Brechin City Kevin Mackie has hit out at the SFA’s handling of the ill-fated Conference League – outlining his own blueprint for change.
The SFA pulled the plug on the Conference League vote at the 11th hour after a majority of clubs came out publicly against it.
The 10-team league, comprising of four top flight B teams – likely to have been Rangers, Celtic, Hibernian and Hearts – four Lowland League and two Highland League clubs has now seemingly been ditched.
Brechin City chairman Mackie is at pains to highlight that his club are in support of measures to promote youth in Scottish football.
Mackie detailed his own plans for SPFL expansion to Courier Sport earlier this week.
But he believes the lack of meaningful consultation over the Conference League meant it was always doomed to fail.
“The way the Conference League was presented was unacceptable,” Mackie told Courier Sport.
“It was like trying to tell a bull to come into an abattoir.
“They weren’t looking for opinions, just telling us what was going to happen if it went through.
“It was nonsensical. Brechin City as a club 100 per cent agree that youngsters need to get more game time.
“They need to be able to play in more competitive games.
“I agree young players need to play against adults to develop. Statistics underline the benefits of doing that.
“But where is the sense in having four B teams in a 10-team league where for three months of any season they’d be playing against each other?
Kevin Mackie says current system is ‘financial suicide’ for clubs
“There needs to be change and I know it will be hard for some clubs to think about.
“If I’m comfortable in League One or the Championship am I going to listen to what someone from the Highland League is saying? Possibly not.
“But once clubs have got beyond the stage of feeling like turkeys voting for Christmas I’m sure a lot would see sense in this proposal.
“I’m not crying about it because Brechin City are out of the league. We deserved to be out as we were beaten fair and square in the play-offs.
“I’m coming at it from someone who has been there at the inside looking out and the outside looking in.
“The current system is financial suicide for our game.
“We’re a club that, like others, wants to develop young players.
“We’ve had Harry Souttar, John Souttar and Ryan Gauld all at Brechin City boys’ club in the past.
“Let’s find a solution that opens up our game to ambitious clubs and gives then greater freedom to develop young players.”
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