It is almost two years since we wrote in favour of a 14 team SPL with a top six, bottom eight split after teams have played each other twice. Under this model teams at the top of the league would play the same number of games against top six (20) but would play fewer games against teams outside this group (16 instead of 18).
This model also gives clubs whose sole objective in life is to cling onto TV and gate money generated by Celtic fans a better chance of surviving. The decades old business model of many of these clubs is under threat, not from huge clubs like Celtic, as they would have you believe, but from innovative and well-run clubs from places like Dingwall (population 5026), from where Ross County are about to demonstrate what good scouting and coaching can achieve.
More teams in the SPL will enable the league accommodate small well-run clubs like Ross County or Hamilton Accies before them, while continuing to drip-feed subsidy into those in the kind of debt that would make Sir David Murray wince, like Kilmarnock and Dunfermline.
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124 Comments- Pages:
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Paul67
How many in the SPL are well run?
HEARTS officials are working diligently to complete their club licensing application in time for UEFA’s deadline of March 31 to ensure they can compete in Europe next season.
The Edinburgh club, as with all others wishing to enter European competition, have just eight days to submit documents on every aspect of their business – sporting, infrastructure, personnel, legal and financial. Provided these are all in order with no payments outstanding up until December 31 last year, they should secure a club licence to play in Europe in season 2012/13.
Scottish clubs must initially submit their data for the Scottish Football Association to study. The SFA then nominates teams fit to enter UEFA’s Champions League and Europa League, with Rangers expected to miss out this year due to administration. UEFA has the power to deny any club entry to their competitions if they do not meet the strict criteria.
Tynecastle officials, along with parent club Ukio Bankas Investment Group, are gathering the necessary information to lodge their application by the end of next week.
Provided everything is submitted in time, sources at the SFA do not anticipate any problem with Hearts being granted a club licence by UEFA for next season.
Hearts hope to reach the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, either through progress in the Scottish Cup or via their final position in the Scottish Premier League.
MORT, KEVJUNGLE , TIMABHOY FROM PREVIOUS POSTS, THANKS FOR THE REPLIES, THE WEE STORRY AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT.
A FELLOW CQNer (who is a personal friend I met him at the Aviva tournament last year through a mutual friend,) phoned me up and told me he had 1 spare for Sunday. I thought contacting him initially would have been futile as I know he has a few people to sort out re Ibrox.
I AM ABSOLUTELY ELATED AS MY RUN OF 7 YEARS WITHOUT MISSING AN OLD FIRM GAME REMAINS IN TACT!!!!!!!!!1
THIS IRISH BHOY IS READY FOR A PARTY!!
HAIL HAIL
ROCCOBHOY
Murderwell will be my first team on the coupon tomorrow.
Neil should just send a copy of that picture showing Stokes getting scythed to the compliance officer.
Chairbhoy
I missed this yesterday but it is an excellent analysis of the current situation. I was just thinking of something similar as having a twitter exchange about TV monies but you have summed it up wonderfully.
A real lack of ambition or intent from some chairmen.
I’m all for more equal distribution of TV money but it won’t make much difference as the pot is so small to begin with. getting fans into their grounds will help these 10 clubs a lot more than the extra £200k some might get from TV money.
Mort
Just seen the headline in the back of the Metro paper ‘Hearts through after ref let-off’
Well l always thought refs in Scotland were rotten now l know why.
Chairbhoy on 23 March, 2012 at 12:14 said:
This
http://www.scotsman.com/news/tom-english-sky-will-fall-in-on-scottish-top-flight-without-old-firm-rivalry-1-2191668
EKBhoy, indeed.
RalphWaldoEllison, yes, agree. Not always…….
Chairbhoy, yes, agree, good points.
KevJungle, and you too.
mic1888, I don’t see anything to be alarmed about? A journo tells a concerned Celtic fan to tell a Celtic board member. Have I missed something?
IanBhoy929, thanks for buying CQN Magazine.
ASonOfDan, Celtic, Hibs, Aberdeen, Motherwell, St Johnstone.
In 2010 EIGHT out of the Twelve SPL clubs returned a wage-to-turnover ratio in excess of the recommended 60 per cent, in particular Hearts who recorded a 126 per cent ratio.
Now they want a bigger slice of Celtic’s pie to compensate for their mis-management.
Hunbelievable…
Right boys I’m full of these ?’s the day lol.
What name are we gonnae call them in future if found guilty.
Cmon you guys think of something that will get under their skin for cheating.
Richie on 23 March, 2012 at 11:39 said:
tee hee
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/celtic-set-to-sneer-at-grubby-stadium-201203235049/
Celtic supporter Tom Logan said “Whilst one is willing to temporarily countenance the company of a Hun on occasions such as these, the frankly dreadful selection of Chablis at Ibrox is beyond the pale.”
“I doubt that I will be taking my gloves off when I’m in their ghastly little stadium and I shall be instructing my man to ensure the Bentley’s engine is kept running at all times should the whole affair become too distressingly shabby.”
The home team has been ordered to replace the traditional pre-match handshake with a tug of the forelock to their betters and Celtic has asked whether somebody will be keeping an eye on the valuables in their dressing room during the match ‘just in case’.
In a gesture of goodwill, Rangers have been told they can keep the coin tossed at the start of the match, as long as they promise not to spend it all on gin or at the bookies.
Muahahahahahahahaha.
(thumbsup)
ASonOfDan
What is the source of those figures mate?
Now remember if we are speaking to any of our Hun mates or if we call a phone in we need to refer to them by this name at all times.
oglach – Oh, snap! (thumbsup)
Paul67
Thought he was inferring somehow Eric Riley would vote with Newco to scare off the ten. Maybe I missed something
Surely if we score first on Sunday then the partys over for Huns.
Afternoon Celts and a happy Friday to ye all.
re this re distribution / changing the rules etc. Apart from the most annoying part (for me), which is that the ten are meeting up to discuss a future state of the SPL without Celtic FC, as a stakeholder we need to be part of any such meeting to provide the opposing or alternative view.
Apart from that does anyone have knowledge of how other football organisations divvy up the money e.g. is it an equal share of tv money or not? and in what countries, are there instances where gate money is pooled together (can’t see it but you never know).
I think it would be good to look outside Scotland to see what others are doing, maybe its an opportune moment to change the shape and structure of the football we have in Scotland, change is good in this instance, but as Paul67 says, not because failing clubs want a share of other clubs money to survive.
V
Rangers Newco (to be known as Team GB) have withdrawn bid for the Olympic Stadium after all. Initial interest was expressed by a Rangers Consortium after Team GB’s sportswear was unveiled in London yesterday.
“The colours suited us perfectly” said Paul Murray, “and we would have we saved a fortune by simply wearing the hand-me-downs from the athletes after the Olympics are over.”
Murray however expressed disappointment and called the deal off after Fat Sally couldnt fit into a pair of Sally Gunnell’s navy blue knickers and the British Olympic Committee wanted more than a pound for the stadium.
Paul67 – It’s interesting that the only thought the gang of 10 seem to be concerned with is how to grab – sorry, “redistribute” – more money from Celtic.
For the good of the game, you understand.
One chairman – I’d love to know who – maybe his name starts with John Yorkston – told the BBC that they were “at war” with Celtic.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to reshape Scottish football for the better, and the limit of their ambition and creative thinking is “how can we take more from Celtic?”.
They behave like female contestants on “The Apprentice”, seeing everything as a zero-sum game in which they must bite, scratch, and backstab the more able and talented in order to serve their own narrow, petty agenda.
Scotland can seem, at times, like a claustrophobic little place run by mediocrities who have an unaccountably high opinion of themselves.
Wha’s like us? (thumbsup)
KevJungle – “Lennons Lions Get Ready To ROAR!!!” on 23 March, 2012 at 09:43 said:
I have already made my views known on the prospect of a poisonous plus atmosphere on Sunday.
I make no apologies for settling for an injury and red card less afternoon.
Even on the off chance that Celtic clinch the league there should be no laps of honour, no huddles. In fact absolutely nothing that gives the media rat pack any excuse to beat the gums about needless provocation.
I know the above might not be a popular viewpoint but it is one that I honestly hold.
Paul67 et al
Perhaps it might be preferable, and certainly more honest if Celtic PLC came out with a new mission statement for our Club. This would confirm what Peter Laywell intimated yesterday.
We at Celtic Park consider ourselves now and forever part of the Old Firm.
Regardless of what happens at Ibrox, we will continue to speak up for, and if necessary stand up for Rangers FC. No other football club in Scotland matters as much to Celtic FC than Rangers. Nor shall there ever be one. At Celtic Park we consider ourselves to be more than a Club, we are one of two Clubs. The Old Firm are us!
quonno on 23 March, 2012 at 12:49 said:
KevJungle – “Lennons Lions Get Ready To ROAR!!!” on 23 March, 2012 at 09:43 said:
Lads if I was Neil and the team, if we clinch the title there then I would party like there’s no tomorrow, f them I say cis they would do the same to us and rib it in.
Neil if we clinch the title there, party party party.
Yer damned of you do and damned if you dont matey.
According to The Scotsman:
“DUNFERMLINE chairman John Yorkston is hopeful his club’s relegation rivals will be spooked by the appointment of Jim Jefferies”
They’ll certainly be put off their pies when they see JJ’s big greeting red face, that’s for sure. (thumbsup)
from BBC news
Old Firm game in doubt as Duff n Duffer demand ten bob upfront “to watch” the Celtic team bus…
Tainted League
Richie & Oglach
The Daily Mash article has some humourous content but it’s the opening sentence that I think we should be focused on.
“Fans of Celtic will replace sectarian chants with ones about furniture…”
We’re too busy laughing at the comedy, that we don’t see what has been casually attributed to us.
Sectarian chanting…at Ibrokes…by us.
What sectarian chanting?
When?
There is no mention of the sectarian bile directed at Irish catholics who support Celtic, bile that pours from their stands during games against other SPL and foreign teams.
In the current climate, in the run-up to a even more highly charged game against them, even subtle accusations of sectarianism agianst Celtic fans needs to be challenged.
We know that “huns” is not sectarian. We know that one police commander who tried to enforce his version of sectarianism against Celtic fans at CP, has just been humiliated in public after being humiliated by his own police force.
I don’t know anything about the Daily Mash, but their lead sentence smacks of the ignorance and arrogance of some in non-Scottish media who lump us with RFCIA, and tar us as bad as them.
Yeah, I’ll laugh at them too, but not at the expense of enduring inaccurate and patronising comments denigrating Celtic and their fans.
As I said earlier, all Celts need to be careful this Sunday.
HH
HH…. Mon the judge…..
Ticketus them over…
For its a grand old day to be Celtic minded..
RalphWaldoEllison – We know that one police commander who tried to enforce his version of sectarianism against Celtic fans at CP, has just been humiliated in public after being humiliated by his own police force.
Who? (thumbsup)
kitalba
PricewaterhouseCoopers’
Boys I’m off I can’t even post the right words today lol.
Well, Ted, as I said last time, it won’t happen again. (thumbsup)
philvisreturns on 23 March, 2012 at 12:59 said:
‘RalphWaldoEllison – We know that one police commander who tried to enforce his version of sectarianism against Celtic fans at CP, has just been humiliated in public after being humiliated by his own police force.
Who? (thumbsup)’
Here’s a clue.
He used to be a referee.
ernie lynch – Did they find out that he likes to dress up as a baby? (thumbsup)
Is there a connection between the Compliance Officer requesting NL’s explanantion about his post-match comments and a letter complaining about NL to the Sports section of the Herald this morning? Mmmmmm.
Our Church… Paradise
RITCHIE
THE DAILY MASH article,IMO-it gets sent to me too-may as well have said
It’s Jockoland,and nobody cares,what a bunchalosers.
Noticed that attitude in a fair few of their attempts at humour over the years.
new article posted.
Paul67 on 23 March, 2012 at 12:33 said:
EDIT ALERT.
ASonOfDan, Celtic, Hibs, Aberdeen, Motherwell, St Johnstone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can I kindly request that you include Partick in the above list?
Somewhere between Motherwell and St Johnstone will do…….
Ta.