Regan’s plan to save season as clubs prepare for doomsday scenario
Former SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has proposed a seven-point plan of action to deal with the coronavirus crisis that has halted football.
The Englishman, who spent eight years in charge at Hampden Park, took to social media to give his views on the way ahead.
Regan suggested that completing leagues should be the priority.
He would cancel next term’s winter break and make teams use youth players for cup competitions.
Regan wrote: “Here’s a few thoughts for those now dealing with the issue of ‘what happens to the end of the current football season’.
“If all leagues have to be postponed indefinitely due to coronavirus then one option is to take the following steps –
1 – Start playing football again at the earliest opportunity, following advice from the World Health Organisation and government.
2 – Start from where the season stopped when it was postponed, and play the final nine or so rounds of fixtures, culminating in titles, promotion and relegation. Include midweeks.
3 – Squeeze the new league season into a tighter timeframe by freeing up fixture dates currently occupied by FA and League Cup matches.
4 – Cancel the winter break next year and use it to catch up.
5 – Extend the normal ‘end of season’ by two weeks to add further contingency if required.
6 – For next season all cup games should involve non-first team squad players thus giving opportunities to youth players to show their potential. These should be played midweek to allow first team league matches on the weekend.
7 – This is not without issue especially for League Cup and FA Cup sponsors, but it means continuity and offers a one-year, pragmatic, potential solution.
Meanwhile a radical plan that would see Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers promoted to senior football, and the creation of a 14-team Premiership, have been drawn up should the outbreak of the coronavirus end the current Scottish football season.
A number of options over the future of this campaign, as well as what next season looks like, are being looked at.
However, the prospect of no relegation from any league in this campaign, together with an increase to 44 senior teams, has support from a number of clubs.
If football is cancelled for the season, the proposal would see current Lowland League leaders, Kelty, and the Highland League’s top side, Brora, automatically become senior clubs as opposed to facing each other in a Pyramid play-off semi-final before facing the SPFL’s bottom placed side – presently Brechin City – in a final.
The top two in League 2, Cove Rangers and Edinburgh City, would be moved upwards to League 1, with Stranraer and Forfar spared involvement with issues at the foot of that table.
Raith Rovers and Falkirk would receive an uplift to the Championship, with Partick Thistle and Queen of the South keeping their place there.
Dundee United and Inverness Caledonian Thistle would upwards to create a 14-team top-flight.
Hearts would therefore avoid relegation, with Hamilton avoiding the play-offs.
The plan is also believed to see the number of senior clubs reduced to 42 at the end of the 2020/ 21 season through a series of increased relegations.
The moves have gained sufficient support to be discussed with the SPFL, and further developments are expected this week,
A source at a club whose chairman is backing it said: “This plan ticks a lot of boxes, as it avoids any relegations that could be classed as unfair, should football be stopped.”