Old Firm switch to England gathering pace

Celtic's leading shareholder Dermot Desmond confirmed yesterday that he has met with Football League Chairman Keith Harris to discuss bringing the Old Firm to the English First Division, possibly as early as next season.

Although the formula for the Old Firm's entry into England has yet to be established and there remain high practical hurdles to be overcome, Desmond yesterday comfirmed Thursday's meeting and its positive tone.

Celtic and Rangers' chances of geographic movement are aided by the England's dire financial state. English Football League clubs are in dispute with ITV Digital over the repayment of £178.5 million owed for the remaining two seasons of their three-year deal to screen live games from divisions one, two and three.

The problems in England are mirrored by television difficulties in Scotland where the 10 non-Old Firm clubs have announced their intention to quit the SPL after Celtic and Rangers vetoed the SPL TV proposal.

The inclusion of the Old Firm Clubs in the First Division would increase the league's bargaining power in future television negotiations. Economic reality, therefore, will become the Glasgow clubs' chief ally and the prospect of a 26-club English first division next season should not be sneered at. What seemed unfeasible has become the opposite: the question is now how rather than why.

The Nationwide League insist any deal to bring the Old Firm to England will have to wait until the problems with ITV Digital are ironed out.

"Such matters went seriously on the back burner when we had the problems with ITV Digital," a Football League spokesman said last night. "We don't know what we can offer in the way of sponsorship at the moment as we have to find another TV deal for next season.

"The idea of the Old Firm taking part in the Worthington Cup had been floated by chairman Keith Harris but it never got beyond the informal stage.

"We are always open to ideas and, if Celtic and Rangers approached us, we'd listen to what they thought. But UEFA is saying that we cannot have cross-border competitions, so it does not seem to be a starter."