The Highland League could be set to tear itself apart with the threat of a breakaway movement of up to nine clubs looming.
The possible split could come over the thorny question of increasing numbers of loss-making midweek fixtures which would have to be played if the Highland member club numbers increased to more than the present 18 after the pyramid play-offs at the end of the season.
Currently four midweek dates are scheduled on the card at the start of the season but, with the intervention of the weather, that number generally increases as the season progresses.
However, in the event of league numbers exceeding 18, the fixture card would have to be amended to accommodate a minimum of eight midweek matches, in addition to any which are rescheduled due to postponements, Scottish Cup ties and the like.
However, if the Highland League was to split into two divisions of 10, scheduled midweek matches would then become a thing of the past.
The proposed fixture list amendment was born out of the league’s contingency plan for a possible split into two leagues of 10, a concept which was discussed at length with all 18 member clubs last winter.
At January’s Highland League management committee meeting a motion to form a two-league structure, if the league membership was to exceed 18, was supported by seven clubs – Brora Rangers, Buckie Thistle, Clachnacuddin, Cove Rangers, Fraserburgh, Inverurie Locos and Keith – but a counter motion, which advocated that the two-tier structure should only come into being if league membership was to exceed 20, gained support from the remaining 11 clubs and carried the day.
Since the meeting it is believed two clubs may have shifted their allegiance to the other camp. If that is the case the league would be split equally 9-9.
A special Highland League management will be held at Lossiemouth on Thursday, March 3, when the shape of the Highland League in years to come will be discussed, although due to the league’s current constitution, no vote will be taken.
Although nothing will change until league membership numbers increase through the pyramid system, it is believed the final resolution for the group of seven – or, perhaps, nine – clubs would be to form a breakaway league of their own, with the possibility of inviting up to three other clubs to join them, bringing their numbers up to 12.
Breakaway: Two sides of the story
The threat of a breakaway movement is looming large on the Highland League horizon.
The rumbles of discontent are over the possibility of an increasing number of loss-making midweek fixtures should the league grow to more than the present 18 clubs after the pyramid play-offs at the end of the season.
Ahead of a special management meeting at Lossiemouth on Thursday, March 3, two veteran officials are making their case, with Keith’s Sandy Stables in favour of splitting the league into two divisions of 10 and Forres Mechanics’ James Anderson for retaining the status quo.
Keith president Stables, who has served the Maroons in various roles for 40 years, has aligned the Kynoch Park club with Brora Rangers, Buckie Thistle, Clachnacuddin, Cove Rangers, Fraserburgh, Inverurie Locos, and possibly two other clubs, who believe splitting the league into two divisions of 10 and cutting back in loss-making midweek fixtures is the only way to go if the membership goes beyond 18.
Stables said: “We are seriously concerned about all these potential midweek games. We just can’t sit and do nothing about that. If we go to 19 or even 20 member clubs we will have another four midweek fixture dates at the very least. That would be ridiculous.
“Financing part-time football is always difficult. Our game at Inverurie last Saturday attracted a crowd of around 300 and Locos also benefited with 85 people enjoying match-day hospitality. There is a big earning capacity in that but, had that match gone ahead on a Wednesday night, Locos would possibly only have attracted a crowd of about 100 and there would have been no one in the social club enjoying pre-match hospitality.”
Long-serving Forres chairman Anderson takes a different view.
He said: “We shouldn’t be looking at the possibility of breaking up the Highland League but in a positive way to accommodate an additional team if that were to happen.
“With the pyramid system, we could have 19 teams or perhaps 17 at any point. If we were to re-structure every time there was an odd number of clubs it would be a nonsense and, as far as Wednesday-night fixtures are concerned, we are having more and more of them forced upon us due to the vagaries of our climate than we would have with the addition of one club.
“I can talk with some expertise here as only Fort William have played fewer home games than ourselves. Who would have thought that on the blessed Moray coast we would be struggling with fixtures due to all the wet weather we have had.
“There are many other issues Highland League clubs should be addressing before this. There is a huge danger the Highland League could be torn apart on this issue. That would be a disaster when we should be working together to consolidate and improve what we already have.”