You'd want the proverbial pair of steel ones to bet against Dermot Desmond, who is worth roughly the same as the GDP of the entire nation of Belize ($2 billion). But every now and then even he makes a rash prediction. The Daon founder, who is the largest shareholder in Glasgow Celtic football club, told Scottish television this week that there would be a British football league within the next decade, where presumably his beloved Bhoys could mix it with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

“I’m taking a 10-year view. What we see in the English Premiership today, I don’t think will be around in 10 years’ time. I think there will be a British Premiership,” said Desmond.

If this sounds slightly familiar to those of a certain vintage it's because Desmond gave an interview to Business and Finance magazine back in 2001 in which he predicted roughly the same thing.

“[It] will happen inevitably. The ball has already been set rolling, and there have been preliminary discussions between the chairmen of a number of clubs about it,” said Desmond 14 years ago.

B&F reported that Desmond believed at that time that it would happen in four or five years. Judging from the rubbish played by English teams this season, the big Glasgow clubs will hold their own if it happens.