Brora Rangers chairman William Powrie has urged the SPFL not to deny the Highland League champions the opportunity of promotion to League 2.
The Cattachs were crowned title winners at a meeting between member clubs in Lossiemouth on Saturday. The meeting also declared the season ended on March 13, when football matches were suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Despite Brora still having six outstanding fixtures, the member clubs unanimously voted for Steven Mackay’s side to be handed the title given their 13 point lead at the top of the table.
Powrie has called for the SPFL to follow the Highland League’s lead by ending the season, but does not want to see his side’s route into the Scottish leagues blocked should the pyramid play-off not go ahead.
Powrie is backing a proposal which would see the Cattachs and current Lowland League pacesetters Kelty Hearts automatically promoted, with no relegation from League 2.
Powrie said: “I’m a great believer that we need to draw a line under this season, because it has been so interrupted. People’s minds are rightfully on far more important things.
“I don’t want us to be carrying that on to next season, and messing around with the structures of the competitions for next season.
“If there’s no football, the nightmare scenario would be that they just say there’s no promotion or relegation.
“That would cause difficulties further up their food chain, with teams at the top and bottom of their respective leagues.
“I don’t envy them having to make this decision but I hope they take a look at where the situation is, and implement that escalator which would give us the opportunity to play at the next level up.
“That’s important to us, we are ambitious and we want to progress.
“It’s out of our hands. The SPFL will want to do what is right. All we can ask is that people act fairly and equitably.
“If they do that, I think we stand a reasonable chance of getting on that escalator along with Kelty Hearts.”
Powrie paid tribute to player-manager Mackay for claiming the title in his second season in charge at Dudgeon Park, having ended the previous campaign as runners-up, eight points behind Cove Rangers.
Powrie added: “We don’t have a huge squad, but Steven has engendered a real sense of togetherness among the team. There is a real focus of what we want to do and where we want to go.
“We ran Cove all the way last year. You could arguably say we were as good as them in the second half of the season.
“The results have spoken for themselves. He deserves all the credit, along with coaches Craig Campbell and David Hind, for the efforts they have put in this season.
“A spot in the SPFL, or a chance in the play-offs, would not be an unjustified reward.”
Brora midfielder Dale Gillespie is pleased to rack up his third league title with the Cattachs, insisting his side are powerless to determine which league they will play in next term.
Gillespie said: “It’s not the way we wanted to win the league, but it’s probably the correct decision in the grand scheme of things. The Highland League is not very important in terms of what all is going on, so it’s a good resolution just to get it done now.
“With the run of form we have been on, and the way we have played for the majority of the season, I think we did deserve it.
“It’s probably too early for SPFL to decide anything, until they actually know what is going to happen. It’s completely outwith our hands.
“We just need to wait and see and prepare for next season – whether it be Highland League or League 2.”
