Despite Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League, voicing his doubts about the admittance of Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers to the English Premier League, the matter is on the agenda for the clubs' meeting next week.

'The proposal by Bolton Wanderers' chairman, Phil Gartside, for an expanded two-division Premier League which would include Celtic and Rangers has been revived and is on the agenda for next Thursday's Premier League clubs' meeting,' reports The Guardian.

The desire of both clubs to quit Scottish soccer was only enhanced this summer, when the collapse of Irish broadcaster Setanta saw the league's television revenues cut dramatically. The renogotiation of the SPL's rights, in a deal with Sky Sports and ESPN, halved the league's broadcast income. The champions of the SPL now receive less television money than the club that finishes bottom of the English Premier League.

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'Both Celtic and Rangers, who have long looked to escape from the Scottish Premier League in which they are by far the biggest clubs, would welcome an invitation from the elite English league,' adds The Guardian. 'However, any Premier League rule change requires 14 clubs to vote in favour. Gartside has a great deal of lobbying to do before his plan has any chance of succeeding.'