Can we ever imagine a Scotland without the Old Firm?

[IrishBhoy]

1 hour ago, throbber said:

Celtic fans act like they have triumphed against all the odds and Rangers fans act like they have won because they are inherently the best the gene pool has to offer.

That’s a very accurate description of the pair. It also ties in to the historical situation between Britain and Ireland, where the Irish were the oppressed and the British were the oppressors. Celtic fans still hold those same feelings, at the same time as being a multi million pound PLC, with a £20 million wage budget that has spent the same in transfer fees in the past couple of years. It’s hard for their fans to now accept that they are no longer the poor, downtrodden people fighting up against a bigger and more powerful enemy, but they have in fact became that enemy and it’s everyone else (Rangers excepted) who are fighting up against them.  

[AB1872]

3 hours ago, IrishBhoy said:

That’s a very accurate description of the pair. It also ties in to the historical situation between Britain and Ireland, where the Irish were the oppressed and the British were the oppressors. Celtic fans still hold those same feelings, at the same time as being a multi million pound PLC, with a £20 million wage budget that has spent the same in transfer fees in the past couple of years. It’s hard for their fans to now accept that they are no longer the poor, downtrodden people fighting up against a bigger and more powerful enemy, but they have in fact became that enemy and it’s everyone else (Rangers excepted) who are fighting up against them.  

Just checked your £20 million wage claim as that’s very low in comparison to recent years. It’ll actually be close to £40 million after bonuses but that’s still close to £20 million less than what it was at its most. 

[Girth]

Can we ever imagine this forum without AB1872?

[Jammyp]

Of course after everything that has happened today, Celtic routinely humping the bottom team is the big talking point on Sportsound. 

[bennett]

1 minute ago, Jammyp said:

Of course after everything that has happened today, Celtic routinely humping the bottom team is the big talking point on Sportsound. 

 

The invincibles playing the most beautiful swashbuckling football in the world should be applauded. 

 

Only a bigot would have an issue. 

[Granny Danger]

1 hour ago, Girth said:

Can we ever imagine this forum without AB1872?

No need to imagine, I already have it.

[Dunfermline Don]

Final day of the season in 1983 there were 3 different teams could have won the league.

If It wasn’t for Albert Kidd in 1986 then there would have been 3 different winners of the league in 4 years and none of them from Glasgow.

Unfortunately I doubt that we will ever see as competitive a league again.

I also think that our game would survive if the Ugly Sisters decided to leave. It would find its level but it should be much more open and interesting, with a number of clubs starting the season believing they can actually win the league instead of looking at finishing 3rd as being successful.

[Dunfermline Don]

Final day of the season in 1983 there were 3 different teams could have won the league.

If It wasn’t for Albert Kidd in 1986 then there would have been 3 different winners of the league in 4 years and none of them from Glasgow.

Unfortunately I doubt that we will ever see as competitive a league again.

I also think that our game would survive if the Ugly Sisters decided to leave. It would find its level but it should be much more open and interesting, with a number of clubs starting the season believing they can actually win the league instead of looking at finishing 3rd as being successful.

[kingjoey]

Is there any other country in the world where they wouldn’t want to see two teams vying for the league playing each other in the match where the league is/could be won. Because of the wonderful followers of Celtic and Rangers the authorities here do everything in their power to ensure that this doesn’t happen. 

[HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows]

On 08/04/2022 at 19:15, AB1872 said:

TV deal …

 

SKY SPORTS still have THIRTEEN live matches available to broadcast under Premiership deal - even though there are only six rounds of fixtures remaining this season.

This weekend is the last chance for teams to claim a top-six spot with SEVEN teams chasing THREE available spots.

As soon as the split is confirmed, the league will be able to allocate slots for the FIVE remaining rounds of the season.

Celtic are in the driving seat to win the league title after extending their lead at the top of the table to six points after their Old Firm Ibrox win.

It's still all to play for but it's Ange Postecoglou's side who goes into the final games as the favourites to clinch a double and potential treble.

But with just a few games remaining this season, Sky Sports still have a total of 13 contracted matches to show as per their agreed contract with the SPFL.

The contract with the league body allows them to show 38 matches a season - plus the Premiership play-offs.

But when the broadcaster shows St Mirren v Rangers on Sunday, it will be only the 35th live top-flight match of the season in the UK.

Premiership sides can host live Sky games on no fewer than five occasions per season - and Tynecastle has already hosted FOUR live matches.

It all means Saturday's Premiership clash between Hearts and Hibs at Tynecastle WON'T be on the telly - meaning it can proceed with a 3pm Saturday kick-off for the first time in 16 years.

While Sky could theoretically screen as many as Three matches in any matchday, in practice they are unlikely to fulfil their entire quota of matches.

Last season they only screened 41 of their allotted 48 matches.

 

[RawB93]

On 09/04/2022 at 16:02, Girth said:

Can we ever imagine this forum without AB1872?

Now we can 

[ol1vercloff]

On 08/04/2022 at 16:13, Monkey Tennis said:

Outline how clubs would suffer financially please.

In your answer, you'll obviously wish to recognise that in football, relative wealth is far more significant than absolute wealth.  After all, money is not an end in itself.

Presumably less fans equals less money for clubs, which means lower transfer/wage budgets, which means a poorer calibre of playing squad, which means less success on the pitch, which ultimately leads to clubs suffering in more ways than just financially.

[VincentGuerin]

11 minutes ago, ol1vercloff said:

Presumably less fans equals less money for clubs, which means lower transfer/wage budgets, which means a poorer calibre of playing squad, which means less success on the pitch, which ultimately leads to clubs suffering in more ways than just financially.

How could the other clubs be less successful on the pitch? What would that look like?

[ol1vercloff]

12 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said:

How could the other clubs be less successful on the pitch? What would that look like?

I imagine it would look pretty bad?  Competing in Europe would be especially bad.

[VincentGuerin]

2 minutes ago, ol1vercloff said:

I imagine it would look pretty bad?  Competing in Europe would be especially bad.

No. I mean what is it you're worried about?

As it stands our clubs never win anything and never make any impact whatsoever in Europe.

The Old Firm win everything and no non-OF team has made the groups of a European competition for about 15 years. It's only happened twice in the near two decades the groups have existed in the UEFA Cup. I think there's been one non-OF team in Europe after Christmas since 1989.

So, what do you mean by 'less success' on the pitch? We don't have any success on the pitch.

 

[wastecoatwilly]

On 08/04/2022 at 21:22, kingjoey said:

Ok, here’s a few Ibrox league attendances from 1980/81;

Airdrie      12,200

Kilmarnock        8,488

Morton    7,000

St Mirren      10,000

Hearts        9,770

1981/82

Airdrie    8,000

St Mirren    6,000

Dundee     8,500

 

 

 

 

 

Yes David but what was the real figure?

[ahemps]

21 minutes ago, ol1vercloff said:

I imagine it would look pretty bad?  Competing in Europe would be especially bad.

Surely clubs would be more successful??? There would have to be a winner for the league and 2 cups. The most likely scenario is that success would be spread out more than it is currently. Now Rangers are back to normal and the gap is as wide as it has ever been between the rest I'm guessing in the next 10yrs we'll be lucky to see 3 non OF cup winners and we'll never see a non OF team win the league.

There were clubs like Alashkert, Flora, Mura, Lincoln Red imps and Kairat in the conference groups this year. Surely a non OF Scottish club could compete with the likes of these teams?

 

 

[kingjoey]

19 minutes ago, wastecoatwilly said:

Yes David but what was the real figure?

That probably sounded logical in your head.

[ahemps]

55 minutes ago, ol1vercloff said:

Presumably less fans equals less money for clubs, which means lower transfer/wage budgets, which means a poorer calibre of playing squad, which means less success on the pitch, which ultimately leads to clubs suffering in more ways than just financially.

Why less fans? If teams were winning cups and actually had the opportunity to win the league you think attendances would drop????

Less money, we would only need to get sponsors to match the money that doesn't go to the OF just now. For example we wouldn't need a £5m TV deal if the OF take £3m of that, we would only need £2m and then the clubs would not be worse off. Teams would cut their cloth accordingly. Scottish football is fairly well run at club level in terms of living within their means (there is 1 notable exception).

It may mean bringing through more local youths which has a good feel about it and is more likely going to help with the connection of local football fans.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

Surely clubs would be more successful??? There would have to be a winner for the league and 2 cups. The most likely scenario is that success would be spread out more than it is currently. Now Rangers are back to normal and the gap is as wide as it has ever been between the rest I'm guessing in the next 10yrs we'll be lucky to see 3 non OF cup winners and we'll never see a non OF team win the league.
There were clubs like Alashkert, Flora, Mura, Lincoln Red imps and Kairat in the conference groups this year. Surely a non OF Scottish club could compete with the likes of these teams?
 
 

No matter how tinpot your league is if you’re a “Champion” then UEFA will try and get you to the group stages of some tournament or another through their “Champions paths”