By Graham Barnstaple
June 28 2012

Various media outlets reporting a new league structure is being considered to ensure Rangers newco end up in the First Division.

BBC Scotland are reporting the following proposals are on the table;

• Rangers are to be relegated      with immediate effect and replaced in the SPL byDundee    
• Television rights for Rangers      matches in Scottish Football League Division One are to be bought by the      SPL for £1m
• The SPL and SFL will merge      into one body at the start of season 2013-14
• Play-offs between the top two      divisions will be introduced in time for the coming season with one team      from the top flight and three from the second tier competing for a place      in the following season's SPL
• There will be an increase in      the parachute payments made to clubs relegated from the SPL
• Changes will be made to the      distribution model for clubs in the top two tiers with teams in the lower      leagues earning a similar amount to the current set-up
• A new pyramid system will      become effective from season 2014-15 that will allow a potential place in      the new league format for a team from either theHighland     league or newly-created 'Lowland League'
• Rangers newco's acceptance      into the Scottish FA would only be approved if they accept responsibility      for the football debts and fines incurred by the previous club along with      their waiving of rights to a legal challenge

This seems a bit like bribery of the First Division clubs to help them accept Rangers Newco into their League. It is also interesting to read some of the terminology, particularly in point 1. Surely the SPl can’t relegate Rangers as the holders of the current SPL share are in administration soon to be liquidates. The newco doesn’t have an SFA licence and hasn’t been accepted into the SPL either.

There seems to be a reluctance to accept the Rangers we have known for 140 years no longer exists (or is about to die when the liquidation process is complete) and all the banging on my ex-players can’t change that.

I accept the League structure needs change, and welcome the addition of a pyramid structure BUT why has it taken the demise of Rangers to make this happen?

Last season we had the SPL clubs insisting a 10 team SPL was the only way forward, this proposal sees us remain with a League of 12. SPL Chief Executive insisted we had to have four Old Firm games a season to keep the Sky TV interest.

All of this is now up in the air, but rather than take time to get it right we seem to need to rush through a half baked idea to ensure Rangers are back in the SPL in time for 2013/14.

God knows where all of this will end up, but I wish it would end soon and we can get back to talking about football matters! Hopefully the start of the SPL season on 4^th August will see us return to some semblance of normality.