Scottish League in the Doldrums

The Scottish Premier League is going to face an uphill task to show there is life without Rangers when the new season kicks off this weekend.

Rangers are now languishing in the third division it will be at least three years until the Glasgow giants are back in the SPL.

Some fans now harbour hope that for the first time in 27 years Scotland's top league could be won by a club outside the Old Firm, but the usual two-team race for the SPL should now be won in a canter by Celtic.

For the first time since 1890 there will be no Old Firm league fixtures this season, but Celtic has consistently insisted it does not need its Glasgow rival to flourish.

Squads have been slashed across the league after many commentators predicted financial Armageddon for some clubs following fears a TV deal might disappear as a result of Rangers dropping out of the SPL.

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster and Scottish FA counterpart Stewart Regan both warned of dire financial consequences should the new Rangers start life in the Division Three.

However, Sky Sports has confirmed it will continue with coverage of Scottish football for at least another five years with reports that the deal is only worth 10 per cent less than the old one.

However, the Parkhead club's manager, Neil Lennon, expects some sort of impact and his side has let 10 fringe players leave the club.

"Financially and commercially it will bite us a bit but the club has its own financial structure and strategy in place and we'll move ahead regardless," he said.

"We always try and maintain a level ground on the spending going out and the money that we bring in. That hasn't changed."

He, though, admits that he will miss the Old Firm derbies and the challenge throughout the season."There's that competitiveness, that rivalry, you are obviously going to miss the games," he said.

"It's a great selling point for Scottish football but they are not here and there's nothing I can do about that.

"What I will say is we need our supporters to back the team now more than ever." Read more football news visit the site http://www.soccerazzi.com/footballnews.action