Champions, Licences and Rule B1: Our View on the Pyramid

For us, this is exactly the kind of situation the pyramid should be designed to avoid. A title has been won on the pitch, yet the champion has no opportunity to compete for promotion and supporters are denied meaningful, season‑defining games. That outcome is disappointing for the league, damaging for the credibility of the pyramid and, above all, deeply frustrating for fans who have backed their team all season.

At the same time, the Lowland League has recently voted, by 9 votes to 6, to adopt a new version of Rule B1. Caledonian Braves voted against this change.

The new B1 rule keeps the long‑standing requirement for clubs to be licensed, full members of the Scottish FA, but adds specific infrastructure thresholds – a capacity of 500, at least 100 covered seats, Bronze‑standard floodlights – and an automatic nine‑point deduction for existing clubs who do not meet and maintain those criteria by 1 January, subject to a discretionary derogation.

Our concern is not with raising standards. We fully support robust criteria for progression. Our concern is that this particular change does not target the real problem and risks creating new ones.

We see three main issues:

• First, B1 selectively elevates a narrow set of infrastructure items instead of taking a holistic approach based on the full Bronze Licence criteria. That makes it harder for clubs and leagues below to understand what “ready for progression” really means.
• Second, the nine‑point deduction is a very heavy sporting sanction for issues that often depend on third parties such as councils, landlords and contractors. It risks distorting promotion and relegation for reasons only partly within a club’s control.
• Third, B1 does not solve the core problem that has just been exposed again: whether the champion actually holds the required licence, or has been granted a period of grace, by the national authorities. Those licensing decisions sit above the league and remain decisive regardless of B1.

Club responsibility and the pyramid

First and foremost, responsibility for securing and maintaining a Bronze Licence lies with each club. The criteria and timelines are well established. Any club with serious ambitions to win a league and move into the SPFL has to treat licensing as a central part of its planning, not an afterthought. When a champion fails to obtain the required licence, it reflects poorly on the club, the league and the wider pyramid, because we collectively end up with champions who cannot represent their competition on the biggest stage.

We believe the system needs to send a much clearer signal on this point. In our view:

• A champion club that fails to meet Bronze Licence requirements should face a defined sporting consequence, such as a points deduction applied in that season.
• At the same time, the best‑placed Bronze‑licensed club in the division should be eligible to take part in the Pyramid Play‑off in their place, subject to the agreement of the national authorities.

This approach would underline that licences matter, without leaving the pyramid empty‑handed. It would ensure that the league still produces an eligible representative for the play‑off, while making it very clear that failing to secure Bronze carries a real cost in terms of league position and opportunity.

A better way forward

Alongside this, we see value in a more structured and supportive process:

• Treat the SFA Bronze Licence, or an approved period of grace, as the decisive gateway for any club that aspires to reach the SPFL.
• Identify promotion‑ambitious clubs early in the season and review their licensing progress at agreed points, in partnership with the SFA, so problems are picked up in time to be fixed.
• Offer practical help and clear guidance where clubs are genuinely working towards compliance, while also making it explicit that if milestones are missed and Bronze is not achieved, the consequences are understood in advance.
  
  

We recognise that this will demand more from everyone. Clubs must take licensing seriously and invest accordingly. The league must be realistic but firm about expectations and must ensure that any future amendments to B1 and related rules form a coherent framework that supports these objectives rather than adding complexity without protecting the pyramid.

Caledonian Braves will continue to argue for a system in which:

• Champions are both deserving on the pitch and properly prepared off it.
  Standards are high, clearly communicated and fully aligned with national licensing.
• Incentives and deterrents are proportionate, predictable and understood by all clubs before a ball is kicked.

We remain committed to being a progressive, forward‑thinking club within a strong and fair Lowland League, and to playing our part in building a pyramid that gives champions – and Bronze‑ready clubs – a clear and credible route to the next level.