AliousA social media response from *The Terrace Podcast* dismissed a recent April Fools’ Day claim about Scottish football restructuring with a curt, “A ha ha ha ha ha. No.” The reaction highlights the skepticism surrounding yet another discussion about altering the league format—a topic that has long been a source of contention within the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).
The SPFL’s Competitions Working Group is currently exploring potential changes to the league structure, including a possible return to a ten-team top division. This format was last used in the 1999-2000 season and is being reconsidered as a way to ease fixture congestion, which has intensified due to the expanded Champions League and Europa League schedules. However, past attempts to modify the league structure have been met with significant resistance, and there is little indication that this time will be any different.
Five years ago, during the Covid-19 crisis, there was a rare opportunity to overhaul the league system. The pandemic placed severe financial strain on clubs, and in response, Hearts owner Ann Budge proposed a temporary restructuring plan featuring three leagues of 14 teams. The proposal aimed to mitigate the fallout from controversial relegations that were enforced after the 2019-20 season was cut short. However, opposition from just two Premiership clubs was enough to derail the idea, illustrating how difficult it is to achieve consensus on league reform. At the time, Budge expressed frustration at the lack of cooperation, calling it “disrespectful.”
Many observers believe that a 14-team top division would be the best fit for Scottish football, given the country’s size and the desire to reduce repetitive fixtures. However, maintaining the current schedule of four Old Firm matches per season—a key demand of television broadcasters—remains a major sticking point. A ten-team structure would eliminate the need for a league split, which some critics see as an artificial way to inject excitement into the season’s final weeks.
Despite ongoing debates, the dominance of a select few clubs remains unchanged. Celtic and Rangers have won every Scottish league title since the 1984-85 season, with one of the two claiming the championship in 12 of the last 13 seasons. While many acknowledge that change is necessary, the current voting structure makes any significant reform unlikely. The 11-1 weighted voting system, established when the SPL was formed in 1998, effectively ensures that any proposal requiring major structural change can be blocked by a small number of top-flight clubs.
This struggle for reform is nothing new. In 1974, six of Scotland’s biggest clubs—Hibs, Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Aberdeen, and Dundee—proposed a drastic league restructuring plan in response to declining attendance and rising costs. The proposal, which sought to create a smaller, more competitive top division, faced fierce opposition. Dumbarton chairman Bob Robertson famously condemned it as “fascism,” arguing that wealthier clubs were trying to dictate terms at the expense of smaller teams. Ultimately, the plan was approved by a vote of 29 to 8, proving that radical change was once possible in Scottish football.
Today, however, the power dynamics are different. While democratic in principle, the current system heavily favors the biggest clubs, making fundamental reform nearly impossible. Unless the voting structure itself is revised, Scottish football may remain locked in its current format—regardless of how many times the conversation about change resurfaces.
Alious
