Stewart Regan: Restructure agreement is ‘huge step’

Both the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League agreed to the shake-up plans, which would see the organisations merge in a 12-12-18 structure.

And though the clubs have yet to vote on the proposals, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan believes the agreement is a major step in the right direction.

He said: “We have had a very productive meeting of the Scottish FA’s professional game board at which we had board representatives from around a third of the 42 senior clubs in Scotland.

“I’m delighted to say that we have agreed a set of principles to restructure Scottish football. That will include a single league body, subject to club consultation.”

Regan, who was accompanied by SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster and SFL counterpart David Longmuir, confirmed that the proposals being examined would see the two top divisions split into three groups of eight after 22 games.

Regan added: “Ultimately it will be the clubs that decide but we have seen today a willingness to make change happen and a recognition that Scottish football is crying out for a new dawn and we have now got agreement to take to clubs for a single league body.

“That is a huge step for the game in Scotland and it shouldn’t be underestimated.”

The top 12 clubs broke away in 1998 but a single body now appears inevitable.

The SPL needs an 11-1 majority to push through the plans but already had a unanimous agreement in principle on the plans.

Doncaster said: “What’s important is that we focus on what is wanted by the game, which is a single league for the benefit of all 42 clubs.”

The SFL, which had previously backed a 16-10-16 plan, needs a minimum 75 per cent agreement.