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 | | Tuesday, 16 April, 2002, 20:16 GMT 21:16 UK Scottish league faces collapse  The Old Firm are at odds with the rest of the SPL
Scottish football was plunged deeper into turmoil on Tuesday when 10 non-Old Firm clubs announced their intention to resign from the nation's top league. The dramatic news was announced at a media conference held by the 10 and followed a two-hour meeting between all the SPL clubs at Hampden Park to discuss media rights. The events follow last week's blocking by the Old Firm sides of plans for the league's own subscription-based television channel. The prospect of a top flight without Celtic and Rangers may appear unlikely, but the other clubs are resolved to implement change. Speaking on BBC Scotland's Sportsound, Kilmarnock chief executive David Heath said: "In the event that the clubs have to resign, we will do it. "In the event that we are in a position where we have to survive without the Old Firm then we will do it."
The 10 clubs are fed up being an "oppressed majority" as a result of the SPL's current balloting system, which requires the approval of 11 of the 12 to sanction change. The 10 want to constitute a new league that will incorporate a voting structure involving a 66% majority agreement. The 10 also want to see a new method of distribution for television revenue. In the four years since the SPL was established, Rangers and Celtic have been receiving approximately 40% of all broadcasting monies. As things stand, no broadcasting deals have been accepted for the forthcoming season, although offers are understood to have been made. Under SPL rules, any clubs wishing to resign must serve a period of two years notice. This cushion gives all clubs plenty of time to find a solution to the current crisis.
"We are not saying we are going to be a league of 10 two years down the line," pointed out Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne. "The opportunity will be there for the Old Firm to join that league under the terms we set out." The 10 also believe that the Old Firm's overt desire to play outside Scotland, either in new European leagues or in England, has undermined the stability of the SPL. Hearts chairman Chris Robinson told BBC Radio Five Live: "The smaller clubs need to take control of their own destiny. "Any new league that we set up will be founded on fairness in terms of voting structure.
Celtic chief executive Ian McLeod and Rangers vice-chairman John McClelland said that they had no fresh proposals that might solve the impasse following the collapse of SPL TV. The two Glasgow clubs withdrew their support from the proposed league-owned pay-per-view television channel at the 11th hour, deeming the venture too much of a risk. McLeod had said on entering the meeting: "We voted against the resolution last week because we didn't think it was financially viable. "There are other resolutions and we want to take a constructive view of that in court." A BBC Five Live survey revealed that fans of the other clubs in the SPL think they would be better off without the Old Firm. | |
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