Gordon Smith: American dream is a headache for Stewart Regan

PROPOSALS to play a Premiership game between Dundee and Celtic in the United States took me back to my days as chief executive of the SFA.

At the time, the talk was all of exporting an Old Firm fixture across the Atlantic. I was cautiously in favour, just as I am of this latest move.

Rangers against Celtic is a contest relished throughout the world, and the idea of placing it on a totally different stage was a very exciting one.

But and I say this now as I did then there has to be due diligence.

By that I mean the authorities and the clubs themselves need to analyse thoroughly all the pros and cons of the venture.

It never came to pass back then. But before sanctioning an Old Firm match in the States, I would have had to have seen a full benefit analysis.

Stewart Regan and his colleague on Hampden’s sixth floor have to do the same this time.

In particular, the question of how Dundee playing Celtic on American soil will help promote the Scottish game has to be answered.

I would, for example, never have been keen to sign off on an English Premier League game between, say, Liverpool and Manchester United in Scotland.

You have to think the likes of that wouldn’t help us, especially when these clubs are frequent enough visitors up here for friendly matches.

Similar issues exist for the Dundee plan.

Thanks to their Irish connection, Celtic have a pretty big fan base in cities like Boston and Philadelphia anyway. So I’d guess the novelty of the Hoops playing a competitive game would draw a reasonable crowd, especially if it was a one off.

But would it benefit the growth of the domestic game in the USA?

There has been heavy investment in the MLS, with the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard now playing their football in New York.

I am sure Dens Park season-ticket holders would also be interested to learn exactly how they would be compensated, given the idea is for a Dundee home game to be moved.

Will the club be flying them all across to the States at its expense? I somehow doubt it.

A more sensible alternative perhaps would be to screen a beam-back of the match at Dens Park.

Season-book holders would get in free, while walk-ins could pay a small fee to help cover the cost.

Cynics could also argue it is somewhat presumptuous for Dundee to assume they will still be in the top flight next season, when the proposed game is likely to be played.

On that I disagree.

You have to plan with positive intent. Dundee are doing well enough in the Premiership just now, and are entitled to act as if they will continue in the same vein.

It will be interesting to see now if they can follow through and succeed where the previous would-be exporters failed.