Highland clubs reject pyramid proposal

PLANS to introduce a pyramid structure to the senior Scottish football leagues have been sent back to the drawing board after the Highland League rejected proposals put forward by the game’s governing body.

A consultation paper on league reconstruction is currently being assessed by Scottish clubs, with proposals ranging from an additional promotion place to the SPL to a trapdoor at the foot of the Third Division.

But while opening the senior leagues up to new entrants is widely supported, it has been difficult to find a practical way of promoting a team from the disparate leagues which operate at regional and junior level.

The proposal put forward by the SFA would have been the creation of ten-team ‘super leagues’ – one for the Highlands, one for the Lowlands – with the winners of the super leagues playing off for the chance to be promoted to the Third Division.

But clubs have unanimously rejected the proposal because it would have a detrimental effect on the existing Highland League structure, which has already been weakened in relatively recent years by the loss of Ross County, Inverness Caley Thistle, Elgin City and Peterhead to the Scottish Football League.

Highland League president Eddie Innes told STV: “The Highland League management committee has unanimously agreed that there has to be a progressive programme for Scottish football. We were also unanimous in rejecting the recent proposal put in front of us by the SFA.

“We will put forward our own proposals on the matter and will be working on our submission to be put to the SFA in February.”

Inverurie Locos chairman Willie Lippe added: “Part of the difficulty we had with the formula the SFA put in front of us was it could have spelled the end of the Highland League as we know it.

“I’m sure there is a formula and a format we can agree with the SFA to allow change to happen.”

SFA chief executive Stewart Regan said: “This was very much an outline and the main part of the process was to get feedback from the leagues.

“We will look at what is being said and if there is a better proposal to come out of our discussions then we will look at that.”