SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Celtic and Rangers have been approached by three English League chairmen about the possibility of them joining a reconstituted first division in England. Michael Walker and Vivek Chaudhary report

Indeed, the Old Firm sides are keen to be involved in any English restructuring following the collapse of the ITV Digital deal with the Football League.

The first steps towards this have been taken by the 24 chairmen of the first division clubs. They have drawn up a short-list from which they will select a chief executive. He will represent the first division clubs' interests independently of the Football League chief executive David Burns.

They have also appointed a firm of consultants to look at the branding and marketing of the first division. This is also an independent initiative and is understood to have caused anger at Football League board level. Some believe that these are initial moves in forming a division that will break away from the Football League in much the same way as the Premiership did in 1992.

David Gold, the chairman of Birmingham City, said last night: "Admitting Celtic and Rangers into our competition can only happen once the first division has greater power over the Football League.

"That's something that will emerge over the next few years. If one day the first division had its own way then we would have Celtic and Rangers in our league."

A senior source at Celtic, who are expected to win their second consecutive SPL title this afternoon, confirmed that there has been an approach from the first division clubs. However, he said: "It's something we're reluctant to do. Our aspiration is to go into the Premiership."

While that may be the case, there is the determination in both the Old Firm clubs to leave the relatively uncompetitive Scottish League. While they would prefer to be part of the Premiership, if that proves impossible they would be happy to become part of the English system in whatever way they could.

Even with the problems that the Football League is having with its television contracts, the revenues available for a club in the English first division still outstrip those available in the Scottish Premier League.

The SPL's £45 million four-year contract with BSkyB expires this summer and its efforts to start a new television station owned by the league are being frustrated by the Old Firm's unwillingness to play ball. Yesterday, the Dunfermline chairman, John Yorkton, said that the other 10 members of the SPL might refuse to play Celtic or Rangers if they did not vote in favour of the new station on Monday.

Yet, the obstacles to a Glasgow move south are numerous and, even if the Old Firm are unhappy about the current situation, they cannot reject it until they have an alternative. Legally they are required to give two years' notice of leaving the SPL, then there is UEFA to consider and its rules about national boundaries.

For the English league clubs, the television appeal of Rangers v Wolves or Celtic v West Brom is clear, and would immediately expand the English market into Scotland and Ireland and even worldwide.

While most first division chairmen would be happy to have the Old Firm in their midst, there is a universal recognition that there remain serious problems in bringing clubs into the league from outside national boundaries.

Geoffrey Richmond, Bradford City's chairman, said: "There are probably too many hurdles towards admitting Celtic and Rangers. I cannot see it happening in the near future."

The first step is to gain more autonomy. Theo Paphitis, the chairman of Millwall, said: "We want to brand ourselves a bit better and have a chief executive who will look after the interests of the first division.

"We want to remain within the Football League but believe that first division clubs should have the chance to maximise their earning potential.

"We have talked about Celtic and Rangers playing in the first division, but I can see there being a lot of problems with this."

Paphitis of Millwall, Haig Oundjian of Watford, Paul Thompson of West Bromwich Albion and Bob Cooper of Norwich City make up a four-man committee who are overseeing the appointment of the new chief executive.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has insisted ahead of today's game that his side will not be celebrating back-to-back league victories until the points are safely in the bag.

A win for the Irishman's side at home to Livingston will ensure the trophy remains at Parkhead but he was keen to play down talk of the game being a title-winning party.

"Talk of premature Premier League parties is always a worry because it gets people into that kind of mood and then you get done in the game," he said.

Concern has been expressed that the Parkhead supporters will not show respect during the minute's silence before the game for the Queen Mother.

Guardian Service