Celtic and Rangers news: Wyness can’t believe duo could join Premier League – ‘disaster’
Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness has insisted there is “no appetite in England” for Rangers and Celtic to join the Premier League.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Aberdeen between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted it would be a “disaster” with cities “under siege” from both club’s fans.
There has long been a debate about Old Firm clubs joining the English football pyramid – with multiple proposals being rejected both north and south of the border.
Recent evidence has shown the clubs would hold their own in England with Uefa recently publishing their European Club Finance and Investment report, which shows healthy results for both clubs compared to their European counterparts.
Both clubs are in the top 20 across the continent for gate revenue (in the financial year up to June 2023).
‘I don’t see it happening at all’, says Wyness on Rangers and Celtic joining Premier League
With Fenerbahce’s threatening to exit the Turkish league system making headlines, debate has once again erupted about the Old Firm moving to England.
But Wyness has poured cold water on the idea, telling Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “In my days at Aberdeen, I was fighting this battle.
“We resigned from the Scottish Premier League, leaving Rangers and Celtic alone. We won that battle in terms of getting a fairer share of TV revenue.
“The threat was for them to go to the Premier League, and they tried. They were looking for any other league in Europe to go to.
“I think that has been dampened down in recent years, and if they were to try again – I just don’t see it happening at all.
“As the rules stand right now, they won’t be doing it. I don’t think there’s any appetite at all in England.
“Personally, I think it would be a disaster. People don’t realise the issues the fanbases would have coming down here. Cities would be under siege for weekend games.
“It would be a real problem.
“Never say never, but I really can’t see them coming.”
In other news, Celtic set sights on 26-yr-old Championship star.
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