for the proposal. In favour of the clubs to be represented in Europe were former Scotland internationalists Gavin Hastings and Keith Robertson. Critically a speech from the floor from Brian Simmers of Glasgow Academicals – arguing that Hastings and Robertson didn't have the best interests of Scottish rugby at heart and they were arguing only for their own clubs – swung the debate and the District model won by 178 to 24. The four amateur district teams Glasgow, Edinburgh, South of Scotland and North and Midlands were to become the professional sides Glasgow Warriors, Edinburgh Rugby, Border Reivers and the Caledonia Reds. Professionalisation: Glasgow Warriors Glasgow Rugby was created in 1996 to compete in the Heineken Cup, because the Scottish Rugby Union did not think that Scottish club sides would be able to compete against the best teams from France and England. For a detailed season by season guide of Glasgow Warriors history see: Scottish Inter-District Championship era Glasgow and the other three Scottish districts competed in the Scottish Inter-District Championship to determine their European Qualifying; the leagues positions determining whether they entered the Heineken Cup or the Challenge Cup for the following season. Due to Glasgow District's bottom placing in the 1995–96 Scottish Inter-District Championship, Glasgow was entered into the 1996–97 European Challenge Cup where they finished second bottom of their group. Results improved somewhat domestically in 1996-97 with Glasgow securing second place in that season's Inter-District Championship behind Caledonia Reds. That meant that Glasgow qualified for the Heineken Cup for the first time, in the 1997–98 season. In their group stage that season finishing second, they qualified out of the group only to be well beaten in the Quarter Final play-off by Leicester Tigers. Merger with Caledonia Reds Because of the SRU's high debt, partly as a result of the redevelopment of Murrayfield Stadium, there was a recognised need for further reorganisation. After two seasons, Glasgow merged with the Caledonia Reds to form a team that would be known as Glasgow Caledonians. Edinburgh Rugby similarly merged with the Border Reivers. In effect, both the Glasgow and Edinburgh clubs took over the other districts. Glasgow's new 'Caledonian' label was later quietly dropped at the start of the 2001–02 season, with the team name becoming once again Glasgow Rugby. The Glasgow side however became colloquially known as Glasgow Warriors from at least the 2001–02 season onwards. Only two professional sides