Buckie Thistle receive SPFL invite into Premier Sports Cup after being denied chance of promotion

Highland League champions among three clubs invited into group stages

Buckie Thistle have received an invite from the Scottish Professional Football League to compete in next season's Premier Sports Cup just days after being told they were ineligible for promotion.

The Highland League champions were due to face Lowland League winners East Kilbride in the first leg of their Pyramid play-off on Saturday, with a tie against the cinch League 2 bottom club to follow for the victors.

However, the Scottish Football Association announced last week that Buckie had failed to secure the bronze-level club licence award which is deemed necessary for SPFL membership, with East Kilbride granted a bye into the play-off final.

Buckie Thistle have received an SPFL invite to compete in next season's Premier Sports Cup. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

A “stunned and devastated” Buckie had been looking into the possibility of taking the case to Arbitration, although reports on Monday indicated that the club have now decided to accept their fate.

In a further twist, Buckie have been invited by the SPFL to take part in next season’s Premier Sports Cup alongside Highland League runners-up Brechin City and East Kilbride. This follows last season's competition, when Lowland League champions The Spartans, Highland League winners Brechin City, plus Cowdenbeath, who had been relegated to the Lowland League the previous season, were invited to participate.

With five Premiership sides set to be involved in European competition, the remaining 37 SPFL clubs plus the three invited clubs will make up the group stages, the draw for which will take place on Wednesday, May 29 at 1pm.

A statement issued on behalf of the SPFL contained a note which read: "Participation in the Premier Sports Cup is not currently dependent upon clubs having a Bronze level Scottish FA licence."