As a Hibs fan, i dont want to "win" a league that Rangers and Celtic were not in. Its not worth winning. At the end of the day, the SPFL need to ddo better in marketing itself.
@@MattGFC1977 Yes,I am sure Cardiff and Swansea would want to leave the greatest League in the World to play with Glentoran,Barry Island and Ross County:)
@@shaunwalker2557 I don't remember anybody saying it was an english problem. You seem more interested in petty nationalist sentiment rather than having a better footballing pyramid thought-out the uk at large that encompasses all teams in the union. The revenue would just make the entire country at large stronger and unite us closer together at a time when some are trying to pull us apart. Use your head.
I personally like the idea of a UK/Ireland cup, with rules in place so that lower league teams don't suddenly get drawn across the whole isles (say a club in Ireland playing the very north of Scotland, or say Aberdeen getting drawn against Plymouth on the very first draw).
The Premier League will never allow the old firm into the premier league for a number of reasons. Firstly UEFA are highly unlikely to give a British league more European places, this will mean it will be harder for existing premier league teams to get into Europe. Especially the champions league. Secondly the teams towards the bottom of the premier league will object to the fact that they are either more likely to get relegated (if the league stays at 20) or further from the top six if the league is expanded to 22. Thirdly their is the possibility of Scottish Independence in the future, although this is unlikely this would cause issues, also Scotland has an existing different legal and democratic framework which may cause competition issues. Lastly given the amounts of money involved and the quality of the premier league Rangers and Celtic would most likely spend their time mid table or possibly even be relegated. Given that the fan bases of both teams have only ever been huge fish in a small pond expected to win every game, ending up like a Sheffield Wednesday or Sunderland might not lead to much long term appeal, especially losing their regular European games.
It is more simple than this. The single most important question is how much more broadcast, marketing and media revenue can be generated. Everything else is an afterthought.
@uk145 II do not want the Old Firm to play in the English league as people would think Scotland was part of England. A better option is to keep our Scottish and Welsh Leagues, but also to have cross border cups on top of domestic and Eurooean football, with Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Northern Irish, MLS, French, Dutch, and Belgian club sides. We can the best of both worlds. We can have 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
@@rorysmith2415Cardiff played in the prem and they’re from wales… and people are still aware bale isn’t English, football really doesn’t have that much power buddy
@skullzyy6633 football has enormous power. People WOULD think Scotland was in England if our clubs played in the English league. End of story. I do not want Scotland to be seen as a county of England. How would you like it if people thought England was a county of Germany or a county of France?
What if there was a Community Shield-like tournament where the champions of the four Home Nations compete? Could be a first step, so that there can technically be a "Champion of the UK"
That would be impossible. The Welsh and NI teams would be beaten by the Scottish and English teams they'd face just about 10 times out of 10. It would also kick up a fuss with the FAI because they might want to be part of this too (and the Irish FA might support this but might not). I think it's more likely that the Irish league switches to match with the other leagues in the British Isles rather than this happening (which is to say, not at all)
English team plays too many games in a season with the Carabao Cup League games (as they play in a 20-team league not a 12-team league ) and FA Cup and European football it would be a bad deal for teams like Chelsea and City to join such a project. It is a more sensible idea to take the top-performing clubs and move them to the championship. Doing this will make football in the UK more equal in quality. These are historical clubs and should have a place in the best leage in Europe
Bearing in mind that all the big Welsh clubs play in the English league, the Welsh champions (and the NI champions) would just take a hammering. The New Saints vs Man City would be a complete no-contest.
They should’ve done it slower in the early 2000’s. Maybe started with a British Super Cup. Premier League winner versus SPFL winner as a season curtain raiser. In the League Cup invite a few wildcards from Scotland. These would’ve been the cautious steps to slowly bed it in.
Yes if they decide they do want to do something like this it will only get harder as the financial gap grows. Unless the top EPL teams + Rangers/Celtic swan off to a European Super League of course! (I wouldn't completely rule that out).
Yeah, I'm scared that they will become worse than they are 😂😂😂 who watches the Scottish league part from the obvious. Stay over the border. We really don't want you 😂😂
Best idea I can come up with is splitting League 2 into a Northern and Southern Division by merging it with the SPL (Barrow, Morecambe, Harrogate Town, Bradford City, Accrington Stanley & Salford City compete in SPL or BLN [British League North] I guess), obviously this would require an agreement for allowing clubs to move based on location requirements for the National League and Scottish Championship by having overflow spots available through promotion of the top 3 sides from the National League plus the winner of a playoff being promoted up (no relegation for 1 season) Based on how this season is currently sitting using a merged system for promotion: Celtic, Stockport County and Notts County are automatically promoted to League 1, with Wrexham vs. St. Mirren & Rangers vs. Mansfield Town in the playoff. I'd expect Rangers to win this play-off, but it feels like it should be offered. Carlisle United, Cheltenham Town, Fleetwood Town & Reading are all relegated down and join these newly merged leagues alongside the promoted teams of Chesterfield, Barnet and Dundee United. The final spot will go to the winner of a playoff between Raith Rovers vs. Solihull Moors and Bromley vs. the winner of Patrick Thistle vs. Altrincham. No clue who would win here, Raith Rovers I think should edge it. This would create 2 group with the BLS (British League South) consisting of Chesterfield, Reading, Cheltenham Town, Barnet, Crewe Alexandra, Gillingham, Swindon Town, AFC Wimbledon, MK Dons, Doncaster Rovers, Crawley Town, Walsall, Newport County, Colchester United, Forest Green Rovers, Tranmere Rovers, Sutton United + 3 teams determined by playoff results. The BLN (British League North) would consist of Kilmarnock, Dundee, Motherwell, Dundee United, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Livingston, Aberdeen, Ross County, St Johnstone, Barrow, Morecambe, Harrogate Town, Bradford City, Accrington Stanley, Carlisle United, Fleetwood Town + 3 teams determined by playoff results. Any further down effects should be fine as Scottish League 1 and the National League can just prevent a relegation to maintain the numbers needed if they get too few teams and have some flexibility when it comes to adding extra teams if needed. There is a risk of too many relegations to the National League (given I'd expect the likes of Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen to be able to move up to L1) but I think clubs like Gateshead and Hartlepool United may end up requesting to transfer into the SPL Divisions and a rework slowly down the pyramid would soon make this obsolete.
Obviously a British League Cup would involve a chaotic set of fixtures in the early rounds, with small teams travelling huge distances to play other small teams in games that would get little coverage. How about have it so that the early rounds are regionalized, but then at a certain round the draw 'opens up' to all teams. This would recreate the excitement we get in the FA Cup 3rd round draw. Yes, there would still be long trips for small clubs, but at least there'd potentially be more prize/TV money at stake for them. And I get the argument of "What's the point, English teams would invariably win". That's probably true, but even though the same teams win the FA Cup we still cherish the shocks and stories along the way.
There’s also the fact if Celtic & Rangers were to be shoe horned into the premier league it would surely mean that 2 of 3 clubs from the championship would have to be told sorry you’re not being promoted Celtic & Rangers are taking your place can’t you just see the legal action the 2 championship clubs would take!
Agree for it to happen the Premier League would need to be extended to 22 games. However, the pressure is already to reduce the size of the Premier League so that the Champions League can be expanding, and the national sides to have more international breaks, with bigger Euros and World Cups.
@@davidking9222 If it were up to me, there would be more emphasis on quality rather than quantity of teams and games. The World Cup and Euros already have too many teams taking part.
@@englishciderlover7347 I think the League Cup and even International friendlies/qualification will come under some scrutiny in the next few years. The fact that the PL obtained overseas rights for the FA Cup is probably telling aswell.
We really should have a UK wide Football League system. Would allow all clubs in the country to play teams of similar levels and give smaller clubs in the devolved nations more exposure and money. It’s a win win really
Would it not be prohibitively expensive for lower tier Irish and Scottish sides to have to travel to most away games. A UK wide league cup would surely be more effective?
We should defo have a UK cup of some sort (maybe allow them to compete in the FA Cup), but I think combining the leagues is a step too far (for now). The English leagues need to focus on improving the financial gap between the leagues, especially the prem and the championship. As a fan of a Championship team, atm it feels like a completely impossible jump up if you want to stay in the prem for more than a year or 2, unless you've been there before. e.g. Leicester will have no trouble going back up and probably staying there, but my club (Huddersfield Town) can maybe hope to go up and stay for 2 years before inevitably the financial gap catches up with us and we bomb out. Would really suck to just have more clubs added and now suddenly have 3 or 4 fairly wealthy clubs just appear that we now also have to beat to go up. Would completely remove even the hope of going up, considering instead of 2 or 3 wealthy clubs in the Championship, there would be 4 or 5, which takes up pretty much all the playoff spots. Getting promoted as a currently mid table championship side would suddenly become a feat similar to Leicester winning the prem. If your a fan of the EPL, it seems like a great idea to add the old firm to the prem, but it would do massive damage to the leagues below, essentially creating a constantly rotating "big 6" of the bottom of the EPL/ top of Championship, with everyone else just becoming fodder.
@@Foul_Quince Get rid of lower tier teams. There are way too many teams in Scotland. At best it could support two leagues of 14-16. Shite like Brechin, Montrose, Forfar, Arbroath etc need to merge, as do Fife teams. They aren't sustainable as full-time or as professional clubs.
Great video. I liked the argument about investment in the Scottish teams, that a potential pathway to a UK top flight would provide much greater incentive to invest in Scottish football. Sooner or later someone is going to establish a cross-border league somewhere - it might be the Baltic countries, Belgium and Netherlands, or someone else - and then the process here may accelerate.
Thank you! Yes a cross border league looks plausible, espeicially if clubs/leagues want to protect themselves against any incoming 'super league'. Thanks again, glad you enjoyed this.
@@hypersetgroup I really want to see the smaller nations from Europe do it. If you're a country of 2-5m people, or even a country of 10-20m people like Portugal or Netherlands, you've got no chance of sustaining a competitive domestic league against the likes of England or Spain or Germany with far bigger populations. Because the biggest disadvantage for these clubs is the size of their populations, a cross-border league is inevitable sooner or later.
The only way I can see this happening with it causing the least disruption possible would be for Celtic and Rangers to have the option of starting in one of the lower leagues, like League 2 or even the National League. They could add one of them each year and just have an extra relegation spot for whichever league they join and for the leagues below for 2 seasons, so they don’t have extra teams. The extra teams to get relegated could then receive a parachute payment as compensation because it is somewhat unfair on them. This way the lower leagues will get more revenue and interest, the teams in those leagues will get higher ticket sales when they play Celtic and Rangers (although they will also have more competition for a couple of seasons) and the 2 Scottish teams will have the chance to eventually play in the EPL if they’re good enough after taking a hit for a few years. If they’re not good enough, then starting them out in the EPL will only lead to them getting relegated anyway, so won’t make a difference either way.
yh but starting in league 2 when they are obviously above league 2 would be so stupid. Ruin 2 seasons mininum for other clubs as there are less promotion spots up for grabs and potentially result in relegation.
I am Scottish. I do not want the Old Firm to join the EPL. It would maje everyone think Scotland was a part of England. And if we created a British League merger, then all the trophies the English clubs had won would be counted as equal to the British trophies. While all the Scottish trophies would be seen as non-league status trophies. So Man Utd would be on 20 titles, Celtic, Aberdeen, and Rangers would be classified as having won zero titles. My preference is a best of both worlds where we keep our domestic leagues, and European qualification, but also have extra cross border cups with Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Northern Irish, French, MLS, Durch, and Belgian club sides. Like the way Scotland allows Northern Irish and Welsh sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup. Keep Scotland v England club sides as a exciting novelty. As an Aberdeen fan I would love some competitve games against English sides, but forty times a season with 20, 1000 mile trips a season would be too much. Lets have 3 strong leagues in Great Britain not just one. If the English really want to help Celtic soccer, then let us keep our own leagues, but have cross border cups with the British, Irish, French, and MLS sides.
@janice506 I can call it football or soccer. Do not be so precious about whether or not it is called football or soccer. I am British. Do not tell me to jog on just because I call it soccer or football.
Rangers and Celtic instantly become the biggest derby in England if they join. Cardiff and Swansea are in the English League System, there’s no reason who The Old Firm can’t. And don’t start with the “Glasgow is too far away”. Spanish clubs have to fly to Tenerife every week.
You're not wrong. Here in australia there is a soccer league where wellinton and perth play each other and the leagues doing well enough. That's a distance greater than 5000km😂. I imagine It would be no problem in this case.
Nothing to do with distance. It will kill scottish football because TV won't want to know if there isn't an old firm. Why do you think they play each other so many times??? It's for TV and that's where the money comes from
I’m English and would love to see the Old Firm compete in the Premier League. However, I think you would see another push for the European Super League as a result. The EPL is already the most lucrative and viewed league in the world and adding the Old Firm would up the ante considerably. Passionate crowds draw Tv attention, that’s why NUFC were the most broadcast team outside the “top 6” under Ashley’s reign, despite being utter dogshit at the time. Having more games with a rocking crowd means more attention and more money. The Euro leagues, already struggling, would cack their collective pants and push harder for the super league. IMO.
Yes good points, although I would see this as something to strengthen the Premier league's hand against any European Super League, rather than encourage one. I'd not thought of that scenario.
There was a window during which this might have happened but it’s long since closed. Rangers and especially Celtic have a worldwide support that only best English clubs would historically have been able to match. This would have been very appealing 20 years ago. The PL now has more money than it knows what to do with and the Glasgow clubs aren’t worth the hassle. Cross border leagues probably will happen in future, but it won’t be limited to the UK, because the financial power of the PL is strangling European leagues too.
@@joaoleonel1217 They have a lot of fans clubs around the world, but don't realise these are virtually all just ex-pats. Globally the Old Firm are sort of like Benfica - famous, yes, but with nothing that would make someone on the other side of the world choose to follow them over one of the truly big clusb who challenge for trophies that matter.
I think Scottish teams would get a lot more money and would rise quickly so Overall a good idea for them I understand they like there League being for Scottish teams and that’s fair
Make a North Britain League - add Middlesboro and Sunderland to the Scottish Premier League. Expand to 14 teams. Better attendance for the League plus almost 50% chance of European competition for Sunderland and Middlesboro
I like the idea of how you would get them into the league system basically having the spl and the championship on the same level and the winner of the spl going into the playoff just curious how the relgation of the prem clubs would happen cus if celtic win league then win playoffs they would leave the spl so and 3 English clubs would go down so the championship would suddenly have 25 clubs and the spl would have 11 clubs so like does the whole league system have to change do they have to stick in a rule where like there's 4 relations from the championship if a Scottish club wins the play offs does 1 more club have to come up in every league in Scotland everything this happens in order to balance the leagues out up there
Good points. Not only that what would happen if the Scottish team wins promotion to the EPL and gets relegated in a future season. Where would they go back to SPL or the championship? Also, if potentially one club a year from the SPL gets into EPL and no relegations this would cause further in balances. The only way to do it would be to create a British league system from scratch.
Good point. Could possibly introduce an extra relegation place in a season where the SPL / Championship has gained an extra team. Seems harsh but only way I can think of maintaining the structure. Say if Celtic got relegated back to the SPL then the next season you would have 13 teams not 12 but also have two relegation spots not one. Not ideal having an odd number of teams but doable.
Yes this is a good catch, a few people have mentioned it. Theres a few options. I think the simplest way may be to have the Championship and SPL fluctuate as required.
In the 1990s the Unibond League became the only league in Britain to contain English, Welsh and Scottish membership. Grenta, Caernarfon Town and Colwyn Bay played in the same division with English clubs. There is actually a legal precedent.
I think if they come South they should start in the Championship. If they can get out then they can hold their heads up. Stops the embarrassment of relegation first time around also.
@Vxuty they have South African sides playing in the rugby URC against Scottish sides. Why can't there be a Celtic conference in MLS playing Eastern American and Celtic sides?
I think you would have to merge the EPL with the Scottish league, and see if Scottish teams can qualify .I don't think any team should have preference.
One question about your playoff idea. So 2 teams get direct promotion to the EPL. But in the playoff, the Scottish champion might get promoted. But from the EPL 3 teams get relegated. Which leaves the Champioship with 25 teams. Beacuse instead of maybe the 4th placed going up in the playoff, Celtic got the spot. How do you fix this?
I think this is the big issue really, particularly given the different in league size. Your options imo are to either A) Have variable promotion spots available depending on who goes up/down B) Allow Northern clubs to compete in the SPL, which could be viewed as an easier way to get to the Prem
There was a deal done around the time abranovitch got Chelsea. Both rangers and Celtic would start in the championship, neither would be allowed to be promoted in the first season and only one could be promoted in the second season . The old firm agreed but the championship teams voted against it .
another great video essay, i actually had an idea to incorporate 5 spl clubs into the system which i don't think most will like but it would allow the spl and the prem to become more competitive. as the prem and EFL are technically separate entities i think the PL could create a tier below the PL of 20 teams,
Take 4 teams from each of the Isles leagues Ireland included and then draw from a pot until you hit an even number of teams Reformat the existing spl epl N.Ipl WelshPL and Irish Premiership into mixed leagues and give each team the same budget In each league Lower the amount per league and boom youve got an evened distribution between each country
@@YerMawIsMySeggstoy I don't think any plan which sees giving The New Saints and Bala Town the same status as Manchester United and Liverpool has been thought through too clearly.
@@RevStickleback how would do 3 things allow them to upgrade their stadiums Players transfers They would inturn pull in cash traffic for local teams and areas Helps raise the value of the land around the stadiums and help fund local jobs due to demand Imagine teams like Notts County Aberdeen Dundee utd ect having stable and garunteed cash flow as safety nets for their teams could be looking at massive comebacks to European stage ect
@@YerMawIsMySeggstoy They wouldn't have a guaranteed stable cash flow. Relegation would have very serious consequences for those Scottish clubs. Welsh league clubs pull in about 300 people, and play in towns of about 10,000. They could not support top division clubs.
Celtic fan, I wouldn't want us to play in England as tradition is more important that money. If scottish football league wants to improve their financial wealth they have to get creative, things like summer football would make the TV deal more competitive. Attendances would probably be better as it's not cold as siberia.
@@Parker_Douglaswhy would celtic hate England.. I Like England more than Scotland cheered England on when they beat Scotland chris Sutton is an English hero 2 celtic fans..celtic fans anti British not anti English 🏴🏴🏴🏴👌👌
Few replies missed the point there, having to bring nationalist pedantry into it, ffs. Anyway, @E6hosting - that is a superb point - moving the season to play through the summer rather than around it, like so many 'more northern' countries leagues do where it's a lot colder and darker for longer over winter. I might well watch SPL over the summer while there's nothing else on. Well, in an odd-numbered year anyway.
Sick of listening to this now - Scottish clubs should play in the SPL not our League. We genuinely don't need them and the big Glasgow clubs belong in their own league
The Premier League would never allow it. I am an Englishman. I have no qualms with it happening. If I was a Scot I'd be angry if I was a fan of any other team than Rangers or Celtic. The argument about the standard of Rangers / Celtic would be moot within a few seasons. Because once established into the PL they would get a lot of more cash and be able to sign bigger players and so forth. I just think the Premier League is in a very strong position. It doesn't need to bargain or show leverage to anyone right now. It would only make itself look slightly weaker if it were to allow foreign teams in and then proceed to lose the league to one of those. I just think, realistically it will never happen.
Even as a Celtic fan the idea that our first move to English football would ever be the Premier League is quite laughable. If - IF they were ever to invite us we'd be starting from the bottom and rightfully so. Personally I don't want it. All I want is for Sky to stop disrespecting us with their derisory TV deals and for Neil Doncaster to fuck off and stop selling our game to the first bidder. They also don't televise enough of the games they should be televising. Only showing Celtic and Rangers matches when it's always the same shit 11 men in the other team trying to defend their box. Show Hearts vs Hibs. Aberdeen vs Dundee Utd. Ross County vs St Johnstone and I guarantee you'll soon start respecting Scottish football that bit more when you see two teams who actually have a chance against one another if they go and have a go rather than just getting slaughtered by teams that most probably actually belong at a bigger league if only to balance things out a bit up here. Other than that I enjoyed the video lol and when I say respecting the game up here i mean Sky because clearly you have a high regard for the Scottish leagues by your video.
If they were to invite you? Your fans sing songs mocking the death of Lee Rigby, they chant pro-IRA songs, they hold up divisive political banners deliberately intended to provoke people. They openly hate Britain and consider themselves to be Irish. The club is in the process of paying out the victims of abuse. Scottish fans have a chip on their shoulder regarding the English. Now ask me why the hell the English would invite Celtic to play in their biggest league in the world.
Good video but I would have to question the fairness of such a system, say the play-off final is Sunderland vs Celtic, Sunderland would have had to get results against teams like Leicester and Leeds in a 24 team league to get into that position, Celtic would have to contend with Livingston and Ross county in a 12 team league, not exactly the same feat.
Not wanting Celtic and Rangers in the premier league is not fear. Letting Scottish clubs in would be at the expense of English clubs. Why would we want this? It’s hard to imagine that Scottish clubs as a whole would benefit the English leagues.
Hell and back my hole, GERS fans only started piping back up when they made it back in the Scottish Prem, took longer right enough when the mighty Motherwell pumped them bach to division one, then the reptiles came back out their caves! plastic glory hunting fans who worship the queen of England and not their own people or country.@@JohanCruyff-wj4pf
I remember reading that teams aren't allowed to play in another country's league. All the teams that do are long standing arrangements from the foundation of the leagues, eg Welsh clubs in England, Monaco in France and Berwick in Scotland. In addition, other than TV companies, who in England would want the Scottish teams playing in English football? Clubs sell out their grounds anyway, so no financial benefit, plus the likelihood of major outbreaks of violence every week, wouldn't make it a great sell.
Oddly enough, the Football League was never intended to be just for English clubs. The apparently hoped Scottish teams would join, but travel would have been awkward back then. Welsh clubs had no barrier to joining until the Welsh League formed in the early 1990s.
Not so. The A-league has always had a team from New Zealand which is not only a different Country but also a different FIFA federation (Australia is in Asia and NZ is in Oceania). There will soon be 2 NZ teams in the A League.
No. We need 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one. We should have the best of both worlds, where we keep the Scottish, English, and Welsh leagues, but have cross border cups with Scottish. Welsh, Irish, English, MLS, French and Belgian sides on top of domestic and European football. The Scots already allow Welsh and Northern Irish sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
I would love to see Celtic and Rangers in the EPL. It would give them a far higher revenue. It would also make the keague more fair. We always know Celtic or Rangers will win the SPL.
@@RoobrtLiwanduski and why allow anti English terrorist supporting clubs especially those with a history of sexual misconduct..( Jim Torbett)..and don't deny it..Big Jock Knew...but kept quiet...
What would happen with relegation in the playoff scenario? I.e Celtic win the spl And the playoffs to get into the epl. Then come bottom in the epl. Do they go down to the championship? Or back to the spl? How does that effect the other leagues in both england and scotland? If teams can earn promotion from spl to epl, but get relegated to the english championship the numbers arent going to add up and some clubs are going to get royally shafted.
Ye that’s what was in my mind the whole time, we (Celtic) end up back in the SPL but with hundreds of millions of pounds. So that money could be spread out but I’m not sure what the ripple effects that would cause etc. I think the whole things too complex but also I personally just wouldn’t want it.
Its a good question. Scottish teams would go back to the SPL. I think the best way might be that the no. of teams in the Championship fluctuates by one depending if a Scottish team is relegated or not.
I agree. This flight of fancy keeps being raised from time to time, but as far as I’m aware it was only given a brief investigation by the premier league back in the 1990s, and it was dropped and has not been considered since. And back in the 1990s; Rangers & Celtic were still competitive with the teams in the premier league. But has that been the case anymore for at least a decade? I doubt that either club would survive 3 seasons in the premier league now.
Any combination of SPL and EPL and EFL and SFL is complex and frought with practical and political difficulties. Perhaps the simplest "solution" is to intoduce a "British Cup" competition replacing existing "League cup" compettions where all exiting Scottish and English teams are entered and drawn at random. Then you could get examples as say Arsenal vs Inverness or Man City vs Hearts etc etc . Give it a few seasons and see how it goes .
There will also be zero interest in Scottish football if they left the SPFL. The only time fans sell out their stadiums in Scotland is to watch the old firm teams play. Been to Aberdeen vs Dundee United and it was a ghost town and been to pittodrie etc supporting rangers and the stadium was packed. It’s all about the old firm in Scotland. Rangers need to leave Scottish football and leave it in the depths where it belongs. A league that hates itself to death purely to appease Celtic.
@@Brodie-dj8hf If the old firm move down south, more people will start supporting teams like Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibs etc. The numbers all add up
@@Brodie-dj8hf- Why can't the Old Firm stay in the Scottish League with European football and trophies? I want the best of both worlds, where we keep our Scottish, Welsh, and English leagues, but have cross border cups with Scottish, Welsh. English, Irish, MLS, and French sides. Let's have 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
Yeah well, the rest will have more titles which would be great; but also a lot, but a lot less revenue, even emptier stadiums. A SPL without the Glasgow giants is a walking dead SPL.
@@nickedname7048 All the ones who support the OF will have to move on and support different teams. Most likely Hearts and Hibs. Stadiums will be packed now the OF are gone.
You’ll never get the Scottish leagues to agree to that. Anything that stops old firm derbies will be voted down. The only way they’ll want in the EPL is being shoe horned in without qualification and the EPL will never agree to that.
Impressive video. I am a NewCastle fan that lives in the USA, but I do think Celtic and Rangers are class teams, and would be good fun to watch them in the Premier League. Great job my friend!!
That would be very interesting to see. How do you think they would stack up in the MLS? Do you think they would do well in the Premier League. Pleasure to meet you.
@@pn2124- It is not a mad idea to join the MLS. Have some imagination. South African sides play in the URC against Scottish, Welsh and Iriish sides. If the Celtic nations had an MLS conference they could earn more money and become bigger clubs.
@@rorysmith2415 Or they could just drop the archaic thinking that everyone has over there and adopt MLS or Liga MX style playoffs. Attendance goes up. TV money goes up. Teams chances to win the league goes up. The struggling leagues should all consider this.
Celtic fans lose their shit about finishing bottom of the group in the Champions League so imagine how they'd react when they never see Europe again. It's also hilarious how an English-hating club like Celtic are begging the English to make them a big club 🤣
I think it could be a good idea, just look at the example of the United States and Canada in Sports Leagues. In fact, I believe that Scottish teams can play in their league and in the English leagues.
They couldn't they play in both. Their seasons occur simultaniously and Premier League rules state that any club deciding to compete in another league recieves a 30 point deduction and £25m fine. Scottish clubs would also have to agree to fall under the jurisdiction of the FA (just like Swansea, Cardiff, Wrexham... have to) whose rules stipulate that all work-permits for non-British players be revoked should a team break their rule of competing in only one league competition. UEFA wouldn't allow it anyway as it would effectively give Scottish clubs the opportunity to qualify for European competitions from both leagues. They could have a sitution like Wales, where some Welsh clubs compete in the Welsh league and some in the English league but they couldn't compete in both.
Ball Boy i would like the EFL to rebrand the EFL Cup and invite the 42 SPFL clubs to join the 92 Clubs from England in the EFL Cup, maybe rename it British League Cup. That would make it 134 clubs which would most likely be an extra Round or 2 rounds with the Final at Wembley Stadium.
They’d need to be introduced into league one or championship. Cause otherwise they’d get slaughtered in the premier league. Wouldn’t be able to cope with the change of pace and overall league quality.
It wasn't just Rangers being relegated - Aberdeen and Hibernian were going through bad times and Rangers relegation was followed two years later by Hearts being relegated. None of those 3 clubs made the Top 6 the season AFTER Rangers relegation. - The problem in Scotland is the insistence on divisions of 12,10,10 and 10 clubs when 16, 16 and 16 would make much more sense {just promote the top 3 from the Highland and Lowland Leagues into that new third tier}. a 30 game season where Hearts, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock etc. only have to face Rangers and Celtic twice each and therefore a WIN against either is significantly more effective points wise.
TV money would make them competitors for europe in the first few seasons as the reason they aren’t the best is because rangers and Celtic games are only on sky on away days (or old firms)
Are you mad remember recently chelsea and arsenal could not shift 6000 tickets for a European final rangers had 100000 in seville for euro league final learn about football and don't spout such garbage
But they are both in Europe and they don't do anything. Why would this change because they get let in to the premier league? The actual reality is they probably scrap it out for relegation survival and their stock value goes down. The investment becomes less likely and drawing players in harder. You loose all status by not having automatic European football, it's pretty much a lose lose for Scotland in general. The Scottish League looses it's only seller point and with that the TV money goes plunging it into a terrible position. The top two teams go in thinking they will hit top 8 fast and reality will hammer them to bottom fourth, sponsors stop calling, quality cheap players stop coming and the high competitiveness of the league takes its toll. With in 5 years both could be in the championship, probably where they should start if we are all being honest
If rangers and celtic finished 10th to 12th in that vastly overated league both sets of fans would burn down their own stadiums in shame brighton villa bournemouth to name just 3 of the donkey teams who have never been bigger than the old firm and never shall be
@@alastairlaw6600 I think Brighton would whack them both.... Regardless of what the fans think or do it won't change reality... Why didn't the fans make them win the Europa League final? Why didn't the fans make them get champions league this year? Why didn't the fans make the best team in the world? .... You sound like an idiot. Regardless there are 12 teams in the SPL and 1 cup of any value, compare that to 20 teams, 2 cups, the level and intensity of competition isn't even similar. Bournemouth would be 3rd place in SPL if not challenging, the level of Scottish football is low and it shouldn't be dismissed
Really good video and well researched. Highlights the issues well. The gap between Scotlands Shame and the rest of the league is so big and so damaging, yet, they couldn’t compete with the English leagues so why leave. However, the main thing is, UEFA wouldn’t like it. If they allowed it, it could open the floodgates for teams like Ajax to join the Bundesliga, Olympiakos to join Serie A etc. It wont happen.
@@psykosonic1501 I'm not sure what this has to do with my reply? The OP was implying Scotland isn't a Country. And for the record, I agree, Celtic and Rangers would do well in the EPL, given a level playing field and access to those markets / finances and prize money, they would be very competitive. The increased revenue from sponsorships, TV money and everything else that comes with that competition would see them give the other clubs a run for their money.
One matter not considered is that of European football. The Old Firm are currently nailed on to play some form of European football each season, whilst at the same time they're greatly hindered by not having the finances of the top EPL clubs - largely due to not having their TV revenue. The Old Firm could find themselves playing in the EPL without European football, or as I think is more likely, they would be regularly qualifying for European competitions - in which case this would affect the number of English clubs qualifying for European football. Finally, there is always the possibility of a league being set up made up of the top clubs in the nations outside of England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and possibly Portugal.
@@reeceballantyne9497 I'm not exactly sure what your point is to be honest. The two things aren't mutually exclusive, in that the only way the Old Firm would ever win the Champions League would be in the EPL (or some equivalent thereof). Or do you mean that being in the EPL would be more financially beneficial than playing in the Champions League? Which would certainly be the case, but the Old Firm would have their ambitions and not just want to be a middle of the league EPL in the long term.
Rangers and Celtic have fanbases worldwide that can only really be matched by Liverpool and Manchester United .. pair that with EPL level TV and Sponsor money and it would be a big problem for English teams
@mktf5582 lol. They already have them. In every corner of the world. Lol. It surprises me you don't know this or don't want to know it, but it's a fact that only man u and Liverpool have a fan base which is comparable to the old firm. You are a football fan right, you really should know this. The rest of us do lol. 😂
@@AlanMcEwan-b9t Yes they may have fans worldwide/every corner,but no where near the same - level/amount/number of fans as man utd/liverpool/arsenal/chelsea.
@mktf5582 your wrong m8. The old firm have just as big as any of your English teams, I'm not trying to be disrespectful. Man utd and Liverpool may be bigger, maybe. But it's irrelevant as to the fan base of man u, pool, Gers and.Tic, these 4 are so big.But chealsea and arsenal. Sorry man really don't think so. I'm talking about fanbase remember, not cash. That's not the point I'm making. I'm talking purely fanbase n worldwide. These 4 are real proper diehard integral loyal fanbase systems. Your 2 London clubs just fall short. But not by much. Again, no disrespect meant.
@@AlanMcEwan-b9t The number/amount of fans worldwide who are true/devoted to Man Utd/Liverpool/arsenal/Chelsea is something celtic/rangers could only dream off.
There have been rumours of this since I was in primary school, I'm now 38 years old, never gonna happen. Makes no sense for Rangers or Celtic to give up European football just to end up in the Championship.
@@rezarfarit would not help the Scottish game. It would make people think Scotland was in England. A better idea would be to keep the Scottish, and Welsh leagues, but to have cross border cups with Scottish, Welsh, Irish. MLS , French. Dutch and Belgian sides. Cross border cups all the way down the levels. Like the way Scotland allows Welsh and Northern Irish sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup. We need 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
When it's done I think the best way would be to have a rangers and Celtic academy team join the lowest level north west league they can. If that's level 11 North West Counties Division One North or a even lower Cumbrian league. Eventually the teams will switch so Rangers Academy tops League 1 and then Rangers Academy plays in the Scottish Prem and Rangers play in the EFL Championship
Create a North of Britain and a South Britain league. Top league of 18, with top 4 from each league entering into a playoff for the league champion. Final game rotates between Wembley, Hampden and Millennium Stadium.
You need to get your facts correct mate. Rangers were never demoted, the old rangers club was liquidised and ceased to exist. The new rangers that was formed then had to apply to join the scottish league system.
The only reason they would do it is if they thought it would make money. I think if done the clubs should have to earn promotion. Why should two English clubs be kicked out of the Premier League to let Rangers and Celtic in?
Why would English clubs want extra competition?? This is a complete non-starter. Reminds me of teams trying to join F1 - almost every other team usually opposes it because why in the world wouldn't they? There's no upside - the premier league is already far and away the richest league, and the gap keeps growing. What do they get from adding Rangers and Celtic? Same for the Championship and the entire footballing pyramid. Most of these clubs in the top three leqgues barely make a profit already. Why would they make their loves harder by adding two more potential top clubs?
They'd end up in League One after a couple of seasons, playing teams like Northampton Town, Derby County, Accrington Stanley etc, and probably struggling against them.
One solution for the Scottish game to raise its profile that I’ve always liked (though is very unlikely) is the idea of a combine Celtic premier league. The league would probably be majority Scottish clubs, but would also include some of the biggest Irish clubs, perhaps a couple Northern Irish clubs, and a few Welsh clubs (maybe the ones which compete in the English league system). Obviously there are several reasons why this won’t happen, and imagine it might initially be a slight drag on the Scottish game, but would probably be better for clubs in all of the Celtic nations in the long run. This idea is inspired greatly by the Benelux league, which I think would be fantastic for the European game. In general, clubs from smaller nations will always have a lower ceiling than those from larger ones, but the playing field could be levelled if some countries group together. Again, it probably won’t happen, but imagine if along with the big 5 leagues in Europe, there was a Celtic league, a Benelux league, maybe a Scandinavian league or a Central European league, etc.
Cardiff and Swansea already have the places in the English pyramid that the Old Firm want. Why would they be in any way interested in leaving to join a league with Shamrock Rovers and Motherwell?
Scrap the existing league cups and combine them, bringing in the Welsh and NI national leagues if they want it. While we're at it, have pre-qualifiers for Gib, Channel Island, Isle of Mann and other crown dependencies too.
You been day drinking? They would be scrapping it out for just surviving, they get humbled in Europe against no bodies, the only games they have that are competitive is each other and they play fuck all games. They would get beat down by the competitiveness and volume of games that they wouldn't be ready for and would never see Europe again
Doubtful it will ever happen. Middling English clubs wouldn't support introducing 2 clubs with larger fan bases that would likely (in time) push them out of the top flight. Also don't think Celtic/Rangers would enjoy it. Both clubs used to winning every week and stockpiling silverware like its going out of fashion. Going from that to losing every 3 or 4 games and finishing midtable - I'm not sure they'd like it. Newcastle struggled before the Saudi billions, and with the amount of travelling involved (Glasgow to England every 2nd week), not sure top players would be interested vs London/ English clubs with less travel demands. Maybe end up with a monoply on top Scottish talent, but even then.. As a Hearts fan, I'd not be against it, but its all or nothing. No leaving a B-team in the Scottish league or anything like that. If they go, they go entirely. Might be a good opportunity to wrestle back control of the SFA and start operating it for the whole of Scottish football instead of just two clubs. Move to a larger league with better competition.
And why should those 'middling English clubs' support it? Lots of them struggle financially and would love to be in the Premier League too. Its why they are already part of a football pyramid, but to be told 2 clubs are being let it ahead of them would be a slap in the face.
@@NmpK24 Yeah, not sure if you've taken offence at "middling" but that was basically the point I was making. They're not going to vote themselves out to make way for 2 more sides. Unlike in Scotland, the OF can't just waive a wad of cash around to get what they want.
What about opening the FA or Carabao Cup to all teams from the British Isles? (Ireland and Scotland included) more games for the organizers and more visibility for the teams outside the english pyramid
It isn't the job of English football to help clubs outside the English pyramid. If England were the poor relation in British/irish football, do you think the Celtic nations would do English clubs any favours?
@@englishciderlover7347 i agree with you, i was making an hypothesis from the pov of the organizers, which seem to be looking for more and more games, and adding more teams to the mix would do just that
I suppose you don't even have to cut the sixth side in the chamionship playoffs, just run it like the club world cup where there is an extra game 6th vs SPL Champ.
People often don't realise that the "Football League" was never meant to just cover England. The founder wanted Scottish teams in it. In the early days of the FA Cup Scottish and Irish clubs entered. I know my local team (in England), hosted Queens Park and Cliftonville in the FA Cup. I absolutely think we should have a league covering at least Great Britain or indeed the UK as a whole if the Northern Irish clubs want it too. In my mind you'd have a British pyramid with the top two divisions fully national and then splitting regionally. Far larger countries than the UK have national Leagues. We have precedent for Scottish football in English football, Gretna did so until joining the SPL, we have Berwick doing the opposite. Welsh teams are entitled to, and do, play in England and vice versa. I totally support it. We should run football for the benefit of as many clubs as possible, not to perpetuate old enpires.
@@lewissmith350That's fair enough. I was talking purely from a football perspective, rather than the national viewpoint. Although if Canadian teams can play in the MLS without harming Canada's identity or their national team, I think there could be a chance for similar here.
This would never ever happen, but I’d be all for it. Celtic and Rangers are both huge clubs and based on the money they’d get + their fanbase they’d easily become top 6 teams within a few years.
Make the PL 22 teams and decide the extra 2 teams as follows. 2 automatic championship promotions spots in year before expansion as normal 3rd - 5th + SPL runners up in playoffs. (Runners up move to championship if they don’t win) SPL champions + 19th in PL one off game, winner gets PL spot. Looser gets championship spot 18th placed team stay in PL. 4 promotions, 2 coming down meaning PL expands but championship doesn’t and can accommodate 2 extra teams in the pyramid, while also ensuring someone gets to the PL on merit. (Or the old firm could just share the money and help grow their own league)
After following Ange to Celtic, it would be great to see them in the EPL. With big money behind them Celtic would be a permanent top 6 club. Why dont Celtic just keep their 2nd team in Scotland? They have the BEST supporters in the world and would still keep attendances reasonable in the SPL
You would have to integrate the Scottish leagues into the English leagues to create a fair playing field of a UK league. Throw any Irish or Welsh leagues into the mix also. You can't just pick and choose certain teams without weakening the existing leagues by their absence.
I've often thought that the EFL would be improved with a Scottish away crowd yelling at a ref at Birmingham trying to sort out a free kick "Get em back ref, that's never ten yairds!"
The first post-old firm SPFL season would be the biggest fan turnout in Scottish football for decades because literally any team could win it.
I want all the welsh clubs kick out of the English league not wanted and Scotland Ireland Wales can have their inter League.
@@MattGFC1977no money or proper competition in that
With the potential that Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen have as clubs, a three way title race rather than race for 3rd would be great.
As a Hibs fan, i dont want to "win" a league that Rangers and Celtic were not in. Its not worth winning. At the end of the day, the SPFL need to ddo better in marketing itself.
@@MattGFC1977 Yes,I am sure Cardiff and Swansea would want to leave the greatest League in the World to play with Glentoran,Barry Island and Ross County:)
A UK League cup would be good and it would raise it's profile.
@@Yt99-h9q let the scots teams rot..not an English problem..
@@shaunwalker2557 I don't remember anybody saying it was an english problem. You seem more interested in petty nationalist sentiment rather than having a better footballing pyramid thought-out the uk at large that encompasses all teams in the union. The revenue would just make the entire country at large stronger and unite us closer together at a time when some are trying to pull us apart. Use your head.
What’s the point? English teams would always win, just more games for the players which we dont need
I personally like the idea of a UK/Ireland cup, with rules in place so that lower league teams don't suddenly get drawn across the whole isles (say a club in Ireland playing the very north of Scotland, or say Aberdeen getting drawn against Plymouth on the very first draw).
Yes,the better players in European competition would love to be involved in 5 competitions every season plus International commitments,of course:)
The Premier League will never allow the old firm into the premier league for a number of reasons. Firstly UEFA are highly unlikely to give a British league more European places, this will mean it will be harder for existing premier league teams to get into Europe. Especially the champions league. Secondly the teams towards the bottom of the premier league will object to the fact that they are either more likely to get relegated (if the league stays at 20) or further from the top six if the league is expanded to 22. Thirdly their is the possibility of Scottish Independence in the future, although this is unlikely this would cause issues, also Scotland has an existing different legal and democratic framework which may cause competition issues. Lastly given the amounts of money involved and the quality of the premier league Rangers and Celtic would most likely spend their time mid table or possibly even be relegated. Given that the fan bases of both teams have only ever been huge fish in a small pond expected to win every game, ending up like a Sheffield Wednesday or Sunderland might not lead to much long term appeal, especially losing their regular European games.
It is more simple than this. The single most important question is how much more broadcast, marketing and media revenue can be generated. Everything else is an afterthought.
@uk145 II do not want the Old Firm to play in the English league as people would think Scotland was part of England. A better option is to keep our Scottish and Welsh Leagues, but also to have cross border cups on top of domestic and Eurooean football, with Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Northern Irish, MLS, French, Dutch, and Belgian club sides. We can the best of both worlds. We can have 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
Yeah… Be scared ya buncha pansies😂
@@rorysmith2415Cardiff played in the prem and they’re from wales… and people are still aware bale isn’t English, football really doesn’t have that much power buddy
@skullzyy6633 football has enormous power. People WOULD think Scotland was in England if our clubs played in the English league. End of story. I do not want Scotland to be seen as a county of England. How would you like it if people thought England was a county of Germany or a county of France?
What if there was a Community Shield-like tournament where the champions of the four Home Nations compete? Could be a first step, so that there can technically be a "Champion of the UK"
That would be impossible. The Welsh and NI teams would be beaten by the Scottish and English teams they'd face just about 10 times out of 10. It would also kick up a fuss with the FAI because they might want to be part of this too (and the Irish FA might support this but might not). I think it's more likely that the Irish league switches to match with the other leagues in the British Isles rather than this happening (which is to say, not at all)
English team plays too many games in a season with the Carabao Cup League games (as they play in a 20-team league not a 12-team league ) and FA Cup and European football it would be a bad deal for teams like Chelsea and City to join such a project. It is a more sensible idea to take the top-performing clubs and move them to the championship. Doing this will make football in the UK more equal in quality. These are historical clubs and should have a place in the best leage in Europe
Bearing in mind that all the big Welsh clubs play in the English league, the Welsh champions (and the NI champions) would just take a hammering. The New Saints vs Man City would be a complete no-contest.
There was a similar thing back in the day but on the national level
Explain how any tournament like that would be fair with the huge sums going to English clubs. This is a non starter.
They should’ve done it slower in the early 2000’s. Maybe started with a British Super Cup. Premier League winner versus SPFL winner as a season curtain raiser. In the League Cup invite a few wildcards from Scotland. These would’ve been the cautious steps to slowly bed it in.
I think the carabao cup should become the British leagues cup.
Yes if they decide they do want to do something like this it will only get harder as the financial gap grows. Unless the top EPL teams + Rangers/Celtic swan off to a European Super League of course! (I wouldn't completely rule that out).
Anyone that says “we don’t want them” are only scared of what they’ll become
i dont think its about that
i think its about keeping "english" premier league english
@@Coyg04-69 it’s not English anyway, you have Welsh teams in the football pyramid
Yeah, I'm scared that they will become worse than they are 😂😂😂 who watches the Scottish league part from the obvious. Stay over the border. We really don't want you 😂😂
@@cameronselkirk255 yeah i know but im just guessing
Im all up for Scottish teams joining the prem
Do you really think English clubs wants what the old firm offer? Bigots every other week can't see it happening
Best idea I can come up with is splitting League 2 into a Northern and Southern Division by merging it with the SPL (Barrow, Morecambe, Harrogate Town, Bradford City, Accrington Stanley & Salford City compete in SPL or BLN [British League North] I guess), obviously this would require an agreement for allowing clubs to move based on location requirements for the National League and Scottish Championship by having overflow spots available through promotion of the top 3 sides from the National League plus the winner of a playoff being promoted up (no relegation for 1 season)
Based on how this season is currently sitting using a merged system for promotion: Celtic, Stockport County and Notts County are automatically promoted to League 1, with Wrexham vs. St. Mirren & Rangers vs. Mansfield Town in the playoff. I'd expect Rangers to win this play-off, but it feels like it should be offered.
Carlisle United, Cheltenham Town, Fleetwood Town & Reading are all relegated down and join these newly merged leagues alongside the promoted teams of Chesterfield, Barnet and Dundee United. The final spot will go to the winner of a playoff between Raith Rovers vs. Solihull Moors and Bromley vs. the winner of Patrick Thistle vs. Altrincham. No clue who would win here, Raith Rovers I think should edge it.
This would create 2 group with the BLS (British League South) consisting of Chesterfield, Reading, Cheltenham Town, Barnet, Crewe Alexandra, Gillingham, Swindon Town, AFC Wimbledon, MK Dons, Doncaster Rovers, Crawley Town, Walsall, Newport County, Colchester United, Forest Green Rovers, Tranmere Rovers, Sutton United + 3 teams determined by playoff results.
The BLN (British League North) would consist of Kilmarnock, Dundee, Motherwell, Dundee United, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Livingston, Aberdeen, Ross County, St Johnstone, Barrow, Morecambe, Harrogate Town, Bradford City, Accrington Stanley, Carlisle United, Fleetwood Town + 3 teams determined by playoff results.
Any further down effects should be fine as Scottish League 1 and the National League can just prevent a relegation to maintain the numbers needed if they get too few teams and have some flexibility when it comes to adding extra teams if needed. There is a risk of too many relegations to the National League (given I'd expect the likes of Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen to be able to move up to L1) but I think clubs like Gateshead and Hartlepool United may end up requesting to transfer into the SPL Divisions and a rework slowly down the pyramid would soon make this obsolete.
Yeah i dont think celtic/rangers would be ok with that
@@K-Dot94yeah lad we wouldn't no shot we would waste our time in the 3rd division
@@AlphaAbyss_ going from playing and performing well against teams like lazio and atleti to pompey away
Dude, for your subscriber count this video is nuts. A fascinating watch, and very, very well done. Nice one!
Obviously a British League Cup would involve a chaotic set of fixtures in the early rounds, with small teams travelling huge distances to play other small teams in games that would get little coverage. How about have it so that the early rounds are regionalized, but then at a certain round the draw 'opens up' to all teams. This would recreate the excitement we get in the FA Cup 3rd round draw. Yes, there would still be long trips for small clubs, but at least there'd potentially be more prize/TV money at stake for them. And I get the argument of "What's the point, English teams would invariably win". That's probably true, but even though the same teams win the FA Cup we still cherish the shocks and stories along the way.
There’s also the fact if Celtic & Rangers were to be shoe horned into the premier league it would surely mean that 2 of 3 clubs from the championship would have to be told sorry you’re not being promoted Celtic & Rangers are taking your place can’t you just see the legal action the 2 championship clubs would take!
Agree for it to happen the Premier League would need to be extended to 22 games. However, the pressure is already to reduce the size of the Premier League so that the Champions League can be expanding, and the national sides to have more international breaks, with bigger Euros and World Cups.
If they really want to come in they can start from the bottom
@@davidking9222 If Scotland become and independent country it will be as rich as Denmark🎉🎉🎉
@@davidking9222 If it were up to me, there would be more emphasis on quality rather than quantity of teams and games. The World Cup and Euros already have too many teams taking part.
@@englishciderlover7347 I think the League Cup and even International friendlies/qualification will come under some scrutiny in the next few years. The fact that the PL obtained overseas rights for the FA Cup is probably telling aswell.
We really should have a UK wide Football League system. Would allow all clubs in the country to play teams of similar levels and give smaller clubs in the devolved nations more exposure and money. It’s a win win really
Would it not be prohibitively expensive for lower tier Irish and Scottish sides to have to travel to most away games. A UK wide league cup would surely be more effective?
There's too many teams.
We should defo have a UK cup of some sort (maybe allow them to compete in the FA Cup), but I think combining the leagues is a step too far (for now).
The English leagues need to focus on improving the financial gap between the leagues, especially the prem and the championship. As a fan of a Championship team, atm it feels like a completely impossible jump up if you want to stay in the prem for more than a year or 2, unless you've been there before. e.g. Leicester will have no trouble going back up and probably staying there, but my club (Huddersfield Town) can maybe hope to go up and stay for 2 years before inevitably the financial gap catches up with us and we bomb out. Would really suck to just have more clubs added and now suddenly have 3 or 4 fairly wealthy clubs just appear that we now also have to beat to go up. Would completely remove even the hope of going up, considering instead of 2 or 3 wealthy clubs in the Championship, there would be 4 or 5, which takes up pretty much all the playoff spots. Getting promoted as a currently mid table championship side would suddenly become a feat similar to Leicester winning the prem.
If your a fan of the EPL, it seems like a great idea to add the old firm to the prem, but it would do massive damage to the leagues below, essentially creating a constantly rotating "big 6" of the bottom of the EPL/ top of Championship, with everyone else just becoming fodder.
@@Foul_Quince Get rid of lower tier teams. There are way too many teams in Scotland. At best it could support two leagues of 14-16.
Shite like Brechin, Montrose, Forfar, Arbroath etc need to merge, as do Fife teams. They aren't sustainable as full-time or as professional clubs.
Thing is I don’t even think rangers and Celtic would last in the prem
I saw a video,last week,on here from 20 years ago that said it was DEFINITELY,about to happen....
20 years later.....
It will never happen at least Celtic won’t
Ranger and Celtic would have a couple of rough years, but with English TV revenue, they’d be very competitive
Great video. I liked the argument about investment in the Scottish teams, that a potential pathway to a UK top flight would provide much greater incentive to invest in Scottish football.
Sooner or later someone is going to establish a cross-border league somewhere - it might be the Baltic countries, Belgium and Netherlands, or someone else - and then the process here may accelerate.
Thank you! Yes a cross border league looks plausible, espeicially if clubs/leagues want to protect themselves against any incoming 'super league'. Thanks again, glad you enjoyed this.
@@hypersetgroup I really want to see the smaller nations from Europe do it. If you're a country of 2-5m people, or even a country of 10-20m people like Portugal or Netherlands, you've got no chance of sustaining a competitive domestic league against the likes of England or Spain or Germany with far bigger populations. Because the biggest disadvantage for these clubs is the size of their populations, a cross-border league is inevitable sooner or later.
The only way I can see this happening with it causing the least disruption possible would be for Celtic and Rangers to have the option of starting in one of the lower leagues, like League 2 or even the National League.
They could add one of them each year and just have an extra relegation spot for whichever league they join and for the leagues below for 2 seasons, so they don’t have extra teams.
The extra teams to get relegated could then receive a parachute payment as compensation because it is somewhat unfair on them.
This way the lower leagues will get more revenue and interest, the teams in those leagues will get higher ticket sales when they play Celtic and Rangers (although they will also have more competition for a couple of seasons) and the 2 Scottish teams will have the chance to eventually play in the EPL if they’re good enough after taking a hit for a few years.
If they’re not good enough, then starting them out in the EPL will only lead to them getting relegated anyway, so won’t make a difference either way.
If the Old Firm clubs were to play in England, they should start at the very bottom of the pyramid, which is pub league footie, more or less.
yh but starting in league 2 when they are obviously above league 2 would be so stupid. Ruin 2 seasons mininum for other clubs as there are less promotion spots up for grabs and potentially result in relegation.
@@Jyncx1s Whereas having them put above them, and two clubs forcibly relegated to accommodate them, is something they'd be completely happy with.
I am Scottish. I do not want the Old Firm to join the EPL. It would maje everyone think Scotland was a part of England.
And if we created a British League merger, then all the trophies the English clubs had won would be counted as equal to the British trophies. While all the Scottish trophies would be seen as non-league status trophies.
So Man Utd would be on 20 titles, Celtic, Aberdeen, and Rangers would be classified as having won zero titles.
My preference is a best of both worlds where we keep our domestic leagues, and European qualification, but also have extra cross border cups with Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Northern Irish, French, MLS, Durch, and Belgian club sides.
Like the way Scotland allows Northern Irish and Welsh sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
Keep Scotland v England club sides as a exciting novelty. As an Aberdeen fan I would love some competitve games against English sides, but forty times a season with 20, 1000 mile trips a season would be too much.
Lets have 3 strong leagues in Great Britain not just one.
If the English really want to help Celtic soccer, then let us keep our own leagues, but have cross border cups with the British, Irish, French, and MLS sides.
Your no British if your calling fitba soccer. Jog-on ,
@janice506 I can call it football or soccer. Do not be so precious about whether or not it is called football or soccer. I am British. Do not tell me to jog on just because I call it soccer or football.
@@rorysmith2415if you're British why you worried or even talking about Scottish football😂
@@Chop2016 Because Scots are Brits too, you muppet.
Rangers and Celtic instantly become the biggest derby in England if they join. Cardiff and Swansea are in the English League System, there’s no reason who The Old Firm can’t. And don’t start with the “Glasgow is too far away”. Spanish clubs have to fly to Tenerife every week.
glasgow to manchester is closer than brighton to manchester
Newcastle’s closer to Glasgow than it is to London. 😂
You're not wrong. Here in australia there is a soccer league where wellinton and perth play each other and the leagues doing well enough. That's a distance greater than 5000km😂. I imagine It would be no problem in this case.
The biggest 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Nothing to do with distance. It will kill scottish football because TV won't want to know if there isn't an old firm. Why do you think they play each other so many times??? It's for TV and that's where the money comes from
Celtic and Rangers get to play in European football tournaments every year. If they joined with the english league they would kiss goodbye to this.
I’m English and would love to see the Old Firm compete in the Premier League. However, I think you would see another push for the European Super League as a result. The EPL is already the most lucrative and viewed league in the world and adding the Old Firm would up the ante considerably. Passionate crowds draw Tv attention, that’s why NUFC were the most broadcast team outside the “top 6” under Ashley’s reign, despite being utter dogshit at the time. Having more games with a rocking crowd means more attention and more money. The Euro leagues, already struggling, would cack their collective pants and push harder for the super league. IMO.
Lol celtic and rangers would struggle in the championship
There is no Old Firm.
@@ST-mn6nw If Scotland become and independent country it will be as rich as Denmark🎉🎉🎉
Yes good points, although I would see this as something to strengthen the Premier league's hand against any European Super League, rather than encourage one. I'd not thought of that scenario.
@@matpk Why would Scotland be as rich as Denmark?
There was a window during which this might have happened but it’s long since closed. Rangers and especially Celtic have a worldwide support that only best English clubs would historically have been able to match. This would have been very appealing 20 years ago. The PL now has more money than it knows what to do with and the Glasgow clubs aren’t worth the hassle. Cross border leagues probably will happen in future, but it won’t be limited to the UK, because the financial power of the PL is strangling European leagues too.
Match? United and Liverpool dwarf those semi pro teams
Worldwide support?
@@joaoleonel1217 They have a lot of fans clubs around the world, but don't realise these are virtually all just ex-pats. Globally the Old Firm are sort of like Benfica - famous, yes, but with nothing that would make someone on the other side of the world choose to follow them over one of the truly big clusb who challenge for trophies that matter.
Loch Ness has a greater volume of water than all the lakes in England put together,
And England,s highest mountain is a mole hill compared to Ben Nevis.
And England's largest island is tiny compared to Lewis and Harris and Skye. Lol
Scottish territory including sea, is more than England's.
The largest whirlpool in England, looks like a sink when it is unplugged compared to the Scottish mighty corryvreckan,
I think Scottish teams would get a lot more money and would rise quickly so Overall a good idea for them I understand they like there League being for Scottish teams and that’s fair
Loved the video, great breakdown and made some great points for all parties
Thank you!
Make a North Britain League - add Middlesboro and Sunderland to the Scottish Premier League. Expand to 14 teams. Better attendance for the League plus almost 50% chance of European competition for Sunderland and Middlesboro
Thanks Sunderland
How would all the English clubs below the PL striving to get into the PL feel about a few clubs in Scotland jumping the queue? Never going to happen.
This was an excellent video. Very insightful. I've subscribed.
Thank you! Much appreciated.
I like the idea of how you would get them into the league system basically having the spl and the championship on the same level and the winner of the spl going into the playoff just curious how the relgation of the prem clubs would happen cus if celtic win league then win playoffs they would leave the spl so and 3 English clubs would go down so the championship would suddenly have 25 clubs and the spl would have 11 clubs so like does the whole league system have to change do they have to stick in a rule where like there's 4 relations from the championship if a Scottish club wins the play offs does 1 more club have to come up in every league in Scotland everything this happens in order to balance the leagues out up there
Good points. Not only that what would happen if the Scottish team wins promotion to the EPL and gets relegated in a future season. Where would they go back to SPL or the championship? Also, if potentially one club a year from the SPL gets into EPL and no relegations this would cause further in balances. The only way to do it would be to create a British league system from scratch.
Good point. Could possibly introduce an extra relegation place in a season where the SPL / Championship has gained an extra team. Seems harsh but only way I can think of maintaining the structure. Say if Celtic got relegated back to the SPL then the next season you would have 13 teams not 12 but also have two relegation spots not one. Not ideal having an odd number of teams but doable.
Yes this is a good catch, a few people have mentioned it. Theres a few options. I think the simplest way may be to have the Championship and SPL fluctuate as required.
In the 1990s the Unibond League became the only league in Britain to contain English, Welsh and Scottish membership. Grenta, Caernarfon Town and Colwyn Bay played in the same division with English clubs. There is actually a legal precedent.
I think if they come South they should start in the Championship. If they can get out then they can hold their heads up. Stops the embarrassment of relegation first time around also.
As a rangers fan I think that's fair. I'm not sure how you could do it without upsetting someone. Although I like the idea.
@@thistimeimhere Rangers are my Scottish team (I’m half jock, half Geordie) and I’d like to see them in a better league.
@@geordiedog1749- I would prefer Scottish clubs to play in MLS.
@@rorysmith2415💀💀💀
@Vxuty they have South African sides playing in the rugby URC against Scottish sides. Why can't there be a Celtic conference in MLS playing Eastern American and Celtic sides?
If Celtic and rangers go, it won’t be the same
I think you would have to merge the EPL with the Scottish league, and see if Scottish teams can qualify .I don't think any team should have preference.
I like how Scotland has Berwick in its league. Scotland is a country with it's own league.
One question about your playoff idea.
So 2 teams get direct promotion to the EPL. But in the playoff, the Scottish champion might get promoted. But from the EPL 3 teams get relegated. Which leaves the Champioship with 25 teams. Beacuse instead of maybe the 4th placed going up in the playoff, Celtic got the spot.
How do you fix this?
I think this is the big issue really, particularly given the different in league size. Your options imo are to either
A) Have variable promotion spots available depending on who goes up/down
B) Allow Northern clubs to compete in the SPL, which could be viewed as an easier way to get to the Prem
There was a deal done around the time abranovitch got Chelsea. Both rangers and Celtic would start in the championship, neither would be allowed to be promoted in the first season and only one could be promoted in the second season . The old firm agreed but the championship teams voted against it .
another great video essay, i actually had an idea to incorporate 5 spl clubs into the system which i don't think most will like but it would allow the spl and the prem to become more competitive.
as the prem and EFL are technically separate entities i think the PL could create a tier below the PL of 20 teams,
Take 4 teams from each of the Isles leagues Ireland included and then draw from a pot until you hit an even number of teams
Reformat the existing spl epl N.Ipl WelshPL and Irish Premiership into mixed leagues and give each team the same budget In each league
Lower the amount per league and boom youve got an evened distribution between each country
@@YerMawIsMySeggstoy I don't think any plan which sees giving The New Saints and Bala Town the same status as Manchester United and Liverpool has been thought through too clearly.
@@RevStickleback how would do 3 things allow them to upgrade their stadiums
Players transfers
They would inturn pull in cash traffic for local teams and areas
Helps raise the value of the land around the stadiums and help fund local jobs due to demand
Imagine teams like Notts County
Aberdeen
Dundee utd ect having stable and garunteed cash flow as safety nets for their teams could be looking at massive comebacks to European stage ect
@@YerMawIsMySeggstoy They wouldn't have a guaranteed stable cash flow. Relegation would have very serious consequences for those Scottish clubs. Welsh league clubs pull in about 300 people, and play in towns of about 10,000. They could not support top division clubs.
Celtic hate the English
I was going to watch the video, but ONE MINUTE into the video I started falling asleep, at noon!
Good luck with your posts mate👍
Celtic fan, I wouldn't want us to play in England as tradition is more important that money. If scottish football league wants to improve their financial wealth they have to get creative, things like summer football would make the TV deal more competitive. Attendances would probably be better as it's not cold as siberia.
Less silverware
Celtic hate England so you’d have a bare face cheek anyway,
@@Parker_Douglas Gk is English, CCV and Matt also born in England..
@@Parker_Douglaswhy would celtic hate England.. I Like England more than Scotland cheered England on when they beat Scotland chris Sutton is an English hero 2 celtic fans..celtic fans anti British not anti English 🏴🏴🏴🏴👌👌
Few replies missed the point there, having to bring nationalist pedantry into it, ffs. Anyway, @E6hosting - that is a superb point - moving the season to play through the summer rather than around it, like so many 'more northern' countries leagues do where it's a lot colder and darker for longer over winter. I might well watch SPL over the summer while there's nothing else on. Well, in an odd-numbered year anyway.
Sick of listening to this now - Scottish clubs should play in the SPL not our League. We genuinely don't need them and the big Glasgow clubs belong in their own league
The Premier League would never allow it. I am an Englishman. I have no qualms with it happening. If I was a Scot I'd be angry if I was a fan of any other team than Rangers or Celtic. The argument about the standard of Rangers / Celtic would be moot within a few seasons. Because once established into the PL they would get a lot of more cash and be able to sign bigger players and so forth. I just think the Premier League is in a very strong position. It doesn't need to bargain or show leverage to anyone right now. It would only make itself look slightly weaker if it were to allow foreign teams in and then proceed to lose the league to one of those. I just think, realistically it will never happen.
rangers died in 2012, ITS SEVCO FC TO US NORTH OF THE BORDER.
They already let Welsh teams in
Even as a Celtic fan the idea that our first move to English football would ever be the Premier League is quite laughable. If - IF they were ever to invite us we'd be starting from the bottom and rightfully so. Personally I don't want it. All I want is for Sky to stop disrespecting us with their derisory TV deals and for Neil Doncaster to fuck off and stop selling our game to the first bidder. They also don't televise enough of the games they should be televising. Only showing Celtic and Rangers matches when it's always the same shit 11 men in the other team trying to defend their box. Show Hearts vs Hibs. Aberdeen vs Dundee Utd. Ross County vs St Johnstone and I guarantee you'll soon start respecting Scottish football that bit more when you see two teams who actually have a chance against one another if they go and have a go rather than just getting slaughtered by teams that most probably actually belong at a bigger league if only to balance things out a bit up here.
Other than that I enjoyed the video lol and when I say respecting the game up here i mean Sky because clearly you have a high regard for the Scottish leagues by your video.
If they were to invite you? Your fans sing songs mocking the death of Lee Rigby, they chant pro-IRA songs, they hold up divisive political banners deliberately intended to provoke people. They openly hate Britain and consider themselves to be Irish. The club is in the process of paying out the victims of abuse. Scottish fans have a chip on their shoulder regarding the English. Now ask me why the hell the English would invite Celtic to play in their biggest league in the world.
Good video but I would have to question the fairness of such a system, say the play-off final is Sunderland vs Celtic, Sunderland would have had to get results against teams like Leicester and Leeds in a 24 team league to get into that position, Celtic would have to contend with Livingston and Ross county in a 12 team league, not exactly the same feat.
Not wanting Celtic and Rangers in the premier league is not fear. Letting Scottish clubs in would be at the expense of English clubs. Why would we want this? It’s hard to imagine that Scottish clubs as a whole would benefit the English leagues.
Let them in, guaranteed 6 points every season.
SCOTS WANTING A CUT OF THE ENGLISH PIE, NOTHING NEW THERE 😮
When Rangers and Celtic are not winning each week, the support melts away.
yep they are mid-lower half EPL teams at best
True for Celtic perhaps but we literally went to hell and back and support hasn't lessened. 🔴⚪🔵
Hell and back my hole, GERS fans only started piping back up when they made it back in the Scottish Prem, took longer right enough when the mighty Motherwell pumped them bach to division one, then the reptiles came back out their caves! plastic glory hunting fans who worship the queen of England and not their own people or country.@@JohanCruyff-wj4pf
@@JohanCruyff-wj4pf "literally"???
@@bretton_woodsUntil Arabs come and turn rangers into psg
I remember reading that teams aren't allowed to play in another country's league. All the teams that do are long standing arrangements from the foundation of the leagues, eg Welsh clubs in England, Monaco in France and Berwick in Scotland. In addition, other than TV companies, who in England would want the Scottish teams playing in English football? Clubs sell out their grounds anyway, so no financial benefit, plus the likelihood of major outbreaks of violence every week, wouldn't make it a great sell.
Oddly enough, the Football League was never intended to be just for English clubs. The apparently hoped Scottish teams would join, but travel would have been awkward back then. Welsh clubs had no barrier to joining until the Welsh League formed in the early 1990s.
Not so. The A-league has always had a team from New Zealand which is not only a different Country but also a different FIFA federation (Australia is in Asia and NZ is in Oceania). There will soon be 2 NZ teams in the A League.
Would love a British Premier League Rangers vs Man United Liverpool vs Celtic Brilliant and the Welsh and Irish Teams are welcome with me.
No. We need 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
We should have the best of both worlds, where we keep the Scottish, English, and Welsh leagues, but have cross border cups with Scottish. Welsh, Irish, English, MLS, French and Belgian sides on top of domestic and European football.
The Scots already allow Welsh and Northern Irish sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
Irish teams? No thanks and would get relegated anyways 😂
we've already got enough terrorists and their supporters down here without allowing more in...JUSTICE FOR THE 21 ...and BIG JOCK KNEW
Most of the irish support Liverpool celtic & man utd
Rangers were not demoted they were liquidated and had to start as a new club
Moronic statement
@@alastairlaw6600it's hardly moronic when it's true.
whatever it was, it was hilarious
@@bullsonparade-kv7cc If Scotland become and independent country it will be as rich as Denmark🎉🎉🎉
@@matpk that has absolutely nothing to do with the topic
I would love to see Celtic and Rangers in the EPL. It would give them a far higher revenue. It would also make the keague more fair. We always know Celtic or Rangers will win the SPL.
they'd have to start at the bottom.......like every other club
@@shaunwalker2557and they would easily make it to epl
@@shaunwalker2557 Not every club starts at the very bottom...ie...non league.
@@kurteverest3675 as foreign interlopers they would and pay millions aswell
@@RoobrtLiwanduski and why allow anti English terrorist supporting clubs especially those with a history of sexual misconduct..( Jim Torbett)..and don't deny it..Big Jock Knew...but kept quiet...
What would happen with relegation in the playoff scenario?
I.e
Celtic win the spl
And the playoffs to get into the epl.
Then come bottom in the epl.
Do they go down to the championship?
Or back to the spl?
How does that effect the other leagues in both england and scotland?
If teams can earn promotion from spl to epl, but get relegated to the english championship the numbers arent going to add up and some clubs are going to get royally shafted.
Ye that’s what was in my mind the whole time, we (Celtic) end up back in the SPL but with hundreds of millions of pounds. So that money could be spread out but I’m not sure what the ripple effects that would cause etc. I think the whole things too complex but also I personally just wouldn’t want it.
Presumably it's the same as national league north/south
Its a good question. Scottish teams would go back to the SPL. I think the best way might be that the no. of teams in the Championship fluctuates by one depending if a Scottish team is relegated or not.
I am 68 and this has been talked about all my life. It will not happen, ever. It’s not even on the agenda.
I agree. This flight of fancy keeps being raised from time to time, but as far as I’m aware it was only given a brief investigation by the premier league back in the 1990s, and it was dropped and has not been considered since.
And back in the 1990s; Rangers & Celtic were still competitive with the teams in the premier league. But has that been the case anymore for at least a decade? I doubt that either club would survive 3 seasons in the premier league now.
Any combination of SPL and EPL and EFL and SFL is complex and frought with practical and political difficulties. Perhaps the simplest "solution" is to intoduce a "British Cup" competition replacing existing "League cup" compettions where all exiting Scottish and English teams are entered and drawn at random. Then you could get examples as say Arsenal vs Inverness or Man City vs Hearts etc etc . Give it a few seasons and see how it goes .
If Celtic and Rangers move down South, it'll be far better for our leagues and cups, as the Old Firm won't win everything.
There will also be zero interest in Scottish football if they left the SPFL. The only time fans sell out their stadiums in Scotland is to watch the old firm teams play. Been to Aberdeen vs Dundee United and it was a ghost town and been to pittodrie etc supporting rangers and the stadium was packed. It’s all about the old firm in Scotland. Rangers need to leave Scottish football and leave it in the depths where it belongs. A league that hates itself to death purely to appease Celtic.
@@Brodie-dj8hf If the old firm move down south, more people will start supporting teams like Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibs etc.
The numbers all add up
@@Brodie-dj8hf- Why can't the Old Firm stay in the Scottish League with European football and trophies?
I want the best of both worlds, where we keep our Scottish, Welsh, and English leagues, but have cross border cups with Scottish, Welsh. English, Irish, MLS, and French sides.
Let's have 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
Yeah well, the rest will have more titles which would be great; but also a lot, but a lot less revenue, even emptier stadiums. A SPL without the Glasgow giants is a walking dead SPL.
@@nickedname7048 All the ones who support the OF will have to move on and support different teams. Most likely Hearts and Hibs. Stadiums will be packed now the OF are gone.
You’ll never get the Scottish leagues to agree to that. Anything that stops old firm derbies will be voted down. The only way they’ll want in the EPL is being shoe horned in without qualification and the EPL will never agree to that.
I don't think the Scottish clubs would care too much.
Celtic vs Leeds in the playoff final? I'll fly from the US and buy tickets for that match myself! ✊🏻
That would not go down well 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Celtic versus nobodies you mean
The diddler derby
@@alastairlaw6600biggest team in the championship
Celtic would never switch to England they’ve closed ties to Ireland and Scotland rather than England
The English FA don’t want the headache of bigotry and sectarianism. It wouldn’t be a good look for their product.
I don't want Scottish teans in England's league, hearing the horrible chants about Hillsborough. We want none of the epl bigotry,
Impressive video. I am a NewCastle fan that lives in the USA, but I do think Celtic and Rangers are class teams, and would be good fun to watch them in the Premier League. Great job my friend!!
As a Scot. I would prefer Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United to join MLS, as Eurooean division with Irish and Welsh clubs.
That would be very interesting to see. How do you think they would stack up in the MLS? Do you think they would do well in the Premier League. Pleasure to meet you.
@@coastalpaladin5024I would think they could win the MLS. With some luck.
@@pn2124- It is not a mad idea to join the MLS. Have some imagination. South African sides play in the URC against Scottish, Welsh and Iriish sides. If the Celtic nations had an MLS conference they could earn more money and become bigger clubs.
@@rorysmith2415 Or they could just drop the archaic thinking that everyone has over there and adopt MLS or Liga MX style playoffs. Attendance goes up. TV money goes up. Teams chances to win the league goes up. The struggling leagues should all consider this.
Celtic fans lose their shit about finishing bottom of the group in the Champions League so imagine how they'd react when they never see Europe again.
It's also hilarious how an English-hating club like Celtic are begging the English to make them a big club 🤣
I think it could be a good idea, just look at the example of the United States and Canada in Sports Leagues.
In fact, I believe that Scottish teams can play in their league and in the English leagues.
They couldn't they play in both. Their seasons occur simultaniously and Premier League rules state that any club deciding to compete in another league recieves a 30 point deduction and £25m fine. Scottish clubs would also have to agree to fall under the jurisdiction of the FA (just like Swansea, Cardiff, Wrexham... have to) whose rules stipulate that all work-permits for non-British players be revoked should a team break their rule of competing in only one league competition. UEFA wouldn't allow it anyway as it would effectively give Scottish clubs the opportunity to qualify for European competitions from both leagues. They could have a sitution like Wales, where some Welsh clubs compete in the Welsh league and some in the English league but they couldn't compete in both.
@@lizardlenny American sports are a dreadful example.
Ball Boy i would like the EFL to rebrand the EFL Cup and invite the 42 SPFL clubs to join the 92 Clubs from England in the EFL Cup, maybe rename it British League Cup. That would make it 134 clubs which would most likely be an extra Round or 2 rounds with the Final at Wembley Stadium.
They’d need to be introduced into league one or championship. Cause otherwise they’d get slaughtered in the premier league. Wouldn’t be able to cope with the change of pace and overall league quality.
They need to stay in Scotland, period.
It wasn't just Rangers being relegated - Aberdeen and Hibernian were going through bad times and Rangers relegation was followed two years later by Hearts being relegated.
None of those 3 clubs made the Top 6 the season AFTER Rangers relegation.
-
The problem in Scotland is the insistence on divisions of 12,10,10 and 10 clubs when 16, 16 and 16 would make much more sense {just promote the top 3 from the Highland and Lowland Leagues into that new third tier}.
a 30 game season where Hearts, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock etc. only have to face Rangers and Celtic twice each and therefore a WIN against either is significantly more effective points wise.
Really good points.
I think celtic and rangers would do okay in the PL. Not giants, but contenders for the 10th-12th place spots.
TV money would make them competitors for europe in the first few seasons as the reason they aren’t the best is because rangers and Celtic games are only on sky on away days (or old firms)
Are you mad remember recently chelsea and arsenal could not shift 6000 tickets for a European final rangers had 100000 in seville for euro league final learn about football and don't spout such garbage
But they are both in Europe and they don't do anything. Why would this change because they get let in to the premier league? The actual reality is they probably scrap it out for relegation survival and their stock value goes down. The investment becomes less likely and drawing players in harder. You loose all status by not having automatic European football, it's pretty much a lose lose for Scotland in general. The Scottish League looses it's only seller point and with that the TV money goes plunging it into a terrible position. The top two teams go in thinking they will hit top 8 fast and reality will hammer them to bottom fourth, sponsors stop calling, quality cheap players stop coming and the high competitiveness of the league takes its toll. With in 5 years both could be in the championship, probably where they should start if we are all being honest
If rangers and celtic finished 10th to 12th in that vastly overated league both sets of fans would burn down their own stadiums in shame brighton villa bournemouth to name just 3 of the donkey teams who have never been bigger than the old firm and never shall be
@@alastairlaw6600 I think Brighton would whack them both.... Regardless of what the fans think or do it won't change reality... Why didn't the fans make them win the Europa League final? Why didn't the fans make them get champions league this year? Why didn't the fans make the best team in the world? .... You sound like an idiot.
Regardless there are 12 teams in the SPL and 1 cup of any value, compare that to 20 teams, 2 cups, the level and intensity of competition isn't even similar. Bournemouth would be 3rd place in SPL if not challenging, the level of Scottish football is low and it shouldn't be dismissed
SNP would want freedom first.
Really good video and well researched. Highlights the issues well. The gap between Scotlands Shame and the rest of the league is so big and so damaging, yet, they couldn’t compete with the English leagues so why leave. However, the main thing is, UEFA wouldn’t like it. If they allowed it, it could open the floodgates for teams like Ajax to join the Bundesliga, Olympiakos to join Serie A etc. It wont happen.
Well no, England and Scotland are the same country, Netherlands and Germany are different country’s
*countries
Nice try wee man 😂
@@6ix901no mate, they aren't, they are part of a Union, being Great Britain, but both are individual countries. Nice try though 😂
Rangers and Celtic could still compete in the EPL, Cardiff is a good example of that. @@HairFarceOne
@@psykosonic1501 I'm not sure what this has to do with my reply? The OP was implying Scotland isn't a Country. And for the record, I agree, Celtic and Rangers would do well in the EPL, given a level playing field and access to those markets / finances and prize money, they would be very competitive. The increased revenue from sponsorships, TV money and everything else that comes with that competition would see them give the other clubs a run for their money.
One matter not considered is that of European football.
The Old Firm are currently nailed on to play some form of European football each season, whilst at the same time they're greatly hindered by not having the finances of the top EPL clubs - largely due to not having their TV revenue.
The Old Firm could find themselves playing in the EPL without European football, or as I think is more likely, they would be regularly qualifying for European competitions - in which case this would affect the number of English clubs qualifying for European football.
Finally, there is always the possibility of a league being set up made up of the top clubs in the nations outside of England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and possibly Portugal.
Being in the EPL is far more lucrative than winning the champions league for the old firm
@@reeceballantyne9497 I'm not exactly sure what your point is to be honest. The two things aren't mutually exclusive, in that the only way the Old Firm would ever win the Champions League would be in the EPL (or some equivalent thereof).
Or do you mean that being in the EPL would be more financially beneficial than playing in the Champions League? Which would certainly be the case, but the Old Firm would have their ambitions and not just want to be a middle of the league EPL in the long term.
Both Celtic and the Rangers would currently struggle in the English Championship, never mind the Premier League.
Celtic who literally just drew 2-2 with arguably the best team in Spain atm
@@BerghemDeSura If you gen up think Celtic would struggle in the championship give up the sport because its clearly not for you
Make it into a British 🇬🇧 PL if we have teams from the other side of the border or give the Scottish 🏴 SPL more money 💴.
Celtic wouldn’t agree to the switch anyway
Rangers and Celtic have fanbases worldwide that can only really be matched by Liverpool and Manchester United .. pair that with EPL level TV and Sponsor money and it would be a big problem for English teams
LOL Rangers/celtic can only dream of having the man utd/liverpool worldwide fans levels/amount.
@mktf5582 lol. They already have them. In every corner of the world. Lol. It surprises me you don't know this or don't want to know it, but it's a fact that only man u and Liverpool have a fan base which is comparable to the old firm. You are a football fan right, you really should know this. The rest of us do lol. 😂
@@AlanMcEwan-b9t Yes they may have fans worldwide/every corner,but no where near the same - level/amount/number of fans as man utd/liverpool/arsenal/chelsea.
@mktf5582 your wrong m8. The old firm have just as big as any of your English teams, I'm not trying to be disrespectful. Man utd and Liverpool may be bigger, maybe. But it's irrelevant as to the fan base of man u, pool, Gers and.Tic, these 4 are so big.But chealsea and arsenal. Sorry man really don't think so. I'm talking about fanbase remember, not cash. That's not the point I'm making. I'm talking purely fanbase n worldwide. These 4 are real proper diehard integral loyal fanbase systems. Your 2 London clubs just fall short. But not by much. Again, no disrespect meant.
@@AlanMcEwan-b9t The number/amount of fans worldwide who are true/devoted to Man Utd/Liverpool/arsenal/Chelsea is something celtic/rangers could only dream off.
No chance and No thanks
Scaredy pants .
There have been rumours of this since I was in primary school, I'm now 38 years old, never gonna happen. Makes no sense for Rangers or Celtic to give up European football just to end up in the Championship.
No way . Don't want them.
Scared that Celtic show yous up 😂😂
Yes we do, i fully support this, it'll help the Scottish game too and will be more interesting.
I live in London and support Arsenal.
Fans of other Scottish teams also don't want them. Please take them so we can get rid of their bigots
@@rezarfarit would not help the Scottish game. It would make people think Scotland was in England. A better idea would be to keep the Scottish, and Welsh leagues, but to have cross border cups with Scottish, Welsh, Irish. MLS , French. Dutch and Belgian sides. Cross border cups all the way down the levels. Like the way Scotland allows Welsh and Northern Irish sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
We need 3 strong leagues in Great Britain, not just one.
@@rorysmith2415famously everybody thinks Swansea and Cardiff are in England 🤡
When it's done I think the best way would be to have a rangers and Celtic academy team join the lowest level north west league they can. If that's level 11 North West Counties Division One North or a even lower Cumbrian league. Eventually the teams will switch so Rangers Academy tops League 1 and then Rangers Academy plays in the Scottish Prem and Rangers play in the EFL Championship
Really good video, well done
Why would England make any effort whatsoever?
Create a North of Britain and a South Britain league. Top league of 18, with top 4 from each league entering into a playoff for the league champion. Final game rotates between Wembley, Hampden and Millennium Stadium.
That's the most stupid idea of all time 😂
You need to get your facts correct mate. Rangers were never demoted, the old rangers club was liquidised and ceased to exist. The new rangers that was formed then had to apply to join the scottish league system.
I'd hate it, fuck needing to travel from Glasgow to London etc for an away day, and vice versa for fans from England.
Bournemouth away might be fun.
@ballboy1982 Travelling there and back would take about 20 hours😂
The only reason they would do it is if they thought it would make money. I think if done the clubs should have to earn promotion. Why should two English clubs be kicked out of the Premier League to let Rangers and Celtic in?
true.... but money talks..SKY might come back in the future and up the sponsorship deal if the EPL gets stale
Why would English clubs want extra competition?? This is a complete non-starter. Reminds me of teams trying to join F1 - almost every other team usually opposes it because why in the world wouldn't they? There's no upside - the premier league is already far and away the richest league, and the gap keeps growing. What do they get from adding Rangers and Celtic? Same for the Championship and the entire footballing pyramid. Most of these clubs in the top three leqgues barely make a profit already. Why would they make their loves harder by adding two more potential top clubs?
They'd end up in League One after a couple of seasons, playing teams like Northampton Town, Derby County, Accrington Stanley etc, and probably struggling against them.
One solution for the Scottish game to raise its profile that I’ve always liked (though is very unlikely) is the idea of a combine Celtic premier league. The league would probably be majority Scottish clubs, but would also include some of the biggest Irish clubs, perhaps a couple Northern Irish clubs, and a few Welsh clubs (maybe the ones which compete in the English league system). Obviously there are several reasons why this won’t happen, and imagine it might initially be a slight drag on the Scottish game, but would probably be better for clubs in all of the Celtic nations in the long run. This idea is inspired greatly by the Benelux league, which I think would be fantastic for the European game. In general, clubs from smaller nations will always have a lower ceiling than those from larger ones, but the playing field could be levelled if some countries group together. Again, it probably won’t happen, but imagine if along with the big 5 leagues in Europe, there was a Celtic league, a Benelux league, maybe a Scandinavian league or a Central European league, etc.
Cardiff and Swansea already have the places in the English pyramid that the Old Firm want. Why would they be in any way interested in leaving to join a league with Shamrock Rovers and Motherwell?
Scrap the existing league cups and combine them, bringing in the Welsh and NI national leagues if they want it. While we're at it, have pre-qualifiers for Gib, Channel Island, Isle of Mann and other crown dependencies too.
Lad Celtic n rangers would be class in the football league would be sick
You been day drinking? They would be scrapping it out for just surviving, they get humbled in Europe against no bodies, the only games they have that are competitive is each other and they play fuck all games. They would get beat down by the competitiveness and volume of games that they wouldn't be ready for and would never see Europe again
Doubtful it will ever happen. Middling English clubs wouldn't support introducing 2 clubs with larger fan bases that would likely (in time) push them out of the top flight. Also don't think Celtic/Rangers would enjoy it. Both clubs used to winning every week and stockpiling silverware like its going out of fashion. Going from that to losing every 3 or 4 games and finishing midtable - I'm not sure they'd like it. Newcastle struggled before the Saudi billions, and with the amount of travelling involved (Glasgow to England every 2nd week), not sure top players would be interested vs London/ English clubs with less travel demands. Maybe end up with a monoply on top Scottish talent, but even then..
As a Hearts fan, I'd not be against it, but its all or nothing. No leaving a B-team in the Scottish league or anything like that. If they go, they go entirely. Might be a good opportunity to wrestle back control of the SFA and start operating it for the whole of Scottish football instead of just two clubs. Move to a larger league with better competition.
And why should those 'middling English clubs' support it? Lots of them struggle financially and would love to be in the Premier League too. Its why they are already part of a football pyramid, but to be told 2 clubs are being let it ahead of them would be a slap in the face.
@@NmpK24 Yeah, not sure if you've taken offence at "middling" but that was basically the point I was making. They're not going to vote themselves out to make way for 2 more sides. Unlike in Scotland, the OF can't just waive a wad of cash around to get what they want.
Don’t want the politics don’t want the religion 🐺🇬🇧
I like the idea of the Scottish Champion going into the playoff
Adding them to the 2 Cup system(FA and EFL cup) can be a great idea as a testing ground.
Yes, this could be a nice way to get going with minimum/less disruption. Might also create more interest in those competitions...
What about opening the FA or Carabao Cup to all teams from the British Isles? (Ireland and Scotland included) more games for the organizers and more visibility for the teams outside the english pyramid
It isn't the job of English football to help clubs outside the English pyramid. If England were the poor relation in British/irish football, do you think the Celtic nations would do English clubs any favours?
@@englishciderlover7347 i agree with you, i was making an hypothesis from the pov of the organizers, which seem to be looking for more and more games, and adding more teams to the mix would do just that
I suppose you don't even have to cut the sixth side in the chamionship playoffs, just run it like the club world cup where there is an extra game 6th vs SPL Champ.
There is no old firm anymore , it died when rangers died
Honestly, give it up. It's a non story that is logistically impossible.
People often don't realise that the "Football League" was never meant to just cover England. The founder wanted Scottish teams in it. In the early days of the FA Cup Scottish and Irish clubs entered. I know my local team (in England), hosted Queens Park and Cliftonville in the FA Cup. I absolutely think we should have a league covering at least Great Britain or indeed the UK as a whole if the Northern Irish clubs want it too. In my mind you'd have a British pyramid with the top two divisions fully national and then splitting regionally. Far larger countries than the UK have national Leagues.
We have precedent for Scottish football in English football, Gretna did so until joining the SPL, we have Berwick doing the opposite. Welsh teams are entitled to, and do, play in England and vice versa.
I totally support it. We should run football for the benefit of as many clubs as possible, not to perpetuate old enpires.
I prefer Scotland having its own league, as it is a proud country.
@@lewissmith350That's fair enough. I was talking purely from a football perspective, rather than the national viewpoint. Although if Canadian teams can play in the MLS without harming Canada's identity or their national team, I think there could be a chance for similar here.
Why should they go into the top league??
Evolve or die. Games such as Celtic V Liverpool / Man Utd, Rangers V Newcastle etc would add a lot of extra spice.
SKY would love it
evolve or die? Pretty sure the EPL is doing fine as it is
This would never ever happen, but I’d be all for it. Celtic and Rangers are both huge clubs and based on the money they’d get + their fanbase they’d easily become top 6 teams within a few years.
Make the PL 22 teams and decide the extra 2 teams as follows.
2 automatic championship promotions spots in year before expansion as normal
3rd - 5th + SPL runners up in playoffs. (Runners up move to championship if they don’t win)
SPL champions + 19th in PL one off game, winner gets PL spot. Looser gets championship spot 18th placed team stay in PL.
4 promotions, 2 coming down meaning PL expands but championship doesn’t and can accommodate 2 extra teams in the pyramid, while also ensuring someone gets to the PL on merit.
(Or the old firm could just share the money and help grow their own league)
Good idea
After following Ange to Celtic, it would be great to see them in the EPL. With big money behind them Celtic would be a permanent top 6 club. Why dont Celtic just keep their 2nd team in Scotland? They have the BEST supporters in the world and would still keep attendances reasonable in the SPL
Rangers and celtic would be top 4 but england would not want celtic because of the constant moronic behaviour of the specimens who follow them
Best supporters in the world? Ha ha ha. Have you seen the shame the Green Brigade being to Celtic.
You would have to integrate the Scottish leagues into the English leagues to create a fair playing field of a UK league. Throw any Irish or Welsh leagues into the mix also. You can't just pick and choose certain teams without weakening the existing leagues by their absence.
I've often thought that the EFL would be improved with a Scottish away crowd yelling at a ref at Birmingham trying to sort out a free kick "Get em back ref, that's never ten yairds!"