Edinburgh City face being EXPELLED from SPFL as same rule that cost Buckie Thistle comes home to roost

Edinburgh City could be ejected from the SPFL altogether - thanks to the same rule that cost Buckie Thistle their promotion playoff spot.

The cash-strapped capital club torpedoed out of League One last season, finishing on eight points after a six-point deduction in January for failing to pay their players. A financial implosion led to a number of key players leaving and manager Michael McIndoe had to pick up the pieces with various loan deals and budget signings from the non-leagues, but they finished the season with just three wins to their name and would have been comfortably relegated even without the docked points.

But it could be set to get even worse, according to the Scottish Daily Mail. It's reported that City have fallen short of the Bronze License which will be required for SPFL clubs next season, a rule which led to Highland League winners Buckie Thistle having their playoff semi-final with East Kilbride scrapped.

Current member SPFL clubs are required to apply for a period of grace to meet the regulations if they don't currently hit the criteria and it's believed each of the five who currently fall short will see their applications reviewed by the licensing committee next week. However it's believed that those who fall short of ground registration, stadium requirements, pitch condition and, crucially, financial fair play, by July 1 will see their pleas booted out the door.

And that had put City in grave danger of being ejected from the leagues altogether. Were that to happen, it's presumed both East Kilbride and Stranraer will assume SPFL status next season. The news wouldn't necessarily come to Stirling Albion's rescue, however, after they finished ninth in League One. League Two champions Stenhousemuir would be promoted, and the tenth spot in the third tier would still go to the playoff winners - either Stirling, Peterhead, Spartans or Dumbarton.