Celtic chairman John Reid has called for clarification on rules surrounding fixture scheduling ahead of the kick-off to the SPL season.The end to last season's title race, in which the Parkhead side pipped Rangers to win their their third championship in a row, was mired in some controversy due to the Ibrox club's fixture backlog caused in part by Walter Smith's side reaching the UEFA Cup final.
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell had claimed an extension to the season would bring in to question the "integrity" of the SPL while his Ibrox counterpart Martin Bain complained that not enough had been done to help the Govan club.
The SPL Strategy Conference at Dalmahoy on June 30 discussed the issue and it was agreed that a working party would be set up to look at the issue in more detail.
Reid welcomed positive dialogue with other SPL clubs about fixture scheduling and reiterated the club's position on the issue.
"Celtic Football Club fully understands and supports in principle the requirement to have flexibility in relation to fixture scheduling," he told the club's website.
"We would back any measure to achieve this objective.
"However, it is clear and only common sense that such an approach should, in the interests of clarity and fairness, be one which is pre-determined at the beginning of the season and understood and agreed by all clubs.
"As a club we have encouraged debate on this issue for some time and we will continue to work with all other parties in the Scottish game to ensure that agreement on this matter can be reached.
"Football supporters are the lifeblood of the game and these supporters of all clubs who travel great distances to matches and make a substantial financial commitment to our game deserve a structured approach to fixture scheduling, accepting clearly the need to accommodate any television changes.
"It is the fans who make the game what it is and it is important that they are given paramount consideration with regards to this issue.
"Ad hoc changes to fixtures and the consequences of these decisions impact heavily on supporters - these supporters can only benefit from a more focused approach."
Reid also called for the re-introduction of the winter break, another issue on the agenda at Dalmahoy.
He said: "For some time, Celtic Football Club has also supported the re-introduction of the SPL winter break, something which we feel would be of great benefit to the quality of the game in Scotland.
"This is also a measure we will continue to promote.
"Fixture flexibility and a winter break are both initiatives which would allow improved preparation for European competition, thus improving performance, co-efficient and therefore increased participation of Scottish clubs in Europe, something we all aspire to.
"We are pleased to have taken part in a constructive meeting with all other SPL clubs on this issue and we look forward to further dialogue within the SPL and with other bodies in Scotland to ensure that a coherent, sensible and transparent scheduling structure exists, which benefits the whole of Scottish football."
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Comment 1 - 10 of 10
At the end of the day, if there was nothing agreed upon then what’s the problem, you know the SPL never do anything that makes sense anyway. The fact that RFC completely lost it at the end of the season says it all. The display in Manchester was a joke. They set back the reputation for all Scottish clubs 10 yrs, they didn’t deserve to win either the league or Europe. Then they blame everyone else for their shortcomings. Still gonna do 4 in a row though
It is with no surprise I note that posters 6,7 & 8 do not address the points raised in O.P. regarding pre-season agreement(2007-2008), nor blatant use of P.O'Donnell's tragic death to cancel a game,cynically allowing injured players to recover, suspensions to be served & new signings before the funeral to occur.
Usual sellic mantra - deflect,deny & obfuscate, then make personal abuse rather than valid debate.
3 n a row hail hail u cant change rules during a season to suit 1 club u fool so if its clear b4 the season starts then there will b no scum paranoia deal with it thats why the players have such high wage demands to think the setup was to suit celtic then ur losing it stjohn39 it was the rules so if u want ur joke of a team to go far n europe then u have to realise there will b niggling injuries and fixture pile ups that why ur squad has 20 to 30 players in it if they r not up to standard then sack watty smith and stop complaing 4 n a row here we go
Not only are they fogetting the gretna game they had postponed so they could prepare to be humped, they are also forgetting the number of miraculous recoveries the ned Ferguson and several teamates have where they are in no way fit to turn out for Scotland on a Wednesday but are in full training so they can play at the weekend.
Before you shout Robson, remember he has said his alledged injury was news to him when the sadgers quack sent him home from a Scotland squad.
So St John 39 why dont you go support your local team , Kilsyth Rangers and ask them if the junior leage teams ask for games to be delayed toward the end of the season, Its not required if you have a big enough squad !
Even if the league was STill being played you would still be second to The Celts.
Now go to your social club and cry in your beer.
Croy Ted
The cancellation request by SteakPie F.C. had a knock-on effect on the remaining season's fixtures,combined with complicity of sellicminded input from a SteakPie F.C. director on the board of the S.P.L. and S.P.L. secretary Mr.I.Blair,season ticket holder at Parkhead meccano set, it was quickly apparent as to where the influence eminated - but we're constantly bombarded via Liewell's monkeys in the media there is a conspiracy against THEM!!!??
Did you forget about the gretna game that rangers got put off before a european tie????
Ooooh -- "3 in a row". Sounds like a catchy epitaph.
And have to agree with stjohn39: I too recall the similar meeting before last season.
With the moral blackmail of Celtic using POD's demise to their own ends, maybe it was just as well that no other Celtic former-player passed away during that time.
Because surely if that had happened then they would have wanted thair next game cancelled again ????
Any other occurence would clearly show that they used an innocent man's death to further their own ends.
Dry your eyes mate. 3 in a row. No excuses
At around this time last season a similar get-together of SPL clubs agreed to do ALL in their power to help any club involved in European competions avoid fixture congestion,of the type faced by R.F.C.at the end of last season, but when it came to the crunch and SteakPie F.C. saw an opportunity to put the fix in and enhance their chance of retaining the SPL trophy by forcing fixture congestion upon R.F.C. they did not hesitate.
Despite R.F.C. agreeing to postpone a game at the request of SteakPie F.C.,who had several players injured/suspended,under the guise of the tragic death of a former player.Then we endured SteakPie F.C. ceo, Liewell, lecture everyone about INTEGRITY of SPL - if only he knew the meaning of the word!
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