No Playoff for Buckie

[The Mantis]

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/scottish-fa-statement-pyramid-play-off-tie/?rid=13929&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1NnVIgh8yUal59BwiWflH0AB8i74OfeAVNgUWFZ9pDZL74Cr5WyLXVcbs_aem_AZU07FZkzxUMgikF2qzIQkc-lM_vxmB6IAHElYN-FThdcBJBjbcBarHxCnuPN54rLsEI5Oa__TmTJTm87yHlob-N

 

Thursday 25 April 2024

The Scottish FA regrets to announce that Buckie Thistle FC will not be eligible to participate in the Pyramid Play-Off tie between the champions of the Scottish Highland and Lowland Football Leagues this weekend.

Under Pyramid Play-Off Rules, it is a prerequisite for participants to comply with SPFL Membership Criteria, specifically in this instance a Bronze-level club licence award from the Scottish FA.

Buckie Thistle does not comply with this criterion following its failure to obtain an award by the Licensing Committee yesterday.

Consequently, the match will no longer take place and East Kilbride FC, who were granted a bronze licence by the committee, will proceed to the cinch League Two play-off final against eventual Club 42.

Scottish FA spokesperson: “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.”

SPFL spokesperson: “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.”

Edited April 25 by The Mantis

[Yngwie]

Wow! What does a club need to have to get Bronze status?

[Robert]

1 hour ago, Yngwie said:

Wow! What does a club need to have to get Bronze status?

This:

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/11172/sfa-club-licensing-manual-2024.pdf
 

Enjoy the read!

This gives the current classifications:

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/11752/240424-club-licensing-awards.pdf

Reading the SPFL announcement, Buckie ignored the issue and could have made the standard had they acted.

All very poor.

 

Edited April 25 by Robert

[Yngwie]

So no HL clubs are currently eligible for promotion or even to participate in the playoffs. I wonder if they realised they could not participate or if they thought that they could win the playoffs and then have a couple of months to meet the criteria? Can sort of understand why clubs would be reluctant to make the efforts and spend the money needed if it would be to no avail.

[Yngwie]

Their statement sheds a bit more light and portrays a very different picture to the SFA’s suggestion that Buckie just ignored the requirement.

 

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.

[Scotty]

1 hour ago, Yngwie said:

Wow! What does a club need to have to get Bronze status?

A very long time to read the manual ....

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/9978/sfa-club-licensing-manual-2023.pdf

 

[+DoofersDad]

It would appear that Buckie's Club President has a very different understanding of yesterday's meeting to that of the SFA!  It is interesting that the Buckie statement makes no reference to challenging the decision.  if what they say in their statement is true, then they surely have a cast iron case for appeal.  It does, however sound as though there are issues they should have had in place before now if they have aspirations to climb the pyramid.  It also sounds as though the powers that be would rather have East Kilbride in Division 2 than Buckie.

[Yngwie]

It’s also odd that there are 5 teams already in the SPFL who do not have Bronze status!

[+Gringo]

6 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

It also sounds as though the powers that be would rather have East Kilbride in Division 2 than Buckie.

You mean SPFL central belt favoritism?.....no....never!! 

 

5 hours ago, Yngwie said:

It’s also odd that there are 5 teams already in the SPFL who do not have Bronze status!

Let me guess...Edinburgh City, The Spartans, Bonnyrigg Rose, Kelty Hearts and Annan 

[Robert]

1 hour ago, Gringo said:

You mean SPFL central belt favoritism?.....no....never!! 

 

Let me guess...Edinburgh City, The Spartans, Bonnyrigg Rose, Kelty Hearts and Annan 

Substitute Airdrie, Cove and Peterhead for Annan, Bonnyrigg and Spartans.

They tightened the rules this season so the established clubs have some time to comply.

 

[IBM]

2 hours ago, Gringo said:

You mean SPFL central belt favoritism?.....no....never!! 

 

Let me guess...Edinburgh City, The Spartans, Bonnyrigg Rose, Kelty Hearts and Annan 

Just like when they fiddled it and put Brechin in the Highland League, I hope other teams keep beating them!

[Robert]

10 hours ago, Robert said:

Substitute Airdrie, Cove and Peterhead for Annan, Bonnyrigg and Spartans.

They tightened the rules this season so the established clubs have some time to comply.

 

If I’m reading this right, those 5 teams need to achieve bronze status by 1 July as current exemptions expire then (bottom on page 2 but I gave up during page 3!):

https://spfl.co.uk/admin/filemanager/images/shares/pdfs/Membership Criteria Letter 2024-25 31 October 2023.pdf

Also, more from Buckie confirming they missed the March deadline for a waiver:

https://www.buckiethistlefc.co.uk/news/president-statement-2847887.html

Edited April 26 by Robert

[+DoofersDad]

I don't think the new statement from the Buckie President will go down well with the fans.  It would appear from what he says that his understanding was, that providing they could confirm the services of a doctor to be present at all games by 15th May, they were good to go for the playoffs.  It would therefore seem reasonable that they should be allowed to play those games on the understanding that if they were successful in beating East Kilbride and whoever is bottom of Division 2, they would forfeit their place if they don't succeed in confirming medical cover by the 15th.  The powers that be may, of course, take a different view, but I am sure the fans would be expecting the club to argue the case and Farquhar's statement does not explain why they are not doing so.  I guess the Buckie Board take the view that they can't afford to play in Division 2 and are making weak excuses rather than being honest with the fans.

It is also bizarre that the current league clubs which are not compliant, have until July 1st to comply.  What happens if any, some or all of them fail to comply?  Do they get kicked out?  If not, what is the point of the certification process?  The new season will be about to start with the league cup games and there would be no scope for them to drop down to the Highland or Lowland leagues or for other teams to replace them.

 

[Scotty]

Piss-Up and Brewery are random words that spring to mind when thinking of the powers-that-be at the SPFL. 

I have no idea whether Buckie are content to stay in the HL or not for financial reasons, and the statement doesn't sound like they will fight this decision too rigorously. However, it seems unfair that they will even be excluded from playoffs when others have until July to be compliant. It's all very reminiscent of the stadium criteria issue that kept us down and kyboshed Falkirk as well.