SPFL league reconstruction is back on the table – but for how long?

Hearts owner Ann Budge will forward a plan to the 11 top tier sides and Dundee United this week suggesting the matter be revisited.

If it fails – and local clubs have their doubts – Hearts would be relegated from the top flight, and Falkirk guaranteed to spend a second year in League One.

Falkirk chairman Gary Deans was on the reconstruction task force – but this has not met since top flight clubs rejected changes to the set-up before a formal proposal had been submitted for approval.

He, like Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy, is in the dark over the Hearts supremo’s latest plans.

“I’ve yet to see much detail, but we are still in favour of reconstruction for the betterment of Scottish football. However I would need to be convinced that the Premiership clubs will go along with it.

“There’s been no public indication that will be the case and I don’t see what has changed since they rejected the idea two weeks ago.”

Iain McMenemy at Stenhousemuir only learned of a new possibility of change via national radio at the weekend.

He added: “This is a prime example of a point we made supporting the EGM resolution last week – Premiership clubs decided to take reconstruction off the table, and pull the rug from under the task force. They decided it has gone and we need to live with that.

“But now Premiership clubs have decided they’ll put this back on the table. But we’re not involving the reconstruction group which had representation from all of the leagues and was decided in a previous resolution.

“It’s a disappointing way to go about dictating what the Premiership clubs want. I only found out through the media that it was an option again.

“I understand the power and position they’ve got as the biggest clubs but just from an organisational point of view it would be helpful to reach out and take opinion instead of debates going around about us and expecting us just to fall into line.”

The Premiership season was concluded by the league’s board on Monday, with the Edinburgh side relegated in 12th place, and Celtic named winners with eight games still outstanding.