Season solutions on table

Virus: Scottish Cup switch and increasing number of teams in SPFL to be discussed

Scottish football is exploring its potential options if the 2019-20 season is declared over in the coming days.

All domestic professional football in the country was suspended indefinitely as the coronavirus crisis grows.

It looks increasingly likely that football matches and other sporting activities are going to be called off for a lengthy period with some reports claiming it may be months before domestic football returns in European countries.

With eight rounds of fixtures remaining in the Scottish Premiership, the title, relegation and European qualification are all yet to be decided.

Celtic have a 13-point advantage at the top of the table, while Hearts are four points adrift at the bottom.

Aberdeen sit in fourth position, a place outside of automatic European qualification for the 2020-21 campaign, with a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic scheduled for next month.

The Scottish FA and the SPFL are to hold talks today to discuss the implications of a lengthy shutdown. They are not expected to make any announcements before tomorrow’s Uefa meeting when European football’s governing body will meet stakeholders to discuss a series of proposals aimed at solving the growing disruption to the calendar.

One proposal is for the semifinals and the final of the Scottish Cup to be played at the start of next season.

Another proposal which is understood to be under consideration is to increase the number of teams in the SPFL to 44 by promoting Highland League leaders Brora Rangers and their Lowland League counterparts Kelty Hearts without the need for a play-off against the team at the bottom of League 2, which is currently Brechin City.

Dundee United and Caley Thistle, the top-two teams in the Championship, would also be promoted to the Scottish Premiership without bottom of the table Hearts or second bottom Hamilton dropping out of the top flight.

If the proposal was signed off by the SPFL clubs, Raith Rovers and Falkirk would be promoted to the Championship and Cove Rangers and Edinburgh City would move up to League 1.

The proposal is understood to have plenty of backing in the lower leagues but some top flight clubs are unconvinced by the switch to a 14-team league.

Talks are also set to continue at SPFL clubs this week about the financial implications of a prolonged suspension with Caley Thistle understood to have held an emergency board meeting at Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.