Celtic & Rangers to join the Premiership

It could go in the similar direction as the Welsh league but i dont think it would go that far as interest in the higher leagues is already quite high. This would obviously go down though if celtic and rangers were to leave the league. Interest in the Welsh league is very low among supporters and the media. There is more interest in the F.A.W Cup (welsh cup)with live televised games mainly due to the fact that the welsh league clubs such as swansea enter this competition.

 

First of all, there is NO DOUBT that if one went, the toher would too. Its BOTH or neither.

Secondly - I dont know why people seem to think travelling would be a problem. It isnt in Italy, Spain etc. why would it be here? travelling from Southampton to Newcastle...if ppl can do that then why not just a little bit further to Glasgow?

Third - I also struggle to understand why some of you think we would struggle to get into the top ten. YES we would struggle initially, it would be a shock, and also all the English teams would be keen to beat the new invaders, but we WOULD get into the top 10 first year at least (if not Europe), then progressively get higher until we're challenging Man U and Arsenal and Liverpool within, say, 5 or 6 years.

For whoever said about Spurs, Newcastle and mid-table mediocrity - yes, its a possibilty, but arent those two clubs trying to buy Josep Guardiola? We wont even try because he simply wont come to the SPL. At least mid-table EPL theres room for real improvement...

Anatomy Man - Ill tell you the difference in TV money. This year Rangers and Celtic get £3m TV money. Last year Bradford got £8.6m for turning up at matches (they did little else). Charlton got £18million. For being utterly mediocre. God knows what teams like Arsenal or Liverpool or even Man U got. Can you see how if this continues, every single top club in England will have more money and resources than the Old Firm?
Yes we can recoup some by doing well in Europe. By winning the ****ing Champions Leauge we could earn the money Charlton get. And whilst we've got 2 CL places this year, it'll be 1 again next year. so ONE of us can enter the UEFA Cup, which is about as lucrative as a hot-dog van.

 

I'd like to see it happen, after 2 maybe 3 years if acclimatisation (and Premier League TV money!) I think both teams would be in a position to challenge for the Champions League spots. Looking at their respective squads I think that predictions of first season relegation are way of the mark, both teams have players who have/could cut it in the Premier. Combine massive stadiums and fanatical support and you're looking at a potentially very succesful combination.

Contrary to some people, I think that such a move would be great for the Premiership. We'd have more strength in depth and also the inclusion of two massive clubs with a great history and heritage. I can see how fans of West Ham, Derby etc might not be too keen though! Another downside would be the fat of the SPL, without it's two main attractions is it not likely that the Scottish League would decline in stature until it was on a par with the Welsh or Irish Leagues (ie zero)?

But, more important will it happen? Well I think all football fans are resigned to the fact that money talks and the move would be a money spinner for all concerned. If the Old Firm don't join the Premiership then surely it's just a matter of time before they join some kind of 'Atlantic League' or the inevitable Euro League.

 

Oh come on, Rangers and Celtic being in the Scotish league allows Scotish fans and people like Chris Sutton to winge with unrealistic claims of grandure. If they joined the Premiership they would grow in a few years but perhaps risk relegation in their first season, they are not used to having to play consistantly well, you see them in Europe and they have no idea. Now that would be hilarious.I think that if they entered, the league would have to be expanded to 22 to be fair on the smaller English clubs. Also, it would decimate the Scots league, or though perhaps it would become slightly less predictable, if not comparable to the English third division.

 

Risk relegation in the first season?HAHA
Both old firm teams have loads of proven internationalists who have played at the highest level (european,world cups etc) unlike southampton who risk relegation every season.it is teams like southampton who wouldnt want the OF in the prem as they would more than likely get relegated.

 

Well 'Charlie', if that is indeed your real name, you need to wise up. Saints have survived for years when everyone writes them off, teams like Man c go down. If you actually think Rangers, with their 'world class' team can hack the premiership then why don't you try. Saints have got Richards, Bridge, Pahars and Delap. Now they are class players. Recent years have shown a big club can go down. Rangers are getting murdered by Celtic, who don't exactly have depth of quality. They were recently soundly beaten by Man U 2-0, and lets see Dick's boys in Europe this season. Sensational.

 

[ 17 July 2001: Message edited by: Jimmy Colossus ]

 

A fair point about the money then, I didn't realise how much Bradford got in comparison, which is totally unrealistic - I stick by my opinion that Rangers and Celtic rate themselves a bit too highly to assume that they could instantly start competing with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal. Any of the top half teams IMHO can claim to be at least as good as them.
I still like the idea of them playing in the play-offs, though, seeing Celtic fail utterly in a freak match against Preston and ending up in division 1 would be the funniest thing ever <IMG SRC="smilies/laugh.gif" border="0">

 

if the scottish "big guns" think they can live with the likes of the premier boys.
let them come and try.they will be scurrying back over the border after just one season

 

Rangers have a far better team than the saints anyone can see that.Just coz rangers play in an inferior league doesnt mean that they will automatically struggle.
And would the likes of Flo, Mols, De Boer, Ferguson, Reyna, Numan, Klos, Nerlinger and Moore not easily walk into southamptons side?
If rangers and celtic did join the premiership it would mean that the saints would have a greater chance of relegation if 20 teams was the limit.

 

I can't believe you guys are still underrating Saints.

They are certainly as good as Rangers.

 

lol you're kidding right Murno?!?!

yeah i could see the saints beating PSV 4-0. <IMG SRC="smilies/laugh.gif" border="0">

 

LOL@Murno <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">
tut tut

[ 18 July 2001: Message edited by: Gio ]

 

They've beaten Leeds 3-0, and Leeds are way better than PSV.

 

I dont believe what Im reading here!
On the one hand, we have people accusing the Old Firm of thinking too highly of themselves...and on the other hand we have peole comparing Rangers to Southampton!
OMG!

I KNOW we arent TOO hot in Europe - but we've done alright!
We beat Monaco away!
We beat Sturm Graz FIVE - nil!
We've drawn with Bayern Munich, Monaco and Galatasaray.
We beat Parma 2-0 and knocked them out!
We beat Leverkusen home AND away!
We beat PSV Eindoven home (4-1) AND away!
Not even Man U beat PSV away (im NOT saying we're better than Man U)

Now, sorry to RAIN ON YOUR PARADE, but didnt mid-table Premiership team Aston Villa just get humped by some lowly Croatian team or something in the Intertoto cup? And thats with YOUR £18m TV cash, and OUR £3m TV cash!

Oh but I forgot - you're all so much better than us!
<IMG SRC="smilies/laugh.gif" border="0">

Now I KNOW we would not challenge at the top the first season, but we would NOT be in ****ing relegation trouble! And after a few seasons we WOULD challenge at the top!
We have NOT got over-inflated ideas of ourselves - how coudl we have in the SPL! - its YOUS that seem to think being PART of a big league makes everyone there a big team!

 

I'm sorry but I agree with Tru Blu hree. People think that jsut coz the SPL isn't as good as the EPL that the Scottish teams wouldntfit in and thats true in most cases but not for Rangers or Celtic.

Both of these teams are mid table/top half Premiership teams. They're ont as good a Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal etc, but theyre better than the likes of Charlton, West Ham etc - and they're definitely better than Southampton.

They wouldn't go down which is prehaps why it would be unfair to let them jsut join the Prem - coz they would automatically send teams down who have fought to get there (Bolton for one). Maybe if they woked their way up thru the Leagues it would be fairer. I dunno - but there is no way they would be in relegation trouble, even with the change of pace etc, and having to get used to there not being only 2 main teams.

 

Thanks superwhite! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

Murno...

Now come on - read that again mate, I dont really think you meant to use that kind of logic...

Using THAT line of argument, I could say that...Rangers beat Leverkusen, and Leverkusen beat Bayern...and Bayern are better than Man U so Rangers are better than Man U! <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">
We all know thats crap, but thats the kind of argument your using...dont resort back to the reasoning of an 8 year old!

 

And yet, just posts earlier:

How many 8 year-olds are on this forum? <IMG SRC="smilies/laugh.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laugh.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laugh.gif" border="0">

Seriously, though, has there been any actual mention of these plans happening, or is it just an exercise in Scots bashing here?

 

Comparing rangers and the southampton is a joke.
To the leeds fan any team can defeat a bigger team a but it doesnt mean that u are a better side at the end of the day the league tables dont lie.
I would say that villa r constantly 6 or 7 in the prem but player for player believe that rangers have a better sidejust coz they play in a poorer league doesnt mean that they will automatically struggle.

 

Anatomy Man - Murno was trying to justify Southampton being better (or as good) as Rangers because of one result over a team that is apparently better than another team.

I was illustrating that even though we play in a shitty league, we're still capable of CONSISTENTLY GOOD results over GOOD European teams WHENEVER we play them. Not just once. And not just over certain teams that may or may not be better than certain other teams!
ie. When we are tested, we often come out top.


And no, if this was just another excuse for scot-bashing I would not pay it any attention. It was all over the papers (well, up here anyway!) last week, so I was actually interested if anyone had intelligent responses... <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">