UEFA would not stop Rangers and Celtic move to EPL

[The Blue Flag]

Uefa would not oppose Celtic and Rangers joining an English Premier League, with any decision being down to the leagues and associations involved.

Football's European governing body responded after Bolton chairman Phil Gartside floated a plan to include both teams in a two-tier Premier League.

A meeting of Premier League shareholders is happening on Thursday.

But the controversial plan, for two divisions of 18 teams, will not be formally discussed.

And the idea would have to overcome a number of obstacles if it was to come to fruition.

The Premier League, the Football Association, their Scottish counterparts and the Football League would all have to give their approval.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are likely to be against the plan as it would affect their income.

Others such as Aston Villa, Tottenham and Everton, who may consider it unlikely they would ever drop out of a 20-team Premier League, may also have misgivings.

Mid-table clubs might also struggle to cope with a drop in television money as the cash is spread more widely.

A Premier League spokesman said: "We haven't seen any proposal and therefore are unable to comment."

In theory, any addition of the Old Firm to an English league could provide a stiffer test for Scotland's top two clubs and generate more enthusiasm from broadcasters and fans.

That would make up some of the money each club would lose if the Premier League is expanded from 20 to 36 clubs.

At the moment, teams relegated to the Championship are given £11.5m a year for two years because of the lost television income when they drop out of the top flight and are not promoted back into it.

Gartside's plan, which will need the approval of 14 out of 20 Premier League chairmen, would offer more financial stability to teams in the lower half of the Premier League, who would then be able to plan for the future with greater certainty.

Uefa, the European governing body, has consistently said that teams will not be allowed to play in leagues outside their own country.

However, the Uefa director of communications, William Gaillard, said the matter would be something to be decided between the leagues and associations involved.

"We wouldn't take a position on such a proposal," Gaillard told BBC Scotland.

This has been brought up before and although I would love to see it happen, it would take a long time for a proposal like this to even be discussed officially.