Rory Smith comes up with a novel idea to generate interest and enthusiasm across the borders
Instead of Scottish clubs complaining about not getting to play in the English league, they could have an option to have the best of both worlds.
Scottish clubs want to play more big sides from abroad but not lose their chance of playing local rivals in their own league.
Joining the English league, or merging the Scottish league with the English league, is not allowed and, even if it were, Scottish sides would have to start off at the bottom of the pyramid.
It would take a number of years for the Old Firm to reach the English Premier League, during which they would not qualify for Europe.
I fear my club Aberdeen would take some time to reach even the English League One, while clubs like Inverness, Ross County and Falkirk would be stuck in at best the Conference North travelling many hundreds of miles, against teams and towns they had never even heard of before, for a poorer standard of football than they would get in the Scottish Premier.
So my idea is instead to choose a decent level of English team to play that is competitive for Scottish clubs, but also big enough clubs to have a good standard of play, history and stadium.
The English League One is on about the same financial level as most of the Scottish Premier, and the clubs have history, good stadiums and good support.
The Welsh and Irish clubs would benefit from playing English and Scottish sides, too.
This would help them in terms of attendances and help improve their chances in
European competitions. The English sides in League One have often gone long spells without playing someone from the English league in a competitive game, so this would give them a different sort of team to play against.
RULES FOR THE BRITISH AND IRISH CUP
People will say that small Scottish towns and English lower league towns are not glamorous. But it is not as if every Scottish Premier and English League One teams spend their time playing Real Madrid and AC Milan week in, week out.
The point in this is to give a different sort of team to play against.
People will say what about travel, but if Welsh League sides can travel to Latvia for a Europa League game, surely professional players at Inverness can travel to Yeovil.
There are usually some big cities in the English League One. In the last 20 years, Man City, Leeds and Nottingham Forest have played in the third tier of English football.
My idea is that teams would keep 100 per cent of home gate receipts in the group stage. In the knockout stages, gate receipts would be shared between the two playing teams.
The trophy would also encourage English interest in Scottish football which could help improve Scotland’s TV deal with Sky and BT.
People will say who wants to see Burton Albion v Hamilton. But it is not as if we are playing Real Madrid and Barcelona every week.
And, for me, playing teams from the same country over and over again is boring. Putting some national rivalry up for stake, as in European football, adds spice to the games. There are some great stadiums in English League One for people to see. It would also scratch the itch where some players leave Scotland to play in the English Leagues.
ORGANISATION OF THE TOURNAMENT
I would have a group stage with Scottish clubs who have qualified for Europe being given automatic qualification to the knockout stages. This way, teams like Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen do not suffer in Europe for playing in the trophy. This would also guarantee a selection of top Scottish sides in the later rounds of the cup.
TV rights are shared equally among all the participating teams, with a bonus for the winner and runner-up.
You could have groups of four, and have rules that Rangers cannot play a League of Ireland side in the group stages and Celtic cannot play a Northern Ireland side in the group stages to prevent sectarian tensions.
HOW WOULD ENGLISH SIDES FIND TIME TO PLAY?
The English League One teams could stop playing in the lower division cup with League Two teams. This would free up space in the calendar.
RULES FOR THE TROPHY
The tournament group stages would be played at the weekend to make travel easier and encourage teams to take the trophy seriously.
TV rights would be shared equally with all the clubs.
The final would be played at Wembley Stadium every year.
Teams would keep their home gate receipts in the group stages. The knock-out round would be one leg matches, with no replays.
IS THIS A FAKE TROPHY?
Some will say this is a fake trophy. But look to the USA with American football, baseball and basketball. Teams swap home location from city to city. Teams change their names. Some conferences have teams that do not confer with the named region. The World Series of baseball takes place between teams just from the USA and Canada. There is no relegation or promotion. Teams are granted a place by franchise. There are various different leagues that cover regions, entire nations, at a lower level with franchises. But does all that scare American sports fans away? Nope. Because people get behind their teams to see top quality teams. I am not asking for us to copy the USA.
Also my other ideas for Scottish football are
1) Put big clubs’ reserves in the lower divisions of the Scottish Professional Football League, as in Spain – Real Madrid B and Barcelona B play in the lower leagues to get early experience of competitive football.
2) Have a North Atlantic League Cup with the top four teams of Scotland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.
3) Have a Celtic Cup for club sides.
