Falkirk chairman Martin Ritchie has accused Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir of acting “irresponsibly” by proposing Old Firm colt teams join a new league set-up.
The 30 SFL clubs yesterday received a document in which Longmuir reportedly argues that Rangers and Celtic reserve sides should join the lowest league in any new structure so that the Glasgow clubs would continue to have a presence in Scottish football if their top teams move elsewhere.
The development came 24 hours after the Scottish Premier League announced clubs would vote on plans for a merged 12-12-18 structure on April 15, with a view to next season.
SFL clubs have not set a date and have also been discussing plans for a 12-12-10-10 league, which would require two new teams.
Ritchie feels they should focus on the plans in hand rather than creating fresh controversy.
He said: “The problem I have with it, I think at this stage it’s just a total distraction from the key issue that everybody is discussing, which is reconstruction.
“There are pros and cons with it but it is clearly going to be a contentious issue. It’s going to divide the clubs and it’s going to divide the supporters and, to introduce it at this stage of the reconstruction debate, I think it’s irresponsible.”
Ritchie added: “Maybe there’s an opportunity after reconstruction to look at the pros and cons and decide if it’s a good idea, but at the moment we have very tight timescales.”
The plans do not appear to have been shared with the SPL and St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour expressed his opposition.
He said: “We have no desire to have some clubs having colt teams and others not.”