Ally McCoist is pleased that Rangers had been invited to participate in the meeting of SFL clubs when they met at Hampden on Thursday to consider league reconstruction proposals linking up with SPL clubs. The top flight have already given their unanimous backing to a 12-12-18 structure, which could be in place for next season if approved. However, there are alternative options which dispenses with the 18-team bottom division and instead uses two leagues of 10 to offer a four-league solution of 12-12-10-10. Rangers, as associate members of the SFL, do not have a vote on the issue but McCoist was invited along to the discussions.
McCoist said: "Once again, the SFL clubs, although we don't have a vote, opened the door for us to go in and were very receptive to our views and our opinions, which was fantastic. It was a very good meeting because it gave us an opportunity to meet other clubs in the SFL, who we haven't met yet. We've obviously met all the clubs in SFL3 but we met a lot of clubs and their representatives throughout the SFL. As you can imagine, there were differences in opinion on one or two things and there was agreement on one or two things as well. It was like any football meeting involving people who are passionate about football."
Rangers do not want to play in the bottom tier of any new structure so are opposed to the 12-12-18 format being implemented next season. McCoist added: "I'm not so sure there was strong support for our view because there wasn't really a real indication of any strong support for any particular view. There is, of course, the self-interest, which is a massive thing, and you can totally understand it. Clubs, first and foremost, will want to look after themselves and their own house and then they will, rightly, say they want it to be the best for Scottish football. One of my fears, shall we say, is other clubs' self-interest, which they are entitled to and I understand, might not suit our interests. Nothing at all has been agreed yet. It was a great meeting and there were people who agreed with our views and people who disagreed with our views, as you would expect. It was very healthy and well-organised."