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I know that the rumour of "Premier League 2" is paper talk at present but I have not seen any massive outrage at the supposed proposals. I thought that the desire to destroy our football heritage for money, money, money would have been the subject of much more anger.

The whole point of a league system is that clubls like AFC Wimbledon can aspire to reclaim their right to a league place, after it was stolen by the plastic scum, by winning lower league titles and being promoted. If entry to the proposed two tier Premier league is by invitation only and based on "big club" criteria what happens to the debt ridden smaller clubs who cannot meet these requirements and will therefore go out of business?

I am so disgusted by this "Big Club Bolton" (Ha Ha) situation that it makes me want to take up watching another sport, however once STFC always STFC so I have a big problem!!!

http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,33958.0.html

Thanks Sippo,

Reaction still seems a bit muted though.

because it's not going to happen.

I agree with the idea of a PL2 .. with Celtic and Rangers being brought into it .. but only as part of the current pyramid structure ... perhaps certain ground restrictions and budget restrictions could be enforced ...

wrong thread fatters

If Celtic and Rangers want in they can start at the closest English equivelant of the Bristol Downs league and work up, just like every other fuck has had to.

Bolton may not have their benefactor much longer so all of the PL2 chirping was an exercise in nest feathering and preparing for the inevitable for Bolton.  One-up and one-down is out of the 2nd tier of football is ridiculous even by pie in the sky standards.

Not going to happen though as others have mentioned.

Fully agree to that.

If I see Phil Gartside driving his car then I will ram him off the road.

Is that outrage enough?

Fucking agree totally. Make them do what Wimbledon, Aldershot...and maybe Southampton yet have/had to do.

One of the things that makes the Premier League different from other European Leagues is the number of clubs who have made it to the top flight.

A Premier League 2 would mean that the top sides would play the same teams over and over again. The top half of the PL is already pretty stale, so I dont know why they would want to make the bottom half stale as well?

To be honest, the Championship and their re-branding has already been an excersize in distancing themselves from the likes of us. Provided there are still 3 promotion and relegation places into the Football League then I dont think it makes that much difference. But I dont think the top half Premier League teams will go with it anyway.

Why is the world so desperate to have the Glasgow clubs in English football?

Gartside doesn't care about anything below the Premiership - but what he fails to accept is that Bolton are a club that could get easily get relegated sooner rather than later.

I'm sure people feared that the original Premiership would signal the demise of lower league football, some would argue that it has... The Deuxième League is most unwelcome and perhaps more importantly, it's genuinely not needed!

This is the most absurd part of the plan. After the UEFA cup final I dont think the Old Firm are wanted anyway?

Ive always liked the idea of making the League Cup a British cup. But apart from that, I dont see how any of it makes sense.

To be fair Gartside is perfectly aware they that are a likely next Leeds/Charlton/Norwich/Southampton. Thats where all this is comming from. But look at what a great league weve got next year. Its great to see these teams outside their comfort zones.

Agreed. Alternatively it would be good to see them getting their arses thrashed by the likes of Stoke week in, week out and get relegated.

Wouldnt happen...reason being is that once in the Prem...they would get Prem money and spend accordingly....but it will never happen anyway.

We can but hope. If they were to get into the Prem ( and they shouldn't ), they'd have to buy shitloads of players and if it didn't gel quickly they'd be in trouble. 

Great point, Spence. That the likes of Charlton, Southampton and very possibly Norwich are joining the growing ranks of ex-premier league clubs floating around the lower reaches of the FL should frighten the shit out of a lot of clubs. The financial divide is fucking enormous now and it only takes a couple of dodgy player transfers, shit managerial recruitment or a desperate run of injuries for lower prem clubs and they get dragged down. 

I think it's fucking hilarious that so called 'big clubs' are now swapping places with the likes of Peterborough in the Championship, not to mention perennially arrogant 'big clubs' like Newcastle shitting a brick at the thought of dropping off the gravy train. I'd love to see that smug cunt Shearer eat some serious shit if they go down ;D

Although of course this is inevitable, the longer the premiership is in existence, the more clubs who have been in it will be floating around. At some point decades from now every club will have been in it. Well, except Rochdale.

I was suprised to see Martin O'Neill speak in favour of Celtic and Rangers coming south. I dont know if he will have a word in Randy's ear?

Villa are one of the key clubs along with Spurs and Everton. If those 3 go with it, then this might well happen.

And UEFA say they wont oppose it either. Which makes me suspicious of what is in it for them?

How about we apply to join the SPL?

Travelling to away games would be a bitch but bar Celtic and Rangers all their teams are shit so we should be able to end up 3rd and qualify for Europe.

Don't see why that is any more stupid than Celtic and Rangers playing in England.

I'm suprised they haven't suggested merging the top two Scottish divisions with England.... Look forward to the FA Cup 3rd Round Draw...

"and Aberdeen will host.... Plymouth Arygle...."

Motherwell chairman says they might well try and join the football league if it goes ahead.

Well suprised at how far this is getting. I thought this talk wouldnt resurface for years after Rangers in Manchester.

Yes Aberdeen to Plymouth is a long way, but its no worse than the distances involved in Italy or Germany. Its just that their public transport is 100 times better, and a lot cheaper.

Just imagine how gutted the 'Tartan Army' will be? Haha

Surely LA Galaxy versus New England Revolution trumps European efforts :)

Or even FC Luch-Energiya Vladivostok's trip to FC MVD Rossii Moscow! :D

I'm surprised no one has brought up the effect this could have on the independence of the Scottish FA, I reckon their top clubs joining the English league would do a lot more damage than a British team in the Olympics.

I'd quite like a single British league structure, merging the English, Scottish and Welsh leagues. Allocation of European places would be an issue, but why not just have separate places for each FA who then awards them to the teams from their country that finish highest.

I read the tabloids are indicating that Cardiff and Swansea are thinking of quitting the Welsh FA aswell.

To answer Gosport Rob's original point, I think the reason that public outrage has not surfaced is because there is next to no chance of this happening...at least in the form he suggests.  There may well be moves towards closer links between English/Welsh and Scottish clubs, but even here there are obstacles.  The two I can think of immediately are:

1.  The English leagues (incl the Premier League and Football League) are already very successful.  (Yes, there are faults as well.  But none of these faults would be addressed by adding Scottish clubs to the mix.)  None of the English leagues need rejuvenating in this way.  Gates across all divisions are well up on where they were a generation ago.

2.  Politically, there would be very little support for this in Scotland.  Scottish nationalism is taking a bit of a breather during the recession, but I am sure it will return with a vengeance when the Tories (most probably) return to power next year.  Alex Salmond and his pals will be able to make great capital from the argument that the Tory Government in Westminster has no mandate in Scotland, stirring up a fair amount of nationalist sentiment.  I doubt the Scots would be in any mood to disband their football leagues - and nor should they.

Yeah Juddie and MK Dongs wont happen.....Oh, it already has.....money talks my friend!!