Buckie Thistle have been booted out of the scheduled pyramid play-off tie against East Kilbride FC due to club license rules.
The Highland League champions were set to face East Kilbride on Saturday in the semi-final of the pyramid play-off.
However, the Scottish FA have announced Buckie Thistle are not eligible to participate as the club does not hold a Bronze-level club licence from the Scottish FA.
Under pyramid play-off rules clubs must comply with SPFL membership criteria to be allowed to compete - in this instance the club must obtain the minimum Bronze-level licence award.
As Buckie Thistle do not have that, the pyramid play-off match will not be played and instead East Kilbride - who were granted a bronze licence - will advance to the League Two play-off final.
The Scottish FA state clubs were informed in December last year that the audit process would be accelerated for clubs with a shot at promotion and regular dialogue has been ongoing with Buckie Thistle.
But, it's stated that issues were not addressed by the club ahead of the licencing decision yesterday.
The SPFL claim three letters were sent to Buckie Thistle - in October, February and March - over the issue but no response was received.
Therefore the club have been deemed not to be compliant with SPFL rules with the deadline to apply for a grace period on March 31.
READ MORE: SPFL confirm Scottish Premiership play-off dates & TV picks
A Scottish FA spokesperson said of the decision: “The Licensing Committee considered a range of eligibility criteria in respect of Buckie Thistle’s application. Unfortunately, the submission did not meet the requirements for the award of a Bronze licence.
“All SHFL and SLFL clubs were written to in December last year to advise that the audit process would be accelerated for those clubs with a chance of promotion, in light of the SPFL’s updated membership criteria requirements.
"The Scottish FA’s club licensing department has been in regular dialogue with Buckie Thistle since then to notify the club of, and provide ample time to address, issues highlighted in their Club Licensing Report.
“Unfortunately, these issues were not addressed by the club prior to yesterday’s licensing committee decision.”
An SPFL spokesperson added: “Every club was made aware in summer last year of the need to have a Scottish FA Bronze Licence to participate in the SPFL. Regrettably, Buckie Thistle failed to respond to any of the three subsequent follow-up letters sent in October, February and March.
“They are not compliant with SPFL Rules and failed to apply for a period of grace by the 31 March 2024 deadline. The SPFL Board has huge sympathy for Buckie and their fans, but has no option but to enforce our Rules.”
A Buckie statement read: "At 5pm today, Buckie Thistle FC received an email from the SPFL, stating that because the club do not comply with the SFA Bronze Licence criteria, and did not apply for a waiver or period of grace in respect of this non-compliance by the deadline of 31st March 2024, there will be no Play-Off Tie between Buckie Thistle FC and East Kilbride FC, and East Kilbride will automatically go forward to the Pyramid Play-Off Tie with Club 42.
"However, we can confirm that the club has been in regular contact with the SFA in regard to the Bronze Licence criteria items, and we were in fact asked by the SPFL to ask for a period of grace for four of these items on Tuesday 23rd April, which we duly did.
"Our Club President Garry Farquhar attended a meeting with the SFA on Wednesday 24th April, and we were granted Derogations for 3 items - Floodlights, Safety Officer and Diversity & Inclusion. One item - Medical – has been deferred until the 15th of May, but the club has committed to resolving the matter by May 10th.
"It goes without saying that everyone at the club is stunned and devastated by the timing of this decision. It’s particularly harsh on the players and management, who put so much hard work into winning the Highland League title, that they don’t get the opportunity to go for promotion."
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