Whole of Sutherland can benefit from Brora Rangers' Scottish Cup success – chairman William Powrie
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Brora Rangers chairman William Powrie can see lasting economic benefits for the whole of Sutherland should Tuesday night’s historic success smooth the way for progression to the national leagues.
Hopes are high that the remarkable Scottish Cup giant-killing feat at home to Hearts will add significant weight to the football club’s case for admission to the Scottish Professional Football League under proposed reconstruction plans.
A series of meetings beginning next week will see existing member clubs debate and vote on the possibility of re-shaping the top four Scottish divisions into a 12-10-10-16 format, with the new 16-team fourth tier embracing Rangers and Celtic ‘colt’ teams, plus two clubs each from the Highland and Lowland leagues.
In return, the Old Firm would guarantee financial incentives for lower league teams.
Highland League champions Brora, denied a crack at the SPFL play-offs last season after the pandemic struck, would be prime candidates for inclusion.
A 14-10-10-10 reconstruction plan to include Brora was also voted down by member clubs.
Pride, disbelief and joy were the main impulses among Brora players, management and officials following one of the greatest shocks in the national competition’s long history.
But Mr Powrie, a Dingwall-based former banker who now trades in antiques, retains a sharp financial eye and remains driven in his quest to elevate the club and community to new horizons. He used a flurry of national media interviews this week to talk up not only the club, but the broader area.
Mr Powrie stressed: “What the team achieved in terms of publicity on Tuesday night was great for Brora Rangers Football Club, great for the Highland League and for football in the north of Scotland.
“It will be, I hope, also great economically for Sutherland and the north of Scotland as well.
“While we all know where Brora is, many people south of Perth don’t. We are blazing a trail economically for the area as well as on the park.”
Shorter-term financial gains for Brora could be significant, with a five-figure sum already accrued.
A home tie against Stranraer – a team Brora defeated away from home in November 2017 – would secure a fourth-round place and the chance of a money-spinning tie against one of Scotland’s biggest clubs.
Mr Powrie said: “By playing in the next round we go into the next tier of payment from the SFA, which is absolutely great.
“For playing in the next round, you get £20,000. That goes up quite considerably in the following round.
“If we get over the next hurdle it’s very much more lucrative.
“Supporters won’t be allowed in so, in terms of revenue-raising opportunities, they are limited to pay-per-view television.
“We had about 2500 pay-per-view customers against Hearts and we are very grateful for that. We clearly won’t get that number against Stranraer, but we will have made a few friends around Scotland who may well be tuning in.
“The Highland League is a very good league, and it’s only natural we want to develop the club and progress through the Scottish pyramid system.
“Alternatively, hopefully they will take us down the route of our preferred option to adopt the proposals laid out by Rangers and Celtic.
“How can people not take notice? This achievement puts Brora right in the shop window, right at the time we want to be.”
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