If there’s one question that everyone has heard in recent years, it’s whether or not Rangers and Celtic should be allowed to join the English Premier League. It’s a debate that has split opinion across the United Kingdom, with many fans in England feeling that the Old Firm simply aren’t good enough. Many Scottish football fans would welcome the move for varying reasons, either because they don’t particularly care enough for either team or because they want more income and a bigger stage for whichever Glasweigen club they support.
Although this debate has not been the focal point of media coverage since 2009, when Bolton chairman Phil Gartside suggested – and welcomed – the potential introduction of the Scottish clubs to England, it is still a hot topic amongst football fans north and south of the border. There are several issues that have been raised regarding Rangers and Celtic’s admission to the EPL and, by all accounts, the facts speak volumes.
Are they big enough? In a list of the top-20 most supported football clubs in Britain, Rangers came 5th with 1,430,000 and Celtic came 6th with 1,406,000. They were only beaten by Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, who have the collective title of England’s “big four”.
Do they attract big enough crowds? According to a UEFA survey, the average attendance at Celtic Park is 48,968 and 45,305 across the city at Ibrox. Only Manchester United and Arsenal command larger crowds in the UK than Celtic, with Manchester City and Newcastle generating a slightly larger crowd than Rangers.
Are they good enough? Celtic are the first British club to ever win the European Cup, which at this time is an accolade that only 3 other teams in the Premiership can boast. Glasgow Rangers have also notched up a European Cup Winners Cup, much the same as Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and Everton.
Can they survive in the Premiership? Should the Old Firm ever grace the English top flight with their presence, there is no doubt that they would finish in the top half. Although it has to be acknowledged that both teams don’t have squads capable of breaking the top four at this time, what they do have is the clout and size to attract bigger players in a few seasons. The revenue they would generate from simply turning up to play a game in the EPL each week would far surpass anything they currently get for playing European football. This would go towards ridiculous salary demands of world-class players and, within five years, the top four in the Premiership would almost certainly feature the two clubs from Glasgow.
After Swansea made history and became the first ever non-English club to play in the Premier League, there is no longer the issue of “being allowed”. It doesn’t matter if Rangers and Celtic are Scottish clubs. All that matters is that they’re good enough.
And they are good enough.
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