JUST when you thought things were getting bad in English football, the Scots had to top it.

As the 10 ' ordinary' clubs in the Scottish premier league quite, we see the chairmen of England's first division clubs pouting like sirens on the rocks, luring Rangers and Celtic to move south of the border.

It is, they believe, just the tonic they need after the collapse of ITV Didnthaveaclue.

It is the natural next step after the rejection of their bizarre 'phoenix league' dream.

The problem is, the chairmen of the Nationwide first division clubs are too like the people who put together ITV's football coverage.

They believe that by putting together a lot of tasty ingredients they can produce a gourmet banquet - and a healthy profit for themselves.

Unfortunately, they don't have the intelligence to try and blend the tastes together to produce something unique.

Besides which, they seem to be unaware that using poor quality products leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Clubs like Bradford City and Crystal Palace can't quite seem to get their heads around the fact that they aren't in the Premiership, so they are looking for the next big idea which will make them rich regardless.

They seem to ignore the many problems which dog their dream.

For a start, 'letting Celtic and Rangers into the Nationwide league' is a bit of a red herring, isn't it?

What it means is letting them into division one - a league they will surely win so, in effect, letting them into the premiership.

What the Nationwide clubs would be doing is, in effect, denying themselves two possible places at the top table in return for a season of large away followings and long trips north.

It is hard to see how Celtic and Rangers can continue in Scottish football.

They are massive organisations with a global following who are expected to sustain themselves by playing teams who would look mediocre in the English second division.

The idea of an Atlantic league, with Scottish, Dutch and Portuguese teams has been mooted, but wouldn't the Glasgow giants get bored of playing Benfica and Ajax, however tempting those names might be first time round?

It is hard to build up a fierce rivalry with a club 1,000 miles away, and the supporter's planes would hardly be as full as the busses to Edinburgh, Dundee or Aberdeen.

What the Scottish league needs to do is look closely at the structure of the game.

Rather than the Old Firm receiving more money, they should accept less, on condition that every club uses the money to create youth academies and bring through the players who can help Berti Vogts turn Scotland into a decent side and give the game's giants a run for their money.

Just a few miles this side of the border, Carlisle United's owner, Michael Knighton is behaving like a spoilt brat once again.

After sacking the impressive Irish manager Roddy Collins, the Cumbrians' chief threatened to close down the club, because fans and the local press criticised a management style that took one of the best supported clubs in the lower leagues close to the conference trapdoor and money received from transfer fees spent on anything but new players.

There are many Carlisle fans in our area - it's only an hour up the road and, if the club achieved any success, the following form Lancaster and Morecambe, would surely increase.

But Carlisle fans can be thankful for one thing - at least they don't support Halifax.

All but one of the squad have been made redundant while the one remaining player, Matt Clarke, is expected to leave shortly.

Next year's conference looks set to be one of the most competitive ever, but its fair to say that even if the Shaymen survive, they are unlikely to be challengers.

Let's hope it's not a sign of things to come for more sides.