No-one wants to see any club like Cowdenbeath killed off, say Spartans

The Cowdenbeath owners are still examining all possible options as they seek to improve their financial situation, including ground-sharing as well as a takeover. But East of Scotland League leaders Spartans, who were one of several clubs contacted in relation to the various proposals, have said that while they will maintain dialogue with the Brewster family who own an 87 per cent shareholding in the Fife outfit, they will not be aggressively driving the matter forward until there has been proper consultation with all affected parties.

"No-one wants to see any club killed off and especially one with such a long history," said Spartans chairman Craig Graham. "But at the moment this all remains a matter between Cowdenbeath and the SFL.

"The owners of Cowdenbeath, the Brewster brothers (twins David and Alex], approached Spartans and a number of other clubs to explore how they resolve the challenges they have. In particular their Central Park ground does not comply with the SFA licence requirements and the club has insufficient income to invest in the required upgrading. We understand the Brewsters are now exploring their options with the SFL."

As evidence of their desire not to see senior clubs go to the wall, Spartans point to the work that their committee member and legal representative Jim Martin carried out with the Friends of Stranraer FC to safeguard that club's future less than 18 months ago. Martin, who died in December, offered his legal expertise free of charge to help set up the trust fund which ensured the Stair Park's continued involvement in the SFL this term.

Strong advocates of a pyramid system, the Edinburgh-based club have lobbied publicly and privately for a new set-up, and even when applying for the vacant league place in 2008, following the demise of Gretna, they maintained they would have preferred the opportunity to play their way into the SFL rather than campaigning for votes.

It is understood that remains their preferred option but despite SFL chief executive David Longmuir admitting at the time of Annan Athletic's admission that there is a clear role in the game for such as structure, and stressing that a joint working party of SFA and SFL representatives were already addressing that matter, that route remains closed to Spartans and every other non-league side. "It's early days, but is it inevitable?" Longmuir asked in July 2008. "Yes, in as much as clubs want to be part of it. That's the key."

However, it is understood that of around 165 junior teams contacted, only a handful expressed an interest, while the Highland League remains split on the issue, many of the East of Scotland and South of Scotland League clubs' facilities do not meet the required criteria to compete in the SFL and the current league clubs are not expected to vote in the numbers required to push any changes through – which means ambitious non-league sides have to wait on member clubs encountering financial problems as a way in. Spartans' main stumbling block in their 2008 league application had been the fact their new purpose-built ground at Ainslie Park would not be completed by the start of the 2008/09 season. Now only relatively minor alterations would be required to comply with the regulations and, with planning permission in place, the modifications could be completed for the beginning of the 2010/2011 campaign if required.