The Follwing statement has been copied from www.sporting_life.com, it concernes a new super league.

The Old Firm are prepared to give Scottish football a £15million-a-year pay-off - if they let them leave the game and join a new European league.

That is just one of the proposals being discussed as both Rangers and Celtic join negotiations to form a new Atlantic League.

The Old Firm will meet with representatives from the likes of Ajax, Benfica and Anderlecht at the beginning of February to discuss how they would set up the league, involving the smaller nations around Europe.

The idea comes from the Netherlands. PSV Eindhoven president Harry Van Raay wants the smaller nations around Europe like Scotland, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands to band together to form a new league to challenge the TV markets of bigger nations.

Clubs in countries with bigger populations, like Germany at 82 million, can charge more money for viewing rights.

Now PSV and the Old Firm want the smaller countries in Europe to form a TV market of more than 50 million in an attempt to match the big boys.

The new league may be in addition to the Champions League and SPL commitments - or the Old Firm may stop playing in Scottish tournaments altogether.

If the Old Firm does quit the home arena, analysts have calculated their worth to Scottish football at around pounds 15m a year.

And that's the sum Celtic and Rangers would guarantee to give to other SPL clubs to let them withdraw from the competition but remain members of it.

They might also insist other Scottish clubs have access to the Atlantic League by making sure there is promotion and relegation between the SPL and the new European event. One source said: "The Old Firm don't want to leave the rest of Scottish football high and dry because ultimately that would damage the big two whatever league they are in.

"But both clubs have to keep expanding if they are going to compete at the highest level."

Rangers and Celtic are looking for new investors and city analysts have advised them both they need to bring in more TV money to attract the right kind of investment.

To get more telly cash, they need to create a new product that will attract more viewers - that's why the Old Firm have decided an Atlantic League is the way ahead.

PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord want to set the new body up as soon as possible and have pencilled in a deadline of 2002. But it's understood the Glasgow giants expect the timescale to be nearer five years.

Celtic Chief Executive Allan MacDonald got into hot water for suggesting at his club's agm that the Parkhead club want to leave Scottish football.

But now those behind the Atlantic League have been particularly encouraged by Rangers' positive approach.

Next month's meeting will thrash out the way ahead, although all involved have insisted they want UEFA's blessing.

I think maybe they could join the North Atlantic league and stay in the SPL. First the SPL would have to enact a foreign player limit. Secondly the NAL and SPL games would have to follow a similar scheduele.

Rangers and Celtic would remain in both leagues. They would play their best teams in the NAL and play their remaining players (mostly Scots) in the SPL. This would allow them to play in both leagues and also encourage the development of new Scottish players.

A player would not be allowed to play in both the NAL and SPL during the same week. For example. Billy Dodds plays in the 10-0 NAL thrashing of Celtic. He is not allowed to play in the SPL game that happens the same week.

sounds good to me

That could make the team stronger, and it would be great for TV.
No more only 6(4,8) good games for season.

Seems interesting. But I doubt that many clubs will want to play that.

So you are suggesting that Rangers and Celtic basically play their Reserves sides in the SPL?

What's the point of that?

Why would the other teams accept it?
Are Rangers fans going to flock to see their Reserves play Dundee U?
Or a bigger question... are Dundee U fans going to flock to a match against someone's reserves?

Dundee U supporters probably won't, but I bet Aberdeen supporters will.

No offense intended Aberdeen.

I think the Arab's fans will like it.

With the Old Firm under more pressure and possible injuries Dundee Utd. could flourish.
As they are in my opinion the third best team in the SPL.

I think any NON-Old Firm team would like to see their first team whip it out of the old firm....

I agree with Dirk on the idea that they play both but although the two team idea is a good one what about the die hard fans?
Are they going to travel to Amsterdam and Copenhagen etc. to see the away games?

What about this:
Each league involved Scottish, Portugeese, dutch etc.
All play out their respective leagues but a shortened schedule, example scottish league only has two meets instead of 4.
Then the top 3 finishers go into a North Atlantic Competition
While the remaining teams left in the leagues play for a separate title with the top teams of the first division.
Then thee fans get a full schedule of competitive football.

Does no one get it?

If Rangers and Celtic were to propose to play a reserve side in the SPL,the other teams would not want any part of it.
It's an insult to history.

If the SPL went along with the idea, it would be the end of the SPL. The other teams would resign if they have any pride.
Without Celtic and Rangers, the league would die.

Face it guys, your dual league proposals are not getting to the heart of the matter.
In looking to Europe over their home country, these teams are saying they care more about money and growth than they do the die hard fans.
Once again, as repeated throughout history, the fans are ignored over money.
They are looking to get TV money... that's it.
If it was about competition, they'd be looking at ways to improve the other clubs in these leagues.... revenue sharing, etc.
That'll never happen...
As much as I hear that European football is different from American sports in that it is a passion and life and not a business venture, its sad to see that the business side is dominating even in Europe.

OK, in theory I agree with Dirkdiggler, the Old Firm could easily play in both set-ups as both squads are big enough to field the players required.

"A player would not be allowed to play in both the NAL and SPL during the same week. For example. Billy Dodds plays in the 10-0 NAL thrashing of Celtic. He is not allowed to play in the SPL game that happens the same week."

The above would be the way to go. (10-0 thrashing, HaHa, don't think so)

"Are Rangers fans going to flock to see their Reserves play Dundee U?"

Doubt it they've always been good time supporters anyway.

"I think any NON-Old Firm team would like to see their first team whip it out of the old firm...."

Definately! What it would do is perhaps make the whole league a more even comp. I.E. More than the two usual title contenders. That's got to be good.

"If Rangers and Celtic were to propose to play a reserve side in the SPL,the other teams would not want any part of it.
It's an insult to history."

As I said before, the Old Firm have the depth in their squads to field two first grade teams so would it really be the reserves?

"Are they going to travel to Amsterdam and Copenhagen etc. to see the away games?"

Some would without a doubt, but the finances of the majority would not allow them to do so. They'd have to settle for the games in Scotland and watch the others on TV, which is what it's all about anyway.

I think it's best to wait and see what the Clubs thrash out but at this stage I'm not against it.

The important part about them playing in both the SPL and the NAL is the foreign player limit in the SPL. This must be put in to encourage player development in Scotland.

The only problem I can see with the league is dividing up UEFA Cup and CL spots. Currently most of the teams that would be in the NAL also had/have spots in the CL and UEFA Cup. People might get upset that the entire league is also in those competitions. If the teams in the NAL also stayed in their respective leagues then the CL and UEFA spots could stay the same they are.

That is one of the wackiest proposals I've seen since they wanted to make the goals bigger.... what would the call it, the not-so-super league?

Polish,
Damn straight,
That`s all people are giong to see it as. If it tookoff ti wouldn`t last long anyway.

Everyone what about this:
Everyone plays their own leagues(full season)then at the end the top 3 clubs from each league go into a Knockout cup which takes place during the following season.
The Scottish fans are too pasionate about their teams to throw the league away.

I would re-organize the Club World Cup instead. I would hold it sometime in late July early August, before the European seasons started. I would make it 32 team tournament with single elimination games, which would insure it would be all over in 2 weeks. The participating teams would be the previous season league champions only.

My reason for this I really don't like the idea of holding the cup tournaments over a whole season, I think the American way of doing it all at once is much better.

The advantage of having the cups involved in the same schedule as the league helps the prospect of not having too many catch up games.