The Scottish Football Association will today put plans for a new pyramid system to the vote when member clubs are asked to give their backing to a new Lowland League.
With the Scottish Football League set to hold its own ballot on a merger with the Scottish Premier League on Wednesday, the SFA is pressing ahead with additional league reconstruction measures.
The governing body has drawn up plans that will see the winner of the newly created Lowland League which could be formed in time for next season and the Highland League champions playing off against each other for the right to battle the bottom team in the Irn-Bru Third Division and claim a place in the senior ranks.
The motion will be voted on at Hampden when the SFA holds its annual general meeting.
SFA chief executive Stewart Regan said: “It is a really exciting development and something the Scottish FA has supported as part of the five principles for league reconstruction a single league body, fairer financial distribution, parachute payments, play-offs and the pyramid.
“It is important that we recognise and support those clubs currently outwith senior football who aspire to reach the top. We have seen it most recently with the rise of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County from the Highland League, but do we really want a situation where the only way those clubs can join is at the expense of another club who has gone bust?
“There has to be a meritocracy in the bottom tier of the senior game and the pyramid will provide greater competition.”
A total of 45 resolutions will be discussed at the Hampden meeting with a 75 per cent majority required to pass each motion.
As well as the Lowland League proposals, the SFA members will vote on matters including a plan to do away with associate memberships of the SFA.
Currently, any club applying to join the body must serve five years as an associate member before it is granted full status.
That included Rangers after they were reformed as a newco following their liquidation last summer, but now the SFA will only grant full memberships providing applicants meet certain criteria.
A plan to expand the definition of a club to include its owner or operator will be considered too, as will tough new measures – including stadium closures designed to halt the spread of discriminatory behaviour.
Among the new deterrents being considered by the governing body are a minimum five-game ban for offending players as well as points deductions and stadium bans for clubs who allow fans to shout racist and offensive chants.