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League Split


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Does anyone have an opinion on the league split that will take place in the Scottish Premier League in a couple of weeks. This involves the top and bottom 6 clubs in the league being separated into 2 sections on completion of 3 rounds of matches (33 games). Each team will then play the other sides in their section once, therefore playing a total of 38 matches in a season. The purpose of the split is to reduce the mumber of games in a season and reduce the number of meaningless matches played towards the end of a season.

In a 12 team league, the normal number of games was 44 (4 round of matches) which saw complaints from teams, who could end up playing in excess of 60 matches a season in all competoitions.

This system however, throws up a few questionable points:

Teams in the bottom half of the league are denied one game against both of the financially lucrative Old Firm sides.

Matches between teams can become inequal, for example 1 home match, 2 away games between sides. This must create advantages and disadvantages along the way.

The ridiculous scenario of the 7th positioned club actually finishing with a greater number of points than the 6th placed team or above.

The split takes away the possibility of European qualification for all teams in the bottom half at the time of the split. This is even the case, if there are only goal difference or a couple of points between the 4th placed and 7th placed teams for example.

I have heard that something similar has been tested in Switzerland, but am not aware of its success or otherwise.

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No, I am not so much informed on the Scotish Scene, despite spending 5,5 yrs in the UK!

I hope you guys could find a formula to make the league abit more competitive. Especially outwards! Because I always enjoyed the fighting spirits of the Smaller British Isles teams and NT's despite their usual misfortune...

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Since you mentioned Switzerland, there was a slight difference there:

The top 8 teams competed for the league with their results against the lower clubs thrown out.

The bottom 4 teams competed against the top 4 teams of the B' Division which meant that there was a possibility that no team would get relegated, a possibility that 4 teams (out of the original 12) got relegated or any scenario between the 2 extremes.

This system worked out well for 15 years but was abandoned this year.

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a possibility that 4 teams (out of the original 12) got relegated

Now there's an idea that would shake up our league. We are lucky to have one team relegated due to the over the top conditions set by the SPL. In recent seasons teams have been denied promotion for having insufficient stadium requirements. A minimum 10,000 all seater stadium with undersoil heating is required to participate in the SPL - despite the fact that few clubs actually manage to achieve that level of support on a regular basis.

Clubs therefore spend money building suitable stadiums rather than players, subsequently getting relegated, and find themselves in the lower league with an empty stadium and no quality players.

A classic vicious circle!

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Is good to have standards for the teams that join the premier league. The top teams pay a lot of money for their players and it should be secured that they will not get injured due to playing on bad terren.

On a funny note; Haven't the teams in Scotland found the solution that the Greeks have? Make the goverment pay for the stadiums!!! Close the roads, organize demonstrations, burn some tires... It should do the job :lol: :lol:

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Fair point Vaggar. The quality of pitches is something that needs to be addressed, and is currently being looked at by Uefa, not only the SPL. Dunfermline are testing out the latest artificial surface available, receiving funding on the grounds that they keep it for a two year trial period. The irony in this, is that should Dunfermline qualify for the Uefa Cup, they may not be allowed to play their home ties on the artificial grass!!

So far, Dunfermline's pitch has proven to be unpopular among the opposition players. It does however, encourage an attractive, passing style of football. This is in contrast to the game served up on a pitch resembling a desert yesterday between Motherwell and Rangers, where the long ball over the midfield was adopted for the whole game. It really was terrible stuff.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The league split was confirmed last night after Motherwell gained the neccessary points to take the last place by defeating Dunfermline at home.

The clubs who will compete against each other one final time this season are:

Celtic

Rangers

Hearts

Dunfermline

Motherwell

Dundee United.

The only thing at stake is the one final Uefa Cup place. One place goes to the Scottish Cup finalist (Inverness or Dunfermline) who will play Celtic who qualify for the Champions League. The final place will go to third placed team, or fourth if Dunfermline defeat Inverness on Tuesday night in the cup semi final replay.

The bottom 6 clubs also play each other once, but the odds are stacked highly against Partick Thistle catching the clubs above.

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