CONFERENCE CLUBS DISCUSS WHETHER TO LET RANGERS JOIN THEM

Rangers could be heading for the English Conference as they rebel against SFL plans
By STEPHEN MCGOWAN
PUBLISHED: 13:27, 15 January 2013

" Conference clubs will next week discuss plans to invite Rangers into the fifth tier of English football. "



Clubs from the Blue Square Bet Premier will join lower level counterparts from the Conference North and South on Monday for a mid-season review.
And chairman Brian Lees has admitted that last week’s vow by Charles Green to flit south will be on the agenda after 18 of his member clubs expressed tentative support for the idea.

Radical plan: Rangers chief executive Charles Green has proposed applying to play in the English Conference


Unhappy with the proposals for a restructuring of the Scottish leagues to a 12-12-18, Green said last week: ‘I could join the Conference and I would be in a higher league than I’m in. It doesn’t matter to me. If the only option is to go into England and start at the lowest level I believe Rangers fans would support that.’
Admitting the idea also has some support amongst his own clubs if the resistance of the footballing authorities can be navigated, Lees responded: ‘On Monday we have a mid-season meeting of clubs and that could be a topic for conversation.
‘Obviously it is up to clubs to make rule changes. But there are one or two problems.
‘First of all it’s a FIFA issue in terms of moving from one country to another.
‘The second thing - and probably the most important - is the problem it would create with promotion and relegation. There would be an uneven number.

Momentum: Rangers are 19 points clear at the top of the Scottish Third Division - but the proposed restructure means they wouldn't be promoted
‘It would be wrong, also, if the Football League would not take Rangers if they came into the Conference as part of our promotion and relegation system.
‘They would therefore be in the Conference and I’m sure they would like the opportunity eventually to go higher in the pyramid.
‘These are not insurmountable problems. But you would have to have the co-operation of a lot of different people and organisations to make it possible.’
UEFA have recently sanctioned a cross border female league in Belgium and Holland, prompting Green to threaten a sex discrimination case against the governing body if they block his desire to quit Scotland.
Welsh club Wrexham are currently top of the Blue Square Bet Premier, prompting Lees to adopt an open mind to the concept of Scottish clubs bolstering his competition’s financial clout.
‘Any application would be judged on its merit,’ he said. ‘What happens in Europe is one thing and different to what happens here.
‘The Football League is involved in football in England and Wales.

English tour: Rangers fans could be heading to the likes of Luton, Mansfield and Grimsby if they move to the Conference
‘So there is a precedent there. And Berwick Rangers play football in Scotland, so there is another precedent.
‘(Rangers) fans are also an attraction in a way, because of the higher level of football and facilities and so on.
‘Last weekend, for example, Rangers had 44,000 and there were a few hundred at the other games.
‘But at our grounds, of course, you have an average of around 6000.’
The cost of travel for non-league clubs could be a potential drawback, while police authorities would also have a say.
Suggesting Rangers themselves could help to ease the path to agreement should they wish to apply, however, Lees added: ‘Guernsey play in England and they cover the costs of the travel for their opponents.
‘So it’s not insurmountable, but it’s a case of where there is a will there is a way.
‘It is exciting, but we have promotion and relegation and the opportunities which might be denied could be a problem.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z2I3UgzaOm

Would be great to have rangers in the football league, and Celtic. Be a great weekend away for supporters and a great occassion for players and managers to go to ibrox and Celtic park.

As long as they start in the conference I think ita fair. However, can the clubs in the conference, especially the less well off clubs afford to travel and stay over night in Glasgow? Although the financial benefits of having rangers in the league may cover that cost alone.

Scottish football will be in a huge mess if rangers leave as I'm sure Celtic would soon after have to follow suit for economic reasons.

Team GB follows if this goes ahead, mark my words... FIFA must be loving the possibilities!

Team GB follows if this goes ahead, mark my words... FIFA must be loving the possibilities!

love a good conspiracy theory?

Team GB follows if this goes ahead, mark my words... FIFA must be loving the possibilities!

love a good conspiracy theory?

Watch this space...

Team GB follows if this goes ahead, mark my words... FIFA must be loving the possibilities!

love a good conspiracy theory?

Watch this space...

While there is an FAW, SFA and FA there will never be a team GB (exc. Olympics).

If rangers are to play in the conference im sure they could cover the other teams expences for one season.
They would boast the crowds at games by 1000s giving some clubs a lifeline..

celtic can stay where they are

We are the people

Team GB follows if this goes ahead, mark my words... FIFA must be loving the possibilities!

love a good conspiracy theory?

Watch this space...

While there is an FAW, SFA and FA there will never be a team GB (exc. Olympics).

I really hope you are right, but if you put the Old Firm under English F.A. rules, and I think I'm right in saying that both Swansea and Cardiff changed something a couple of years ago, so we both fall under F.A. rules, then I think it's only a matter of time before FIFA push the subject again. Not sure exactly what the FAW and SFA would have left to negotiate with to be honest, it all goes back to when FIFA was formed, each home nation has a place on the board, and the corrupt f**kers that run FIFA haven't been happy with that for years...hence there were issues between the home nations over Team GB at the olympics.

(Although Scotland refusing to let their players attend was probably more to save face than anything else, as I can't think of one player who would've made the squad.)

I wouldn't mind if they joined starting at the bottom AMD working up. Promotion and relegation is part of supporting a club so o can see why they want to change. But how could it be done as mentioned there would be an odd number of teams in a league ?

So whose place will they take in the conference? its not really fair to stop a team getting into the blue square premier league that have fought to eb there

Sod Scotland and their football Teams . People go on about the English and yet its the Scots that are the real big headed people in this Country ; Think they're above everyone else and do their own things even for Football .

Well sorry , No way should they be allowed to join the English football league imo, more so after their veto on the Great Britain football side .

They should 100% let them in.

I think rangers are calling the bluff to frighten the Scottish fa into leaving their decisions as they are, if they leave and Celtic follow the sfa will be f all, can they take that risk.

Wont happen as if let them in no reason to stop any team applying, euefa will block it just on those grounds. Can you imagine if said yes. Any team can apply where will it end?

Will never happen! To many obstacles to overcome, and plus, I can't see the english being to happy about it, the english pyramid doesn't need rangers or celtic, they already have the best and richest format in the world by a mile. Only time I can see it happening is if the money in the english pyramid dries up, premier league goes bankrupt and has to all be restructured...as it is, I can't see them wanting to change anything to the english pyramid system.

If rangers are to play in the conference im sure they could cover the other teams expences for one season.
They would boast the crowds at games by 1000s giving some clubs a lifeline..

celtic can stay where they are

We are the people

f**k both Clubs. Bigoted shithouses

If rangers are to play in the conference im sure they could cover the other teams expences for one season.
They would boast the crowds at games by 1000s giving some clubs a lifeline..

celtic can stay where they are

We are the people

f**k both Clubs. Bigoted shithouses

Lifeline? What one off extra couple thousand fans! Poor reason to let them in. Useing league as political football against sfa . Still wont happen

I don't really have a problem with rangers coming down south to play their football, (my brother in law and most of my mates are rangers men) but up until the sky money flooded into the english premier league, (just over 20 years ago) rangers and celtic did'nt give a monkeys arse about playing in england, they were quite happy to fight it out (a fifty, fifty chance) for the european place which was guaranteed to one of them every season, this is all about the money they can't get their hands on, also i think rangers are testing the resolve of the spl over their new league structure proposals.

I don't really have a problem with rangers coming down south to play their football, (my brother in law and most of my mates are rangers men) but up until the sky money flooded into the english premier league, (just over 20 years ago) rangers and celtic did'nt give a monkeys arse about playing in england, they were quite happy to fight it out (a fifty, fifty chance) for the european place which was guaranteed to one of them every season, this is all about the money they can't get their hands on, also i think rangers are testing the resolve of the spl over their new league structure proposals.

Exsactly shouldnt be given time of day! Cannot understand conference sides wanting it? Dont think league sides will be as keen.

Another reason why they won't let rangers and celtic join the english leagues is.... There both big clubs, with vast support, not just in scotland, but around the world, that would get even bigger if they joined the english system. to clubs with a real possibility of becoming successful in englands show peice, and actually having a real chance of competing against.. Even up staging the darlings of the premier league, man united, liverpool, chelsea etc, maybe even becoming prem league champions in the future! I can't see the english f.a and powers that be, wanting a Scottish team ever lifting the premier league title

Last edited by mr'mogreenz on Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Stupid idea. Imagine Pompey fans travelling up to play them away? They wouldn't be happy. If it ain't broke don't fix it

good news i reckon. from what i hear from rels of mine all over scotland (rangers fans ) is that they care little for scottish football and wud happily leave....they might ruin it if they try taking 1000's allover northern england mind, no way would the OB sanction it if this was the case.

Another reason why they won't let rangers and celtic join the english leagues is.... There both big clubs, with vast support, not just in scotland, but around the world, that would get even bigger if they joined the english system. to clubs with a real possibility of becoming successful in englands show peice, and actually having a real chance of competing against.. Even up staging the darlings of the premier league, man united, liverpool, chelsea etc, maybe even becoming prem league champions in the future! I can't see the english f.a and powers that be, wanting a Scottish team ever lifting the premier league title

Very true. The filthy provo loving Celtic fans in London number in the thousands, half
of Ireland would fly over for every game. Their support would grow massively.

Dunno bout Rangers? Would they support Chelsea or The 'Gers?

so which unfortunate team loses out on promotion because Rangers dont like the idea of losing out on promotion. Stay where they are I reckon

Probably just a Bluff but it would be fun to see 10.000 jocks around Newport
Future game swould be great though in the Prem an Champ

It would be unfair for the conference teams for only 1 to go up If Rangers joined so the the only way to do it -- would be 5 go down instead of 4 then 4 instead of 3 in Conference North and South and so on down all the leagues-- Tough but the only way

Wouldn't this just open the floodgates of any Scottish or Welsh football club to apply for a place in the English League.

This would be daft as it would definitely then promote a British league pyramid, with the lower leagues split by region.

Logically, its a no for me....... I think.

Wouldn't this just open the floodgates of any Scottish or Welsh football club to apply for a place in the English League.

This would be daft as it would definitely then promote a British league pyramid, with the lower leagues split by region.

Logically, its a no for me....... I think.

Thats. What will happen any club in europe can apply to any league! it would be a nightmare fo euefa

More chance of the Union Flag fluttering over Belfast City Hall outside of the 17 designated !

Love Rangers to come into the English leagues and let a furious Celtic rot north of the border

I'm torn on this, if it could be made to work so no existing club in the conference loses out, maybe increasing the conference by two-maybe a playoff between the two playoff losers from North & South (not 100% Sure of how it Works) Then maybe.

Other than Celtic I don't see any of the Scottish clubs being able to afford it & I doubt Celtic Would give up a guaranteed Champions League place. So don't think there would neccasarily an exodus of Scottish clubs Coming down South

Before the SFA and the Scottish sides turned the screw on Rangers I might not of been quite so up for it, but part of me wants to side with the underdog (a life supporting City I guess) and See them tell the SFA toShove it up there arse.

I Think if Rangers subsidised travel for Smaller Conference sides (like Guernsy do apparently?!?) then it might Make it appealing for the Conference and it could just Work.

Maybe...