Page 1 of Do we really want Celtic and Rangers in the Nationwide League?

Moves are afoot to allow the two "Glasgow Giants" to join the Nationwide League.

Personally I don`t want this. It`s not our fault they play in a crap league.

Scotland want to feel independent but they are more than happy to take advantage of the English when it suits them.

I think supporters should be allowed to vote on the idea, as we will have to face 1000`s of marauding Scots week-in-week-out.

And besides, it may be better for them to stay where they are as they may struggle to beat the likes of Walsall.

What do other people think?

l agree. I think both teams would struggle in Div 1 to be honest. And one MAY get into the Pemiership via the playoffs somehow, but l doubt they woul last long there.

Keep the English league for English clubs.

Hmmm... Cardiff is still a puzzle to me!

I disagree that they would struggle. I think it might take them a season to get used to having to perform week in week out, but I think they would be too strong for the Nationwide.

However, their fans (the vocal minority) are a plague and for this reason they should not be allowed in. They have killed Scottish football and then complained about there being no competition. They should try and help their own country rather than trying to suck it dry before moving on to pastures new.

The only place these clubs are really wanted (IMHO) is in an Altantic league.

As a season ticket holder at Dundee United, I would like to see Celtic and Rangers move away.

They WOULD NOT struggle, both of the clubs are bigger than any team in the Nationwide league in terms of stadia and support - Celtic have 60,000 season ticket holders and Rangers are not far behind. Both stadiums are world class ad superior to the majority of stadiums elsewhere in the countru. The two clubs would also be albe to attract big-name players if they were playing in England - they have the financial clout to pay the wages and transfer fees, but unsurprisingly can`t attract players to the Scottish league.

Downsides for the Nationwide League are of course the Sectarian nonsense that accompanies both teams, and greater distances for fans to travel.

Downsides for the other Scottish clubs are the loss of lucrative fixtures against the two clubs, and the loss of TV revenue as there won`t be much interest in what is left. Of course, the benefit is that they won`t buy players just to stop other clubs having them - Rangers are particularly guilty of this.

Chris

As a scot are you worried about the impact this will have on the Scottish National side? The way it seems to me is that if, like you say, Celtic & Rangers attract big-name players - these players are unlikely to be Scottish, leaving only a very few Scottish players in the two sides (okay youth & reserves may be full of scots though). So the majority of the scottish national squad will be playing in Scotland against lower class opposition (i.e. without the competition of the big 2). Unless they all jump ship and sign for bottom half premiership clubs.
What are your views on this?

Personally I don`t want the two to join the Nationwide, since within a yr they`ll be in the premiership - so that will be 2 more clubs to finish above us (Everton). I am all optimistic for our future with a new manager, but when I see clubs get promoted to the premiership I still look for the types that`ll go straight back down (& therefore keeping us safe) - Celtic & Rangers will definitely not fit this bill.

Sounds like xenophobia to me. Plus a little bit of protectionism. Under European law is any company not allowed to ply their trade wherever they desire?
"keep the english league for the english" How much more racist can you get?
as for "marauding scots", we`re not the country whose teams were banned from Europe for the violence of their supporters.

With the size of crowds Rangers and Celtic can attract to their games, they would soon be able to attract better players and easily compete with the top half of the Premiership.
I think you`re correct, Everton would probably vote to end relegation and promotion forever just to serve their own interests, but that doesn`t make it the correct way to go.

"keep the english league for the english" ......

.....I don`t know much about the history of the football leagues, but how were teams like Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, or any other Welsh teams allowed to play in English football?

There are still welsh football leagues (League of Wales), but these `bigger` teams play in the Nationwide. There must have been a system where these bigger clubs were allowed to be promoted into `English` Football?

I am not saying Rangers and Celtic should be allowed to join the Nationwide, but if `bigger` welsh teams are allowed, why not allow Scottish teams?

And, If Celtic and Rangers are allowed in, where will they be entered?....Straight into Division 1 to try for the premeiership, or into Division 3 to fight from the bottom?

I think if they are allowed, they should start at the bottom.....true pedigree will see them up to Division 1 within 2 years!

Also, Berwick Rangers.....they play in Scotland, but there are arguments that Berwick is in England!

Confused....I am now!

Cheers

MJ

I think the lower division clubs wouldn`t like Celtic and Rangers playing in their leagues. They`d get cained by both these squads, and it would mean both would get the only promotion spots each season until they hit Div1.

I don`t think they should be aloud in to an "English league". Not for any xenophobic or protectionism reasons. Using your "Under European law is any company not allowed to ply their trade wherever they desire?" argument then any club could move about any european leaguge at will. "Hey the Spanish TV rights will give us more money this year lets move to that one." You could end up with a Spanish/German/English league, where ever, with only 1 or 2 home country clubs in it, and the best and richest teams in europe playing in one league. Hang on we have that . It`s called the champions league.

As for how they would do in the premiership? We played Celtic in a friendly at Filbert St a few weeks back. A friendly I know but the fact was they were not that much better than us. Better yes, but not that much. Please bear in mind that Celtic were run away winners of there leauge and we will proberbly (unless Derby do use a favour) be the run away lossers of ours. "were s*** and we know we our" Celtic had an almost full squad with Larson, Hartson and the like, we had half the youth team out.

Come to think of it to win The English or Scotish leaugue you need a team of players from all around the word any way so does it matter?

All the best,

Andrew.

In reality, the Scottish nation side has been destroyed by the old firm anyway.

Celtic and Rangers buy up the best players and add to their large squads - then don`t play them. Take Billy Dodds and Kenny Miller for example.

These player languish at the old firm, not getting crucial match experience and when it comes to internationals simply are not up to the job.

If you take the old firm away, clubs will suffer financially in the short term, and some might fail (Motherwell are in serious trouble already), but in the long term, the youth development will provide good young players for both the remaining sides and the national side.