Season 2020/21 - if/when?

[Chester Desmond]

10 minutes ago, BB_Bino said:

I’m not seeing “more folk through the gates” in fact I would say by and large numbers appear to be falling at this level. Certainly that can be said with regards to the numbers of Away Support as people pick and choose games. Also, the biggest leagues in the world are big leagues in size as well, but they manage to attract people to these “meaningless games”, in some cases like the English Premier League, at astronomical prices. Why can we do that with our leagues (eventually)?

 

I'm talking about my own experiences as someone who goes to most games home and away.   I'm not really all that fussed about crowds in the English Premier League.  I find it more enjoyable when most teams have something to play for later in the season.  Its more fun.

[Thom & Gerry]

There maybe is scope for a 12 team League but I would hate a return to an 18 team division. Far too many meaningless mid table games. 10 is far from ideal but with the introduction of play offs you are always looking upward or over your shoulder. As for playing each other 4 times, as a fan it’s mostly home games I go to so only seeing the same team twice in a season. I can understand players etc maybe getting stale.

[Tutankhamen]

6 hours ago, EdinburghBlue said:

 

Because the two league structure didn’t work. One team was dominating the top league. Most teams there had no chance of winning anything or being relegated, so lots of meaningless games. Few teams in the bottom league had a realistic chance of promotion; and if they did go up they usually came straight back down.

 

Is that when Celtic won 9 in a row and the cup with the big ears plus they were in 6 European semi finals?

[EdinburghBlue]

Is that when Celtic won 9 in a row and the cup with the big ears plus they were in 6 European semi finals?

Yes. In the first 18 years after the end of the Second World War Hibs won 3 championships, Hearts 2 and Aberdeen, Dundee and Kilmarnock one each. The next ten were won by Celtic (9) and Rangers. Four of the first ten post-restructuring went to Aberdeen and Dundee Utd. (And worth saying that on ELO ratings Aberdeen were number one ranked in the world for ~6 months.). Then Rangers decided to start spraying money around and IMHO ruined top flight Scottish football.

[Lesser Is More]

15 hours ago, highlandcowden said:

before my time but was the thinking behind the smaller top league that in the old system there was too big a gap in quality between the teams regularly at or around the top and at or around the bottom of it?

They were so shortsighted, a league for the elite or so they thought. All the top clubs were relegated, only Rangers and Celtic weren't along with Aberdeen who managed to escape via a play off. 

 

[Lesser Is More]

I think there's too much tension in the domestic game. Football should be entertaining and fun. Teams would still go out to win games, there would still be rivalries. Clubs like Dunfermline, Falkirk and Dundee should be back playing in the top league along with some others.

[tamthebam]

I recently read Partick Thistle were in the top flight continuously from 1900 to 1970. In the last 50 years they've been up and down like a hoor's drawers and nearly gone bust at least once.

The smaller top League may have brought excitement but it hasn't exactly done much good to what should be a stable and well supported middling Scottish club 

[Hampden Diehard]

I just enjoy my football and, as someone who goes every week, have no strong views on the set up. It's been changed in the past probably out of staleness rather than anything else. Queen's are fortunate in having a decent guy putting some cash in and we could, perhaps, punch above our weight while that is the case and I'm quite excited at the prospect of that. Could we compete, and compete well, in the middle league of a three league set up? I'd like to think so. Bring it on.

Money is much more of a factor now, in Scotland as elsewhere. A budgie could win Celtic the league, such is their financial clout. Plus they hoover up the Scottish talent and have them sit on the bench. Kids are happy with the cash and kudos rather than a first team place elsewhere. And we have to consider having colt teams to give them a competitive game rather than Celtic blooding them.

Champions League money is only perpetuating the lop-sided leagues all around Europe. Celtic, Juve, PSG, Bayern, Real / Barca and so it goes on. Money's killed competition all around the Continent and the future is a pan-European league for television and the big clubs can't wait for it to happen.  The kants.

Edited June 20, 2020 by Hampden Diehard

[Aberdeen Cowden]

12 hours ago, Lesser Is More said:

I think there's too much tension in the domestic game. Football should be entertaining and fun. Teams would still go out to win games, there would still be rivalries. Clubs like Dunfermline, Falkirk and Dundee should be back playing in the top league along with some others.

Why should Dunfermline, Falkirk and Dundee be playing in the top league? Just because they have been good in the past?

There are plenty other teams that, historically, have been very good.

[Hauftimedraw]

Not keen on the idea of a lop sided 27 game fixture list.   Would prefer an 18 game season - home and away once over that. Short season could start 9 Jan , use Easter Monday as a suitable date, and would finish 1 May. Play offs after this.

Some computer whizzkid should be able to schedule the initial games to have the shortest travel distance between teams to potentially avoid postponements due to weather. Thoughts?

[Tenkay]

1 hour ago, Hauftimedraw said:

Not keen on the idea of a lop sided 27 game fixture list.   Would prefer an 18 game season - home and away once over that. Short season could start 9 Jan , use Easter Monday as a suitable date, and would finish 1 May. Play offs after this.  Thoughts?

Not for me that  Mr draw!  I would not been keen at all to have to wait until 9th January to see my team play again!

The 27 game thing, of course is not perfect but under current circumstances it might be about the best plan those that run Scottish football are able to come up with. At least we'll know we can get started on 17th October and FINALLY have something to look forward to!

[Hampden Diehard]

6 hours ago, Aberdeen Cowden said:

Why should Dunfermline, Falkirk and Dundee be playing in the top league? Just because they have been good in the past?

There are plenty other teams that, historically, have been very good.

Queen's Park - ten Scottish Cup wins. Top division!

[khalidonianb]

6 hours ago, Aberdeen Cowden said:

Why should Dunfermline, Falkirk and Dundee be playing in the top league? Just because they have been good in the past?

There are plenty other teams that, historically, have been very good.

That's just a small sample of teams, there are others like Airdrie, Ayr etc but just has important it would give teams like Arbroath, Alloa a chance of top flight football. Say in a two tier system any team having a good season in the second tier could win promotion to the top flight, IMO that would be great for the whole of Scottish football.

Season just curtailed I was really hoping Arbroath would finish in the top four and somehow win the play offs lol.

[Aberdeen Cowden]

47 minutes ago, Hampden Diehard said:

Queen's Park - ten Scottish Cup wins. Top division!

My point exactly.

[The man with no name]

6 hours ago, Hauftimedraw said:

Not keen on the idea of a lop sided 27 game fixture list.   Would prefer an 18 game season - home and away once over that. Short season could start 9 Jan , use Easter Monday as a suitable date, and would finish 1 May. Play offs after this.

Some computer whizzkid should be able to schedule the initial games to have the shortest travel distance between teams to potentially avoid postponements due to weather. Thoughts?

If Championship is starting in October then League 1 and 2 should start then too. The Premiership is different for TV money but everyone else should be the same. Makes it easier for League and Scottish Cup. Scrap the challenge cup. 

[jagsfan57]

I recently read Partick Thistle were in the top flight continuously from 1900 to 1970. In the last 50 years they've been up and down like a hoor's drawers and nearly gone bust at least once.
The smaller top League may have brought excitement but it hasn't exactly done much good to what should be a stable and well supported middling Scottish club 

We probably haven’t strayed much from the same range in the rankings though - between 10 and 16, which accounts for the yo-yoing since the leagues got smaller. We nearly went out of business because we had to spend a load of money getting a 10,000 seater stadium for the SPL, which was rescinded a couple of years later to allow ICT to get promoted.

[AlbionMan]

On 20/06/2020 at 19:12, The man with no name said:

If Championship is starting in October then League 1 and 2 should start then too. The Premiership is different for TV money but everyone else should be the same. Makes it easier for League and Scottish Cup. Scrap the challenge cup. 

What will the boys teams do without their only meaningful fixtures?

[williebraveheart]

1 hour ago, AlbionMan said:

What will the boys teams do without their only meaningful fixtures?

Who cares??????

[Blue Brazil Forever]

On 19/06/2020 at 21:43, Lesser Is More said:

They were so shortsighted, a league for the elite or so they thought. All the top clubs were relegated, only Rangers and Celtic weren't along with Aberdeen who managed to escape via a play off. 

 

But Rangers were relegated/demoted /consigned to the  depths /died (take your pick) following some dodgy financing and  bankruptcy. I would not be surprised if the new Rangers ended up the same way.

[EdinburghBlue]

But Rangers were relegated/demoted /consigned to the  depths /died (take your pick) following some dodgy financing and  bankruptcy. I would not be surprised if the new Rangers ended up the same way.

Why the choice when only one of these is correct?