[Archived] Two Tier Premier League

[philipl]

Garside's plan for two 18 member Premier Divisions including the Old Firm seems to be surviving much longer than anyone could have imagined. The OKs to take the talks further from UEFA are very surprising.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Garside's plan for two 18 member Premier Divisions including the Old Firm seems to be surviving much longer than anyone could have imagined. The OKs to take the talks further from UEFA are very surprising.

The OK from UEFA was surprising at first but incorporating Scottish clubs into English leagues could give other UEFA and FIFA countries ammo to merge the British FAs and thus reducing the block voting that many European clubs have always hated and reduce British power in the game.

[philipl]

This has the makings of a grand scrap!

[den]

There is only one reason why Rangers and Celtic would want to play in England - the Sky TV money. They want a share of that. Which ever way you look at it, those two clubs would be taking that cash away from two English clubs.

So, as far as I'm concerned - never

[chocky]

The OK from UEFA was surprising at first but incorporating Scottish clubs into English leagues could give other UEFA and FIFA countries ammo to merge the British FAs and thus reducing the block voting that many European clubs have always hated and reduce British power in the game.

Isn't Monaco an independant principality but they play in the French league..surely the die has already been cast..I'm against it myself and even think we should expel the Welsh to their own league...at least then Total Network Solutions, sorry The New Saints, would have some competition themselves..NO THANK YOU...

[broadsword]

There is only one reason why Rangers and Celtic would want to play in England - the Sky TV money. They want a share of that. Which ever way you look at it, those two clubs would be taking that cash away from two English clubs.

So, as far as I'm concerned - never

It would also screw up what was left of the Scottish game.

[ABBEY]

STUFF CELTIC AND RANGERS...THEY AINT ENGLISH SO WHY ALLOW THEM IN...OR CARDIFF AND SWANSEA.

OR GO THE WHOLE HOG AND MAKE THE PREM GLOBAL AND F US ALL.

[Guest Vinjay606]

I suppose if they let Celtic fans in average beer sales in EPL grounds will go up 80%. Most drunken group of fans I've ever seen.

Rangers fans no doubt are the same. Though if they promise to trash Manchester again I'll perhaps welcome them.

Overall though astonishing levels of drunken behavior and glorification of terrorism are not top of my list in terms of what I want to see at Ewood.

[RovertheHill]

I'd suggest it's more likely that the super-rich clubs will simply have done with it and play in a European "Premier" League, with no relegation or promotion (unless of course you are bought by a gazillionaire)

[bazza]

It would also screw up what was left of the Scottish game.

I don't think so, Bryan.

Getting rid of the two giants would do wonders for the aspirations of at least eight clubs. It would then be a realistic possibility for any of them to win the league.

Just think of the breath of fresh air we would get in the EPL if we got rid of the current top four.

[Hughesy]

If they allow this, then other countries will start to follow the idea and it wont take long (10 years maybe) before there is a european super league - just as they have planned for ages

[rovgers]

There is only one reason why Rangers and Celtic would want to play in England - the Sky TV money. They want a share of that. Which ever way you look at it, those two clubs would be taking that cash away from two English clubs.

So, as far as I'm concerned - never

What, two English teams like Swansea or Cardiff!

[broadsword]

I don't think so, Bryan.

Getting rid of the two giants would do wonders for the aspirations of at least eight clubs. It would then be a realistic possibility for any of them to win the league.

Just think of the breath of fresh air we would get in the EPL if we got rid of the current top four.

It would be like eight blind beggars fighting over a bag of wotsits/

EDIT: What would the TV revenue be? What sort of money would they take at the gates?

It would be like the Norwegian league or something.

Very bad.

[bazza]

It would be like eight blind beggars fighting over a bag of wotsits/

EDIT: What would the TV revenue be? What sort of money would they take at the gates?

It would be like the Norwegian league or something.

Very bad.

So Aberdeen v Dundee or Kilmarnock v Motherwell take no money at the gates currently?

[DanLad]

It would be like eight blind beggars fighting over a bag of wotsits/

EDIT: What would the TV revenue be? What sort of money would they take at the gates?

It would be like the Norwegian league or something.

Very bad.

Ah, you only watch the big clubs in telly?

You only go to the ground when we're playing big clubs?

Personally, I've little interest in seeing the big clubs get all the refs decisions and win everything. I wouldn't mind a fair playing field and a chance to win something...

Edit - typo

PS Might be a bit of beer talking here!

[broadsword]

Well, oWell, I guess you'd pull in some cash from 6000 supporters attending, but it's hardly teh take that Man Utd get is it?

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Ah, you only watch the big clubs in telly?

You only go to the ground when we're playing big clubs?

Personally, I've little interest in seeing the big clubs get all the refs decisions and win everything. I wouldn't mind a fair playing field and a chance to win something...

Edit - typo

PS Might be a bit of beer talking here!

We obviously don't just watch the big clubs, but we're a minority. Compare Sky's viewing figures sometime and then wonder how many of the tens of millions of Premier League fans around the world are excited by Rovers v Wigan.

If Gartside's plan is the lesser of two evils - the alternative being losing the Big Four and TV money falling by 90% as the Premier League becomes a slightly bigger version of the Fizzy Pop - then I'll reluctantly accept it. If the Big Four are opposed to it as the papers report, since it will impact their share of the TV takings, then it could turn out to be the first step on the road to a permanent Champions League after all.

[philipl]

Plan running into difficulty.

The killer of course is the EPL will not get any more European places so rovers would not only need to get past all the English clubs but the Old Firm as well to achieve European qualification. I doubt the Old Firm would be allowed to compete in the Scottish Cup any longer just as Cardiff and Swansea (and Wrexham and Newport and Merthyr and Rhyl and Colwyn Bay) are no longer allowed to play in the Welsh Cup.

Wonderful footage of Cardiff beating Real Madrid in 1971 from the days when the Welsh Cup included Football League teams and there was the old Cup Winners Cup in Europe.

[Billy Castell]

Not really thought about the consequences of a two tier Premiership, but I will never agree to the Old Firm being parachuted in. Firstly, the fans can be violent, bigotted Belfast wannabes with their songs and assaults on opposition players. And secondly, they will take the place of two English teams. If they must join, then treat them as new teams and let them come through the non-league like FC United, AFC Wimbledon and Scarborough Athletic.

[Guest Vinjay606]

If I owned one of the non league clubs I wouldn't want a bunch of drunkards (Celtic fans are the most drunken people I've ever seen) being admitted and probably trashing the ground. Would run up massive repair bills.

[philipl]

The Independent seeks comments on how the Premier eague can be made competitive again.

[Eddie]

When you read the West Brom chairman's comments it actually makes you wonder how we have so little to spend.

[blue phil]

If Gartside's plan is the lesser of two evils - the alternative being losing the Big Four and TV money falling by 90% as the Premier League becomes a slightly bigger version of the Fizzy Pop - then I'll reluctantly accept it. If the Big Four are opposed to it as the papers report, since it will impact their share of the TV takings, then it could turn out to be the first step on the road to a permanent Champions League after all.

My gut instinct is that the big four leaving the prem would only mean the money drying up short term - for a season or two until the world realised that a Euro league has neither the passion nor the tradition of the English top league . The massive money may never be the same but the public would vote with their subscription fees for the football they want to watch ........bad news for the Euro fantasists .

In the meantime the prem would be more competitive than ever - from top to bottom . That would be the bigger draw for the British public and would be better for clubs such as ours .

The role of the "big" clubs in the prem is massively overestimated . They need the other clubs more than they need them . Who on earth would be interested in a mid season Euro league match between Chelsea and Anderlecht ? Or even worse Hamburg versus Ajax ?

As for the prem league the biggest match in the next few days isn't the Manchester derby or Arse versus Chelsea .......... it's Newcastle against Middlesbrough .

[Fife Rover]

Not really thought about the consequences of a two tier Premiership, but I will never agree to the Old Firm being parachuted in. Firstly, the fans can be violent, bigotted Belfast wannabes with their songs and assaults on opposition players. And secondly, they will take the place of two English teams. If they must join, then treat them as new teams and let them come through the non-league like FC United, AFC Wimbledon and Scarborough Athletic.

I've been saying that for years Billy.....but nobody listens. It's all about money.......the ONLY thing that matters these days. Football is absolutely their LAST concern; just a means to an end. And the fans also are just the silly fools that provide the money.

Oh dont get me started again!!

[Billy Castell]

Perhaps we should stand outside the Premier League offices like that man who dresses up as John Bull whenever England employ a foreign manager.