90's

[brian6-2]

"a mountain of work has been done over the summer to get to this point" niall doncaster

id have more faith in the baddies from the goonies running our proffesional game.

[Thecat23]

Doesn't matter how many times you paint a fence, it's still the same fence!!! The folk in charge are a bunch of idiots. To get paid the amount they do and then come up with that is laughable. Must have all sat down someone says, "So lets copy England's structure yeah?" Done.... Now lets go eat prawn sandwiches for lunch.

[Nando™]

Ridiculous and shameless rip off.

The logo I like, but not the blatant desperation to be exactly like England in any way.

Actually half-surprised it wasn't three lions in the logo..

[Bishop Hibee]

What was wrong with Div 1,2,3 and 4? All spin as usual.

[The_Horde]

How much more than me per year do these muppets earn to come up with this?

[Keith_M]

Totally pathetic. It's hard to believe they actually had meetings to discuss the subject and came up with this.


Meeting minutes:

Chairman: So, what do we call the new leagues?

Floor: Who gives a toss.

Chairman: How about we just nick the English league names?

Floor: Aye, that'll dae.

Chairman: Any other business?

Floor: Aye, where's the Bollinger?

All: Cheers!!

[Cabbage East]

Pathetic.

[Seekyit]

Think this has been known for a while.

It saddens me that the folks in charge of Scottish Football feel the need to look down south for any sort of inspiration. Scottish Football will never be English Football. It just makes us look like the wee brother trying to copy everything the big brother does.

What's wrong with a good old fashioned League 1, 2, 3 and 4? It's good enouh for the likes of France and Germany...

The one that got me was getting Berti Vogts as the first foreign manager of Scotland because England had recently made Sven Goran Eriksson (sp.) as their first foreign manager.

It just had to be...

[Dan Sarf]

How about...

Div 1: The Who'll Come 2nd Division

Div 2: Division 2

Div 3: Zombie League Div 3

[ballengeich]

Pathetic - even the lion logo's a copy of the English version. How much did they pay some management consultant to spend five minutes looking across the border? Our game desparately needs the introduction of someone with a bit of administrative and marketing ability.

[hibee04]

Hi . was just curious is The SPFL Still behing sponcered by Clydesdale Bank or will SPFL teams have new sleeve patches on there
tops for the 2013/14 season , :confused:

[Makaveli]

Hi . was just curious is The SPFL Still behing sponcered by Clydesdale Bank or will SPFL teams have new sleeve patches on there
tops for the 2013/14 season , :confused:

No to both as it stands.

The clowns in charge haven't managed to attract a sponsor for next season yet.