Football: Scottish clubs seek new League

Friday 24 January 1997 00:02 GMT
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The chairmen of 15 Scottish football clubs yesterday vowed to continue to press for a reconstruction of their league. They want a new three division set-up, with 16 clubs in the top flight and 12 in each of the other two leagues.

Five Premier Division clubs - Dundee United, Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Dunfermline and Raith - and all 10 First Division sides met at Clyde's Broadwood stadium in Cumbernauld to discuss their suggested changes. Now they will bring the other five Premier clubs and the 20 in the two lower divisions into their discussions. However, it is not clear whether the top clubs, including Rangers and Celtic, would agree to the proposals.

Clydebank's managing director, Jack Steedman, said: "We need to do something now, not next season or in a couple of years. There are around a dozen clubs in the current Premier and First Divisions who are under severe pressure at the moment financially."

To instigate change in time for next season would require a 75 per cent majority at an extraordinary general meeting. Premier clubs have four votes, First Division clubs two and the two lower divisions one vote each. Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County do not yet have full voting status.

Pat McGinlay headed a dramatic equaliser at Easter Road last night as Hibernian and Aberdeen fought out a 2-2 draw in their Tennents Scottish Cup third-round tie. The replay is next Wednesday. Greg Miller put the home side ahead early in the second half but the Dons responded with two superb goals from Scott Booth and Billy Dodds before McGinlay pounced to level the score.

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