Scottish Premiership split - for or against

[Diclonius]

Now that we're back in the division, let's once again find out just how universally (un)popular this is with Hibs fans.

My opinion is the same as it has been for years - bin it and extend the division so we either get 2 games per team or have an earlier split in a 14-16 team league after two games. The whole thing is a shambles.

[Oscar T Grouch]

I think this sort of league needs the split, this season there are gonna be some great battles for the Euro places and the bottom 4 will be fighting relegation, essentially there are only 3 teams not fighting for something, St Johnstone, Motherwell and hertz. Every other team has something to play for. It is a hard system to get perfect but I believe it offers more opportunities for more teams than a straight league of 12. We maybe the ones effected most by the post split fixtures, but that is down to how the league worked this season, Killie being the surprise package and us to an extent, making the top 6. It is not perfect but I think it is better than just a plain run in without a split.

Edit: I agree that a bigger league with fewer fixture would be better for Scottish football in general but this won't happen because it would mean current members diluting their income.

[danhibees1875]

I voted for it, before realising the actual question wasn't quite the same as the thread title.

I like the idea of slightly tweaking it to a 14 team league with a split after 2 rounds into a 6 and 8, then 2 more rounds.

Although, after a couple of years it would just be another "nonsense SFA idea" and "only Scotland would be stupid enough" to have some teams play 36 games while others play 40.

[Diclonius]

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I voted for it, before realising the actual question wasn't quite the same as the thread title.

I like the idea of slightly tweaking it to a 14 team league with a split after 2 rounds into a 6 and 8, then 2 more rounds.

Although, after a couple of years it would just be another "nonsense SFA idea" and "only Scotland would be stupid enough" to have some teams play 36 games while others play 40.

A 7-7 split would be fine. It just means one team would get a break every week.

[Michael]

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A 7-7 split would be fine. It just means one team would get a break every week.

That makes it not fine IMO. Someone would be sitting out on the final day.

[Sauzee16]

For it’s a good thing.

[JeMeSouviens]

I'm not against a split if it was after 2 rounds of fixtures, so probably 14 teams. But it's fundamental in any league that all the teams competing against each other should have the same set of fixtures.

[Hibbyradge]

I'd like us to try a 14 team league, either with a 6/8 or 7/7 split. Neither are perfect, but the alternatives aren't great either.

The idea of an 18 or 20 team league is initially attractive, but it wouldn't be feasible financially.

I hear the argument that a bigger league would give us a more realistic chance of winning the league and crowds would soar if we were competing at that level, and that may have some merit.

However, we've been relegated as often as we've won the league so what would happen to our finances in ordinary or poor seasons?

Also, how could clubs without a big fan base be expected to survive, never mind perform and compete at Premiership level?

And the prize money would need to be be stretched out.

What about parachute payments etc etc.

[Juniper Greens]

I was against it (and for a larger league). But having been in the Championship so long...there just aren't enough big clubs to support a bigger league with promotion and relegation, in my opinion.

Can you imagine an SPL with more than just Hamilton and Ross County in it? In reality, with a 16 team league the chances multiple Dumbartons or Alloas coming up would be just too high in my opinion.

[easty]

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I'd like us to try a 14 team league, either with a 6/8 or 7/7 split. Neither are perfect, but the alternatives aren't great either.

The idea of an 18 or 20 team league is initially attractive, but it wouldn't be feasible financially.

I hear the argument that a bigger league would give us a more realistic chance of winning the league and crowds would soar if we were competing at that level, and that may have some merit.

However, we've been relegated as often as we've won the league so what would happen to our finances in ordinary or poor seasons?

Also, how could clubs without a big fan base be expected to survive, never mind perform and compete at Premiership level?

I don't think a 6/8 or a 7/7 split would work. I think they'd be even more embarrassing than the crap split we put up with now.

A 6/8 split means some teams play more games than others in a season, and a 7/7 would see a "spare" team left out each week. Neither is workable.

[Hibbyradge]

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I don't think a 6/8 or a 7/7 split would work. I think they'd be even more embarrassing than the crap split we put up with now.

A 6/8 split means some teams play more games than others in a season, and a 7/7 would see a "spare" team left out each week. Neither is workable.

They're workable, although not perfect

It could be arranged that the team in 7th place sits out on the last day, the team in 6th on the 2nd last day, 5th on the 3rd last etc etc.

That would remove the possibility of a team competing for the title having an advantage.

It won't happen though. The current set up has been pretty successful overall.

[cleanyman]

I like the split but this season has been a farce. They would have known last June that this could happen

Useless

[Thecat23]

If we finished bottom six I doubt any would be in favour of it. If safe from relegation then season is over. 14 team league no split for me. That way you could be 7th but still get money from playing say Celtic in the final 5 games.

Sometimes keeping things simple is the best way to move forward.

[Hibbyradge]

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If we finished bottom six I doubt any would be in favour of it. If safe from relegation then season is over. 14 team league no split for me. That way you could be 7th but still get money from playing say Celtic in the final 5 games.

Sometimes keeping things simple is the best way to move forward.

3 rounds of 13?

[The_Exile]

I'd rather go back to a 10 team league with 4 games against each other, There's only really around 8 or 9 good teams anyway with a decent enough fan base. 16 team league would mean less money for all and would mean games against Alloa, Dumbarton, Cowdenbeath, Brechin etc rather than extra games against Aberdeen, Celtic, Rangers, Hearts.

[Gatecrasher]

No. I'm not against a split in the league but it needs to be done fairly and that just isn't happening.

[My_Wife_Camille]

I like it but it’s not perfect. Scottish football get pelters from all angles, especially from within our own country, for being backwards and stuck in the dark ages etc but then when we come up with a league format that’s different to the norm then it’s a lot of pish and everyone just wants to go back to the old fashioned way.

I think in theory it’s a good thing. It keeps some level of excitement up for almost every team going into the closing stages of the season. Going into the last few games before the split you had Hearts, St Johnstone and Motherwell all realistically challenging for a top 6 place, giving them something to play for despite being stranded in mid table. Granted, those teams don’t have much to look forward to now but without the split they’d be in the exact same position with 10 games to go instead of just 5. This meant that with only a hand full of games left you still had every team in the league fighting for something. In a bigger league with no split you end up with dead rubber games in February and March instead of just a couple on April and May.

The imbalance with the fixtures is an obvious downside to it though and should really be looked at.

[jgl07]

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I don't think a 6/8 or a 7/7 split would work. I think they'd be even more embarrassing than the crap split we put up with now.

A 6/8 split means some teams play more games than others in a season, and a 7/7 would see a "spare" team left out each week. Neither is workable.

The 'more games' doesn't make much sense. Those in playoff positions have to play more matches than those that are not. At the moment it appears that Hibs will get only 18 home games and 20 away

My solution is a 14 Team League with a 6/8 split.

That would give 26 League games pre-split and either 14 or 10 post-split. That would give 40 matches for the bottom eight and 36 for the top six.

The bottom two would go down automatically and the playoff would be restricted to Championship teams.

The top six could have a Europa League Playoff built-in for the two places left after Cup Winners automatic place and the CL place for the League winner.

[Just Alf]

I'd like to see the league upped to, probably, 16 and as is being considered in rugby no longer have promotion / demotion....

As far as the split is concerned some times I'm all for it and at other times I don't like it at all :-/


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[Curried]

I voted no.

This league has suffered a death of a thousand cuts over the last 30/40 years due to the Glasgow duopoly. The sooner we stand up for all Scottish football teams (not simply those with a rampant love for england or ireland) and back a larger league (i.e two games a season home and way) the better.

[easty]

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The 'more games' doesn't make much sense. Those in playoff positions have to play more matches than those that are not. At the moment it appears that Hibs will get only 18 home games and 20 away

My solution is a 14 Team League with a 6/8 split.

That would give 26 League games pre-split and either 14 or 10 post-split. That would give 40 matches for the bottom eight and 36 for the top six.

The bottom two would go down automatically and the playoff would be restricted to Championship teams.

The top six could have a Europa League Playoff built-in for the two places left after Cup Winners automatic place and the CL place for the League winner.

A play off game is not a league game, it's a play off game. All teams should play the same amount of league games. Obviously.

[GreenCastle]

We made it this season but I’m still against it.

I still think a larger league playing each other x2 a season Home and Away would add more interest.

I still think far too many teams in all the Scottish Leagues.

They should help clubs develop infrastructure further with stadium / fan experience and clubs linking with the community.

I would still have an open tier / pyramid system so ambitious clubs can move up. That was introduced far too late but shows that teams like Edinburgh City should be given a chance.

But you have a few issues..

Old Firm
TV
Blazers running the game in this country

[Thecat23]

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3 rounds of 13?

It’s been a long day HR 😁

[Vini1875]

From a football point of view 16 teams playing each other twice over a season, allows cups to be exciting still and breaks for weather internationals etc, with the possibility of someone else winning the league. From a business stand point it is as you were. Most seasons there are the majority of teams with something to play for so it works.


Some of the suggestions of splits of 7/7 and 6/8 are a total non sense.

[marinello59]

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I like it but it’s not perfect. Scottish football get pelters from all angles, especially from within our own country, for being backwards and stuck in the dark ages etc but then when we come up with a league format that’s different to the norm then it’s a lot of pish and everyone just wants to go back to the old fashioned way.

I think in theory it’s a good thing. It keeps some level of excitement up for almost every team going into the closing stages of the season. Going into the last few games before the split you had Hearts, St Johnstone and Motherwell all realistically challenging for a top 6 place, giving them something to play for despite being stranded in mid table. Granted, those teams don’t have much to look forward to now but without the split they’d be in the exact same position with 10 games to go instead of just 5. This meant that with only a hand full of games left you still had every team in the league fighting for something. In a bigger league with no split you end up with dead rubber games in February and March instead of just a couple on April and May.

The imbalance with the fixtures is an obvious downside to it though and should really be looked at.

Well said.

[heretoday]

The split's all about the bigger clubs getting more money, isn't it?

[Hibbyradge]

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The split's all about the bigger clubs getting more money, isn't it?

It's about all the teams in the top league getting the maximum available.

[Hibbyradge]

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From a football point of view 16 teams playing each other twice over a season, allows cups to be exciting still and breaks for weather internationals etc, with the possibility of someone else winning the league. From a business stand point it is as you were. Most seasons there are the majority of teams with something to play for so it works.


Some of the suggestions of splits of 7/7 and 6/8 are a total non sense.

The Danish League has a 6/8 split.

As does Bulgaria.

[Hibbyradge]

Finland has 12 teams.

They play each other 3 times.

[MyJo]

Bit of a radical formula but:

12 team premiership
12 team championship

22 game league seasons with every team playing each other 1 home and 1 away game followed by playoff leagues.

Top 8 in premiership
Bottom 4 from premiership & top 4 from Championship
Bottom 8 from Championship

Points go back to zero or an amount of points are awarded based on final league position during round 1. Second round of 14 games played to determine European places in premiership playoff league & promotion/relegation in the others.

Make everything below this regionalised between highland (north/west) and lowland (South/east) in a full pyramid structure.

Keeps the 12 team premiership & the 36 game season and, assuming Celtic and Rangers finish in the top 8, keeps the 4 old firm games a year for TV deals.

Gets rid of the awkwardness of the split just now when it comes to having even numbers of home and away games etc and gives Scottish football its own identity away from trying to copy what English football is doing with far less resources.