So imagine what it would be like for the Scottish Football League if that happened every other week? It is something that could potentially become a reality, now that Rangers have gone into administration. While administrators Duff and Phelps attempt to sort out the mess that Rangers are in, the possibility of liquidation remains.
If that were to happen, there would almost certainly be a quick resurrection of the club, probably with a new name like Glasgow Rangers FC 2012. But it is not certain that this new Rangers would be allowed back into the SPL. It could be that Rangers find themselves reinstated into Scottish football, but in the 3rd division. Were this to happen, presumably an extra club would be promoted from each division to the one above, leaving the SPL with 12 teams and the other three divisions with 10 each. But it would also shine a unique spotlight on the lower tiers of Scottish football.
There is currently no television coverage of the three divisions below the SPL in Scotland, with clubs from those divisions only appearing in live matches during the League or Scottish Cups. But the presence of Rangers could change that, and could give Scotland’s smallest clubs a cash injection substantially bigger than they’ve ever had in the past.
The Scottish 3rd division has an average attendance of around 500, but with Rangers in the division, that number could rise dramatically. Every team could sell out their stadiums when Rangers came to town, with the local supporters coming in higher numbers as well as the away section selling out easily.
And while the new Rangers would be able to outspend the other clubs and bring in better quality players (even with much lower budgets than Rangers are used to), there would still be the chance for players in the division to play 2 games a season against Scotland’s most successful club.
The irony is that while the clubs in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd divisions would benefit greatly from the presence of Rangers as they worked their way back up to the SPL, the SPL itself would lose money. Sky would almost certainly look to restructure the current TV deal, with no Old Firm matches reducing the attraction of the division. Rangers and Celtic have charged away supporters over £40 for tickets this season, and the other teams regularly bump up ticket prices when they face either Glasgow side, knowing that more supporters will follow their clubs around the country. While it is possible that Rangers could return to the SPL having had three successive promotions, those three seasons would see TV money and money from ticket sales and concession stands reduced greatly without Rangers and their supporters.
It would be a unique experience for Rangers fans too. While Rangers were a bad team in the early 80s, there was never any danger of the club suffering relegation. Since 1985, when Lawrence Marlborough and David Holmes revitalised the club by appointing Graeme Souness as manager and attracting top class players from England and abroad, Rangers have always been there or thereabouts in the SPL, and most fans now have never seen a Rangers team struggle badly in the league. But restarting in the 3rd division would give Rangers fans the opportunity to experience the joy of promotion for the first time. It might not compare to winning nine league titles in a row, or winning a European final, but it’s a special feeling for fans to be able to sing ‘We are going up, we are going up!’.
This is all speculation of course, and it is still possible that Rangers find a buyer, strike a deal with HMRC and be out of administration in a couple of months. But if they don’t, Scottish football might be radically changed, in ways no-one ever expected.
For more blogs, follow me on Twitter @DavidWDougan or @TheGlassCase.
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