diff --git a/src/devices/sound/fmopl.cpp b/src/devices/sound/fmopl.cpp
index ccd9f4199a0..c151fcfea91 100644
--- a/src/devices/sound/fmopl.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/sound/fmopl.cpp
@@ -1746,7 +1746,7 @@ static int OPL_LockTable(device_t *device)
 	{
 		cymfile = fopen("3812_.cym","wb");
 		if (cymfile)
-			device->machine().scheduler().timer_pulse ( attotime::from_hz(110), FUNC(cymfile_callback)); /*110 Hz pulse timer*/
+			device->machine().scheduler().timer_pulse ( attotime::from_hz(110), timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(cymfile_callback),&device->machine())); /*110 Hz pulse timer*/
 		else
 			device->logerror("Could not create file 3812_.cym\n");
 	}
diff --git a/src/emu/emucore.h b/src/emu/emucore.h
index 121ea41481c..b23e52dc5c0 100644
--- a/src/emu/emucore.h
+++ b/src/emu/emucore.h
@@ -208,7 +208,6 @@ inline void operator--(_Type &value, int) { value = (_Type)((int)value - 1); }
 
 // this macro wraps a function 'x' and can be used to pass a function followed by its name
 #define FUNC(x) &x, #x
-#define FUNC_NULL nullptr, "(null)"
 
 
 // standard assertion macros
diff --git a/src/emu/schedule.cpp b/src/emu/schedule.cpp
index cab7a4598d4..ca32bd6d56e 100644
--- a/src/emu/schedule.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/schedule.cpp
@@ -243,10 +243,15 @@ void emu_timer::register_save()
 	// for non-device timers, it is an index based on the callback function name
 	if (m_device == nullptr)
 	{
-		name = m_callback.name();
+		name = m_callback.name() ? m_callback.name() : "unnamed";
 		for (emu_timer *curtimer = machine().scheduler().first_timer(); curtimer != nullptr; curtimer = curtimer->next())
-			if (!curtimer->m_temporary && curtimer->m_device == nullptr && strcmp(curtimer->m_callback.name(), m_callback.name()) == 0)
-				index++;
+			if (!curtimer->m_temporary && curtimer->m_device == nullptr)
+			{
+				if (curtimer->m_callback.name() != nullptr && m_callback.name() != nullptr && strcmp(curtimer->m_callback.name(), m_callback.name()) == 0)
+					index++;
+				else if (curtimer->m_callback.name() == nullptr && m_callback.name() == nullptr)
+					index++;
+			}
 	}
 
 	// for device timers, it is an index based on the device and timer ID
diff --git a/src/emu/schedule.h b/src/emu/schedule.h
index 5ed0c049bdb..1cda59cf75f 100644
--- a/src/emu/schedule.h
+++ b/src/emu/schedule.h
@@ -41,10 +41,6 @@
 // timer callbacks look like this
 typedef delegate<void (void *, INT32)> timer_expired_delegate;
 
-// old-skool callbacks are like this
-typedef void (*timer_expired_func)(running_machine &machine, void *ptr, INT32 param);
-
-
 // ======================> emu_timer
 
 class emu_timer
@@ -141,14 +137,6 @@ public:
 	void timer_pulse(const attotime &period, timer_expired_delegate callback, int param = 0, void *ptr = nullptr);
 	void synchronize(timer_expired_delegate callback = timer_expired_delegate(), int param = 0, void *ptr = nullptr) { timer_set(attotime::zero, callback, param, ptr); }
 
-	// timers with old-skool callbacks
-#ifdef USE_STATIC_DELEGATE
-	emu_timer *timer_alloc(timer_expired_func callback, const char *name, void *ptr = nullptr) { return timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(callback, name, &machine()), ptr); }
-	void timer_set(const attotime &duration, timer_expired_func callback, const char *name, int param = 0, void *ptr = nullptr) { timer_set(duration, timer_expired_delegate(callback, name, &machine()), param, ptr); }
-	void timer_pulse(const attotime &period, timer_expired_func callback, const char *name, int param = 0, void *ptr = nullptr) { timer_pulse(period, timer_expired_delegate(callback, name, &machine()), param, ptr); }
-	void synchronize(timer_expired_func callback, const char *name = nullptr, int param = 0, void *ptr = nullptr) { timer_set(attotime::zero, callback, name, param, ptr); }
-#endif
-
 	// timers, specified by device/id; generally devices should use the device_t methods instead
 	emu_timer *timer_alloc(device_t &device, device_timer_id id = 0, void *ptr = nullptr);
 	void timer_set(const attotime &duration, device_t &device, device_timer_id id = 0, int param = 0, void *ptr = nullptr);
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/combatsc.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/combatsc.cpp
index 2d346e77212..e9addf5066b 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/combatsc.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/combatsc.cpp
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ MACHINE_START_MEMBER(combatsc_state,combatsc)
 	m_page[0] = MEM + 0x4000;
 	m_page[1] = MEM + 0x6000;
 
-	m_interleave_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_interleave_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 
 	membank("bank1")->configure_entries(0, 10, memregion("maincpu")->base() + 0x10000, 0x4000);
 
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/midzeus.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/midzeus.cpp
index 7e98449389b..5544c1f693e 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/midzeus.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/midzeus.cpp
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ static emu_timer *timer[2];
 
 MACHINE_START_MEMBER(midzeus_state,midzeus)
 {
-	timer[0] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
-	timer[1] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	timer[0] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
+	timer[1] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 
 	gun_timer[0] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(midzeus_state::invasn_gun_callback),this));
 	gun_timer[1] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(midzeus_state::invasn_gun_callback),this));
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/tm990189.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/tm990189.cpp
index f515ccb544b..c586d7797b2 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/tm990189.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/tm990189.cpp
@@ -176,17 +176,17 @@ MACHINE_RESET_MEMBER(tm990189_state,tm990_189)
 
 MACHINE_START_MEMBER(tm990189_state,tm990_189)
 {
-	m_displayena_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_displayena_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 }
 
 MACHINE_START_MEMBER(tm990189_state,tm990_189_v)
 {
-	m_displayena_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_displayena_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 
-	m_joy1x_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
-	m_joy1y_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
-	m_joy2x_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
-	m_joy2y_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_joy1x_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
+	m_joy1y_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
+	m_joy2x_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
+	m_joy2y_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 }
 
 MACHINE_RESET_MEMBER(tm990189_state,tm990_189_v)
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/vegas.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/vegas.cpp
index 71bfa6e06de..c45b7fa8b74 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/vegas.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/vegas.cpp
@@ -582,8 +582,8 @@ void vegas_state::machine_start()
 	m_voodoo = (voodoo_device*)machine().device("voodoo");
 
 	/* allocate timers for the NILE */
-	m_timer[0] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
-	m_timer[1] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_timer[0] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
+	m_timer[1] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 	m_timer[2] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(vegas_state::nile_timer_callback),this));
 	m_timer[3] = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(vegas_state::nile_timer_callback),this));
 
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/mhavoc.cpp b/src/mame/machine/mhavoc.cpp
index 1596717c658..dc15b20dad0 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/mhavoc.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/machine/mhavoc.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ TIMER_CALLBACK_MEMBER(mhavoc_state::delayed_gamma_w)
 	m_gamma->set_input_line(INPUT_LINE_NMI, PULSE_LINE);
 
 	/* the sound CPU needs to reply in 250microseconds (according to Neil Bradley) */
-	machine().scheduler().timer_set(attotime::from_usec(250), FUNC_NULL);
+	machine().scheduler().timer_set(attotime::from_usec(250), timer_expired_delegate());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/thomson.cpp b/src/mame/machine/thomson.cpp
index 105dd6b9b50..b75448df490 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/thomson.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/machine/thomson.cpp
@@ -2997,7 +2997,7 @@ void thomson_state::to8_kbd_reset()
 void thomson_state::to8_kbd_init()
 {
 	m_to8_kbd_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(thomson_state::to8_kbd_timer_cb),this));
-	m_to8_kbd_signal = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_to8_kbd_signal = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 	save_item(NAME(m_to8_kbd_ack));
 	save_item(NAME(m_to8_kbd_data));
 	save_item(NAME(m_to8_kbd_step));
diff --git a/src/mame/video/thomson.cpp b/src/mame/video/thomson.cpp
index 5b70a119b8c..e2fa72bd2d6 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/thomson.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/video/thomson.cpp
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ VIDEO_START_MEMBER( thomson_state, thom )
 	save_item(NAME(m_thom_floppy_rcount));
 	output().set_value( "floppy", 0 );
 
-	m_thom_video_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_thom_video_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 
 	m_thom_scanline_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(thomson_state::thom_scanline_start),this));
 
diff --git a/src/mame/video/victory.cpp b/src/mame/video/victory.cpp
index b7f6ce15ff0..efa91324140 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/victory.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/video/victory.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void victory_state::video_start()
 	m_scrollx = m_scrolly = 0;
 	m_video_control = 0;
 	memset(&m_micro, 0, sizeof(m_micro));
-	m_micro.timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC_NULL);
+	m_micro.timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate());
 
 	/* register for state saving */
 	save_item(NAME(m_paletteram));