SPFL Have To Show It’s Not A Closed Shop

Date: 20th April 2021

Scottish football has rightly stated it’s disgust at the proposed Super League idea that has been formulated by some of Europe’s richest clubs. 

The last twelve or so months has proven, to our country at least, that the fans and communities are what make or break our game. Without the backing of supporters quite a few of our clubs would have been staring at the precipice and some would have fallen off of it. 

Yet when the SPFL make gestures suggesting it’s all about the fans on there social media pages, they need to make sure they back it up with their governance of the game. 

Today Brechin City have stated that it would be ‘unfair’ to hold play-offs involving the Lowland League winners, the Highland League winners and League Two’s bottom side. 

Brechin write to the SPFL board claiming it would be “fundamentally unfair” to hold play-offs between club 42 and winner of Highland and Lowland league play-off(based on games played by Brora and Kelty).They propose league recon with no relegation, expanding League 2 to 12 clubs

— Raman Bhardwaj (@ramanbhardwajTV) April 20, 2021

Brechin’s letter to the SPFL: “If your decision is in favour of the play-off going ahead as planned (and we are club 42) we will have no choice but to challenge the decision ourselves and would expect the full support of the SPFL Board through any required arbitration process.”

— Raman Bhardwaj (@ramanbhardwajTV) April 20, 2021

Now while I don’t like to see any club suffer, it seems odd for Brechin to claim things are unfair. 

Yes, both Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers have played significantly less games this term but that’s at no fault of their own. Plus was it not just as unfair for both sides not to get a chance to play their play-off last season? Brechin City weren’t moaning about the decision to scrap the play-off then. 

We should also remember that the Glebe Park side were not in favour of league reconstruction when it was discussed last summer: 

“Our preference from the outset remains the status quo of 12-10-10-10, but acknowledge that if the Premiership clubs favour a 14 club set-up in the top division, then we would agree to support a 14-10-10-10 proposal.”

The SPFL need to show that unlike the proposed Super League, our leagues are all about competition. 

Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts have both earned the right to have the chance to play in League Two next season. They didn’t get that chance last time around, so let’s give them their opportunity in 2021.

Also we have to question should Brechin City be allowed to survive in League Two?

They finished bottom in the curtailed league last season. They are rock bottom this term. They’ve won just once this season and have just five victories in their last forty-four fixtures!

Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer were all relegated last season and they had considerably better records than Brechin do now. 

Brechin City also complain about the amount of fixtures that they’ll have to play but alas that’s football and form sometimes dictates you need to play more – especially at the end of a campaign. 

If Brechin City are to survive then they need to prove that they are better then either Brora or Kelty. It’s the only fair way to conclude this current season. The SPFL can’t protect them and go against what should be an open competition. 

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