The Euro League.

A History of the European League.

The Chairmen and representatives of the various clubs involved sat around the table discussing their plans. UEFA had rejected the proposed Atlantic League on the grounds that the teams involved were already involved in professional national football leagues, and could see no reason for them to leave. That, however was not the opinion of the largest clubs within the nations concerned, who feared falling even further behind the clubs from the big five leagues in the continent. They feared a slow death not only of their clubs, but of the image of their domestic leagues should this scenario be allowed to continue.

It was at this point that Campbell Ogilvie, the representative from the Scottish club, Rangers put forward the idea that would revolutionise club football in Europe and keep everyone satisfied. They would both stay in the domestic league and play in the Atlantic League. The structure was agreed upon within two days with minor adjustments, the seven nations would form the first pan European League. It received the blessing of the respective national associations and, as the objection of UEFA had, officially at any rate been met, UEFA accepted the inevitable.

It was at this point the Euro League was formed.

The National Leagues who began Competing.

The Netherlands, Scotland, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and Norway.

The Proposals.

Each domestic top flight would consist of two groups of eight teams, the top and bottom group. The teams in each group would play each other twice. The top two teams in the top group would qualify for the Atlantic League. Following this departure in the domestic leagues, the two groups would merge and the remaining fourteen teams would play each other twice with points starting from zero again. The winner would win the domestic league, the bottom club would be relegated.

The two teams who left would join the other twelve from the other six nations to form the new Atlantic League. They would play each other twice with the top team winning the Atlantic League. Both the Atlantic League and the Domestic leagues would last from Febuary-May.

Domestic Cup Tournaments would remain unaffected by the new set-up.

Television and Advertising Revenue.

From the outset, the Atlantic League was one of the biggest in Europe with the potential of the likes of Ajax, Porto, Anderlecht, Celtic and IFK Gothenburg playing each other every week. As such, big revenue was pretty much a certainty. It was agreed that 80% of all revenue would be shared out between the teams competing in the Atlantic League, with 18% going to the domestic league during the group sections dependant on positions. It was agreed that current television deals in the respective nations be respected, with Atlantic League matches being shown in place of domestic league matches, but gradually this would be harmonised.

Start Date.

Season 2001-02 was already half way through, so it was agreed that the change would take place from season 2003-04 which would allow the Scandinavian nations who play football during the summer months time to adjust for the new set up.
 
The Scottish League, Season 2002-2003.

Season 02-03 was a season of changes throughout Scotland. It was the last season where all of the teams would remain in the top division until May, and aside from that, the structural differences meant there was to be much shifting in the positions of the clubs within the divisons with four of the twelve teams effec tively getting relagated to the second tier for the following season.

The season saw many memorable moments, not least of which was Jim McLean infamously being forced to resign as chairman of Dundee United following an incident where he headbutted the reporter John Barnes following being asked a question on the position of the manager of the club. It was a sign of the pressure which was endemic throughout the season involving all the teams in the division. On a more positive note, however, Celtic reached the UEFA Cup final, being the first team to do so since Aberdeen over fifteen years previously.

The league split into a few sections. In terms of competing for trophies, the Old Firm of Rangers and Celtic reigned supreme, in a spectazcular finale with Alex McLeish’s men lifting the Scottish Cup and the treble at Hampden with a 2-0 victory over Dundee, Lorenzo Amoruso scoring the winner after a Barry Ferguson goal. Following the match in an incredibly frank interview with Reporting Scotland Murray stated that had the new Euro League not been about to form, he though the cutbacks at Ibox would have been even more severe than actually happened.

The battle was just as fierce for the UEFA Cup places, with Hearts and Dunfermline going toe to toe for the guaranteed UEFA Cup spot. Hearts won the battle, finishing third with a thrilling last day at Parkhead, whilst the capital clubs neighbours Hibs did them a favour with a narrow victory of a goal to nil over the East End Parkers.

The battle for a top six place was won by Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Dunfermline, Kilmarnock and Hibernian. This left two spots in the bottom six to make up the top eight for the following season and the battle was fierce. Despite the return of John Lambie and his pigeon doos, Thistle finished ninth on goal difference behind Aberdeen. Dundee finished seventh, granting them access to the top tier. Dundee United finished tenth, and Livinston eleventh.

Motherwell fell from grace during the campaign however, falling into administration. Gladly this was not a permenant situation and they managed to stay in business, despite having to make savage cutbacks. They finished bottom, but due to the new league coming in, they were allowed to remain in the SPL, albiet in Group Two, which would not decide the European places the following season.

The First Division was won by Falkirk, who after a battle got allowed into the second tier of the new SPL on the condition their new ground be ready shortly. Until then, they were to share with Airdrie at New Broomfield. They joined Clyde, St. Johnstone and Inverness Caley Thistle in the new SPL set up.

Below the SPL, the First Division would have sixteen clubs and the Second Division ten. The Third Division would be aboilished.

The Scottish line up for the following season was then thus;

SPL Group One.
Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Dunfermline Athletic, Kilmarnock, Hibs, Dundee and Aberdeen.

SPL Group Two.
Partick Thistle, Dundee United, Livingston, Motherwell, Falkirk, Clyde, St. Johnstone and Inverness Caley Thistle.
 
Interesting, the "small" leagues breaking off cause they realize they're being overtaken by the bigger leagues not a Super CL style G14 breakoff of the big clubs cause of less profit due to UEFA and other stuff. Keep it coming.

And if you need help with the Swedish Allsvenskan i'm at your disposal. GAIS supporter as i am though my team won't be reaching the top flight anytime soon.:(
 
I tried to do such a TL a while bac but sort of failed due to the organisation of promotion/relegation being really hard.
 
Interesting, the "small" leagues breaking off cause they realize they're being overtaken by the bigger leagues not a Super CL style G14 breakoff of the big clubs cause of less profit due to UEFA and other stuff. Keep it coming.

And if you need help with the Swedish Allsvenskan i'm at your disposal. GAIS supporter as i am though my team won't be reaching the top flight anytime soon.:(
There are still huge clubs potentially in this league though. Porto, Ajax, Rangers and Celtic, PSV, Anderlecht and IFK Gothenburg spring to mind. This gives them both more comnpetition and money to carry on.

Help with regards Swedish Football would be greatly appreciated!
The Red said:
Couldn't you butterfly Dundee Utd bottom instead? :(
Sorry, what with Motherwell going into administration the club would be in chaos. Even moreso with the threat of relagation out of the way. That being said, better times are around the corner for the Well...;)
 

Deleted member 5719

A
Each domestic top flight would consist of two groups of eight teams, the top and bottom group. The teams in each group would play each other twice. The top two teams in the top group would qualify for the Atlantic League. Following this departure in the domestic leagues, the two groups would merge and the remaining fourteen teams would play each other twice with points starting from zero again. The winner would win the domestic league, the bottom club would be relegated.

The two teams who left would join the other twelve from the other six nations to form the new Atlantic League. They would play each other twice with the top team winning the Atlantic League. Both the Atlantic League and the Domestic leagues would last from Febuary-May.

Just to clarify, what are the bottom group plating for while the top group slug it out for the Atlantic places? If points go back to zero, they don't seem to gain anything for good performances at the start of the season.
 
It kinda bugs me that people automatically think that IFK Göteborg is the Swedish team with the most potential to become a major player, the two teams that actually have the biggest potential are Durgårdens IF the Champions of 2002, 2003 and 2005 (currently close to relegation).

And the 2004 champion Malmö FF who had (and maybe still has) the best organization in swedsih football and a lot of money from the sale of Zlatan Ibrahimovic the year before (for 82 million SEK too Ajax Amsterdam). Since then in OTL Malmö FF has sold three players for over 40 Million SEK, Markus Rosenberg (Also too Ajax), Afonso Alves (too SC Herenveen) and Ola Toivonen (too Psv Eindhoven).

I personally think that had the captain Patrik Andersson not become injured in the first CL qualifier against FC Thun in 2005 Malmö would have won the second game and thus qualified for the CL group stage in 2005 and with that begun a new era for swedish football.
 
Just to clarify, what are the bottom group plating for while the top group slug it out for the Atlantic places? If points go back to zero, they don't seem to gain anything for good performances at the start of the season.
Sorry, I got too caught up in the upper group, I neglected the lower. The team that finishes bottom, as long as they do not finish bottom of the league at the end of the season go into a relagation play off with the second team in the first division. If they finish bottom, the play off does not occur and they are relagated.

The team which tops Group two wins a trophy as SPL Group Stage, Group 2 Winners and also a curtain raiser at the national stadium against the team which finished top- of group one. A version of the Charity Shield if you like.

Other than that, money. A portion of the Atlantic League cash trickles down to the clubs, the amount to each club dependent on their positions in these groups.
 
Found this. Looks good. Any chance of you returning to it?
I've made a few attempts at a football timeline, but they have fallen by the wayside. The trouble is, unless you concentrate on just one club, the transfers get out of control, and if you do concentrate on one club, it means you miss the wider picture.

Tell you what though, I'll have a look and see what I can do..:D
 
I'm surprised by that. I'd have thought that you don't have to follow every transfer, just the star players.
 
I find it very offensive that only the leagues of the smaller countries are the ones in this united league. I'm pretty sure that you're saying that each of their respective leagues are not important enough alone because it's host country is not as big as Germany, England, France or Spain or Italy. I'm from the Netherlands, and I can tell you our league is not dissapearing anytime soon, thank you very much.

:mad:
 
I find it very offensive that only the leagues of the smaller countries are the ones in this united league. I'm pretty sure that you're saying that each of their respective leagues are not important enough alone because it's host country is not as big as Germany, England, France or Spain or Italy. I'm from the Netherlands, and I can tell you our league is not dissapearing anytime soon, thank you very much.

:mad:

Calm down, it was a serious suggestion in 2000-2001, not something that FoS has made up because he doesn't rate Dutch football or something - in fact, it was PSV Eindhoven directors who suggested it.
 
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