Would Rangers and Celtic be minnows of the Premier League?

This article has some serious flaws. Firstly, the only things that prevent both Celtic and Rangers from competing with the big 4 in England are !), the cash available for transfer activity, and 2) the kudos of the league they currently compete in. If they are allowed access to the EPL then both of these obstacles are removed at a stroke. It would take a couple of seasons for these benefits to fully kick in, but once they did both halves of the Old Firm have the global image and fanbase to become top six in the EPL, and to ultimately chalenge for the title. They both boast bigger fanbases than Chelsea and are at least up alongside Arsenal and Liverpool globally. So the answer to your question is a resounding NO.

Admittedly if the old firm were to move down south with their current squads they would struggle. But rangers and celtic can only beat what is in front of them. If they were to play in England week-in week-out of course they would become stronger teams. HOWEVER both rangers and celtic are huge brands and global names with huge fanbases. This would allow them to attract the big name players and investors alike. Outwith the current big 4 in England, the old firm would become the other 2 big names. In recent years when the old firm have come up against English opposition in Europe, the Scots have won more often than not. How many English clubs can attract between 50,000 and 60,000 die-hard fans to every home game? The English league should welcome the old firm with open arms to spice-up the league. The self-appointed 'best league in the world' is compiled of mediocre teams outwith the 'big 4'.

Chris, if Rangers came to the premiership and had £30 million quid extra to spend, then we would compete to a good level. But to be honest, I don't want to play in England. Believe it or not some of us enjoy battling trips to Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen. Crappy trips to Brum, Bolton or Wigan means nothing to us. Your English league has bugger all English in it as it is, why bring the Old Firm down ?

If Rangers and Celtic were allowed access to the Premiership they would be easily hold their own. It would give them an additional £50 million to spend each year which would allow them to build a squad as good as any in the Premiership. With their passionate fans they would attract the best of the players after Man Utd, I don't know how many times over the years that superstars from the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter etc have said that playing at Ibrox of Parkhead was the best experience of there lives. So in conclusion after a couple years settling down period they would both hold their own in the EPL.

Another nationalistic football supremecy PL pundit who really knows nothing about the modern game or the history of the game.Top football is about BIG money.The amounts needed to sustain a competitive edge very few clubs can muster.However RANGERS and CELTIC can raise the finance needed to compete.Globally they ARE bigger than Chelsea Arsenal and Liverpool.Give 5 seasons in the PL they would compete for the title due to the ability to buy BIG.Sky would love the Old Firm in the PL as their revenues worldwide would soar due to the enormous support throughout the world.10 20 and 30 million pound signings would be he norm,as well as bringing in the best coaches and managerial teams.Anyone who still looks at football from a nationalistic point of view is probably still looking for the record shop to buy an LP and his taste is probably the groovy Petula Clark although if he looks at the newspaper of the time hes living in he'll see that THE GLASGOW CELTIC have just WON the EUROPEAN CUP and the whole of europe is saying this is the first BRITTISH team in the history of european football to WIN the EC.

OK we've been through this many many times so let me state the facts: The Old Firm are not as good as the big 4 in the EPL but are more than a match for the rest (which is why I think this topic is hypothetical as the rest will never allow it to happen) as has been proved time and again when we've come up against them in European competition. The Old Firm have a greater fan base than everyone in the EPL except perhaps Man Utd and L'pool. Financially, the Old Firm cannot compete with ANY club in the EPL (due to TV revenue alone) and indeed, struggle to attract top European players due to the poor image of the SPL which makes the fact that we often do better than the rest of the English clubs in Europe even more remakable. Inclusion in the EPL would change all this almost instantly and I firmly believe within 2 or 3 seasons both would be capable of winning the EPL. There are maybe 4 or 5 other teams in the EPL who are better than all the other teams in the SPL and this would be a challenge for the Old Firm in their first couple of seasons but one which I believe they can overcome. The other teams in the SPL have closed the gap on the Old Firm in recent season and there is no way they can win 3 or 4 nil when playing at 60 -70 %. The fact that the Old Firm dominate in the SPL is always put forward by English supporters as an indication that our league must be crap but lets face it, there are only 3 (maybe 4) teams capable of winning the EPL and this is the same in many European countries such as Portugal, Holland, Belgium, etc. - 2 or 3 teams and then the rest. End of.

as far as celtic are concerend.... at the moment for winning the spl tv money =1.5 million english premier league we would add a guarenteed 35 mil onto that and thats for finishing last....thats 34 mil of disposable income as we currently still make a profit anyway... our already large sponserships would increase even more and with a huge fan base in every continent in the world we would very quickyly become the 2nd richest team behind man u... money buys sucess dont deny it!...rangers would be in a similar altho slighlty lesser position and it could b gaurenteed that celtic would be 1 of your top 4 very quickly... bigger name than all bar man u... if we'd been in english league all along who knos we may b bigger than man u...but we are scottish so scotland is fine and we are still bigger than 3 of ur top 4... dont try and avoid the fact we could come down and settle nicely! HAIL HAIL!

Agreed there are flaws in this article and it always the same, they could not compete, squads are not good enough but that is as it stands playing in the SPL given the opportunity use the resources of the EPL i think only Man U could guarantee to remain above the old firm. Although we don't have the revenue from Tv deals such as the premiership both teams still have a turnover to match majority of premiership teams out with the BIG 4 so add to that additional sponsorship and TV money i'm sure the revenue would soon be up there with the rest and with a squad to challenge. Although i do not think i will ever see it happen it would be interesting, i think there is more chance of an independent European league before We'd get invited into the EPL.

give us the 45 million guaranteed to the last placed EPL team every year (under skys new contract soon) and the fact its the EPL and the kudos that brings when trying to sign players and then well show you what players we can buy; and what league position we can achieve. until then its a ridiculous, redundant debate. the points about playing at 60% of their best is laughable .. i doubt whether you even watch the game up here .. and if thats the case then you have absolutely no right to comment on the game. also; moving to the EPL fundamentally kills national football .. and the league structure setup for over 100 years. we are not an enlgish team; dont want to play in england and if any structural change that affects national leagues were to happen it would be a euro league operated on the franchise system ala basketball etc in the states... not a breaking up of the SPHell for 2 of its teams to move to another nations setup. the sun does not shine out of the rear end of the EPL you know.

I think Celtic (maybe not the huns!!!!) would be able to handle themselves quite well in the EPL. I certainly think a UEFA cup spot would be on the cards. As to our chances of winning the premier leauge I will concede that they are rather slim at the moment. What about all of the extra revenue that would come into both sides of the old firm. Celtic are certainley a bigger club with a much larger support than the majority of clubs in the EPL and with the extra tv and sponsorship money that would come in I'm sure both sides of the old firm would be competing at the top in no time.

Im a Rangers fan and agree with most of the comments except worldwide fan base. Currently we dont have a big global fanbase as historicaly our global fan base was Scots moving to America, Canada etc but these familier are now third and fourth generation scots so this has diminished as the following generations no longer support Rangers. Arsenal and Man U etc have millions and millions of worldwide fans due to their exposure to the Premiership

Within 3 years of EPL money streaming into Celtic and Rangers these two teams would wipe the floor with ALL of the english teams,especially Celtic who could attract managers and players of a world class calibre to Celtic Park.People talk about ManU and Liverpool - Man U have a big fanbase butliverpol dont,its well recognized that they will seriously struggle to fill their new stadium.Also Liverpool brought 30000 fans to Istanbul for a CL final,celtic brought 100,000 to Seville for the UEFA CUP FINAL.I arrest my case

Theres no doubt, with say 3-4 years of the easy TV money, the knock on on merchandise due to profile, we, the tims and them , the great unwashed, would be serious contenders. both would be top 6, and that doesn't mean necessiarally 5th and 6th. Poss higher. but yes, it would take a few years.

the hooped crusader ann danboo why not just answer a simple question without bigoted comments eg huns and both of the clubs not just celtic they just cant help them selves can once abigot always abigot

funny how we the people called u the tims micks taigs unwashed now u come back with it must have hurt eh well truth doesnt it ..

Every Joe with any kind of profile in the EPL is only too glad to have CELTIC adorn their testimonial occasions, but it ends there. The people that count in the EPL are scared to get it on with CELTIC and RANGERS - mighty scared of the profile and power both clubs would aspire to if admitted to the Premiership . The power of TV in modern sport cannot be underestimated and with the influential thrust of SKY SPORTS and SETANTA this could well happen in the future.

First of all you havr to take into account the revenue that English clubs get from television against that in Scotland. A side at the bottom of the Premiership receives more money that Rangers or Celtic winning the European Cup. Once the Old Firm get established in the Premier League and they are on the same playing field as regards financial income from TV then yes they would be challenging for the title. They are both enormous clubs with fans bases only second to Manchester Utd.

This is never going to happen but let me give my opinion. 1). Recently it was announced that Celtic were the 17th richest club in football and they don't play in the EPL. 2). Celtic hold every record crowd in europe and if they had got into the EPL they had were plans to increase Celtic Park to 83,000. (Rangers are supposed to have plans for a new 70,000 stadium so only old trafford could compete with these two as far as crowds go!. 3. The top 4 clubs in england don't want the old firm because it is my opinion that once these two teams got used to the EPL one of the top four would lose Champions league. 4. Two of the lower teams would need to be relegated and the Turkeys aint going to vote for Christmass. Hail, Hail

Hello, I genuinely think that the old firm would hold their own in the premiership. The current squads are good enough for top half of the table, as champions league football is highere standard than the EPL and the old firm have coped admirably on that stage. I also believe that after couple of years the old firm would have the finances to compete with the big 4, as we have fan bases to match ANYONE in the EPL. Im not saying that we would win the league, but after a few seasons we would defo be there or there abouts. It would be a dream come true for me, Im a season ticket holder at Ibrox and love football, so to see all the best teams week in week out would be amazing, bring it on! if cardiff and swansea can get in, let us in!!!!!! everyone who loves the game should want it to happen!! cheers folks, mon the gers!

apart from the obvious failings in your writing, you pay no mention of the huge supports enjoyed by both clubs which would automatically put them on a par with the "big 4". then there's the fact that in this dying league which is the spl the 2 teams still generate more money than 90% of epl teams, which, when put in a more profitable market place would see them on a par with the "big 4". finally i'll just add that apart from sounding like a guy who deeply resents the size and success' of both clubs, who seem to have no grasp of the reasons why the epl is so successful. it is not based on sporting prestige but simply on it having a larger domestic audience for those who have turned a sport in a capital investment opportunity to plunder. you'd do very well to remember that in future, before writing anymore articles which make you look like a bitter, ill informed fool.

i live in leeds and if you really are interested in seeing the pull of the old firm then check out any one of 7 pubs that i know of which are packed with celtic fans each match day, somehow i can't see man utd, liverpool or arsenal achieving the same feat in any city in scotland nae europe.

If the two teams did come south, who vacates the places they would take up? Or if they take two of the relegation spots, would the championship sides be happy? Or should they start at the bottom of the ladder? Too many problems for this to ever happen