Falkirk FC: Gary Oliver would support change in SPFL league set-up

Falkirk striker Gary Oliver would support an increase of team's in Scotland's divisions

The ex-Greenock Morton forward, 27, was giving his thoughts on some well-aired opinions within the game which have branded the status quo “stale” and “in need of change”, with a well-muted suggestion being that increasing the number of teams in the various leagues – meaning clubs only play each other twice a season – would be a step in the right direction.

Oliver, whose Falkirk outfit play rival sides four times a season in League One, told the Falkirk Herald: “It does get a bit repetitive when you play teams more than twice I think.

"Especially when you get other teams in cups as well. I think we’ve got Alloa (in an away Scottish Cup fourth round tie on January 21) to come soon.

"And I think I was in a team that played against Inverness five or six times in the one season a few years ago. It’s crazy.

"A wee change up would definitely make it more interesting.

"I think change is sometimes a good thing and it would freshen things up. But it doesn’t really bother me, whatever happens, happens.”

Although the Bairns exited the SPFL Trust Trophy in a recent 3-0 home loss to Championship outfit Dundee, Oliver said the much-improved second-half display in that game was proof that John McGlynn’s team can mix it with higher-ranked clubs.

“We were playing against a good team,” Oliver said. “They are probably going to be promoted to the Premiership and they have top players.

"It wasn’t an easy game. We didn’t help ourselves in the first-half when we were probably as poor as we could be.

"We just made a bad start and gave away a penalty which killed us. Losing an early goal against a good side you have your backs against the wall for most of the game.

"They obviously took confidence from the early goal as there’s nothing better for a team than scoring early in the game.

"But in the second-half we came out with a wee bit more fight and we showed how good we can be by putting them under a lot more pressure.

"We have good players at Falkirk who are more than good enough to compete with Dundee.”