Could the Old Firm finally be coming to England?
With the news that the Football League plan to introduce an extra division from the start of the 2019/20 season – resulting in an increase from 92 teams to a round 100 – there are renewed hopes that Celtic and Rangers could be two of the eight new sides.
Both the Premier League and the FA have approved the plans for league expansion ‘in principle’, but all the existing 72 football league clubs would still need to agree to the proposal at their annual general meeting in June 2017.
Almost inevitably the Old Firm debate has started up again, but interestingly, Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey didn’t rule out the possibility when asked directly about the likelihood of both Glasgow giants coming on board.
“The whole discussion can be had,” admitted Harvey. “But I suspect the wider this gets drawn, the harder it would be to deliver to our clubs and the rest of the stakeholders in the game.”
It was certainly enough to get these fans exciting about the long-discussed possibility…
Celtic and Rangers will no doubt be monitoring decision to expand English fooball league system with interest.
— James Morgan (@jaydeemorgan) May 19, 2016
Football League is expanding? Good opportunity if Lawwell and King put their heads together and try and force Old Firm to England. #Celtic
— Danny Braynion (@DBraynion91) May 19, 2016
let the Old Firm in! Good idea 👍
— Jack MacPherson (@6Jacky88) May 19, 2016
Go for 5 pro leagues – get Celtic and Rangers in
— Joel (@JoelBayliss) May 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Shindigg67/status/733354082581286914
This is how they'll get Rangers and Celtic in, @StanCollymore. https://t.co/3N1z99H3JL
— Ryan Clark (@RMWC82) May 19, 2016
The Old Firm would storm through the leagues.
— Craig Murdoch (@craigmurdoch11) May 19, 2016
It is also now or never for Celtic and Rangers to get into the English league system
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) May 19, 2016
Although not everyone was happy about the potential implications…
https://twitter.com/TheBigShow1976/status/733351404996300800
even imagining Celtic and rangers in the 5th tier of English football is a joke
— CC (@catto67) May 19, 2016
I'm not against the proposed changes to the league structure, just keep Celtic & Rangers out of it #FootballLeague
— Adam Lambert (@AdamConor) May 19, 2016
People looking at Celtic & Rangers. But at other end, this is really exciting for clubs currently outside League. https://t.co/NKQdmdxMtc
— Alex Stone (@AlexStone7) May 19, 2016
