The English language paper here is reporting that the "Old Farm (sic) might go to England". Anyone heard anything about this lately? They`re quoting the BBC and reckon it might happen as early as next season. Whilst I`m very much against the idea, the prospect of Newcastle v Celtic is certainly mouthwatering.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Answers

Any Proof?

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Terrible idea. Nothing against the Scots like but they should stay out of the English League. Any first div side that wants them in to enhance the status of the Natiowide needs their collective head examining. They (old firm) have so much money now and with more would be in the premiership very quickly. We don't need even more cash rich teams trying to dominate.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

If they wish to join our leagues then they have to start like every other club somewhere below the Conference and work their way up IMO

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

I've absolutely no sympathy. Their behaviour towards the rest of Scottish football has been appalling, threatening the future of many clubs by deliberately sabotaging TV deals. FIFA, UEFA and the SFA are all against it. They can sod off and form their own 2-club competition AFAIC, switiching venues between Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Did you know that if one of the Welsh teams were to get into a European place and qualify they couldn't play in Europe? Because Wales is Wales and England is England. I didn' know that. I know the Welsh teams haven't a hope in hell of achieving this but Celtic & Rangers could imo given time. So what's the rules about that then?

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

What I'd like is for them to join the first division and only one of them get promoted, it'd make the rest of my life in Scotland so pleasurable

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Interesting Heed - didn't know that. Cardiff won the FA cup once (pre European comps). If they ever did so again they would not qualify 4 Europe?

That's Berwick screwed as well then!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

... and Monaco ;-)

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

The Monaco one is interesting.

When Celtic sold John Collins to them a few years ago, there was some case around the fact that Monaco wasn't in the EU so not covered by Bosman or some such daftness like that. Don't think Celtic won their case but it upset a few of them for a while.

The thing about Rangers and Celtic wanting to be in England, and presumably wanting to qualify for Europe is a red-herring. The assumption is that they would be good enough to qualify.

They demonstrably are not good enough to get to the second league of CL games. This year was the first in 10 that a Scottish side had played in Europe after Xmas. They just aren't good enough.

Celtic can look very very good but you have to look at the opposition. Livingston and Aberdeen were 3rd and 4th and have no talent of note. Three(ish) years ago Stephen Glass was Aberdeen's bets player, by a mile and proved average with us, and the same at Watford. Similarly Eoin Jess was outstanding for Aberdeen and nondescript at Coventry/Bradford.

For Rangers Craig Moore has been excellent having been okay at Palace.

The very best players like Larsson and Barry Ferguson would do fine, in the same way Di Canio, Van Hugedonk did. The rest are probably not much better than average Premiership players. (Reyna is another example of a decent Rangers player being average down here, also Sutton, Hartson, Lennon looking outstanding for Celtic).

I liked the comment on Radio 5 this morning about how much fun it'd be next year if Millwall played Rangers !

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Never mind Millwall Rangers, Millwall Celtic will be even more interesting with shouts from one end of "The I, the I the IRA' from one end and "No surrender to the IRA' from the other.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

MacB, you may be right about the current squads, but long term they would have the resources to be one of the top clubs in the country and would probably be competing for European places on a regular basis. I wouldn`t expect them to be a Southampton or a Coventry for very long.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

I grew up not understanding the Scottish anymosity towards the English. In the '78 World Cup I supported them in every match, cos we weren't there. I continued to be delighted if they won, as I was with the Welsh and the Irish too.Even now, I love to see a Home Countries Team do well. Apart, that is, from Scotland. Let me explain...

Only later in life, after the World Cup, did I realise that the cliche of the Scotsman supporting any team who were playing England was true. Their utter delight when we are beaten still shocks me.

But now, well now they need us. They need the money we can provide (that's OUR money, as supporters, who pay for matches, Sky Sports and merchandising).

Fuck them. Fuck them all. Time to stop turning the other cheek and tell them to keep playing in the Northern Disney League cos we don't want them. All those Scots who take delight in English losses can blame themselves. What goes aroung (should)come around.

Just Say No! It's akin to Sunderland asking to join forces with Newcastle.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Let them come, but they can start in the Cramlington Pub League division three (or whichever pub league is around Berwick)at the bottom like every other team in the country has had to do. I agree with Nick on this one that they shouldn't join under any circumstances but if eventually they do then putting them in this division means we won't see them in the Premiership for at least 10 years, possibly more. Give em that option and they won't want to join.

Prority is to keep them out for the good of the English game. BTW I don't agree with the Welsh teams being in our league either.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Whilst I also think that they should be forced to stay in their own league (or, if they want to enter an English league they should start right at the bottom) I think that the short term benefits that may accrue the Nationwide will make the prospect of them playing in England next year more likely. With, at the moment, no TV deal to speak of, the pornographer who is the chairman of Birmingham was talking on the radio this morning that he believes that a large number of 1st division teams will go belly-up this summer. Celtic and Rangers may just provide the incentive for such a TV deal and save some of these clubs. So while it may seem like turkeys voting for Xmas if they do let them in, short term issues may override long-term interests.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

I too was shocked at the anti Englishness, despite thinking I understood.

1990 World Cup they all supported Scotland till they lost to Costa Rica. They moved on to the Republic, fair enough. Then on to Cameroon, against England, again understandable as Cameroon were nice. BUT I was taken aback at them supporting Germany aginst England, and me coming into work to find German flags stuck to my monitor.

We may think Mackems have a chip from haveing a big brother nearby, but they've got nothing on Scots.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

I don't want to see any Scottish teams in the English league.

If it is inevitable, then why the f*ck should they join in Division 1? Surely if they are going to enter the league, then the Third Division should be the entry point?

I must admit I quite like the idea of Rangers and Celtic fans having to travel all the way down to the South Coast.

However, all those Scottish politicians that want independence will most likely try to stop this move and rightly so.

Would Rangers and Celtic moving away from the SPL not kill off Scottish football? The big games for all the lower teams seem to be when they play Celtic and Rangers. Instead you'd be left with a league full of average sides, all of whom could beat each other, so they'd be no-hopers in Europe. In terms of putting Scotland on the map, Rangers and Celtic are better ambassadors in Europe than any of the other teams would be.

So I am dead against it. If I was a Scottish fan I would be against it and as an English fan I am against it.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

I think this whole idea stinks. I suspect it is a ridiculous attempt by those same chairmen who came up with that crazy idea of the Phoenix League to get their hands on more cash. We are talking here about clubs like Wolves and Bradford who regard themselves as "big" (yes Bradford - makes you bloody chuckle doesn't it) yet they cannot get into the Premiership and are looking at alternative means of getting their snouts in the trough - a trough that has been whisked away from them by ITV Digital.

I cannot see UEFA allowing it at all. For many years English teams used to enter the Welsh Cup - for many years teams like Newport, Swansea and Wrexham used to get into the Cup Winners Cup by default - often as beaten semi-finalists - because all the other teams in the last four were English. Teams like Hereford, Chester, Shrewsbury, etc used to win the Welsh Cup regularly but could not compete in Europe.

Rangers and Celtic are whingeing (is this a particularly Scottish trait?) because they say their league isn't strong enough and it makes them suffer in Europe. I remember Celtic saying that in 1967 - not. If you feel that way lads - tough - serves you right for coming from Scotland!

It would set a very dangerous precedent - why shouldn't Anderlecht play in the Bundesleague - that's a stronger competition and would make it more likely that a Belgian side would win the Champions League. Why don't Benfica and Porto get together with RM and Barca to form a very strong Iberian League? Because it's bloody wrong that's why.

If the Football League allow this to happen I think it will be a total betrayal of 100 and odd years of footballing history in this country. The Scots hate us - if we let their two biggest clubs treat us as a convenience I will emigrate to Iraq.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

I resign!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002