Lowland League football, what is the future?

[FairWeatherFan]

I couldn't find the original post by looking up 'Schematic' or 'Appendix' so i'll just copy it out if it's easier to read. From December 2011. It all went largely to plan it seems.

Quote

Detailed suggestions for a pyramid for Scottish football

a) a schematic is attached in the Appendix, showing the proposed structure for Scottish football below the fourth tier. This includes the creation of a Lowland & Highland Super-League

b) at the end of season 2013/2014, suitably licensed clubs at the top of each of the above leagues will be invited to join the Lowland and Highland Super-Leagues. Suitably licensed clubs would indicate their interest in entering the respective leagues in season 2014/2015 and, should there be a greater number of applicants than places, selection will be based on final league positions in the previous season

c) each of the respective leagues below the Super-Leagues will then put in place their own processes for back-filling the places in their own competitions or reducing the team numbers accordingly

d) the new structure will go live from season 2014/2015 and will be governed by the same rule book as is agreed by the professional leagues above

e) at the end of the season 2014/2015, the winners of the Lowland & Highland Super-Leagues will play each other in a home/away two-legged play-off match, with home advantage in the final match being decided by the toss of a coin. The winner of this match will then play the bottom placed club in the SPFL over two legs, with home advantage in the second leg going to the higher placed team

f) in the event of the existing team from the fourth tier of the professional game in Scotland losing the tie, then they would be relegated and the following would be offered:

i. a logical split geographically to allow the team to enter the most appropriate league based on their location. This may mean a geographical cut between both leagues to ensure consistency of 10 teams per division; and

ii. a parachute payment provided by the SFA in the first season following relegation equivalent to the distribution that would have been received by the bottom club in the fourth tier the previous season ; and a further parachute payment in the second year following relegation equivalent to 50% of the first season figure.

g) in order for the pyramid work, any eligible team MUST take up their position in the Lowland or Highland Super-League from season 2015/2016 onwards

h) the Lowland and Highland Super Leagues will each put up one place per season for potential promotion from the feeder leagues below. This will also be done on the basis of a play-off system as follows:

i. Lowland Super-League 10th placed club to enter a randomly drawn two- legged semi-final involving EoS/SoS and SJFA South winners. The final to be played at a neutral venue;

ii. Highland Super League 10th placed club to play the winners of the Highland League and SJFA North play-off match, the latter being played over 2 legs, home and away with home advantage for last leg decided by the toss of a coin. The final match to be played at a neutral venue.

i) the costs of administration and management of the Lowland and Highland Super-Leagues to rest with the SFA.