League One and Two clubs to vote on October start

Teams in Scotland’s two lower divisions are to be asked to approve an October 17 start to their season.

All 20 League One and League Two clubs will need to rubber-stamp a rule change that would put them in line with the Championship, which has already agreed that date for their resumption.

As in the second tier, there would be a 27-game season – nine matches fewer than usual.

Clubs have been sent the formal resolution and voting slip by the SPFL and have 28 days to respond, with 75% support needed to pass the ballot.

Meanwhile, top flight clubs have been warned they could face playing four games in eight days amid “enormous” pressure on the fixture list.

SPFL secretary Iain Blair has also swiftly knocked back Scotland manager Steve Clarke’s plea for a free weekend before the Euro 2020 play-offs but will ask Sky Sports not to schedule any games on the preceding Sunday.

Blair plans to finalise the fixture next week but warned there was little room for manoeuvre.

He said: “The stress on the SPFL fixture calendar next season is going to be enormous, with a real risk that some clubs will be forced to play four games in eight days, which we always try to avoid.

“And that’s even before we consider the impact of the Scottish winter and the high risk of cancelled matches due to adverse weather.

“We have already been obliged to cancel the winter break next season because we absolutely needed those extra three potential match dates, but even with that, I think it is going to be tighter than at any time in my 22 years working for the SPFL.”

Scotland boss Clarke revealed earlier that he had asked for a free weekend before the play-off semifinal against Israel on October 8 and potentially the same leeway before the final the following month.

Blair said: “If there was any slack at all in the schedule we would obviously be very keen to deliver that. Unfortunately it’s simply not possible, given the restrictions.”

With a late start to European qualifiers and the Betfred Cup, plus the delayed Euro 2020 play-offs, 12 potential fixtures dates before the Premiership split are used up for internationals and 16 for Champions League and Europa League fixtures.