They need to raise the question amongst themselves: "Why haven't sky pumped billions into our league?". Maybe if they got their shit in order up there and had a decent structure, instead of just 2 clubs dominating.
Saying that, I wouldn't be opposed to chelsea opting out to join the spanish league. ;-)
If it's true this can only be a decision by Celtic to join the Premier League ASAP. I would leave the Scottish League looking very small time, and Rangers basically in the kakky. In the 60 plus years that I have looked at the Scots, it has almost always been two massive Clubs plus a load of dross. There is no real sign that it will ever be anything of interest outside of Scotland, and with their passion for independence let them get on with it !
If they come to England they should start off in the Conference North, or lower, why do they deserve special treatment, if they want to play in England then they should earn the right to on the pitch.
Really can't see this happening. There would be uproar if they joined the premier league and they simply cannot afford to join lower than that as they lose the revenue from guaranteed European football every season (which they would also lose if they joined the EPL but the normal revenue from just being there would more than compensate for that).
Also can't see either English or Scottish fans doing all the travelling that would be needed.
Interesting that most who are opposed to it are just saying no rather than give an answer as to why not and those that have given a reason it tends to be because of a personal issue with the old firm/Scotland.
Part of me wants to see what it would be like and would finally shut everyone up about what level the top 2 in Scotland are at compared to the English league and of course there would be benefits to our teams, most noteably increased attendances for those games, lets face it if we were playing Celtic or Rangers in a league match we would all go.
Also those saying they should start in the conference/whatever the lowest league you can think of, let's not be silly, if you are saying they have to play for the right to be in the league that's fine but I imagine most who have said that probably agreed with AFC being entered into a higher league than they should have started off in.
Why not? Because if Scotland does want to be an independent country it will have to manage without English money and that goes for football too. Celtic or Rangers would be denying an English or Welsh club a place or increasing fixture congestion. And if they were allowed in we'd end up having to take the rest of Scottish football too or it would be discrimination. As someone has already said, without a sugar daddy Celtic would be hard pushed to get out of the Championship still less qualify for Europe. No thanks.
A British cup to replace the League Cup competition has some mileage though. Could be fun for all concerned and breathe new life into a dead competition.
The Scots are dead scared of losing their international individuality. I do not see them allowing this to happen, and cannot envisage a way of making it work.
If it happens, it would be as a result of the UK going fully integrated as mentioned above. Including a UK international team (which I actually wouldn't mind given that France won a World Cup based on raiding the colonies, and the USA is more disparate than the UK yet allows them a melting point of 100 times as many people!).
If I were Glasgow or Edinburgh-based with a bit of cash & connections I'd be very tempted to start a club & apply to join the English pyramid (though as others have indicated you could expect to be turned down). Starting at the bottom, you'd stand a good chance of getting to L1 or Championship, and possibly Prem (if Barnsley/Swindon/Burnley etc can get there, so can 'Glasgow Thistle').
Easier to do it from scratch, as supporters aren't making any sacrifice. Added non-sectarian appeal which some will like (minority i'm sure).
Guernsey FC have done just that this season, started at the bottom and currently running away with their league, Combined Counties (Surrey/ N Hants). They did a deal to cover the travel costs to Guernsey for each opposing team, and on that basis were voted in by the other clubs (free trip to Guernsey, play in front of crowds 10 x the usual ... why not?). Guernsey's not even in the UK.
Plus, Gretna were in the English system before switching to the Scottish leagues...
What league did FC United of manchester start in? If a Scottish clube wanted to climb the English pyramid then maybe they need to follow the example of FC United.
FC United were a new club. Whereas Scottish Clubs are already established and I doubt that many of those budgets would be sustainable in those very bottom leagues. But I assume from the scottish Div 1 and down would all be League Two average teams, huge guess there.
Ideally I'd love to see this put in place, but couldn't see likes of Celtic entering anywhere as low as League One as they would lose so much TV and other revenue streams.
Not interested in any Scottish team ever joining an English League, no thanks, Swansea, Cardiff, Queens Park or Berwick Rovers make not a jot of difference to my attitude either, dont want any of them regardless of gates, big games yadda yadda,have no feeling for or against any of them but am 100% against the idea
I have to confess that in my youth I was mentally destroyed by the tearing up of the hallowed Wembly turf and the wanton distruction of the goals. Their clubs should never be allowed South. Ever. I do not believe I will ever truly get over it.
I would also add that bagpipes should be classified as offensive weapons and any one found in possesion should be hung and made to listen to replays until they die of boredom.
I mean this in a kind and caring way and have nothing against the Scotch.
I have nothing against anyone who likes to wear skirts and moans about everything and everyone; thinks that they are best placed to decide what is best for them, their neighbours and any children that they know or even don't know; that by simply saying it is not fair means it is a fact - and proves that after taking handouts for years still means that they still have the right to own what ever they deem to belong to them, even if others disagree, and even if individual Islands have voted to stay British they should be ignored, and to prove all this they can have a vote amongst themselves and that will make it all legal and fair and that somehow they will have no responsability to pay anything back for the years of monies paid to them and that it is only right that monies should continue to be paid to them as a right and while they are at it, they should still be able to vote on anything that that the English Parliment wants to do - as obviously they know best anyway.
Just thought I would make that clear in case anyone thought I did not like the scotch.
FC United were a new club. Whereas Scottish Clubs are already established and I doubt that many of those budgets would be sustainable in those very bottom leagues. But I assume from the scottish Div 1 and down would all be League Two average teams, huge guess there.
Ideally I'd love to see this put in place, but couldn't see likes of Celtic entering anywhere as low as League One as they would lose so much TV and other revenue streams.
If Celtic entered the English pyramid system at a 'high' level it would knock back a lot of so called smaller clubs. After all Alfreton (conference) beat the Wendies (league one) 14-0 so logically Celtic would need to prove themselves against worse teams than Alfreton in order to be admitted ;-)
Hope not. Too much nationalistic and bigoted crap surrounds both Glasgow teams. Unfortunately plenty of cranks down here would be willing to associate themselves with it as well - as is evidenced by some of the comments that get posted on this site from time to time.
Not interested in any Scottish team ever joining an English League, no thanks, Swansea, Cardiff, Queens Park or Berwick Rovers make not a jot of difference to my attitude either, dont want any of them regardless of gates, big games yadda yadda,have no feeling for or against any of them but am 100% against the idea
I have to confess that in my youth I was mentally destroyed by the tearing up of the hallowed Wembly turf and the wanton distruction of the goals. Their clubs should never be allowed South. Ever. I do not believe I will ever truly get over it.
I would also add that bagpipes should be classified as offensive weapons and any one found in possesion should be hung and made to listen to replays until they die of boredom.
I mean this in a kind and caring way and have nothing against the Scotch.
I have nothing against anyone who likes to wear skirts and moans about everything and everyone; thinks that they are best placed to decide what is best for them, their neighbours and any children that they know or even don't know; that by simply saying it is not fair means it is a fact - and proves that after taking handouts for years still means that they still have the right to own what ever they deem to belong to them, even if others disagree, and even if individual Islands have voted to stay British they should be ignored, and to prove all this they can have a vote amongst themselves and that will make it all legal and fair and that somehow they will have no responsability to pay anything back for the years of monies paid to them and that it is only right that monies should continue to be paid to them as a right and while they are at it, they should still be able to vote on anything that that the English Parliment wants to do - as obviously they know best anyway.
Just thought I would make that clear in case anyone thought I did not like the scotch.
No. Bringing any Scottish team in would benefit them and not Charlton. Scottish football has made a mess of its self and Celtic or whoever would be leaving a sinking ship. Let them sort out their own league.
A British cup to replace the League Cup competition has some mileage though. Could be fun for all concerned and breathe new life into a dead competition.
Agree, that it would be interesting - although for geographical, economic and other practical reasons, the first few rounds would have to be regionalised.
Then say at Quarter Final level, the 2 survivors from the Scottish regional rounds would be given places.
So 6 English and 2 Scottish clubs in the Quarter Finals.
A British cup to replace the League Cup competition has some mileage though. Could be fun for all concerned and breathe new life into a dead competition.
Agree, that it would be interesting - although for geographical, economic and other practical reasons, the first few rounds would have to be regionalised.
Then say at Quarter Final level, the 2 survivors from the Scottish regional rounds would be given places.
So 6 English and 2 Scottish clubs in the Quarter Finals.
and the fact that all scottish teams are poop now and they wouldnt get into the qtrs any other way
Comments
Saying that, I wouldn't be opposed to chelsea opting out to join the spanish league. ;-)
It's The Football League and The FA. It's not an English league.
Also can't see either English or Scottish fans doing all the travelling that would be needed.
Part of me wants to see what it would be like and would finally shut everyone up about what level the top 2 in Scotland are at compared to the English league and of course there would be benefits to our teams, most noteably increased attendances for those games, lets face it if we were playing Celtic or Rangers in a league match we would all go.
Also those saying they should start in the conference/whatever the lowest league you can think of, let's not be silly, if you are saying they have to play for the right to be in the league that's fine but I imagine most who have said that probably agreed with AFC being entered into a higher league than they should have started off in.
A British cup to replace the League Cup competition has some mileage though. Could be fun for all concerned and breathe new life into a dead competition.
If it happens, it would be as a result of the UK going fully integrated as mentioned above. Including a UK international team (which I actually wouldn't mind given that France won a World Cup based on raiding the colonies, and the USA is more disparate than the UK yet allows them a melting point of 100 times as many people!).
Easier to do it from scratch, as supporters aren't making any sacrifice. Added non-sectarian appeal which some will like (minority i'm sure).
Guernsey FC have done just that this season, started at the bottom and currently running away with their league, Combined Counties (Surrey/ N Hants). They did a deal to cover the travel costs to Guernsey for each opposing team, and on that basis were voted in by the other clubs (free trip to Guernsey, play in front of crowds 10 x the usual ... why not?). Guernsey's not even in the UK.
Plus, Gretna were in the English system before switching to the Scottish leagues...
Ideally I'd love to see this put in place, but couldn't see likes of Celtic entering anywhere as low as League One as they would lose so much TV and other revenue streams.
Bringing any Scottish team in would benefit them and not Charlton.
Scottish football has made a mess of its self and Celtic or whoever would be leaving a sinking ship. Let them sort out their own league.
Then say at Quarter Final level, the 2 survivors from the Scottish regional rounds would be given places.
So 6 English and 2 Scottish clubs in the Quarter Finals.
and the fact that all scottish teams are poop now and they wouldnt get into the qtrs any other way