Spl Pushing Ahead With Second Tier

The Scottish Premier League is to begin work on the creation of a second tier league, the SPL2, following a meeting of the 12 top-tier clubs in the country.

SPL secretary Iain Blair said: ‘It is almost three years since we tabled the proposal for change.

‘Our aim is to complete this process, which is likely to involve discussion with the Scottish Football League, by the summer.’

The SFL has so far opposed a bid to introduce an SPL2, which would see the creation a new top-flight structure of 22 clubs playing in two divisions. It claimed that it would breach a previous agreement between the two bodies.

That settlement agreement, set up in 1998, detailed issues such as promotion, relegation and parachute payments.

Last month, the Scottish FA’s arbitration panel concluded that a second tier would not breach the agreement.