Up in Scottish football

WE are in an unprecedented moment around the world but what better time to give Scottish football the shake up it has needed for a long time?

There are far more serious things happening across the globe than worrying about football, I know, but that doesn’t stop us!

We’re still waiting to hear any kind of guidance from the powers-that-be over what is going to happen with this season.

I agree with there being a suspension in the short-term, like we are seeing right now.

Whatever happens with the coronavirus outbreak, the decision-makers at Uefa, the SFA, SPFL or wherever will be far better placed in three weeks to decide what happens next.

Even if that just means kicking the decision on again a few weeks if the pandemic is still raging.

There have been a few suggestions thrown out there – end the season right now, declare this campaign null and void, tally up average points – and I’m sure there are others I’ve missed.

I’ve always advocated for a larger top flight than the 12 teams we have at the moment and this is the perfect time to do that.

It’s the best way to keep as many clubs happy as possible, in my view.

So, this is a version of the end-the-season-right-now plan – declare Celtic, Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers champions. Three of those are well clear and likely to lift their respective titles.

I would say, expand the top flight to 14, bringing United and one more up, possibly keeping the promotion play-offs for a bit of flavour, but keeping Hearts in the division.

Then Raith and Falkirk come up to the Championship to make that back up to 10 with Partick and Queen of the South staying in the second tier.

Same goes for Cove and

Edinburgh City who are both clear in first and second in League Two.

Again Brechin stay up but there’s space for the Highland League and Lowland League winners to come up into the senior game.

For me, it’s the simplest way to keep as many teams as possible happy.

There are obviously flaws, like any plan, but it’s a way to reward teams for all the work they’ve put in like United to be clear at the top.

It also avoids real problems like automatically relegating the likes of Hearts and Partick when they’ll argue they could’ve escaped any trouble.

I’d even like a 16-team top flight but think a 14-10-10-10 set-up could solve a whole lot of problems now.

Let’s get it done.

Could restructuring see a Dundee derby in the Premiership?