Dunfermline chief rejects merger plans

One of the leading figures behind the plans to expel Celtic and Rangers from the Scottish Premier League has rejected Gordon Taylor’s plans to merge with England’s Nationwide League.

Taylor, the Professional Footballers’ Union chief executive south of the border, mooted the idea as a way of bringing badly-needed cash into the game.

The Football League is in financial difficulty following the collapse of ITV Digital, who had pledged to pump millions into the three divisions, earlier in the year.

The SPL is currently in the process of winding itself down in two years’ time following a dispute with the Old Firm over a number of issues, including television money.

Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston has been a vanguard in the 10 ‘other’ SPL clubs’ battle against the Glasgow giants.

And he insisted he would rather see the SPL keep its all-Scottish identity should it carry out its threat to reform itself in 2004.

He said: “I don’t think this would be an issue up here. There are a number of problems it would cause, the extra travelling for one.

“Also, would it lead to having a British national side, which many would not want?

“We are quite happy, apart from a number of things that are well-documented, to have a Scottish League.

“There are 101 ideas floating around at the moment and this appears to be one of them.”

The Pars’ pre-season preparations saw a number of friendlies with English sides and although Premiership Everton beat them easily, First Division Preston North End were lucky to escape with a 3-3 draw.

Yorkston added: “I think we would do well in the Nationwide League but it is not on our agenda.”