Hearts face relegation as league reconstruction scrapped
Plans for league reconstruction in Scotland have been scapped for now.
A panel had been set up to look at proposals in the wake of the SPFL's ballot to end the season.
But at a meeting of the Scottish Premiership teams - plus Dundee United - it was concluded there was not enough support and now is not the time to change the set up.
It means if the SPFL board call the top-flight season now, Hearts would be relegated.
Speaking on behalf of the Premiership clubs, Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack said: "The strong feeling of the group was that we must focus all of our energies on emerging from the crisis we face, due to the pandemic, on getting back to playing football safely and getting fans back into grounds as soon as practicably possible.
"Whilst the group sympathises with the plight of the situation the relegated teams are faced with, it concluded that this is not the right time to consider immediate reconstruction in the midst of a crisis.
"But the group is willing to engage in and pick up on these discussions once we are through Covid-19."
The group intends to meet next week to focus on the plan to get through the pandemic.
Two main plans were being discussed for next season.
One would have seen each division contain 14 sides. The other would have been a 14-14-16 system, which would have allowed for Highland League winners Brora Rangers and Lowland League champions Kelty Hearts to be promoted to the bottom tier of the SPFL.
In both plans, bottom side Hearts would have remained in the top-flight and would have been joined by Championship runners-up Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Partick Thistle would have escaped relegation from the Championship; Falkirk would have been promoted to the second tier; and Stranraer would have stayed in the third.
The Scottish Highland Football League said the decison is "disappointing and frustrating in equal measure".
"This year, albeit in difficult circumstances, the SPFL had its first opportunity since the introduction of the Scottish Football pyramid to meaningfully embrace the spirit of the pyramid," it added in a statement.
"It is a matter of great regret that the SPFL has chosen to turn away from that. All associated with the Highland League share the undoubted disenchantment that will be felt by Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts."