The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Great debate on Highland League split decision
The Highland League has put forward proposals to split into two divisions in the event it exceeds its current 18-team limit.
A five-man sub-committee has proposed a draft for discussion among the league’s members after clubs agreed a contingency plan was needed in the event of the league increasing in size.
Clubs will get the chance to discuss the working document at the league’s next meeting on June 25.
The draft is proposing splitting the Highland League into two divisions in the event of the number of clubs increasing to 19 teams.
Should a SPFL club be relegated from League 2 and join the Highland League it would enter into the new Division 1.
Inthe event of anewclub joining the Highland League it would enter at Division 2. The Division 1 title would be decided by an end- of- season play - o ff between the top four clubs.
The champions of Division 2 would win promotion to Division 1, taking the place of the bottomclub from the higher division. A play-off featuring the second-bottom team in Division 1 and the clubs finishing second, third and fourth in Division 2 is also being proposed.
In the event of a club winning promotion to the Scottish Professional Football League, the Highland League, if back to 18 clubs, would revert to one division for the following season.
There has already been opposition to the suggestion of the league splitting into two, with 600 people signing a “Save Our Highland League” petition on Facebook.
Highland League president Dennis Bridgeford insists no decision has been taken but claims the addition of another club would render the current one-division structure impossible to administrate. He said: “This is purely a discussion document but one which we have been compelled to introduce in the event of the league increasing in numbers. The fact Montrose faced Brora Rangers in the SPFL play-off final ensured we avoided needing to make changes thissummer but we have to find some sort of contingency plan for the future if a Lowland League club wins promotion and a SPFL team is relegated to the Highland League.
“Anything above the current 18-team set-up would leave us with a near impossible task.
“We would be playing midweek football through November and December and, due to the geography, it will be financially draining.
“We are well aware there are concerns about the proposal but let us discuss this properly and see if we can find a solution.”
Should a two-tier league structure be introduced, the league is proposing the introduction of a new cup and a revamp of another to ensure clubs all have sufficient home matches.
The season, which would start inearly August, would begin with clubs competing in a new regionalised Highland League Cup.
Under the proposals for discussion, another cup competition, the Challenge Cup, would be introduced eaturing the clubs not contesting the championship
or relegation play-offs.