Home   Sport   Article

Brechin City call for Brora Rangers automatic promotion to League Two


By Will Clark

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

HIGHLAND League champions Brora Rangers and Lowland League champions Kelty Hearts should be promoted automatically, according to the team bottom of League Two.

Brora Rangers' Andrew Macrae competes with Elgin City defender Angus Mailer...Elgin City FC (2) vs Brora Rangers FC (3) Pre-Season Friendly - Borough Briggs, Elgin - 19/09/2020... Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Brora Rangers' Andrew Macrae competes with Elgin City defender Angus Mailer...Elgin City FC (2) vs Brora Rangers FC (3) Pre-Season Friendly - Borough Briggs, Elgin - 19/09/2020... Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

Brechin City have written to the SPFL asking to scrap the League Two play-offs and extend the division to 12 teams next season by promoting both Brora and Kelty with no team being relegated.

The move comes as the SPFL have still to announce if the League Two play-offs will be taking place this season.

Brechin are eight points adrift of Cowdenbeath at the bottom of League Two with four games remaining.

The Angus club have written to the SPFL claiming it would be unfair to stage the League Two play-offs due to the impact on this season’s campaign caused by the pandemic.

A statement from Brechin said increasing the number of teams in League Two next season would be the fairest way for all clubs as a result of the pandemic.

They said: “The most pressing complaint is not one of laws or legitimacy.

“It is about a level playing field for both sides in any play-off, we strongly believe any play-off this season will be fundamentally unfair on club 42.

“We believe league reconstruction is the fairest outcome for club 42, Lowland League and Highland League.

“It’s true we proposed to the SPFL board and our member clubs as an alternative to a relegation play-off, both Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers be invited to join an expanded SPFL League Two from next season, so they are not unfairly punished by our position on the legitimacy of the play-offs this season.

“We believe any team that plays a full league season and finished bottom of the pyramid should play-off against the winner of the Highland or Lowland league, who has also played a full league season under similar conditions.

“Season 2020/21 is not that season.”

At the time of going to press yesterday, the Scottish Professional Football League had yet to confirm if the League Two play-offs will go ahead.

Brora Rangers chairman William Powrie announced earlier this week that the club had met the criteria to be eligible for promotion after the SPFL were due to make their decision on Monday.

But the SPFL had still to confirm both Brora and Kelty’s eligibility for promotion.

Powrie said Brora have met all the requirements to go up and are waiting for the SPFL to confirm the dates when the League Two play-offs will take place.

“Following the SPFL board meeting, I can confirm that Brora Rangers have met all the necessary due diligence and ground criteria for entry into the SPFL,” he said.

“At this stage the SPFL are, however, unable to confirm any dates for the play-off and pyramid fixtures to take place.”

n Follow the latest on this story on the Northern Times website.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More