With Queen of the South in the play offs, there has been no debate about whether they will go up if they prevail.

 

Don't remember reading it at the time but, given that Palmerston has nowhere near 6,000 seats, does that mean that that minimum requirement went with league unification this season ?

the rules are here but dont have time to scrutinise them for the membership/stadium criteria

http://spfl.co.uk/docs/067_324__therulesofthescottishprofessionalfootballleagueasat7march2014_1396269263.pdf

a Doonhammer I know says the criteria is no more.

........

 

 

D4.4 any ground which a Club or the Candidate Club registers or is deemed to have registered as its Registered Ground, must, by not later than 31st March preceding any Season and for the whole of that Season: 

 

D4.4.1 with respect to Clubs entitled to play in the Premiership and the Championship have achieved and maintain with respect to stadia criteria at least the Bronze Standard set out in The Scottish Football Association National Club Licensing Manual in force and as amended or supplemented from time to time; 

 

D4.4.2 with respect to Clubs and Candidate Clubs entitled to play in League One and League Two have achieved and maintain with respect to stadia criteria at least the Entry Level Standard set out in The Scottish Football Association National Club Licensing Manual in force and as amended or supplemented from time to time;

 

D4.4.3 with respect to Clubs entitled to play in the Premiership and the Championship have had and have adequate winter pitch protection, as provided in Rule H10; and

 

D4.4.4 comply with Rules H18 and H19. 

 

(H10 relates to pitch protection. H18/19 are floodlights and pitch dimensions)

 

 

think this is the right document from the SFA:  http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/resources/documents/ClubLicensing/2014/Prt%202%20Sct%205%20-%20Ground.pdf ... no mention of stadium capacity

QoS do have plans in place to increase capacity but I'm sure the capacity rule has been scrapped along with the USH rule and grass only rule. As D4.4.3 in Scotty's post says 'adequate winter protection'. That could be covers.

 

Be an interesting Championship next season though, especially if Queens go up. Rangers, Hibs, Hearts, Hamilton and Falkirk are likely to have quite a scrap. My money, assuming they get out of administration in time, is on Hearts. Locke has finally got his young team playing and they could keep up the momentum. Butcher will then be somewhere like Fleetwood. McCoist will have a breakdown and Rangers implode.

QoS currently winning 3-2 on agg vs Falkirk.....with about 15 mins to go.....so they are that bit closer

Now that bit further...

3-1 falkirk e.t.

Falkirk through to face Hamilton so no need to debate Palmerston now.

The rule regarding pitch protection has never stated USH....however, that was always the criteria laid down by the SPL board who determined what was adequate.

 

Criteria regarding seating states that the minimum number of covered seats for the top 2 leagues is 500.  Beyond that it's a bit of a grey area as they talk about "safe standing"...but there's no clarification on who would determine what is considered safe standing.  The push has always been towards rail seating, but I have a vague recollection of Doncaster saying more traditional terracing was permissible (but that could have been in reference to lower licensing levels).

 

So, in short, the minimum 6000 seats rule is gone....but it's about as clear as mud to what would be permissible for use beyond any covered seats.