Steven Pressley says cut-throat First Division is killing smaller clubs

STEVEN Pressley has had to cope with serious cutbacks but the Falkirk manager believes the greatest obstacle for his club is a league set-up which limits the First Division to just one promotion place.

The absence of so much as a play-off place means the hopes of all ten First Division clubs will rest on finishing first - or else avoiding finishing in the bottom two positions. While there is a play-off to decide the fate of the club finishing second bottom in the First Division, the same does not apply for the runners-up.

Second is nowhere in the second tier, as was illustrated by Raith Rovers' fate last season. John McGlynn's team finished second despite having led the division for much of the season, and were left with nothing for their efforts.

According to Pressley, the cut-throat nature of the division is killing clubs like his. In the case of Falkirk, the manager feels they are being further penalised for having put in place an academy structure which is the envy of many.

"I am going to argue for what is best for our football club," he admitted.

"But what's best for this division is that we need a second promotion place.

"There is just no money in this division and if you want to entice people back you have to have something to play for. If there is an opportunity for a play-off system that will bring supporters through the gate then they need to do it. A play-off similar to the one in England could generate for clubs like ourselves, if we were involved in it, a quarter of a million pounds going forward. That is substantial money.

"They need to do something to help us," added Pressley. "Unfortunately, you have people at the top, in my opinion, who are only looking after themselves. They need to look at the bigger picture.

"They have to suffer the reality we have had to suffer over the last couple of years. Then their mind would change." Pressley described the lack of help given to the club for having put in place an academy structure as his "biggest frustration". Their training base was commended by Sir Alex Ferguson last week when the Manchester United manager visited, after being awarded an honorary degree from Stirling University.

"This is was something the SFA asked of clubs but where is the protection for clubs?" asked Pressley.

"Trust me, if you take out the money spent on the Academy and facilities then you can build a better first team. Clubs like us need protection."

Pressley admitted it will be a "hugely challenging year" for his club, who recently saw top goalscorer Mark Stewart sign for Bradford City.

"Everybody has to be aware of the restraints and the budget that we have at this moment in time," he said. "It's funny because we are a club where in that division the expectations are probably the highest in the league."Normally, when you carry those expectation levels, you have greater resource levels and a greater budget to bring in the required players.

"But that is not what the situation is this year. We are a middle-of-the road budget team in the division and probably, when you consider I have to absorb academy players within my budget, we fall below that.

"For the 14 months I have been in charge it has been about dismantling the team and getting this club back to a situation where we can operate within our means. For me, it isn't about short-term fixes."