Moving the SPL to a summer fixture list will be considered

The Scottish Premier League has welcomed plans to hold talks over a shake-up of football in Scotland.

SPL executive chairman Lex Gold said it was awaiting the Scottish FA's response to its plans to create an SPL2.

SFA president George Peat wants to discuss the possibility of summer football, league reconstruction and streamlining the three administrations.

Peat is seeking people from across the sport to form a "coalition committee" within the next few weeks.

Peat said on Monday that Scottish football will undergo its "biggest and most thorough investigation" to date.

He said it was not a response to the possible creation of a second tier of the SPL.

The SFA president believes the game cannot sustain three administrative bodies comprising the Scottish FA, SPL and Scottish Football League.

Lex Gold welcomed talks on the future of the Scottish game

The agenda will also include playing football through the summer months; league reconstruction and the so-called pyramid system; improving referee performance and technology and a review of the SFA's Youth Action Plan.

There has been revived talk of a second tier of the Scottish Premier League to replace the present Scottish Football League-administered First Division.

"I have asked myself 'do we need three governing bodies?'" said Peat.

"I wanted to introduce this before SPL2 was ratified or otherwise.

"I said to the SPL executive chairman Lex Gold that, if I brought this out after it had been agreed, people would say I am just trying to stop SPL2.

"That is not the case. I want this to be an open agenda, not what I think should happen."

MY SPORT: DEBATE What do you think of plans to overhaul Scottish football?

The SPL said it welcomed "serious discussions" on the future direction of football in Scotland.

"We tabled our SPL2 proposal back in August 2006 to secure, promote and develop full-time professional football in Scotland," said Gold.

"The concept of the introduction of a pyramid structure was also advanced by us at the time, with the recognition that others would be responsible for managing that process.

"We now await the decision of the SFA's arbitration on our SPL2 proposal and our board will review the SFA president's comments next week."

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith was asked to investigate the feasibility of a workable pyramid structure in May.

"I would doubt if we can get anything introduced in time for next season," Peat said.

"But if we can find consensus then I hope we could do it a year come the summer.

"It would give people time to buy into it and I don't see why we can't have consensus on the best way forward for Scottish football.

Meanwhile, Smith told BBC Sport that he would like to see a debate opened on the possibility of summer football.

"I am in favour of a winter shutdown. We had a month before, I think it should be two months," said Smith.

"I think we should look at playing our football in the best possible weather because it does suit players and it improves the game when you play in the best possible conditions.

"I would be in favour of starting in August and finishing in June and having a winter break in, say, January and February.

"If we're playing in World Cups and European Championships and people said that's a problem because of the new system, it might be because of the new way we are playing that we are getting to these finals.

"It's a case of everyone coming forward with their ideas," he added.

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