The proposals introduce entry criteria for teams wanting to enter SPL 2, as these have been such a great success in the original SPL (ahem). Clubs will now need to have 3,000 seats and some form of pitch protection, with no terracing allowed to be used. Rather amusingly, some current first division teams do not even have 3,000 seats at the moment. And, with SPL 2 not likely to happen for another two years, where is the money for these upgrades to come from?
For some teams, SPL 2 may look like a good idea. For example, St. Johnstone don't need to upgrade their ground and will be fine. But, what about the Stranraers and Brechins of this world? They've played in the first division and, with all due respect, don't really have ambitons to go higher. They have no real need for 3,000 seats, so why on earth should they go to great expense installing them just to play the likes of St. Johnstone and Livingston every other week?
I'd be fully in favour of the proposals if the SPL had taken this change to make some changes to both it and the future first division. But they haven't. The top league will remain one of twelve teams with the stupid split, one up one down will remain, whilst SPL 2 will feature ten teams and the same relegation and promotion system in place at present. It doesn't even seem to be a fair way the teams that make up SPL 2 will be chosen, as there is talk of teams being invited rather than the ten who are in the league at the end of season 2007/08.
It will come as no surprise to Saints fans that the main man who was behind these proposals is our favourite chairman Pearse Flynn. In the two years since he bought Livingston, it has become increasingly clear that a village in Ireland somewhere is missing its idiot. Since Livingston were relegated at the end of the season he has wasted all his time trying to come up with ridiculous plans that will benefit his club and hardly anyone else. His finest moment came when he said there should be more relegation places from the SPL, a change he didn't mention once when he could have actually forced this change.
Brooks Mileson is another chairman I don't particularly like, however he seems to be the only man with the balls to stand up and say he doesn't want Gretna to be part of this. Now, whilst this may be because he reckons Gretna will be in the SPL by then, it could also be because he sees the idea has sod all merit and is a waste of time. Perhaps he can see something the other chairmen can't, such as that it's a complete and utter waste of time.
Or maybe the chairmen that voted the proposals through today (and don't forget, it was SPL chairmen, including our own Stewart Gilmour who voted, not ones in the SFL), know it will work and will benefit every club in the Scottish game.
I disagree completely and think it can only lead to bad things, especially for teams like Cowdenbeath and Forfar.
Time will tell who was right.