Jimmy Wants 18-team SPL

Last updated : 27 June 2006 By Stand Free Ed

Jimmy Calderwood believes the Bank of Scotland SPL should expand to 18 teams rather than introduce a second promotion place.

The SPL are currently in talks with SFL clubs about adding a relegation play-off between the 11th-placed side in the SPL and the runner-up in the First Division, but the Dons boss thinks this would only serve to increase the fear factor in Scottish football.

Calderwood told Soccer365: "I don't think a promotion play-off is a good idea for the game in Scotland as a whole because more clubs will now suffer from the fear of relegation, which will only hurt the overall standard of football on display.

"I would rather see an 18-team Premier League and with that I think there would be a greater incentive for more sides to adopt an attacking approach, instead of concentrating first and foremost on not losing.

"I don't think it is ideal that we play each other four times in a season, or even more including cup games, especially because the opposition begins to know you back to front and inside out, meaning it can be far harder to break down teams.

"But with a change in attitude due to a bigger Premier League, there would also be the possibility of giving young home-grown players a run in the side a lot earlier.

"Ultimately that would be to the benefit of the Scottish national team and we could see an improvement in our game right across the board."