Latest news with #CalumBeattie
The Herald Scotland
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
SPFL propose plan to cut play-off games to reach Premiership
Under proposals put forward by the Competitions Working group Championship club three would potentially play club four over one leg instead of two from season 2026-27, with club three enjoying home advantage. The winner of that tie would then play the league runners-up in a one-off game with club two at home. The side which comes through that process would then face the side which finishes eleventh in the Premiership over two legs to decide who takes their place in the top flight. If applied to the current play-offs Ayr United would have hosted Partick Thistle at home in a one-off game for the right to play Livingston in West Lothian. The plans put to Championship sides during a virtual meeting with league Chief Executive Neil Doncaster and Chief Operating Officer Calum Beattie yesterday would also see the 50% gate levy on play-off ties scrapped and the even sharing of gates from play-off games. The blueprint is part of a package of reconstruction proposals which could see the Championship expand from 10 to 12 or 14 teams. Depending on what size the Championship settles on a new League One of 16 or 18 teams would then be constructed- with an eight team League Two consisting of teams invited to take part via a 'participation agreement' rather than league membership. That move, designed to help traditional community clubs who have dropped out of the league, seems likely to irk ambitious clubs lower down the pyramid. League Two sides would also receive invitations to domestic cup competitions. Chairmen and Chief Executives from teams in Leagues One and Two are scheduled to meet league office bearers to discuss the plans today.
Edinburgh Reporter
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Temperatures soar as Moulin Rouge arrives in Edinburgh
Locals and tourists gathered early to take pictures for the arrival of the first-ever World Tour of Moulin Rouge! earlier in the week. A lone tartan clad piper began to play and the red carpet was rolled out in temperatures reaching 22°C in the city which was said to be 'as hot as Malaga'. The sold-out performance was certainly the hottest ticket in town with local singer-songwriter Calum Beattie in attendance and enjoying a drink before the show. Calum Beattie Comedian Craig Hill and Gilded Balloon owner, Karen Koren, were also at Press Night for what proved to be an unmissable night at the Playhouse. Set in Paris, in 1899, the musical is the story of a lovesick American writer (Christian played by Nate Landscroner) which was made into a film starring Ewen McGregor and Nicole Kidman in 2001. Producer Carmen Pavlovic explained after the performance, that the production began in 2018 on Broadway and was shut down by the global pandemic for 18 months. Since September 2021 there has been a 'fast and furious' rollout of the show. Earlier that day she had word of the jukebox musical's 10 millionth visitor. Before leaving the stage Pavlovic thanked the global cast including Verity Thompson as Satine and Cameron Blakely as Harold Zidler adding that they were taking the musical's celebration of truth, beauty, freedom and love around the world. The show is running at Edinburgh Playhouse until 15 June. Karen Koren and Craig Hill Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts and Hibs learn verdict on Scottish Premiership reconstruction
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Hearts and Hibs have been told the verdict on Premiership reconstruction. Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish Premiership reconstruction talks have failed as discussions continue over whether it is viable in the lower leagues. Hearts and Hibs are two of the top flight clubs in Scotland which currently holds 12 sides. Since moving away from a 10-team division in the 2000-01 season, the Premiership has utilised a split procedure after 33 games, where the top half all play each other and vice versa in the bottom six. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Championship, League One and League Two have 10 clubs each, playing each four times per season and one team is automatically promoted in first place. Places two, three and four fight for promotion via play offs against the side in second bottom in the tier above or in League Two's case, their bottom side plays either the Lowland League or Highland League champion. Why Scottish Premiership reconstruction won't happen In a statement, the SPFL said they held little hope of getting to common ground amongst all top flight clubs but the lower leagues could change. It reads: 'The SPFL's Competitions Working Group met on 29 April to discuss the possibility of league restructuring. It was agreed that there was no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus around a new format for the William Hill Premiership. "There was, however, broad agreement around potential changes to the William Hill Championship, League 1 and League 2. These will be worked up with a view to conducting a consultation with clubs and other stakeholders." The reason for Scottish Premiership reconstruction debate Changes to the structure have come in a bid to manage fixture congestion issues and aid those clubs who are playing in UEFA club competitions. Extra matches have been added with the introduction of a league phase, with Hearts playing in this year's Conference League version with Hibs hoping to be in that arena or the Europa League next campaign. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A 14-team option may have maintained Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee derbies at current frequency but those in the bottom half would be playing more matches than those in the top six following a split, creating a problem. Chief operating officer Calum Beattie recently said on the split: 'In order to manage a division of 12 clubs, without having to accommodate 44 matches – which is too many given the increasingly-congested calendar – the split is required. It also provides significant additional interest as clubs bid to secure a top-six finish. 'For example, three years ago we had no fewer than seven clubs chasing three top-six places on fixture round 33. Two seasons ago, three clubs were battling for two places and last year Dundee edged out Motherwell and Hibernian after another dramatic Saturday afternoon. This year St Mirren secured a third successive top-half finish with a 3-2 home win over Ross County to edge out both Motherwell and Heart of Midlothian, who drew 0-0 at Fir Park. 'The final five fixture rounds then involve teams playing each other to chase a common objective, be that the league title, European qualification – Scotland again has five places in UEFA competitions for 2025/26 – or to retain top-flight status. There has been a lot of debate about league format recently, and no structure is perfect, but over the past 25 years the split has become a firmly established and exciting element of the William Hill Premiership and the weekend was another good example of that. As has been reported, the SPFL Competitions Working Group will be meeting later this month to consider the pros and cons of the current system and any deliverable alternatives.'
BBC News
01-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scottish clubs can postpone league match for European play-offs
Scottish clubs will be able to postpone a league match to prepare for a play-off round tie in European competition from next postponements had to be agreed by both clubs but now a team playing in Europe can unilaterally delay a only applies to matches on the weekend of 22 and 23 August 2025, between the first and second legs of play-off ties in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference season the Scottish Premiership winners - likely to be Celtic- will enter the Champions League at that play-off second place side, which looks set to be Rangers, will enter in the second qualifying round, while this season's Scottish Cup winners, or third-place side if Celtic win the cup, will enter the Europa League at the play-off change was approved by the SPFL board after a working group recommended altering the and club owners have continually stressed the difficulty of balancing European qualifiers in the early part of the season with domestic duties, particularly with other leagues moving games to help clubs in their own league body's chief operating officer Calum Beattie said the SPFL is "very keen" to support clubs but stressed options to move games are "very limited" due to the "extremely congested" schedule."This new policy has received extremely positive feedback from our clubs on the SPFL Competitions Working Group which believe it will be beneficial in their aims of reaching the league phase of Uefa competitions, and we're pleased to be introducing it for next season," Beattie added.
