Merger plans between the SPL and SFL look dead in the water after a show of hands at the AGM of the SFL indicated that the majority of Division Two and Three clubs are against the deal.
SFL clubs will formally vote on the proposals at an EGM next month but First Division sides are preparing for rejection and putting their own breakaway plans in place to join up with the SPL.
A summer of conflict lies ahead with Hamilton Accies chief Les Gray adamant that it’s time for First Division sides to make their move.
“We see that EGM vote as an irrelevance,” he explained. “It has been voted down so it is a failed vote in our eyes.
“We will now look at all the other alternatives to us and we will do what is right for our clubs now.
“It will involve getting change for next season. We will organise meetings with the SPL in the coming days.
“The whole group are very disappointed with the outcome. Everyone has worked incredibly hard to try to get it over the line.
“Obviously, it hasn’t been enough and nearly half the SFL clubs have decided it’s not for them. It is really unfortunate and we are all greatly disappointed.”
The current proposal was triggered by talk of a First Division breakaway with Gray admitting that a 42 club all-in solution isn’t likely to happen.
He added: “The 42-club solution is what we have been trying to achieve. It has not happened and it is disappointing. It is not going to happen now.
“We are all big boys. It is a democracy and some clubs have made their decision. We will move on with our lives.”
I’d be very interested in finding out what the SFL clubs in the bottom two divisions hope to achieve by voting against the merger. If the top SFL clubs break away and form SPL 2, then they, the SFL division 2 and 3 clubs, are just going to get further and further behind.
To be honest, I can’t help thinking that SPL 2 might be the best thing for Scottish football in the long run: it would probably lead to only twenty professional clubs with the rest regionalised.
However, I’m sure the lower clubs didn’t vote against the merger to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of Scottish football. What on earth are they thinking?
I would have welcomed the 42 club plan and thought it addressed most if not all the problems with our league set up.
Now that it seems to be dead in the water I really hope the 10 clubs break away now. It’s time to cut off the tail as its infected.
I have not heard the “elephant in the room” question ‘ Will sevco be allowed to join SPL 2 this season???? They definitely don’t appear on any of Les Gray’s interviews or team lists.
Hail hail
Longmuir has his Sevconian hoof prints all over this mess.
We have far too many so called pro clubs in Scotland anyway, 42 clubs is just a joke…most of these are barely Junior levels. In fact quite a few junior clubs could show them how to run a club properly. If the 1st division clubs do opt to break away then I feel it will be the best thing for our game in the long term. Let the lower level clubs find their true level, most lack any real ambition and simply exist from hand-outs from the SFA while offering very little to the game.
Take onboard these 10-12 clubs and press ahead with an SPL2….then watch the scramble as others try to join. We need to total clearout at SPL – SFA & SFL anyway, so cutting dead the SFL apart from a couple of notable exceptions is a big step forward.