Buckie Thistle 'drop' SPFL pyramid play-off dispute as Highland League champions accept fate
The Highland League champions were banned from facing East Kilbride in the semi-final stage in a bid for promotion
Buckie Thistle have reportedly decided to DROP their dispute with the SFA and SPFL over their pyramid play-off ban.
The Highland League champions were due to face East Kilbride in the semi-final with the winner advancing to face the club finish 10th in League Two in a bid to earn promotion into the fourth tier. However, the chance to face the Lowland League champions was rejected due to not having a bronze licence.
Buckie were ready to escalate matters and explore the option of taking both the SPFL and SFA to an arbitration. But after holding discussions over the situation in the past couple of days, the board have opted to accept their fate and will ensure all the criteria needing ticked off for membership status is in place for next season, report The Scottish Sun.
The Jags were due to face East Kilbride last weekend in the first leg of their two-legged showdown with the return scheduled for this weekend. But Mick Kennedy and his troops will now be watching on events at the bottom of League Two as they wait to discover who they will face in the final. Bottom club Stranraer host champions Stenhousemuir while Clyde in ninth are on the road to Elgin City in the final round of fixtures with just two points separating the two clubs at the bottom.
A Scottish FA spokesperson said last week: “The Licensing Committee considered a range of eligibility criteria in respect of Buckie Thistle’s application. Unfortunately, the submission did not meet the requirements for the award of a Bronze licence.
“All SHFL and SLFL clubs were written to in December last year to advise that the audit process would be accelerated for those clubs with a chance of promotion, in light of the SPFL’s updated membership criteria requirements. The Scottish FA’s club licensing department has been in regular dialogue with Buckie Thistle since then to notify the club of, and provide ample time to address, issues highlighted in their Club Licensing Report. Unfortunately, these issues were not addressed by the club prior to yesterday’s licensing committee decision."
An SPFL spokesperson added: “Every club was made aware in summer last year of the need to have a Scottish FA Bronze Licence to participate in the SPFL. Regrettably, Buckie Thistle failed to respond to any of the three subsequent follow-up letters sent in October, February and March.
“They are not compliant with SPFL Rules and failed to apply for a period of grace by the 31 March 2024 deadline. The SPFL Board has huge sympathy for Buckie and their fans, but has no option but to enforce our Rules.”