Ready when you are, SPFL

That’s the message from club chairman Gary Deans this week as yet more talks over reconstruction rumble on.

Ann Budge set out her two-year plan with three leagues of 14 on Tuesday and one of the scenarios open to be discussed as part of the proposal was a one-year ‘hibernation’ for clubs.

Falkirk though want to get to work whenever it is safe to do so and will take their place in whichever league set-up the SPFL forms for next season.

Mr Deans told The Falkirk Herald: “We’re willing and able to play right through. We have started planning, by infrastructure and budget, that if and when we can get back playing - behind closed doors as looking likely - we’ll be ready.

“There’s a small number of clubs who are open enough to saying they cannot play without crowds in their business plans, economically.

“You’re left with the clubs who can play and those who are looking at hibernation until January or a whole season and returning whenever crowds come back. If that’s the case for us and others then the SPFL should be finding a structure to work for those clubs who can.”

Mr Deans believes a 14-team league structure would be robust enough to handle hibernating clubs and re-alignment further down the line, but how and where clubs return after a period of hibernation is another question.

He answered: “If we are playing right through and others are not, unsurprisingly I believe we should retain our place and the returning teams play in a competition to fill below and form a structure from there. How we left the season is how would start the following one.”

The Hearts plan for reconstruction was being discussed at an SPFL board meeting as The Falkirk Herald went to press yesterday.