The future format of the Scottish Premiership has been under the spotlight. Debates over what changes should be made are intensifying among the various stakeholders in Scottish football. Currently, the league comprises 12 teams, but the Scottish Premiership Competitions Working Group (CWG) is considering various options, including a reduction to a 10-team top flight. In doing so, this change would cut the total number of fixtures from 38 to 36, alarming many team owners and stakeholders.
St Johnstone owner Adam Webb adamantly disagrees with the plan. He names the cut down to 10 teams as “a huge mistake. Webb believes that this amendment would further jeopardise the standard and appeal of Scottish football. On this, he is unequivocal—having more teams in a broader league structure would be better for the teams and the game in Scotland.
The CWG is currently working to find viable options. They’re reforming the current 12-team model, thinking about moving to an even larger 14-team or 16-team set up. Webb is an enthusiastic advocate for moving to a 14-team league. He’s not done, though; he wants to go further and has plans for 16 teams in the future. He emphasizes that a larger league could sustain more frequent derby matches between Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dundee clubs, enhancing fan engagement and interest.
Fixture congestion continues to be a major burden for clubs that compete in European competitions. The CWG is currently working to find ways to fix these problems. For instance, it has already announced that clubs involved in European play-off rounds may request postponements for specific league matches next season. Webb contends that a larger Premiership would alleviate some of these pressures while enabling the league to maintain its competitive edge.
“That would be a huge mistake [cutting the top flight to 10 teams].” – Adam Webb
Webb continued to explain his view by pointing to the rich set of teams who are playing in the various Championship-level divisions today. He stated, “From looking at the quality in the Championship this season, I can tell you we have two, three, four clubs for sure that would do just fine in the Premiership.” He thinks that these clubs are rightly to be included in a reformed Tier 1, bringing up the greater quality of the league as a whole.
That discussion about the league’s long-term structure is important because any major moves would need overwhelming backing. To pass new arrangements, we require support from 11 of the 12 Premiership clubs. Plus, we need a three-quarters majority of teams in both the Premiership and Championship to approve it. Further, this threshold has to encompass 75 percent of all 42 Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) teams.
“We should absolutely be heading in the other direction.” – Adam Webb
While everyone has a vested interest in these conversations, as they are unavoidable and necessary to continue growing the Scottish Premiership. Webb asserts that expanding the league not only benefits individual clubs but enhances the reputation of Scottish football on a broader stage.
He added, “We absolutely need to have quality with every team in the Premiership, that’s the direction we should be going because it’s better for Scotland, it’s better for Scottish football.”
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