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Luke P · Gaining a Reputation Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 218

It has been suggested in the past that Rangers and Celtic might join the English premiership. It seems unlikely to happen, as the premiership clubs don't seem to want more snouts at the trough. If it did, it would probably kill the prestige of the SPL and leave Scottish football much poorer for it.

Scottish football is already a poor relation of English football, inevitably, because of demographics. I would love to see a combined British football league, with English, Scottish, Welsh and N. Irish teams competing together. It seems ridiculous to me that Man U are as likely to play Steaua Bucharest as Rangers. Especially when those lads' brothers can die shoulder to shoulder in Afghanistan (assuming there are English and Scottish players in the squads of course).

Imagine fixtures like Swansea - Kilmarnock, Newcastle - Aberdeen, Celtic - Liverpool - on a regular basis. I can't think why it wouldn't work barring the expense of restructuring things.

At the very least it would be nice to see the top echelons of the Scottish and English leagues combined. It would surely bring more cash into Scottish clubs and inject a bit more excitement into the fixture list. New club franchises could perhaps be introduced to spread the wealth a bit and draw on support bases (particularly in N.I.) that have no local heroes.

Perhaps even a British Cup competition? (Scottish clubs used to compete in the FA cup in the early days).

Take a look at North American sports. In the main sports USA and Canadian teams compete in the same leagues. Nationality and even vast distances are not an issue. So it seems the idea is removed from the issue of Scottish independence. Would it work for you?

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: GB Football League

Luke P · Gaining a Reputation Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 218

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:17 pm Post subject:

Fun. You hit the nail on the head. With the old firm out of the equation, we would have a league set up that was fun. More teams would be in with a chance of winning the SPL and the wealth would be more fairly distributed.

Granted, we probably wouldn't make great advances in Europe, but it would be no change to what currently happens.

Football isn't all about winning trophies. When I go along to support my team, I feel like I am not just supporting the team, I am supporting the part of the country they come from, their culture etc. So each individual game is like a cup final.

With the old firm still in it, they will probably share the title between themselves for another 20 years and that makes it more parochial than a lack of money ever will.
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The Lithgae Jambo · Helping with the Count Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 362

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 8:36 pm Post subject:

Luke P · Gaining a Reputation Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 218

What about my original question? Herts, County, all the clubs in a British League... Hearts v Wigan? (Ross?) County v Bristol City? Would it add to the excitement? Have you on a train every fortnight?

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"Hath He not made us all in one island, compassed with one sea and of itself by nature indivisible?" James VI/I