If there is no promotion, what are you playing for? - Douglas

Last updated : 20 November 2009 By Bigrich.....

Although the 20 member clubs have voted against the inclusion of Celtic and Rangers, they will continue to explore possible changes to the structure, which include proposal of a league consisting of two 14-club division.

 

 In a statement, the Premier League announced the proposal as  "not desirable or viable" Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, added: "The clubs have discussed it as part of strategic development but, as far as Rangers and Celtic are concerned, it's a non-starter. 'No' means never."

 

douglasbigIn an interview with the Tiser Douglas said:"This is not the United States, where there are 20 soccer franchises. This is the UK with 92 established, professional clubs. Who needs these changes anyway? English football League is healthy as it is. Attendances are going up and the age of the people watching is coming down. Isn't the Premier League already the most "premier" league in the world? It's certainly the most viewed and the most lucrative.
 
"The last time we had a breakaway, all it succeeded in doing was making the richer clubs richer and the poor clubs poorer. These latest proposals are of no benefit to the lower leagues and are just another example of the bigger clubs trying to protect their self-interests at the expense of the small clubs. "Apart from bringing Rangers and Celtic into the Premier, all it will do is protect those who want to get rid of the fear of dropping out of the Premier League."

 

 "The worrying thing is that the smaller clubs do not have the power to prevent this happening but my feeling is that there will be enough in the Championship willing to have this fight on our behalf. They will recognise these plans are not for the good of the game as a whole.

"At Rotherham, we have seen at first hand what it means to a town when it is in danger of losing professional football. The four-league pro set-up in this country should be cherished and preserved. A lot of the original founding principles of the Football Association have already been allowed to go.

"If there is no promotion, what are you playing for? The Premier League is the ultimate dream for clubs right down the league. "If that is no longer a possibility, it's asking too much of supporters and they are inevitably going to drift away."

 

 Douglas added: "The Secretary of State has already showed an interest in the game. I would like to think this is something that the Government as well as the football authorities can look into."

 

 "The question is how the football industry can face up to the economic downturn and get a grip on player costs. "It was a priority for our league chairman, Lord Mawhinney, who is retiring in March, and I am sure it will be top of the list for whoever succeeds him."

 

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