A LEAGUE-WIDE consultation exercise carried out by the SPFL has shown there is enough support for a change to a 14-10-10-10 set-up next season.

The governing body has written to their 42 affiliated clubs asking if they would give their backing to a move that will mean Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer avoid relegation.

They have until 10am on Monday to respond and if enough of them are in favour then a vote could be held at an extraordinary general meeting a week later.

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The SPFL are keen to push this through quickly so they can, with the Premiership set to start in August, draw up a revised fixture list for the 2020/21 campaign.  

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “We’ve been consulting with our clubs regarding possible reconstruction in recent weeks and asked all 42 clubs to give their views.

 “Now that 41 out of 42 clubs have responded, it is clear that there is enough support for a permanent 14-10-10-10 structure to merit a second consultation stage.

“We have written to clubs asking for an indicative ‘vote’ on whether that is something they would vote in favour of if it was included in a detailed formal resolution.

 “It’s important to underline that this is not a binding vote and is intended only to steer the board on whether to put forward a formal resolution for voting on, or not.”

Doncaster said: “Understandably, the consultation exercise confirmed there is sympathy for those clubs relegated at the end of Season 2019/20, but also that there is no reasonable prospect of clubs approving a temporary reconstruction solution.  

“However, the board has judged there is sufficient support for a permanent change to merit this second stage of consultation. 

“As ever, it will be up to the clubs to decide whether or not to support this proposal and we will be guided by the democratic outcome of the process.

“We are understandably keen to get clarity one way or another at the start of next week, as the timescales are extremely tight and we are faced with the additional complexities of resuming the season, caused by Covid-19.”

The change, which would see Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Falkirk and Edinburgh City promoted and Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts join the senior leagues, would require a change to the SPFL articles.  

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It would mean altering the current financial distribution model and admitting two net member clubs, Brora and Kelty, and would require the support of 11 of the 12 Premiership clubs, 17 or more clubs from the Premiership and Championship combined and 32 or more SPFL clubs overall.

An SPFL statement read:  “While events have shown that there was no realistic alternative to curtailing last season, the introduction of a permanent 14-10-10-10 League structure from season 2020/21 would ensure that those teams relegated as a result of that curtailment would regain their previous divisional status.

“Such a reconstruction would also see the second-placed teams in the Championship, League 1 and League 2 (i.e. Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Falkirk and Edinburgh City) promoted and the promotion into League 2 of a team from each of the Highland and Lowland Leagues, following the cancellation of the pyramid play-offs.

 “If the results of the indicative vote show there is insufficient support for a 14-10-10-10 structure for next season, the existing league and divisional structure for the coming season will be maintained.”