Rangers propose "B" teams as part of reconstruction

Craigie

Well-Known Member

Rangers and Celtic would both have 'B' teams in the bottom tier of a 14-14-18 league set-up being proposed by the Ibrox club for next season.
Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers would also be invited into the SPFL to make up an expanded League One, with the "innovation paper" also suggesting Hearts and Partick Thistle avoid their respective relegations.
Both Old Firm B sides would immediately pay a £125,000 joining fee, with further payments to be made in each of the following three campaigns.
That money would go to third-tier clubs and would reduce by £25,000 each term across a four-year deal, with the entire plan worth a total of £1.2m of "new finance".
What else is in the 'innovation paper'?
  • Rangers and Celtic B teams can only get promoted as high as the Championship;
  • Their players will have an age limit of 21;
  • The Old Firm will purchase at least 200 tickets at a cost of £15 for each away game, with the money paid in advance;
  • They will also pay £1000 to stream each of those matches, should facilities be in place
  • Other Premiership clubs can apply to have 'B' teams starting in the Highland and Lowland leagues - replacing Kelty and Brora - with a joining fee of £25,000;
  • Alternatively, they could forge strategic partnerships with lower-league outfits that would allow up to six players, plus one coach to be loaned by the Premiership club;
  • Those partnerships would have a minimum three-year commitment and would cease if the lower-league club reaches the top flight.
How would the divisions work?
  • Hearts and Inverness Caledonian Thistle would be added to top 12;
  • League would split into a top six and bottom eight after 26 matches;
  • Top six would play home and away (total 36 games) as would the bottom eight (total 40 games);
  • One team would be relegated, and another would face a play-off as currently.
  • Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Airdrie, Montrose, East Fife and Dumbarton would be moved up;
  • League would split into a top six and bottom eight after 26 games;
  • Top six would play home and away (total 36 games) as would the bottom eight (total 40 games);
  • One team would be promoted, plus three more would make play-offs as currently;
  • Bottom two would be relegated, with the 12th-placed team in play-off.
  • Teams would meet twice each season;
  • Top two would be guaranteed promotion, with teams in third, fourth, fifth and sixth in play-offs to decide who would face off with 12th team in Championship;
  • Bottom side will enter play-off with Highland or Lowland League play-off winner as currently;
  • There is scope for second bottom team to also become part of play-offs.
Why are Rangers proposing it?
The Ibrox club say their objectives are to ensure no club is worse off as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and to inject "new finance" into the "vulnerable" lower leagues to improve standards.
Furthermore, Rangers say they want to achieve the "freshness" that reconstruction would bring while making sure "the pyramid is respected" and keeping each club's share of prize-money distribution the same.
Another plank is to tackle the "player transition challenge" with a "menu" of options for different-sized clubs ranging from B teams to the existing loan agreements and reserve league.
What happens next?
It is unclear how much support exists for the proposals, although it is understood Celtic do back them.
All Premiership clubs are aware, and will have had the full document presented to them by Rangers by Tuesday. Furthermore, the Scottish FA and SPFL have both been briefed, and other lower-league outfits have been sounded out.
There is also thought to be broad support for the strategic partnerships - an idea initially suggested by Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy.
Were the plan to go to a vote, it would need 32 of the 42 clubs to support it. Seventeen of those would have to be in the Premiership and Championship, with 11 of them in the top flight.
While Rangers are aiming for this to be introduced next season, they recognise that will be difficult and are prepared to adapt elements once they have consulted more widely.
Further stumbling blocks are that, while Stranraer would technically avoid the relegation from League One meted out after the early curtailment of last season, they would still end up in the bottom tier.
Clyde, Peterhead and Forfar Athletic would be in a similar situation, while Cove would stay in the bottom tier despite winning League Two last term.
Earlier this week, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster wrote to clubs asking if they would back a 14-team Premiership for next season and, if not, how might their objections be overcome.
That followed Hearts' owner Ann Budge's failed attempt to gain support for a 14-14-14 structure for the next two seasons.
 
I know that we maybe see this as an opportunity to get colt teams in the pyramid, but I'm not sure why we're trying to help the SPFL dig themselves out of a hole here. Especially when we know that the idea of colt teams proved very unpopular in the lower leagues
 
Am I missing something. How can Inverness just be added to the top league?

I get why Hearts would be back in there but why ICT?

Don't get me wrong, ICT have been fantastic through all this.
 
As the unwashed are seemingly behind this there must be a reasonable chance that it will succeed.
However, we must still continue the fight to right the wrongs of the last few years. I am hopeful we will but interesting times ahead
 
Am I missing something. How can Inverness just be added to the top league?

I get why Hearts would be back in there but why ICT?

Don't get me wrong, ICT have been fantastic through all this.

Inverness would the next team to move up to make a 14 team set-up
 
I don’t agree with this., I don’t think it would be very appealing to smaller clubs. As much as we might scoff at the level, they have as much right to their own competition and the rivalries that go with it without us treating it as a training ground.

Besides, we should be dismissing any attempt at reconstruction out of hand. It strikes me as hypocritical that on one hand we call it a sham, aand on the other we go along with it. I’m bitterly disappointed the club now seem willing to agree to a 14 team league.

The club would be better off spending it time and resources building a legal case to challenge the poets being handed the title.

Words can’t express how angry I’m feeling right now. We need to stop this pathetic attempt to be seen as ‘doing the right thing’. The one club that remains disadvantage is us.
 
So Rangers fans need to support all these clubs by going to b games? Is that right? No chance

Or is it worth it so our b team develop by playing Clyde I'm not convinced.
I certainly wouldnt go to a colt game to support another team. I'd be going to see rangers. The benefit of colt teams could be a game changer for developing players.
 
Great idea imo. Get your self on pie and bovril, it’s hilarious reading from all the wee clubs supporters throwing the toys out the pram.

The reality is Rangers and Celtic’s colt teams would bring far more professionalism than the diddy outfits languishing in the lower tiers of Scottish football.

Exactly! It will improve Rangers and Scottish football.
 
Friday night and I have had a few so maybe missing something here, if this proposal is from Rangers it would seem we have accepted that the "staus quo" will indeed remain and unfortunately that we have been found wanting. Why the %^*& would we want to propose something that could possibly help the SPFL/SFA dig themselves out of the massive hole they have dug for themselves.:mad::mad:
 
I certainly wouldnt go to a colt game to support another team. I'd be going to see Rangers. The benefit of colt teams could be a game changer for developing players.
But you are and that's how rangers are selling it to them. Ok not support but financially support yip.
 
Ann Budge gets torn to shreds on here for being bought via reconstruction.

Looks like we've been bought too.
We have seen an opportunity as our last colts proposal got rejected which had almost the exact same financial package on offer to the clubs in regards to ticket purchases
 
For weeks now I've been believing we were going after these c unts full-bloodied only to learn the other day going by Robertson's interview that we were moving on and I was sick to my stomach. Now! if that document is true we are going to bail the spfl out the shit and at the same time start financing the rest of Scottish football. The same spfl and Scottish teams that for the last few years have had a bloodlust for our demise.
Wow!! just f uckin Wow.
 
A no mark that they supported and received support from during our call for inquiry. Somehow I dont see our board describing her in the same way.
To get any changes we want to make at board level we must get allies first and us putting fwd proposals that could benefit all parts of Scottish football is a good way of winning over allies and also help us to produce players battle hardened and ready to step up to the first team
 
Or we've offered something we know won't be accepted, then we can vote against the current reconstruction with a clear conscience?
A bit like the dossier we proposed, where we also offered something we knew wouldn't be accepted, yet a few weeks later we're now looking to save hearts & help out the very people we were looking to remove in April? Where it says that other mob backs it also insinuates to me that this has a very good chance of passing a vote
 
Teams in same division playing a different amount of games in a season!
We do not need to bring in money to gain access for our younger players, let a few of the diddy teams go bust and they (SPFL) will be begging us and them to provide teams.
 
So we'd actually be saving Hearts who voted us out of the SPL and called us cheats on their official website?

Then we'd be subsidizing the very league we just called corrupt a few weeks back? Yeah we're definitely going to fight Doncaster and co in court now?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top