The Old Firm: Premier League? You’re having a laugh!

Martin Luther King famously had a dream of racial equality and an end to discrimination. I too have a dream but sadly it isn’t as prophetic as that. I just want to live to see Aberdeen crowned as SPL champions. Now that may sound ridiculous to many of you given the Dons’ recent lack of silverware but it could come sooner than we think if Celtic and Rangers succeed in their relentless pursuit of moving to the filthy rich English Premier League.

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside wants to create a second Premier League and invite the Scottish giants into the English game. This controversial matter is expected to be discussed next month by the Premier League chairmen and both Celtic and Rangers chief executives have done their best to make sure this topic is on the agenda by reigniting the debate.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has a dream of seeing Celtic compete in the same league as Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and he claims the Bhoys are willing to start in League Two in order to realise that dream. Meanwhile, Rangers chief executive Martin Bain insists the Gers will have left the SPL inside 10 years but that the Premier League isn’t the only option open to them with an Atlantic league still in the pipeline.

There’s no denying that Celtic and Rangers are massive clubs. They have the history, they have the stadia, the fanbase and the trophies. The one thing that they are seriously lacking though is the money, and let’s be honest, that’s the only reason why the Old Firm want to leave their homeland – greed.

For years the Old Firm claimed that they needed to leave Scotland because of a lack of competition, but that is a situation that they have bought on themselves. They have no desire to have the likes of Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts and Dundee United challenge for honours, and when one of those sides have the audacity to threaten their stranglehold on the game they just flash the cash and rape these clubs of their star men. Davie Robertson, Neil McCann, Scott Brown, Gary Caldwell, Kevin Thomson, Derek Riordan, Paul Hartley, Ian Murray and Barry Robson are just some of the players they have pinched over the years, with many of them just left to rot on the bench.

This act of schoolyard bullying has led to a growing resentment in Scotland towards the Old Firm with many fans more than willing to see the back of them and their religious bile.

Now though Celtic and Rangers are prepared to admit that they want to leave Scotland in order to boost their financial muscle. Bain has revealed his frustration at the bottom side in the Premier League pocketing more than 15 times the amount available to the SPL champions Rangers and he wants a slice of the pie.

But while I can see why they want to play in the Premier League, what would the English clubs gain from having them? Marketing-wise I guess they may be able to get a few more million on their television deal and sponsors would initially throw cash at them. But on the pitch, no matter what league they entered, they would put noses out of joint. English clubs that have worked hard to get where they are now may be forced down a division just to make room for the Old Firm to swan in and throw their weight around. And clubs like Spurs and Aston Villa who have ideas on making it into the Champions League would face more competition for those places, thus creating more resentment to those clubs.

And off the pitch you have to look at the policing costs. Celtic and Rangers fans are hugely passionate and would follow their clubs all over the world. If they are offered just 5,000 tickets at Old Trafford, you can bet your life that at least double that amount would make the trip down. Maybe that’s why Phil Gartside is so keen to have them on board as they could help sell out the Reebok Stadium twice a season. But what right-thinking Englishman would want their religious crap at their stadium?

The subject throws up more questions than answers and if it were ever to go-ahead would cause a major headache for those in charge. What would this do for the national identities of Scotland and England on an international level? Would this be the breakthrough the huge clubs need in order to push through a European league? Which domestic cup competition would they play in? What would happen to the SPL? Would the Scottish game manage to survive without the money that the Old Firm bring in or would it then be on par with Irish football?

Many Scots insist that they would be just fine without the “Bigot Brothers”. A level playing field would attract big crowds, increase competition, improve sponsorship money and give the SPL an exciting format. But the critics believe that they would struggle to find a broadcaster to screen the games, thus impacting on their finances further. After all, who could persuade the missus to turn off Corrie in order to watch St Mirren v Hamilton? It’s hardly a glamour game is it?

Celtic and Rangers have dominated Scottish football since its creation and everyone knows that the title will be heading to either Ibrox or Celtic Park come the end of the season. They may not have the resources to compete adequately in European competitions but domestically they are head and shoulders above their rivals. But it is that superiority that has been blamed for fans turning their back on the game due to a lack of serious competition.

Aberdeen were the last team outside of the Glasgow giants to win the Scottish Premier Division back in 1985. Since then Rangers have been top dogs 15 times and Celtic eight. Even the English title, which now only has four real challengers (five if you include Manchester City), has been won by seven different clubs in that period.

Every country across Europe has a cluster of teams that have been dominant throughout history. Spain has Barcelona and Real Madrid. Germany has Bayern Munich. Portugal has Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica, and Holland has Ajax and PSV Eindhoven. However, we don’t hear these clubs bleating every other year wanting to move to play in another country. Why should Celtic and Rangers be able to force through this issue at the expense of clubs that have fought long and hard to get where they are today?

The Old Firm have no interest in the Scottish game. You only have to look at the amount of Union Jacks and tricolours that are on display every week. They have talked about leaving the SPL so many times that I think it’s about time the Scottish clubs got together and told them: “Enough is enough. Pack your bags and go.”

Celtic and Rangers may be huge clubs but what would they do if they were booted out of the SPL and had nowhere else to go? Even the hardcore fans would get a bit bored of seeing Celtic and Rangers playing each other 36 times a season.

There isn’t exactly a huge clamour of support for this idea down in England. Like I mentioned earlier, how would the English clubs exactly benefit from having them in their league? I think it’s a fair case of “Premier League, you’re having a laugh!”

·         Calling all football fans. Would you like to see the Old Firm in the English game? What would they give the English game that it is currently missing? Do you think they will ever achieve their goal of leaving Scotland? Celtic and Rangers fans - Do you actually want to see your teams leave Scotland and why? What do you think would happen to the SPL if they did leave? Non-Old Firm fans – how do you think your team would cope without them? What would you do to solve this situation? I’d love to hear from you.