Mawhinney Dismisses Two-tier Plan

Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney has played down speculation regarding plans for a two-tier Premier League.

A suggestion has been put forward by Bolton chairman Phil Gartside to split the Premier League into two divisions of 18 teams, including Celtic and Rangers as well as 14 clubs from the Championship.

The idea, first floated in October, has yet to be formally raised at any Premier League meetings.

However Mawhinney has dismissed the proposals: ‘It is not going to happen. Let me do a little bit of arithmetic for you – Mr Gartside said he would like two leagues of 18 teams – that is 36.

‘He has got 20 teams in the Premier League. He wants Celtic and Rangers – that means he needs 14 from the Championship.

‘You take 14 out of the Championship and it wrecks the Football League. So it started in 1888 and Mr Gartside kills it in 2009 – I don’t think so.’

Gartside, one of longest-serving chairmen in the top flight, said when he initially floated the idea that he felt it would make the Premier League more competitive and address a number of other problems.

‘It would even everything out and make it more competitive. You could have 36 Premier League clubs split into 18 and 18 and that would also solve the problems of the winter break and supporting the England team.

‘We have already got to the situation where the three clubs that go down from the Premier League are usually the three that come up, although a couple of others might sneak in.’

European football’s governing body UEFA has consistently said that teams will not be allowed to play in leagues outside their own country however such issues can only be decided between the leagues and associations involved.

Those bodies would be the Premier League, the Football Association, the Scottish Premier League, the Scottish Football Association and the Football League in England.

The proposal would need 14 votes from the 20 clubs at the Premier League’s AGM if it was to be accepted.