KELTY HEARTS are still waiting for clarity over whether they could have an opportunity to win promotion to the SPFL.

Barry Ferguson's team, who were declared Lowland League winners last month, had been scheduled to host Brora Rangers, their Highland League counterparts, in the first leg of the pyramid play-off semi-final this weekend.

Under normal circumstances, the winner of the two-leg, head-to-head between those two teams would progress to play the club which finishes bottom of SPFL League Two, again over two matches, for the right to play in that division next season.

On April 9, the governing body announced that they were "considering several issues relating to the pyramid play-offs" and that, as a result, they were "not in a position to announce dates" for this season's ties.

The SPFL went on to say that, at a meeting on Monday, they would determine whether each club met its membership criteria – which Brora have announced they have – and they would then announce their position on the matter.

At the time of going to print, they had yet to do so, and matters have been further complicated by a letter sent to the SPFL board, and copied to League One and League Two clubs, by Brechin City.

The Glebe Park club, currently managed by ex-Pars midfielder Michael Paton, are eight points adrift at the bottom of the table and are looking likely to be the team that goes into the pyramid play-offs.

Last season, after leagues across the country were called early because of COVID-19, play-offs in the SPFL were scrapped controversially, which saw Kelty and Brora, winners of their respective leagues on a points-per-game average last term, miss out, whilst Brechin, who had finished bottom in League Two, avoided them as well.

This season, having played 18 matches in a disrupted campaign due to football in League One and League Two having been stopped between January and March, a shortened fixture list of 22 games will be completed in those divisions, with a split of the top five and bottom five clubs, who will play each other once, taking effect.

In a lengthy statement released ahead of their draw at home to Cowdenbeath on Tuesday evening, Brechin acknowledged that they "have been the worst-performing team in League Two for 44 games, there is nothing unfair about that", and that they "also put on record our support for the pyramid system".

However, they went on to say that "this season, just like last season, is not normal by any means for the SPFL or indeed the Highland and Lowland leagues", and have claimed it would be unfair to hold the play-offs, which they say is based on SFA and SPFL laws and competition rules.

Instead, they have proposed league reconstruction – which was mooted last year but was rejected by clubs – and have called for Kelty and Brora to be invited to join an expanded League Two.

"The most pressing complaint is not one of laws or legitimacy, it is about a level playing field for both sides in any play-off, we strongly believe that any relegation play-off games this season will be fundamentally unfair on Club 42," they said.

"Club 42 will have been affected by injuries, suspensions, lack of recovery time and fatigue – these are part-time players, and most of these part-time players have full-time jobs which requires enormous amounts of travel to fulfil their footballing and work responsibilities.

"That club will have played 13 league games in a period of 59 days, many of the games having been concentrated into periods of three or four games in seven days.

"The winners of the Highland versus Lowland League play-off will have played two games in the same period and will not be affected to nearly the same extent by any of these issues (injuries, suspensions, lack of recovery time or fatigue).

"We believe that league reconstruction is the fairest outcome for Club 42, the Lowland League and Highland League and it is true that we proposed to the SPFL board and our member clubs that as an alternative to a relegation play-off, both Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers be invited to join an expanded SPFL League 2 from next season, so they are not unfairly punished by our position on the legitimacy of the play-offs this season.

"In summary, we believe in the play-offs, we believe that any team that plays a full league season and finished bottom of the pyramid should play off against the winner of the Highland or Lowland league team who has also played a full league season under similar conditions.

"Season 2020/21 is not that season."

Having played 13 games this term, Kelty, who were top of the league, were awarded the Lowland League title on points-per-game for a second successive season after a vote by its clubs.

The Lowland League were keen to declare a winner to contest the pyramid play-offs and, despite playing only three games, Brora – who were also top – were subsequently declared winners of the Highland League.

Press Sport approached officials at Kelty Hearts for comment but they failed to respond before we went to print.