IT’S TAKE TWO
Another new plan pushes for league reconstruction with Old Firm Colts and an extended Championship
A REVISED SPFL reconstruction plan that would create a 12-team Championship and introduce Old Firm Colts to League Two is currently under discussion.
The 12-12-10-10 concept would mean no relegation from the Championship for a season if it was to gain sufficient backing for introduction.
Two clubs would be promoted from League One and two from League Two. The two vacant spaces in the bottom tier would be taken by B teams from Celtic and Rangers.
Further expansion could then potentially take place through two subsequent seasons of automatic promotion for the Highland League and Lowland League champions.
That option would lead to a 12-12-12-10 set-up before the senior ranks were increased to 48 teams in a 12-12-12-12 structure.
Celtic and Rangers would make a financial contribution to the prize money pot available and also take an allocation of tickets for their Colts’ away games.
The plan is being formulated by the SFA’s Professional Game Board (PGB), but has a number of significant hurdles to overcome.
Premiership sides outwith the Old Firm would have the least to gain and, with an 11-1 majority required in the top flight, their support will likely be sought before it is decided whether a formal proposal can be put to
clubs across the four divisions. It’s understood the prospect of a vote before the end of the current campaign has yet to be completely ruled out, although there is clearly only a small window of time remaining. Discussions between various parties have been ongoing in recent weeks.
Sportsmail revealed in January that Colt teams were back on the agenda after a working group headed by Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson was set up by the PGB. That group reported back earlier this year with a plan for 12-10-10-16 — which would have included Highland League and Lowland League sides along with the Colts in an expanded League Two — and has since been disbanded.
The updated proposals put forward by the PGB aim to offset lower-league opposition by expanding the Championship and scrapping relegation from League Two during the expansion period. There is still scepticism in some quarters about its viability, with the issue of Colt teams remaining a particularly divisive issue.
Speaking last week to the Price of Football podcast, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster urged ‘open minds’ in what has become an extremely longrunning debate. ‘B teams are an established way of developing young players,’ said Doncaster.
‘Talking to my counterparts at other leagues across Europe, they do say B teams are a very effective way of doing that.
‘It’s not just about B teams. We are also looking at the concept of strategic partnerships between clubs and we have one in place at the moment between Stenhousemuir and Hibernian that appears to offer benefits to both clubs. ‘It’s about horses for courses and what suits certain clubs.
‘Ultimately, what we are trying to do is develop better and more young players for the clubs in Scotland but also for the Scotland national team. I think we should be open-minded to the best way of achieving that.’