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A new Scottish football league system (how I'd do it!)

With the current chat about how to reform the league setup in Scotland and the SPFL's desire to switch back to a 10-team league (terrible idea!) I've thought about how I'd do it. Unsurprisingly, I've went the other way and would expand the divisions. 

I don't agree with the belief this would create 'meaningless' games. Every game has some meaning to the teams involved and to the fans. For those teams trying to stay up, just securing top flight existence is a big enough deal for them, while others will chase the European places.

I suggest two professional divisions of 18 teams with 34 games in a regular season. For the majority this means a cut of four games from the present 38. These four free slots can be used to offer additional break time in mid-December to mid-January. Give the players a break or let the teams book winter camps. Teams in Scotland already have three domestic competitions, which is baffling as well as the Challenge Cup and Europe for Rangers and Celtic (sometimes).

Like the English system, two teams would be automatically relegated, with two teams coming up straight from the league below. The third bottom team would face the playoff winning team from Division 1. Again, emulating the English system, 3rd-6th would play two legged semi-finals with a one-off final played at Hampden.

Examples below show how the leagues would be comprised based simply on the tables at time of writing. (12 Premiership teams plus top six Championship teams and so on)

When it gets beyond the second tier, the game goes to junior level. Six teams each from the Lowland and Highland leagues would be invited to play in Division 2. The Lowland and Highland leagues would reduce in size and could potentially continue the current system for entry to the higher reaches.

This new system would allow for some tasty derbies and rivalries to take place and attract investors and greater broadcasting options. As well as the old firm, Edinburgh and Dundee derbies, there'd be the fierce Ayrshire derby as well as rivalries like the new firm and Greenock vs St Mirren, the Perthshire/Tayside rivalry and also the opportunity to have a Fife derby. The top flight would be less of a closed shop with a greater chance for promotion.

Premier Division (18 teams, play each other twice)

  • Celtic
  • Rangers
  • Hibs
  • Aberdeen
  • Dundee Utd
  • Hearts
  • St Mirren
  • Motherwell
  • Ross County
  • Kilmarnock
  • Dundee
  • St Johnstone
  • Falkirk
  • Ayr Utd
  • Livingston
  • Partick Thistle
  • Raith Rovers
  • Greenock Morton

First Division (same)

  • Queen's Park
  • Hamilton Accies
  • Dunfermline Atl
  • Airdrie
  • Arbroath
  • Cove Rangers
  • Stenhousemuir
  • QoS
  • Alloa
  • Montrose
  • Kelty Hearts
  • Inverness
  • Annan
  • Dumbarton
  • Peterhead
  • East Fife
  • Edinburgh City
  • Elgin City

Second Division (same; part time level)

  • Spartans
  • Stirling Albion
  • Stranraer
  • Clyde
  • Forfar
  • Bonnyrig Rose
  • 6 teams to be invited from Lowland League
  • 6 teams to be invited from Highland League

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