Mawhinney: PL2 dead in the water

The Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside unveiled plans for Premier League 2 in October, which would see the Scottish sides Rangers and Celtic enter the English pyramid structure, a reduction in the number of clubs per league and limit relegation to the Football League.

The plans were unpopular with football supporters and did not gain much support from fellow Premier League sides or the Glasgow clubs.

Now Mawhinney has suggested the proposals are dead in the water.

"It's not going to happen, it is a nonsense," he told the BBC.

"Let me do a little bit of arithmetic for you: Mr Gartside said he would like two leagues of 18 teams,  that is 36. He has got 20 teams in the Premier League. He wants Celtic and Rangers, that means he needs 14 from the Championship.

"You take 14 out of the Championship and it wrecks the Football League. So it started in 1888 and Mr Gartside kills it in 2009 - I don't think so."

If Gartside's proposals are to be accepted, at least 14 of the top flight's 20 clubs would need to vote for it. That seems unlikely.