GLASGOW: Rangers chief executive Charles Green has said the fallen Glasgow giants would consider leaving Scottish football if plans to restructure the leagues go ahead.

Whether any other country’s league would want Rangers if open to question. The idea of moving to England has never received enormous support south of the border.

Further, such a move would make a nonsense of the Scottish FA’s refusal to become involved in the British Olympic team at London 2012 for fear of jeopardising its international independence.

Earlier this week, representatives of seven Scottish Premier League clubs and eight Scottish Football League clubs met officials of the governing bodies at Hampden. Clubs  will be asked to vote on the implementation of a Premier League of 12 sides, a Championship also of 12 and a National League of 18.

However, Green, whose Rangers side are 17 points clear at the top of the Third Division, believes this plan would not make the league more appealing.

He said: “My advice to my board would be the quicker we can leave Scottish football the better . . . I can’t see anything that is going to transform the finances, the status or the excitement. If this does happen, what is the point of us finishing the season?

Alternatives

“On first glance, of course, there is nowhere for us to go because FIFA have made their feelings known on cross-border leagues. Hand on heart, there isn’t an option but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start looking for an option.

“If all we have to look forward to over the next four years is more madness then we would be failing as directors not to explore the alternatives.

“Why should we send players out to get broken noses – like Ross Perry last week – or have players getting surgery when no-one can get promoted and no-one can get relegated?

“We might as well have a winter break from now until August. I can’t see any point in carrying on with meaningless matches.

“In what league do you win a division and then end up playing the same teams again the following season? There is no meaning to it, in reality.”

The SPL proposal is for a 12-12-18 structure.

The top two leagues would split into three leagues of eight after 22 matches then play a further seven home and seven away games. The leagues will be called Premier Division, Championship and National League. The top eight teams would play for the title and European places; middle eight would contest promotion and relegation in and out of Premier Division; bottom eight would play decide who drops into National League.

11 out of 12 SPL clubs need to vote in favour of plans, while the proposal requires approval of 23 out of 30 SFL clubs

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