You are probably aware that the football league fixtures for the 2112/13 season were announced this morning. Fixtures for the full English and Scottish league program list each club playing home and away. They are a big thing as fans look to plan their first away trips and the excitement starts to build for the coming season. In the Scottish Premier division though, there is more than one club that does not know what league they will be playing in, let alone who their opposition.
With Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers fall from grace and bankruptcy, league clubs have to vote to allow the newco club 'The Rangers' to continue to play in the top flight. If they do not secure enough votes, they will be relegated and start life in division 3. So how do you announce your fixture list with this problem hanging over Scottish football? The SFA today came up with a great alternative and all of the potential Rangers fixtures, have been assigned to CLUB 12.
If Rangers do not secure enough votes to remain in the SPL, who would take their place? Would the SFL ask they side relegated from the Premier division, Hibernian, to stay up or invite Dundee (finished 2nd in division 1) to rejoin the elite of Scottish football? This has a knock on effect all through the divisions, with the clubs missing out on promotion and the clubs getting relegated, anxiously awaiting next months SPL vote.
We understand there will be a motion to get the SPL to bring forward the vote, to enable all clubs affected, enough time to prepare for the new season. The clubs potentially affected by this vote include Hibernian, Dundee, Queen of the South, Arbroath, Stirling Albion, and Queens Park.
According to the SFL it will be up to the remaining 11 clubs to decide the fate of Rangers but, it does affect so many other clubs too.
