League scrap promotion rule

The Bank of Scotland Premier League have confirmed they will scrap the controversial rule which means clubs need a 10,000-seater stadium before winning promotion to the top flight.

From season 2005-06 clubs will be eligible for entry to the SPL if they have a stadium with at least 6,000 seats.

The news came on the same day that Bell’s First Division champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle were told they would not be allowed promotion following a meeting of the 12 top-flight clubs at Hampden Park.

Caley Thistle needed at least eight votes in their favour to push ahead with a ground-share plan with nearest rivals Aberdeen but five clubs opted to vote against the proposal or abstained from voting.

The Highland side will appeal against the decision to the Scottish Football Association – but it could mean no relegation or promotion for the second year running.

Such scenarios are likely to be avoided in future after all 12 member clubs voted to scrap the 10,000-seater rule.

Premier League executive chairman Lex Gold said: “We looked again at the stadia criteria and it was agreed unanimously that we should drop from 10,000 to 6,000 all-seater as from the start of 2005-06 season.

“That will come into play providing we can get everything in place before the start of the coming season.

“So this should be the last season where we are standing here at Hampden Park with this sort of outcome.”

Last year’s First Division champions Falkirk were denied promotion when they failed in a ground-share bid with Airdrie United.

The decision meant Motherwell escaped relegation and today’s ruling means bottom-side Partick Thistle are also likely to avoid the drop.

Gold admits he does not feel comfortable with such a situation reoccurring.

He added: “I believe promotion and relegation is the life-blood of football but there are issues here in terms of interpretation of rules which have to be followed and obeyed.

“I didn’t believe I would be standing here today in the way I am in the same way I was last year around this time.

“A lot of the clubs in the SFL in particular feel concerned because they have spent a lot of money meeting the 10,000 all-seater requirement.”

Gold also confirmed Livingston and Dundee are both set to avoid a 10-point penalty at the start of the new season after launching the process of coming out of administration ahead of the May 31 deadline.

He said: “We had a discussion on that today and it was reported by the company secretary that Dundee had started the process and therefore the 10-point penalty wouldn’t apply to them.

“We’ve had correspondence with Livingston which, we believe, puts them in the same position subject to further ratification.

“So none of our clubs should start with a 10-point penalty next year.”