Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson believes a radical revamp to Scottish football can be carried out in time for next season.
League reconstruction was the only topic of discussion during an SPL board meeting at Hampden and Thompson clearly believes change to the league set-up for the start of the 2013/14 campaign is far from an impossible dream.
Moves towards a 12-12-10-10 structure, rather than the 12-12-18 initially mooted, seem to be proving more popular with lower league clubs, although some SFL chairmen have called for the alterations to be made in a year’s time so as not to render this season’s efforts meaningless.
However, Thompson is firmly of the belief that the time is very much now.
“I think if this doesn’t go through it will be many, many years before something else comes to the table again, because it has taken two or three years to try and get something to the table that the majority of clubs in Scotland can get behind,” he noted.
“It’s difficult but I believe we can achieve it. It can be done.
“There’s certainly a willingness from everybody to get there and we’re now working very, very hard to try and get it over the line, but there’s a lot of discussions and meetings to take place yet.
“I think most people would like to try and get it done in time for next season because if you go any longer I think cracks will start to appear somewhere.
“OK, there’s a few who are maybe not 100% behind it yet and a few have got queries, but it’s the first time I’ve certainly been involved in the 10-11 years with Dundee United that generally the 12 clubs in the SPL agreed to take it to the stage we’re at just now.
“We’re all in exactly the same boat, everyone is in the same situation and we all want to try and get it over the line as soon as we can so we can all move on and plan.
“I’m not going to put dates on anything but I know what we’re trying to work to behind the scenes.”
Thompson understands the outstanding concern among some member clubs but hinted that the apparent will of some SFL clubs for a 12-12-10-10 set-up, rather than a 12-12-18, would not be an insurmountable hurdle to the current blueprint for change.
He added: “I don’t think that’s going to be a big issue I’ve certainly heard words in the last couple of days that they (the lower leagues) want a 10-10 rather than 18 but I don’t think that’s going to be a stumbling block.
“People are just asking questions, it’s quite different and everyone’s situations are different. If you want to look at it purely from your own club’s point of view, most clubs would probably vote against it.
“But we’re all trying to take off our club hats and look for the greater good of the game.
“It certainly spreads the wealth down through the leagues, there’s a lot coming from the top six clubs which certainly supports the league below and I think that’s a positive step forward.
“I’m sure the middle eight will be exciting from a fans’ point of view. It is hard, there’s no doubt about that, but there’s a lot of good things in it.
“It’s getting knocked, everyone gets caught up in the numbers game, but there’s a lot of positive things going to one league body and all through distribution and funds.
“They are just two major things and a pyramid system is what the SFA want as well, so there’s no perfect solution for the game.
“No matter what anyone says, there’s no perfect solution, but it’s a step forward as far as most clubs are concerned.”
Of course there have been several dissenting voices and Rangers chief executive Charles Green’s has been among the loudest in recent weeks.
The Ibrox supremo stressed last week that he could not see how the new set-up could be rushed through before the start of next season and believes there are far too many obstacles in the way for that to happen.
Thompson and Green’s differing viewpoints could yet have them on a collision course again, not for the first time in recent months, but the United chairman wants an end to hostilities.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” he concluded.
“But I’d like there to be a line drawn under this for the sake of Scottish football. Let’s all move on.
“We’re about to go through possibly the biggest change in the game for a long, long time.
“It’s important we draw a line under things because there’s no doubt that the last year or so has damaged the image of the game and it’s time we move on for the sake of the game from the top down.”
And asked if what happened to Rangers last year had quickened the pace of change, he concluded: “I don’t think the Rangers’ situation has made any difference to the timescales going forward at all.
“I just think during the summer, everyone had to realise that we had to start working together more instead of all the old divisions that there have been for many years.”