The recent absence of traditional top tier mainstays Rangers, Hearts and Hibernian has allowed clubs of smaller stature to step and attempt to fill the vacuum. The performances of clubs like Hamilton, Partick Thistle and Ross County, to their credit all retaining their Premiership status as Hearts and possibly Rangers make their return, has re-enforced the view that there is enough quality of sides to introduce a 16 team top tier.
The standard arguments against are
- that 30 matches isn’t enough fixtures, and any suggestions of making up fixtures via a reformed league cup doesn’t particularly whet the appetite,
- that one round of home and away fixtures doesn’t provide enough ‘attractive’ fixtures for TV coverage, principally Rangers versus Celtic, a contentious point amongst non-old firm supporters but perhaps a valid point given the importance of sponsorship and television revenue to our top flight clubs.
This take on a 16 team league seeks to extend the number of fixtures to 36 and enable four fixtures between teams immediate league contenders.
Another concern is the quality of a second tier that will be composed of a mixture of full-time and part-time sides, initially – as it is this season. The rotation of multiple sides between top tier and second tier is an important factor in maintaining competitive football in the bottom half of the top tier and encouraging the ongoing improvement of the second tier’s quality. One up and one down will only lead to stagnation in both leagues, this suggestion is based on two automatic promotion places and the possibility of a third promoted via a brand new and exciting play-off format.
For the purpose of this illustration I have positioned clubs by their 14/15 average attendance in order not to suggest bias.
Opening phase
All 16 sides play home and away.
Second tier of ten sides home and away x4 to complete 36 match season.
Play off phase
Upon completion of 30 fixtures sides are split into four groups of four, to play a further round of home and away fixtures, 6 matches in total, to decide final places.
European play-off
Sides finishing in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th go into a new format play-off for final Europa League place – the other Europa league places allocated to 2nd place side and Scottish Cup winner.
All matches are played at neutral venues with 50-50 split of ticket allocation, playing each side once. Matches to be played over one week, Sat-Tues-Sat, with all fixtures played at concurrent kick off times.
In the event that eventual Scottish winner has finished 1st or 2nd in league, then top two sides of play-off will qualify for Europa League.
NB – in this example Hearts would meet Aberdeen and Dundee Utd would meet Hibs for a 5th time, but only a 3rd fixture for each side otherwise, discounting cup fixtures.
Relegation play-off
Sides finishing in 14th, 13th and 12th are joined by 3rd placed side in second tier into new format play-off. All matches are to be played at neutral venues with 50-50 split over ticket allocation over one week, Sun-Wed-Sun, with all fixtures played at concurrent kick-off times.
The top 3 sides take place in next season’s top tier. In effect top tier sides are attempting to avoid finishing bottom and second tier side is attempting to finish in the top 3 places to gain promotion.
NB – in this example ICT and Ross County would meet for a 5th time, St Mirren would be playing ICT and Ross County for a 3rd time and all sides would be playing Dunfermline for the the first time, discounting cup fixtures.
scottishfootballrestructure 