25-02-2016, 15:48
A couple of points (and more) to make:
1: Awful lot of down-trodden inferiority complexes here today. One defeat and it's all over, apparently (mind you, that's exactly my sentiments of a few months ago
). A quarter of the season to go yet guys. Lot of football to be played and plenty of opportunities for Rangers to drop points yet. Or you could just accept your place and assume the position. Like usual. 
2: The play-offs are a great system - when implemented properly. Having the team from the higher division dropped in at the final stage is an utter abomination. There's no excuse for it except for the Self Preservation League's insistence on it. The English system works because the only teams fighting for it are those with a chance of going up, not those fighting for a chance to stay up. A twelve team division needs two to go straight down, no second chances, no 'lifelines' no 'phone a friend'. Down, straight down - 'cos ye deserve it.
Having the lower league teams fight it out exclusively also lets another side have the chance to go up - the fifth-placed team. Even more interest generated in the end of the season. Of course, that doesn't matter because who gives a f*ck about the lower league teams, eh?
I'd like to think - I'd hope, certainly - that our (both Rangers and Hibs, and to a lesser degree Hearts perhaps) time in the lower leagues has allowed us to educate ourselves in regards to both the quality of many of the sides here, and the trials and tribulations they have to go through to merely compete with those around them to try and better themselves. At the core of it all though is a deeply unfair and repressive regime that controls the game in Scotland to its detriment, a scenario that seemingly runs on fear and loathing in equal measure.
1: Awful lot of down-trodden inferiority complexes here today. One defeat and it's all over, apparently (mind you, that's exactly my sentiments of a few months ago


2: The play-offs are a great system - when implemented properly. Having the team from the higher division dropped in at the final stage is an utter abomination. There's no excuse for it except for the Self Preservation League's insistence on it. The English system works because the only teams fighting for it are those with a chance of going up, not those fighting for a chance to stay up. A twelve team division needs two to go straight down, no second chances, no 'lifelines' no 'phone a friend'. Down, straight down - 'cos ye deserve it.
Having the lower league teams fight it out exclusively also lets another side have the chance to go up - the fifth-placed team. Even more interest generated in the end of the season. Of course, that doesn't matter because who gives a f*ck about the lower league teams, eh?
I'd like to think - I'd hope, certainly - that our (both Rangers and Hibs, and to a lesser degree Hearts perhaps) time in the lower leagues has allowed us to educate ourselves in regards to both the quality of many of the sides here, and the trials and tribulations they have to go through to merely compete with those around them to try and better themselves. At the core of it all though is a deeply unfair and repressive regime that controls the game in Scotland to its detriment, a scenario that seemingly runs on fear and loathing in equal measure.