Old Firm to the EPL??

[Southernsaint]

All the talk in the UK is of the possibility of Celtic & Rangers leaving the Scottish league so they can join the English league.

The major reason for this is money. The Old Firm are two of the most popular clubs in the world, probably only ranked behind Manchester United & Liverpool for worldwide support. It rubs them the wrong way that as clubs of this stature they still get less Sky Sports money than teams such as Bolton Wanderers & Watford because they play in a "weaker" league.

Critics say that the Scottish league is weak because only either Celtic or Rangers win every year. Well, what's the difference between it & the English league where it's United first & daylight second. Hell, the other teams have already conceded the championship (psychological tactics non-withstanding).

Currently Celtic & Rangers get £2 million a year from Sky & the rest of their income comes from gate receipts (Celtic have 50,000 season tickets), merchandice & share flotations (although I think Rangers are still private). English clubs get many times that & can therefore buy "better" players.

With equal funding & a spot in the English Premiership I'd say that Celtic could win the league within five years. They're a prestigous club, have been European champions - the first non-latin club to win the European Cup (now the Champions League) & won the treble years before Man United - The Worlds Greatest Football Team(tm) did.

There's talk of the Old Firm joining this years Worthless Cup to give it a bit of spice & see how playing against English opposition goes. I guess it's now down to FIFA, the FA, & the clubs themselves...

What do you think??
Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[G@v]

I would have thought that fans of the big English clubs would relish the chance to see their side face Rangers and Celtic on a regular basis and in the same league. The only desenting voices would seem to come from fans of smaller clubs like Derby, Leicester, Ipswich, Southampton etc. Having the Old Firm in the Premier League would be a big plus for that competition. I can't understand why they are still only debating it.

This proves to me that Rugby League doesn't have a monopoly of idiots in charge!

 

[Southernsaint]

They don't want to lose the 4 votes (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland & Wales) that they currently have & the smaller clubs know that Celtic would be monsters in the EPL & definantly resign one of them to playing in the ironically titled Nationwide league...

Haven't heard sectarian hooliganism mentioned as a reason yet. The Old Firm are being touted as entrants in this years worthless cup - imagine if they drew Millwall or a club with a similar reputation??

 

[legend]

I'd let them have a crack at the big guns from the English leagues. Surely it would put bums on seats and I can't really see a loser from all of this and imagine the riots and so forth that would accompany Liverpool v Celtic. It would be great for the game. Seriously though, I think they deserve a crack and it would be great spectator value.

 

[G@v]

Legend, you'd never get a riot between Liverpool and Celtic or Man United and Celtic. United and Celtic fansseem to get along fine, maybe because United are traditionally a Catholic club.

BTW, Celtic beat the Red Devils 4-3 last night in the Ryan Giggs testimonial match at Old Trafford. Eric Cantona made an appearance, both Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Juan Veron scored for United. I would say there were about 12,000 Celtic fans packed into the east stand.

 

[legend]

Gav, is it true the Catholics wear red shirts and the potestants wear the blue shirts? Some one once said to me that was the way to tell what type of fans follow each club.

 

[G@v]

Legend, I don't know about the red shirt blue shirt theory. In Edinburgh the protestant team is Hearts and they wear maroon, and on Merseyside, Everton are considered to be traditionaly catholic whilst Liverpool are the protestant club....though there isn't the kind of sectarian division you'd find in the west of Scotland or Northern Ireland.

 

[legend]

Well that puts to rest that theory. I don't know who told me that but I always beleived Everton was a protestant club. It's funny how each club seems to have a religious affiliation. It seems religion plays it's part in everything. Which religion is prevalent among spurs fans?

 

[G@v]

I also asumed that Everton were protestant, until I heard a radio program a few years back which was about Liverpool fans talking about following the club in the old days, especially during the 60's, and they brought up the topic that way back, Everton were mostly supported by catholics and protestants tended to follow the reds. I think you'd find a typical Merseyside family would have Dad and one of the kids support Liverpool, whilst Mum and the other two support Everton. That's why you don't get any trouble at a Merseyside derby.

I think the blue shirt theory as some truth though, in Dundee, Dundee FC wearnavy blue and I think they are mostly protestant, with Dundee United (Orange) being the catholics. In Belfast, the biggest club in the city are Linfield, a loyalist (Protestant) club who play in blue shirts.

 

[legend]

So you would'nt see a riot between the mums and dads who follow different teams? That's a shame. I see Fulham and Spurs are on the same line as far as betting goes. Both are at $67.00 with Centrebet, although I am much more confident of our chances.

 

[macavity]

Which religion is prevalent among spurs fans?

Legend - Spurs have a HUGE Jewish following. }

 

[legend]

Shalom. Go Spurs.

 

[TheSaint]

If the old firm leave the SPL, what about the rest of the teams? Hearts and Hibs would have enough support to field EPL sides but very few else would have the support.

I think a Brittish Club championship would be the go, having English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Teams involved.It would be a lot better then the current farce that is the League Cup.

Speaking of the SPL, good to see the mighty Livi Lions defeat Hearts in the Lions first ever Premier League game. Not bad for a side that relocated and was in the 3rd Division 6 years ago.

 

[Bebeto in Japan]

I might be mistaken but I think Aussie midfielder Stuart Lovell now plays for the Lions.

As for the two Glasgow Clubs, I think they have outgrown the Scotish League and so I think for them, it will be a good move. I am not sure if my boys Ipswich will like another big club in the EPL but I think it is the way to go.

 

[TheSaint]

Yeah, there is a Aussie at Livingston. Looks like my oversized Livingston jersey might not be the only one in Australia for to much longer.

 

[imported_Ian__________________]

If the old Firm were to move South the rest of the major Scottish clubswould probably be forced to follow and look for new homes in the 1st and 2nd divisions.
Many clubs were originally church teams.................Fulham St.Andrews.
http://devoted.to/Fulhamfc