Celtic & Sevco bid to join English league. Again. (merged)

[Hendricks]

Hearts have bigger potential than established EPL clubs like Watford and Bournemouth? For real, some folk on here are absolutely wired to the moon and so cripplingly unaware of the gulf in class between ourselves and south of the border it's unreal.

 

People who are seriously talking about being happy to sacrifice winning and challenging for silverware every season in favour of chancing our arm from the bottom of English football up are idiots. Legitimate "I'm positive I can drive home with my feet after 8 pints" idiots.

 

You don't think Hearts have bigger potential than Bournemouth or Watford?  I would say you are the idiot then. There are far bigger clubs than either of those two in lower leagues in England but if they can make it there and indeed stay there then there would be no reason given time that Hearts couldn't. 

 

Whether we are ever in a position to fulfill that potential is highly doubtful but were have a bigger fan base than either and if we were ever lucky enough to be able to compete on equal terms with the obscene revenue they get from TV/sponsors then Hearts as a club would thrive. Staying in a Scottish setup without Rantic and "winning silverware" would for many be completely hollow and the whole football scene in Scotland would be dead in the water very quickly.

[Bazzas right boot]

The competitive side of the league would improve, but then so is the Forth and Endrick pub league cause every team is equally pish. The brand would shrink to the size of the welsh, Irish leagues. 100 thousand fans lost to the league, no matter how you look at it. Youngsters get to remain in Scotland, close to home and still get to play in the EPL.....

The pros to them leaving are vastly outnumbered by the cons.

The 100k fans are not lost from the league.

 

The 100k fans have no benefit to Hearts or the other teams.

 

There is only one con, dozens of benefits.

[fila]

Let them go, Hearts will always be Hearts , a competitive league would see high attendances all round .

[Debut 4]

Hearts have bigger potential than established EPL clubs like Watford and Bournemouth? For real, some folk on here are absolutely wired to the moon and so cripplingly unaware of the gulf in class between ourselves and south of the border it's unreal.

People who are seriously talking about being happy to sacrifice winning and challenging for silverware every season in favour of chancing our arm from the bottom of English football up are idiots. Legitimate "I'm positive I can drive home with my feet after 8 pints" idiots.

potential. Of course we have more than bloody Bournemouth!

 

What fulfills potential?

 

Investment and good people running the club. It also helps having a big fanbase and infrastructure set up at the club.

 

I'm not saying I want us to leave Scottish football but I don't get why some people find it embarrassing to say we are potentially bigger than some English clubs(especially if we were given better finance) just because our league is looked upon differently.

[John Findlay]

I have no hate of Celtic and Sevco. I don't like them purely for the fact they do not give a toss for the good of Scottish football and haven't done for the last 20yrs. As soon as Sky television got into bed with English footbal and poured money at it from every direction these two have been more jealous than most. They couldn't be honest when they first made noises about wanting to play south. Their reason was lack of competition up here. Not we want the television money.

If they are as Scottish as Rudi-Mental claims then can he explain why I can count on one finger the number of saltire flown at their games? I lose count of the number of Irish Tricolours and Union flags at their games but Saltires no. They may physically play their games in the East and West ends of Glasgow but, they are as both Scottish as Terry Butcher and Roy Keane. Rudi says Cardiff and Swansea are Welsh. I won't disagree ad they are happy to flaunt their being Welsh. No Union flags or St George's cross, Irish Tricolour or Saltire from them but the good old Welsh Griffin. No God save the Queen or Rule Britannia. No Soldiers song or ooh ah up the Ra from them. Of course these four songs being good old famous Scottish folk songs. Let them go I won't miss them. I don't care if Hearts win the a Scottish league without them as my celebration would still be the same if we win the league with them.

A league win would not be diminished without them in my eyes. Why should it be?

Regardless of what the Scottish media might try and tell us. They are not Scottish football. They never have been and never will be. Just like Man u and Man C are not English football and Barcelona and Real Madrid are not Spanish football.

[Generic Username]

Yeah you're right guys. We can definitely eclipse two teams who've had 24 months of Sky/prize money. All we need is about 20 years, insane amounts of money and for them to completely regress as clubs.

 

[Hearts007]

not huge for some

[Guest Paul Allen]

Rangers should have applied to join the bottom rung of the English football league tier when they were binned by the SPL. Within a few years they would at least be in the Championship or even the Premier League if they were lucky. Trips to English minnows would have topped away trips to Elgin and Annan imo.

[1971fozzy]

Our game would evolve. I say get to fek. I don't even look forward to playing them anymore , they are a horrible evil that we would be best to do without. Let's face it, the standard isn't that high now, we would all just find our level and get on with it. There should be a payment of some sort over say 5-10 years and by then Scottish football would be settling in without them. But let's face it nobody wants them or their bile. Sevco will be praying for it as they must be close to going under again. I despise both clubs and would gladly welcome their departure. As I said Scottish football would evolve

[Debut 4]

I have no hate of Celtic and Sevco. I don't like them purely for the fact they do not give a toss for the good of Scottish football and haven't done for the last 20yrs. As soon as Sky television got into bed with English footbal and poured money at it from every direction these two have been more jealous than most. They couldn't be honest when they first made noises about wanting to play south. Their reason was lack of competition up here. Not we want the television money.

If they are as Scottish as Rudi-Mental claims then can he explain why I can count on one finger the number of saltire flown at their games? I lose count of the number of Irish Tricolours and Union flags at their games but Saltires no. They may physically play their games in the East and West ends of Glasgow but, they are as both Scottish as Terry Butcher and Roy Keane. Rudi says Cardiff and Swansea are Welsh. I won't disagree ad they are happy to flaunt their being Welsh. No Union flags or St George's cross, Irish Tricolour or Saltire from them but the good old Welsh Griffin. No God save the Queen or Rule Britannia. No Soldiers song or ooh ah up the Ra from them. Of course these four songs being good old famous Scottish folk songs. Let them go I won't miss them. I don't care if Hearts win the a Scottish league without them as my celebration would still be the same if we win the league with them.

A league win would not be diminished without them in my eyes. Why should it be?

Regardless of what the Scottish media might try and tell us. They are not Scottish football. They never have been and never will be. Just like Man u and Man C are not English football and Barcelona and Real Madrid are not Spanish football.

But the bottom line is, they are the two teams to beat up here. Well pre-Sevco anyway.

 

As much as I hate saying that they are long established Scottish league clubs. They want away? Fine, go, but it's too easy to say it doesn't matter when they are gone because people will always say "if they were still about no one else would win the league"...

 

That's why my desire is to see us topple them, certainly before they p**s off.

 

There's too much history established in the game. There'll always be people saying what would happen if they were still around. I'd rather they stayed. They have lost their appeal to the genuine quality of player they could sign 20 years ago, no matter how much money is thrown at them.

 

That may not be a great shop window for Scottish Football but slowly it may give us more of a chance. I've said for long enough they have a lot of money(more Celtic just now) but have to shop in Lidl instead of Marks and Sparks.

 

If they get their wish to move, then in time their egos will inflate even more as investment would most likely enable them to go back to acquiring top players. Although that wouldn't ultimately affect us on the field.

[Hendricks]

Yeah you're right guys. We can definitely eclipse two teams who've had 24 months of Sky/prize money. All we need is about 20 years, insane amounts of money and for them to completely regress as clubs.

 

 

Are you thick? POTENTIAL......?POTENTIAL. Nobody has said anything about "eclipsing" current EPL clubs in a short period of time. IF and it highly unlikely to ever come to fruition Hearts like many other similarly sized clubs could grow and thrive in the current English setup. It would take time and it might never happen but there is nothing to suggest we could not go through the leagues at some point or another like a Charlton, Bradford or a Blackpool (or someone of that ilk). Hearts have the potential to do that without question. Do you honestly believe that the examples given i.e. Watford and Bournemouth will forever stay in the EPL, put simply they won't but they made it and so could we at some point given the opportunity. 47 clubs have played in the EPL, there is no question that Rangers and Celtic would make it within a few years and that Hearts at some point would have every chance of competing at the higher end of the Championship to get there also.

[Nookie Bear]

 

 

Anyway back to the topic. Rangers and Celtic will NEVER play in an English or British league as when the European League is set up in four years time the top 4 or 5 English clubs will leave and more likely that Rangers and Celtic would join some sort of second tier Europa League with clubs from Holland Belgium etc . not least as other posters have stated even then the remaining English clubs won't agree to importing Weegie bigotry when clubs like Leeds Unt / Sheffield Wednesday looking for a passport to the top division.

That's where I am at. The old firm will never join England but they will form part of a euro super league.

[Debut 4]

Are you thick? POTENTIAL......?POTENTIAL. Nobody has said anything about "eclipsing" current EPL clubs in a short period of time. IF and it highly unlikely to ever come to fruition Hearts like many other similarly sized clubs could grow and thrive in the current English setup. It would take time and it might never happen but there is nothing to suggest we could not go through the leagues and at some point or another be like a Charlton, Bradford or a Blackpool or someone of that ilk. Hearts have the potential to do that without question. Do you honestly believe that the examples given i.e. Watford and Bournemouth will forever stay in the EPL, put simply they won't but they made it and so could we at some point given the opportunity. 47 clubs have played in the EPL, there is no question that Rangers and Celtic would make it within a few years and that Hearts at some point would have every chance of competing at the higher end of the Championship to get there also.

too open minded a post mate but I'm sure you'll get a.....

[John Findlay]

They are two of 39 Scottish league teams to beat. It's 3pts for beating them the same as ICT and Partick Thistle. To me they are no special than anyone else.

[grumpyespana]

Would not surprise me if they got in the english set up then try and play there B team in the scottish league just like they do in Spain, also hoovering all the good scottish laddies to play in there B teams.

[portobellojambo1]

Last paragraph nails it. The blind hatred people have stops them from hearing or seeing the truth.

 

We all enjoyed the Championship because it was a novelty we enjoyed the SPL last year without Sevco as it was a novelty, we would still enjoy it for a few more years without them or both of them however like all novelties they wear off.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

And I guess you would include playing in England as one of those novelties that would wear off ?.

[Joe Hearts]

Burnley who will do well to stay in the English top flight this season comfortably beat Sevco at Grayskull pre season!

[amadjambo]

Why on earth would English football want Aberdeen, Hibs or Dundee. Give me one reason.

 

All of this is ignoring the political environment by the way. English nationalism is on the rise and it's a pretty ugly variety so far judging by Brexit, the Tories and UKIP. The idea of these UKIP and Tory voting towns suddenly welcoming hordes of Jocks down for the day every weekend is mental.

 

That's tongue in cheek, but imagine the carnage on the roads and trains heading south with Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs all having games on the same day in various locations from Newcastle south. and vice versa when they come north! You do know we have basically one fast(ish) road up from England!

Good point about the roads. Motorway service stations would be war zones on a Saturday.

[socrates82]

You don't think Hearts have bigger potential than Bournemouth or Watford?  I would say you are the idiot then. There are far bigger clubs than either of those two in lower leagues in England but if they can make it there and indeed stay there then there would be no reason given time that Hearts couldn't. 

 

Whether we are ever in a position to fulfill that potential is highly doubtful but were have a bigger fan base than either and if we were ever lucky enough to be able to compete on equal terms with the obscene revenue they get from TV/sponsors then Hearts as a club would thrive. Staying in a Scottish setup without Rantic and "winning silverware" would for many be completely hollow and the whole football scene in Scotland would be dead in the water very quickly.

 

Watford and Bournemouth required foreign businessmen coming in and investing masses of money before they got anywhere in the current English set-up.

 

Do we really want to go down that route again? We could just as easily end up like Portsmouth, Blackburn or any number of English clubs facing trouble.

[The Don]

And I guess you would include playing in England as one of those novelties that would wear off ?.

 

 

I can't speak for any of the OF about whether the novelty would wear of for them, I was referring to the novelty of not having them in the SPL. Like others have said and i agree with If they did go the clubs left have to make absolutely certain there can never be a way back for them if they fail or the novelty wears off.

 

If your referring to us playing in England and would I see that as a novelty that would wear off personally for me it wouldn't I can't speak for others.

[socrates82]

potential. Of course we have more than bloody Bournemouth!

 

What fulfills potential?

 

Investment and good people running the club. It also helps having a big fanbase and infrastructure set up at the club.

 

I'm not saying I want us to leave Scottish football but I don't get why some people find it embarrassing to say we are potentially bigger than some English clubs(especially if we were given better finance) just because our league is looked upon differently.

 

Why do people want us to be like Bournemouth. How many cups have they won in the last 10 years? When did they last finish third in their country's top league or play in Europe?

[Bowmans_Boot]

Why do people want us to be like Bournemouth. How many cups have they won in the last 10 years? When did they last finish third in their country's top league or play in Europe?

 

Isnt Europe a warm up for the league? That is what I heard, anyway.

[Bowmans_Boot]

The 100k fans are not lost from the league.

 

The 100k fans have no benefit to Hearts or the other teams.

 

There is only one con, dozens of benefits.

 

You always appear to be quite intelligent in your posts, yet in this one you are not. If Rangers and Celtic were to leave Scottish football then the consequences would be dire for those remaining. In the first few years probably not, but after that, absolutely dire. I sincerely hope some people do not get their wish as I have absolutely no wish to support a part time team, although I obviously would if it came to it.

[socrates82]

Isnt Europe a warm up for the league? That is what I heard, anyway.

 

Only of you're 5 and this year was the first year you've watched Hearts in Europe. Nice having the chance though.

 

Imagine Hearts in League Two or worse, with zero chance of winning a cup or getting into Europe. Just endless games against crappy teams no better than Ross County, just paying more for players, in a league that no-one really wants us in.

[socrates82]

You always appear to be quite intelligent in your posts, yet in this one you are not. If Rangers and Celtic were to leave Scottish football then the consequences would be dire for those remaining. In the first few years probably not, but after that, absolutely dire. I sincerely hope some people do not get their wish as I have absolutely no wish to support a part time team, although I obviously would if it came to it.

 

So you're saying 14,000 Hearts fans would just disappear - just at the time when we could win the league? Likewise all the fans of the other clubs that have never been able to to challenge because of the gulf between them and the OF? They wouldn't bother watching their team challenge at the top just because they can't watch their team get gubbed by the OF anymore?

 

Honestly, you're like the folk who argue against independence (which is fair enough if you don't like the idea) by making up ridiculous scare stories that completely ignore the evidence in the wider world. Ie there are successful countries Scotland's size and there are football leagues in countries Scotland's size, with teams like Gothenburg that even manage to compete in Europe now and then.

 

It's classic Scottish cringe. We can't possibly manage on our own because we're.... Scottish.

[Hendricks]

They are two of 39 Scottish league teams to beat. It's 3pts for beating them the same as ICT and Partick Thistle. To me they are no special than anyone else.

 

Given nobody has won the Scottish League Title since 1983-84 other than the I would say they are "special" (however you want to determine what that word means!!!  Simply put its why any title secured without them as the direct competition would be really hollow and of very little value to many people (not all) who have watched Hearts for decades in the hope we would at some point win it. For me it would be totally tainted by the fact we never had them below us on that league table.

[Generic Username]

Are you thick? POTENTIAL......?POTENTIAL. Nobody has said anything about "eclipsing" current EPL clubs in a short period of time. IF and it highly unlikely to ever come to fruition Hearts like many other similarly sized clubs could grow and thrive in the current English setup. It would take time and it might never happen but there is nothing to suggest we could not go through the leagues at some point or another like a Charlton, Bradford or a Blackpool (or someone of that ilk). Hearts have the potential to do that without question. Do you honestly believe that the examples given i.e. Watford and Bournemouth will forever stay in the EPL, put simply they won't but they made it and so could we at some point given the opportunity. 47 clubs have played in the EPL, there is no question that Rangers and Celtic would make it within a few years and that Hearts at some point would have every chance of competing at the higher end of the Championship to get there also.

Quite the brass neck calling someone else thick when you're elbow deep in a scenario that involves Hearts in the EPL

[Hendricks]

Watford and Bournemouth required foreign businessmen coming in and investing masses of money before they got anywhere in the current English set-up.

 

Do we really want to go down that route again? We could just as easily end up like Portsmouth, Blackburn or any number of English clubs facing trouble.

 

Maybe we would. But in a Scottish setup without Rantic Hearts are a nonentity other than to the people who call themselves supporters of HMFC. That might be enough, I'm willing to accept some people would love to sit and watch us win the title every couple of years (or many years as I believe would be the case) but equally that would grow old quicker than some believe as I firmly think that success of that type would feel tainted. Winning the title has been something many of us have willed Hearts to do since Dens in 1986 and older fans since the Killie debacle 20 years before that. Take out Rantic and win it.....big fecking deal, it means so much less. 

[OTT]

Celtic are a massive club with an international fan base (grudgingly). Rangers are only big because they are the other side of the 'argument'. Neither clubs trophy cabinet would prosper and both would end up worse off than Newcastle and Sunderland (what player given the chance wants to play outside of London?).

 

Disgusts me that the SFA don't nip this in the bud and why the other 10 clubs don't either force themselves into the argument (thereby killing it) or outright call it what it is (bringing the game into disrepute)

[socrates82]

Given nobody has won the Scottish League Title since 1983-84 other than the I would say they are "special" (however you want to determine what that word means!!!  Simply put its why any title secured without them as the direct competition would be really hollow and of very little value to many people (not all) who have watched Hearts for decades in the hope we would at some point win it. For me it would be totally tainted by the fact we never had them below us on that league table.

 

So you would rather be sclaffing around in League Two in England than win an Old Firm free title in Scotland?

[Hendricks]

Quite the brass neck calling someone else thick when you're elbow deep in a scenario that involves Hearts in the EPL

 

It was actually you that started throwing around words like "idiots" and frankly "thick" is apt given you fail completely to acknowledge or indeed understand what is being discussed. Those of us willing to listen to other view points have been very clear that we are talking about potential and that in my opinion Hearts should look to be involved in any future discussions about the structure of the game or indeed the possibility of leaving the current setup. However unlikely that is there are those who have a different opinion to you on where Hearts could potentially play and how they could grow as a club. It is complete nonsense to say that we would not have the potential to work our way through the English leagues given others of similar or smaller size have done it. Nobody is talking about competing with EPL or even English Championship sides at the moment but you knew that anyway (or maybe you didn't who knows.....!).

[socrates82]

It was actually you that started throwing around words like "idiots" and frankly "thick" is apt given you fail completely to acknowledge or indeed understand what is being discussed. Those of us willing to listen to other view points have been very clear that we are talking about potential and that in my opinion Hearts should look to be involved in any future discussions about the structure of the game or indeed the possibility of leaving the current setup. However unlikely that is there are those who have a different opinion to you on where Hearts could potentially play and how they could grow as a club. It is complete nonsense to say that we would not have the potential to work our way through the English leagues given others of similar or smaller size have done it. Nobody is talking about competing with EPL or even English Championship sides at the moment but you knew that anyway (or maybe you didn't who knows.....!).

 

Loads of English teams, and I mean most, have not done it. The ones that have have done it for a couple of years if they're lucky. And these teams have had access to this lucrative TV money you keep going on about for ages. And that's loads of teams with rich owners and massive stadiums compared to us.

 

I think the term "fool's gold" is apt here. Or "be careful what you wish for".

[Generic Username]

Your whole premise rests on two things;

 

1) us being able to successfully navigate our way to the top two leagues

 

2) using the money attainable from those divisions to grow the club to dwarf clubs you've deemed to be of smaller/similar stature

 

Do you not think this is the patter Leeds and Nottingham Forrest tell themselves every season? And you think it's not complete nonsense to think that's a solid route to go down?

 

Maybe thick is the wrong word. I'm fairly certain if we drilled a hole in your head sand would pour out.

[Hendricks]

Why do people want us to be like Bournemouth. How many cups have they won in the last 10 years? When did they last finish third in their country's top league or play in Europe?

 

Who wanted us to be like Bournemouth????  They were merely used as a current example of a club who without question have less potential than Hearts but have worked their way (deservedly) to the EPL. They avoided relegation to the English non league just 7 years ago on the final day of the season. The only point being made about Bournemouth is to show that as one example (of numerous) Hearts could in time work ourselves through the lower leagues of England. This only be discussed because some people, me include think that if Rantic ever get the opportunity to leave our league we should be looking to do likewise as frankly the Scottish league will be done. Others disagree and I'm fine with that, they will happily watch Hearts hump whats left and win titles, each to their own. 

[Hendricks]

So you would rather be sclaffing around in League Two in England than win an Old Firm free title in Scotland?

 

I don't believe we would be "sclaffing" around League Two very long and I would certainly love to watch the journey of seeing how we did so yes 100% would be all for it. New teams, new grounds, without question loads of new players etc etc. Winning a title without Rantic means nothing to me personally so I'm glad I saw us winning 2 Scottish Cups having beaten them on the way should this ever come to pass! 

[socrates82]

Who wanted us to be like Bournemouth????  They were merely used as a current example of a club who without question have less potential than Hearts but have worked their way (deservedly) to the EPL. They avoided relegation to the English non league just 7 years ago on the final day of the season. The only point being made about Bournemouth is to show that as one example (of numerous) Hearts could in time work ourselves through the lower leagues of England. This only be discussed because some people, me include think that if Rantic ever get the opportunity to leave our league we should be looking to do likewise as frankly the Scottish league will be done. Others disagree and I'm fine with that, they will happily watch Hearts hump whats left and win titles, each to their own. 

 

They didn't work their way up. They were bought by a Russian billionaire and then - hey presto - they discovered their "potential".

 

The EPL (and trickle down effect) is a bubble that will pop. It's already littered with clubs that have paid the price for seeking to achieve their "potential". We're well out of it. If we can;t even win the league in Scotland with an injection of about 60million into the team, I have no idea how you think we'd compete in England.

[Generic Username]

"Winning the league without Rantic means nothing to me"

 

 

Not even touching that.

[Hendricks]

Loads of English teams, and I mean most, have not done it. The ones that have have done it for a couple of years if they're lucky. And these teams have had access to this lucrative TV money you keep going on about for ages. And that's loads of teams with rich owners and massive stadiums compared to us.

 

I think the term "fool's gold" is apt here. Or "be careful what you wish for".

 

Actually 47 clubs have now played in the EPL, a number of which are not as big as Hearts as a club and have nowhere near the potent;. They also don't play in the Capital city of Scotland or have the local infrastructure that we do. Hearts given time would be an extremely attractive place to play if we made it into the Championship or perish the thought the EPL. All of the is complete conjecture but it is ridiculous to suggest that Hearts would have no chance of growing and competing over a period of time given it has been done countless times before by clubs or similar or lesser size. But you seem very set in your ways and unable or unprepared to consider others viewpoints so I'll let you bash on  

[socrates82]

I don't believe we would be "sclaffing" around League Two very long and I would certainly love to watch the journey of seeing how we did so yes 100% would be all for it. New teams, new grounds, without question loads of new players etc etc. Winning a title without Rantic means nothing to me personally so I'm glad I saw us winning 2 Scottish Cups having beaten them on the way should this ever come to pass! 

 

200-800 mile roundtrips as routine. Trains packed and extortionate so you have to drive. M74 and A7 one long car park on match days. Our nearest big game - if we even got to that level - would be Newcastle. That's a 5 hour round trip! And that's the shortest one. Battles at service stations over the last pork pie. Priced out of attending Tynecastle as all the glory hunters who don't like us playing in Scotland jump on the bandwagon. Sounds great!

[socrates82]

Actually 47 clubs have now played in the EPL, a number of which are not as big as Hearts as a club and have nowhere near the potent;. They also don't play in the Capital city of Scotland or have the local infrastructure that we do. Hearts given time would be an extremely attractive place to play if we made it into the Championship or perish the thought the EPL. All of the is complete conjecture but it is ridiculous to suggest that Hearts would have no chance of growing and competing over a period of time given it has been done countless times before by clubs or similar or lesser size. But you seem very set in your ways and unable or unprepared to consider others viewpoints so I'll let you bash on  

 

So your goal is playing in the EPL once or twice? Why not just follow an English team and Hearts like I do? How many of those teams are established in the EPL? And how many have a chance of winning anything or have won something.

[Hendricks]

Your whole premise rests on two things;

 

1) us being able to successfully navigate our way to the top two leagues

 

2) using the money attainable from those divisions to grow the club to dwarf clubs you've deemed to be of smaller/similar stature

 

Do you not think this is the patter Leeds and Nottingham Forrest tell themselves every season? And you think it's not complete nonsense to think that's a solid route to go down?

 

Maybe thick is the wrong word. I'm fairly certain if we drilled a hole in your head sand would pour out.

 

If you were actually capable of reading and had an ounce of comprehension you would have seen me state on several occasions there are clubs of greater standing than those mentioned currently playing in the lower league(s). That was not the point being made however but as I said to Socrates bash on......you are unable to listen to others viewpoints if they differ from yours. In this (unlikely) eventuality you would quite happily sit back and watch Hearts playing in a meaningless league where any trophy will be of far less value and that is your right. I've no problem with that but would hope Hearts showed a lot more ambition. 

[LarrysRightFoot]

Good point about the roads. Motorway service stations would be war zones on a Saturday.

I think that says a lot of our football fans - if it were ever tried and tested to be true.

 

Why should it be any different than Boro, Newcastle and Sunderland fans all travelling away?

[socrates82]

I think that says a lot of our football fans - if it were ever tried and tested to be true.

 

Why should it be any different than Boro, Newcastle and Sunderland fans all travelling away?

 

Look at a map.

[Generic Username]

Also based on the premise no other clubs currently of a similar stature grow at this hypothetical rate, such as your Charlton's, Bolton's, Portsmouth's (all teams who've been in the top flight in recent years). Seems to lean unbelievably heavy on the notion we'd be the only ones to make any kind of progress and no one could live with us while we rocketed to the top.

 

We'll just skoosh our way up the leagues and become huge because it's Edinburgh.

[soonbe110]

Celtic are virtually guaranteed Champs League every year. Would they give that up for 5 years?

 

It will be a lot longer than five years. Probably nearer 50.

[Hendricks]

200-800 mile roundtrips as routine. Trains packed and extortionate so you have to drive. M74 and A7 one long car park on match days. Our nearest big game - if we even got to that level - would be Newcastle. That's a 5 hour round trip! And that's the shortest one. Battles at service stations over the last pork pie. Priced out of attending Tynecastle as all the glory hunters who don't like us playing in Scotland jump on the bandwagon. Sounds great!

 

Many much bigger leagues and far more successful clubs manage just fine without having thousands of away supporters week in week out so thats a moot point. Again you are parochial in your views which is just fine, you want things as they have always been and that is your prerogative. The thing is the most important thing in football is winning and you want that handed to us, remove the Old Firm, remove the opposition to actually achieving anything meaningful! 

[socrates82]

Also based on the premise no other clubs currently of a similar stature grow at this hypothetical rate, such as your Charlton's, Bolton's, Portsmouth's (all teams who've been in the top flight in recent years). Seems to lean unbelievably heavy on the notion we'd be the only ones to make any kind of progress and no one could live with us while we rocketed to the top.

 

We'll just skoosh our way up the leagues and become huge because it's Edinburgh.

 

Maybe we'll get lucky and find a foreign millionaire willing to invest in the team and a new ground with money no object.

 

Because down that road guaranteed success lies... right... right?

[Generic Username]

"Hearts playing in a meaningless league"

 

 

Not touching that either.

[socrates82]

Many much bigger leagues and far more successful clubs manage just fine without having thousands of away supporters week in week out so thats a moot point. Again you are parochial in your views which is just fine, you want things as they have always been and that is your prerogative. The thing is the most important thing in football is winning and you want that handed to us, remove the Old Firm, remove the opposition to actually achieving anything meaningful! 

 

Seriously - look at a map of the UK. Look at Scotland. Then look at England. Then look at the transport networks and how the cities are linked and how far apart they are.

 

The come back and say that getting from Scotland to England for football games every week - tens of thousands of people potentially driving south or north up the one or two roads we have all at the same time - that would in any way be fun, cost-effective or easy. Evening games for example - how would that work exactly?

 

I'm just waiting for some bright spark to say we should have regional leagues to get around the travel issues

[Hendricks]

Maybe we'll get lucky and find a foreign millionaire willing to invest in the team and a new ground with money no object.

 

Because down that road guaranteed success lies... right... right?

 

Where do you think Hearts would evolve to if Rantic left the Scottish setup? Serious question. Say this was their (Rantic's) last season in Scotland how do you see Hearts as a club 10 years down the line?