Brora Rangers chairman William Powrie admits a 16-game season was the only practical option available to the Highland League.
The league’s management committee confirmed at the weekend teams will play each other only once when the new campaign kicks off on October 17.
Powrie is relishing the prospect of Highland League football returning, even if it is for a shorter campaign.
He said: “It is something we have been looking forward to and I’m glad a consensus has been reached to start the league programme again.
“The 16-game season is not ideal, but given the likelihood of games being postponed during the winter due to bad weather, as happens every year, we would have run out of time to play more games.
“I think they have made a sensible and practical decision.
“Given the circumstances, it was probably the only decision they could have made.
“We will just play the league season in a truncated programme.
“It does mean that when we kick off we have to be 100% focused. Losing a game in this current season could make the difference between winning the league and not.
“That is the same for every team.
“I think they are seeding the teams into little groups to make the allocation of home and away games as fair as possible in the circumstances.
“We just have to get on with it.”
Powrie says getting the green light from the Scottish Government to allow crowds back into Highland League grounds is the biggest obstacle to ensuring the campaign can get off and running next month.
He added: “We were always under the impression the league season would start towards the end of October.
“What the Highland League needs is permission to bring crowds back.
“Some people will say the Highland League has been practising social distancing for the last 10 years.
“I really don’t think there will be any problems with that, but we need the official go-ahead.
“Every club’s finances are dependent not just on playing football, but the hospitality that goes along with it.
“All of that is necessary to make the books balance. This year is going to be a challenge but every other club is in the same boat.
“Hopefully when we get crowds back in there will be a strong appetite from fans to return.
“They understand the financial position clubs are in and I expect there will be a greater willingness to come out and support teams.”
Brora have provisionally arranged four pre-season friendlies with a home match against West of Scotland juniors Darvel and away games against Elgin City, Ross County and Hill of Beith with dates to be confirmed.