​Berwick Rangers barred from contesting SPFL Trust Trophy again

​Rangers were one of six representatives of the Scottish Lowland Football League, along with Heart of Midlothian and Celtic’s colts, involved in the challenge cup’s initial stages on an invitational basis, beating St Mirren B 3-0 at home in July in round one but losing 4-0 away to Dumbarton in round two in August.

No explanation was offered at the time about the decision-making involved in those invitations being issued but as three of the league’s six teams involved had prior Scottish Professional Football League experience but lower recent table placings than other teams without – Berwick, Cowdenbeath and Albion Rovers – it was suggested by some that it was more of an old pals’ act than a selection process based on merit or meeting specified criteria.

That failure to take merit into account has prompted the Lowland League, chaired by Gala Fairydean Rovers vice-chairman Thomas Brown, to snub the competion and the Premier Sports Cup going forward, though the SPFL have yet to confirm the intended future format of either.

A spokesperson for the fifth-tier league said: “Clubs have now voted upon the proposal submitted and, based on the decision of the majority, the Lowland League’s official agreed position can now be confirmed as being that their clubs do not wish to be considered for invitation to the SPFL’s cup competitions if the SPFL chooses to issue such invitations based on clubs’ former membership of the SPFL.

“The league’s preferred position remains that invitations should be based upon sporting merit in line with UEFA commitments.

“While we respect the SPFL’s right to select participants for their cup competitions as they see fit, we firmly believe that these places should be allocated to teams based on their efforts and achievements on the field of play and not because they are former members of an organisation.”

Current table-toppers East Kilbride are the league’s last men standing in this season’s challenge cup – Rovers, Cowdenbeath, East Stirlingshire and Bo’ness United having also been knocked out – and they’ll play Queen’s Park away in its semi-finals on Tuesday, January 28, with a place in the final against Dunfermline Athletic or Livingston at stake.