The Scottish Championship could be scaled down to just 18 games
By Stephen Mcgowan and John Greechan For The Scottish Daily Mail 00:33 22 May 2020, updated 01:03 22 May 2020
Scottish Championship clubs are set to discuss plans for a scaled-down 18-game season kicking off later this year.
And Raith Rovers chairman Bill Clark admits the second tier could even be mothballed until January.
The SFA and SPFL will present plans for a staged resumption to Scottish health minister Joe FitzPatrick and National Clinical Director Jason Leitch next Friday.
Plans for an 18-game Scottish Championship season are set to be discussed next week
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With a new £125million Sky Sports contract commencing on August 1 the Premiership will be the first league to resume, initially behind closed doors.
And Championship clubs will hold talks on Monday over a proposal to stage a season of nine home and nine away game later this year or early in the New Year when supporters could be allowed back into grounds.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans for a phased exit from lockdown.
On Thursday night, however, Raith chairman Clark told Sportsmail that the cost of testing could force the second tier into cold storage until 2021 at the earliest.
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'I think what Nicola Sturgeon is talking about is, yes, professional football can start again - but maybe only at the Premiership level at first.
'Then it may be a phased introduction of it at Championship, then possibly - possibly - in League One and League Two.
The scaled-down season would consist of just nine home and nine away matches
'But, from what I'm hearing, it's very possible that the Championship might not start until January. And play only half the fixtures.
'So that's always a possibility - and that's based on the medical advice.
'It takes four to six weeks for players to train and get up to a professional level.
'And the testing costs for players and staff are enormous. I don't see how Championship clubs could afford to pay the costs involved - I really don't.'
Conscious of the need to grant Hearts a safe landing after relegation by committee from the Premiership, senior figures within the Scottish game insist the Championship will resume in some form.
However, Sportsmail understands the plan for an 18-game campaign placed in hibernation until autumn or winter will meet opposition from some Championship clubs on economic grounds.
Facing Covid-19 testing costs of between £3000 and £5000 per club per week, teams already deprived of gate receipts fear they would be unable to pay the wages of contracted players until the league finally got under way.
One league source said on Thursday night: 'This plan for a delayed resumption of a shorter season is being pushed by one or two clubs, but can we really afford to half the number of home games while paying players who aren't playing for six months? The league really needs to start in September.'
Scotland's lower leagues may miss a quick restart, with priority going to the Premiership
Clubs from Leagues One and Two, meanwhile, have asked for time to explore every possible option before agreeing to place the lower leagues in cold storage until January.
Chairmen from both divisions held a Zoom call with SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster and Chairman Murdoch MacLennan on Thursday.
Acknowledging that the costs of testing players could be prohibitive, Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy insists clubs would rather find a way to start playing games - even if it means losing money.
'There is a desire amongst clubs to explore every avenue to play behind closed doors if that's the option.
'We cannot see how it can be financially viable. But if we can get to a point where we are at least not losing too much money then I think that would be the best option.
'The alternative to that is going into hibernation for an extended period.
'And that would probably do more harm than losing money by playing behind closed doors.
'All clubs want to get back to playing football. They want to explore every option possible to get the game back on. But only if it's safe and affordable.
There is financial concern for clubs surrounding testing, especially with no gate receipts
'It's a case of asking now whether we can find way to make behind closed doors work for lower league clubs - or can't we?
'It would require weekly testing of players and staff and we need to ask now if we can do that?
'I think everybody ants to get football back if we possibly can. But we have to face the fact it might not be possible.'
Placing the lower leagues in cold storage could have a knock-on effect on the Betfred Cup.
Due to kick off in mid-July to fulfil a new broadcasting contract with Premier Sports, the SPFL still intend to play the League Cup if possible.
On Thursday night, however, Neil Doncaster admitted timing is an issue telling Sky Sports: 'A number of part-time clubs are unable to be up and running because they can't accommodate playing behind closed doors and that's going to be a particular challenge to the League Cup.
'We'll work with our other partners for that competition, including Betfred, to try and find a way to do that as well.'