A Scottish Sun report has suggested that all SPFL club chairmen are to receive a new league reconstruction proposal drafted by Hearts’ Ann Budge within the next 48 hours.
All tiers of the SPFL were brought to an early conclusion amid the global health crisis, with a number of clubs condemned to relegation.
Premiership clubs rejected suggestions put forward by a reconstruction group earlier in the month but Rangers were amongst the clubs to suggest the issue should be revisited [BBC Scotland] and Jambos owner Budge is currently putting the final touches to a new proposal.
The report claims it’s likely that the proposal will include expanding the Premiership to 14 teams for two seasons, starting with the 2020/21 campaign, with clubs holding a ballot after a year to determine whether or not the changes would be made permanent.
The proposal is expected to recommend maintaining a 10-10-10 setup beneath the top-flight.
It’s suggested that most Premiership clubs would be open to a 14-team league if the change was made permanent.
A move to increase the size of the Premiership would see Hearts spared from relegation and Inverness Caledonian Thistle promoted from the Championship.
Verdict
The majority of top-flight clubs may well be in favour of an expanded Premiership but it’s still unlikely that Budge’s proposal and subsequent resolution will be passed.
As many as 11 out of 12 Premiership clubs would need to vote in favour as well as 75% of clubs from the other three divisions.
Big clubs who are unlikely to be affected by the specifics around future relegation including Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen could vote in favour, while Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor has suggested that after rejecting the work of the reconstruction group, he could change his mind and support Budge’s imminent proposal [The Scotsman].
Yet, given the level of disharmony amongst clubs over the last few months, it’s hard to see enough Chairmen following suit.
