PHIL Gartside's view that the Phoenix League was a non-starter was confirmed when the Premier League rejected the plan out of hand.

The Wanderers chairman refused to get excited when it was revealed that a plot was being hatched to create a second division of the Premiership and his indifference to the proposals found support in the corridors of power yesterday.

The Reebok chief joined the other 19 chairmen who decided overwhelmingly to keep Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers out of the Premier League, rejected any possibility of a Premiership second division and reiterated a resolve not to cut the number of clubs to 18.

"There was a recognition that the finances of the game need to be reviewed but forming another Phoenix

League From back page league had never been on the agenda," Gartside said.

"It has probably been on the agenda of clubs in the top half of the First Division but certainly not on the agenda of the clubs in the bottom half of the Premier. You were never going to get the top clubs voting for it."

The Bolton boss expects discussion of the Phoenix League to go on for some time yet but his view that there can be no radical shake-up of the league structure before the current TV deal expires in three years, proved spot on.

"It will still be talked about but there are far more important things in the game that need to be sorted before that is considered," he said.

The Premier League is determined to stick to the tried and tested formula which has seen it grow year on year for the last decade.

The one major concession to the weaker brethren is to seriously consider an enhanced package of financial support to clubs who forfeit their seats at the game's top table - the so-called parachute payments.

But the only way for Rangers and Celtic to move into the top flight of English football now appears to be to persuade the Football League to take them and then win promotion.

"The Premier League can see no practical way nor any sound commercial reasons why Celtic and Rangers should enter the English system, certainly not that they should be parachuted into the Premiership," said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is clearly the view from the club chairmen, who are jealously trying to protect their winning formula.

Scudamore pointed out: "There is a way of getting into the Premier League - and only one way."

He reiterated his faith in that by saying: "We believe in three up and three down even though it causes difficulties for some clubs."

The offer to find a way to financially aid the clubs at the vulnerable end of the Premier League appears to have put the clubs who might have expected to struggle onside with the giants of the game.

The Phoenix advocates, including Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City, Wolves and Coventry City will meet on Monday to discuss their next move.

But Scudamore is adamant it will not get them anywhere, just as he insists that Celtic and Rangers will not be competing in English football.