SPL move towards 10-team top flight

04 January 2011 14:30

Scottish Premier League clubs are moving towards a 10-team top division after appearing to rule out a larger competition following reform discussions.

All 12 SPL clubs met together for the first time in the ongoing discussions over league reconstruction after a working party proposed two divisions of 10. No vote was taken at Tuesday's Hampden meeting, which lasted more than three hours, but SPL chairman Ralph Topping believes clubs have been persuaded that a 16 or 18-team league is not financially viable.

Asked if the SPL believed they had persuaded clubs a league of such size was not workable, Topping said: "Yes, broadly speaking yes. If you look at Scottish football, a 16-team league wouldn't work economically and it would have a knock-on effect in terms of the quality of players you can attract. It's two 10s or the status quo in my view."

The clubs will consider the issues raised in Tuesday's meeting before reconvening on January 17, when a vote is expected to be taken on the reform package, which also includes an earlier start to the season and a winter break.

St Johnstone chairman Geoff Brown feels the proposals are destined to succeed.

Brown said: "The meeting went well and I would be fairly confident of the two 10-team leagues.

"It has not gone ahead, all we have had is discussions and every club can make their own minds up, but I would like to think we have a consensus."

The summit, which was rescheduled after poor weather forced a postponement last month, spelled an escalation of eight months of talks over the future of the top-flight game.

A strategic review group featuring Topping, SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster and representatives from six clubs - Hibernian, St Mirren, Motherwell, Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen - formulated the proposals following research by Doncaster.

The other six clubs met on Christmas Eve to discuss the plans ahead of the official meeting amid public scepticism over the 10-team proposal from some of those clubs.

Source: PA