For the record I do think we need Rangers in terms of rivalry as a SPL without "old firm" games would be nothing and the difference with the EPL Man Utd/Man City scenario is that Man City are now on the same level financially and quality wise but a Hearts or Hibs would never replace Rangers unless they suddenly doubled their attendances and raised more cash that way, plus tv money would be even worse than it currently is.

p.s brilliant podcast, love the lostbhoy guys also.

That is simply not true and you know it. How can you say a match against Aberdeen can ever have the same intensity or significance as a match against Rangers? Back in the 80s, they had Sir Alex Ferguson in charge and players like Willie Miller and Gordon Strachan whereas now they have Craig Brown in charge and players like Andrew Considine and Darren Mackie. You can't seriously think that just because a non old firm team would be guaranteed 2nd place every season it would mean anything? The money from Sky would be lower with Celtic winning the SPL every season and no old firm games on the tv, hence their budgets for new players would shrink even further than they have already, those teams would be even worse than they are already, we'd still be lucky if the 2nd placed team (Hearts or Dundee United hypothetically) would manage to qualify for the Europa League group stages, nevermind the Champions League group stages , the SPL would plummet down the co-efficient rankings and we'd be along with the Latvian and the Macedonian leagues in the 30s range in terms of the 50 odd European national football top divisions. It will result in eventually tv pulling the plug, Celtic having to sell off all our best players and it will deteriorate to a level that we have never witnessed before.

If you think the average attendances for Pittodrie, Tynecastle etc could get anywhere near 25,000, nevermind double that in 50,000, then you are seriously deluded. Also the only time 10/12 SPL teams fill their stadium or nowadays fill 80% of their stadium is when Celtic and Rangers visit so for a team like Hearts, to go from having 8/38 SPL games against the old firm to 4/38 SPL games against Celtic only and if the number of teams in the SPL is extended then it would decrease further to just 2/30-38 SPL games against us, would be financially disastrous. Believe me, we don't need Rangers in terms of joint sponsorship deals and all but we certainly need them in terms of rivalry, the excitement of old firm games, tradition, history, tv deals, UEFA co-efficient and the tiny ounce of respect and dignity the SPL has across Europe at this very moment.