Montrose chairman Derek Sim has confirmed he will reverse his vote and back league reconstruction plans and believes other lower-league chiefs will do the same.
Plans for a merger of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League were thrown into doubt last week when a split amongst SFL clubs threatened to sink the proposal.
Just 16 clubs gave the scheme the thumbs up in an informal ballot last Thursday, with Montrose and 12 others voting ‘no’ amid anger over voting rights and financial distribution.
That sparked the threat of a breakaway from the 10 First Division clubs.
But Links Park chief Sim believes a deal can be struck in time for an SFL Special General Meeting at Hampden on June 12 to stave off a devastating fracture in the Scottish game.
Sim who was due to meet chairmen from the other 19 Second and Third Division clubs in an emergency meeting said: “Do I think there will be a positive vote? Yes I do.
“I think over the next two weeks there will be a realisation that we have got to do the best for Scottish football.
“If the First Division clubs were to break away, it would leave 20 clubs in the SFL. That is not good for Scottish football, it is not good for sponsors.
“We need one body if we are to sell the game, whether it be TV rights, radio rights or to sponsors.
“I have spoken to chairmen. I’m not in a position to say how they will vote. But we have discussed the ramifications of not voting favourably.
“From my own perspective and that of Montrose, I feel more confident that the approval of any resolution would go ahead at a future meeting.”
Plans for a 12-12-18 set-up were voted against by Ross County and St Mirren last month before being revived when the current 12-10-10-10 model was retained, with play-offs involving the 11th-placed team in the SPL and sides two, three and four from the second tier introduced.
The blueprint, which also includes a single league body, fairer share of income and a pyramid set-up, requires 22 of the SFL’s 29 full member clubs to back it.
But the First Division sides threatened to quit the SFL and form an SPL2 if the vote went against them. Sim is unhappy with those tactics but insists it is better for Scotland’s 42 clubs to stick together.
He said: “We had concerns last week that after each SFL meeting some First Division chairmen have made media comments to say they will be off if the vote doesn’t go in their favour.
“On reflection some of the chairmen might wish to give some thought to the timing of some of their comments and allow everyone to look at the scenario, consider all the ramifications and then be able to vote without a lot of negativity and regrettable comments.”
He added: “People realise that ultimately (we have to do) what is best for Scottish Football. Can we achieve a 42-club solution?
“The realism is that we want the new season to commence with all the clubs behind the new system and body in place.
“Rather than the odd cherry pick we would rather move forward as one. Once there is a new body and there are a few little things to be looked at, then I’m sure the body will deal with it appropriately.”