Scottish Football Association CEO Stewart Regan has revealed that league reconstruction is "still being planned for next season," and could propel Rangers FC to the second tier of Scottish football "a year ahead of schedule," according to Brian Marjoribanks of the London DAILY MAIL. Regan began to revitalize the professional game on Thursday when a working group, featuring representatives from the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League and headed by an independent chair, began "devising a new structure." The exact model is "yet to be determined," but the starting point for discussions will be proposals for a "16-team Premier League, with two divisions below." That would give Rangers "a quicker route back to the top flight should they navigate their way out of the Third Division as expected." The plan, which included playoffs and a fairer distribution of income among the leagues, was "overwhelmingly rejected" 25-5 by SFL clubs last month. Regan insisted, however, that a new league system will "ideally" be in place by the start of the '13-14 season. Regan: "The SPL and the SFL will take new proposals back to their respective members, and it will require a 75% vote from the SFL and an 11-1 vote by the SPL to vote change through." Meanwhile, Regan would not say whether Rangers Owner Charles Green will face fresh disciplinary action following his latest outburst toward the SFA, in which "he accused them of persecuting the club" (DAILY MAIL, 8/22).
