KELTY HEARTS will have the chance to win promotion to the SPFL after it was announced that the pyramid play-offs will go ahead.

This afternoon, both the Scottish Football Association and SPFL have released a statement confirming that Barry Ferguson's Lowland League winners will play their Highland League counterparts, Brora Rangers, in a two-legged tie.

READ MORE: Kelty still in limbo over pyramid play-off

The winners of that will then subsequently play the team that finishes bottom of SPFL League Two - Club 42 - over two games for the chance to play in that division next season.

Both clubs, and the SPFL, have announced the first leg will take place at Brora Rangers' Dudgeon Park on Tuesday May 4 at 7pm, with the return at New Central Park on Saturday May 8.

The SFA conducted a draw to determine who would be at home first.

Kelty Hearts said: "We are happy to announce that our play off match has been given approval to go ahead by the SPFL and SFA, the 1st leg will take place on Tuesday 4th May 7:45pm at Dudgoen Park, Brora with the return leg on Saturday 8th May 3pm at New Central Park, Kelty.

All at the club would like to thank George Fraser, David Baxter and the SLFL (Scottish Lowland Football League) Board for their huge efforts in what has been a very trying and difficult few weeks for the pyramid and our club on and off the park. We are delighted we now have clarity on what we have ahead of us, we look forward to the 2 legs against Brora Rangers and visiting Dudgeon Park on Tuesday."

Kelty, who had played 13 games, had been declared Lowland League champions on a points per game (PPG) average last month after football beneath the SPFL Championship was halted in January due to concerns over COVID-19 cases.

SPFL Championship clubs were allowed to continue with weekly testing, but football beneath that was stopped.

However, the Scottish Cup, League One and League Two were allowed to resume last month with testing in place, but there was no return for non-league football.

That led to the Lowland League and Highland League ending their seasons and declaring a winner to contest the pyramid play-off, leading to Kelty being granted a professional sport exemption from the SFA to resume training, which they have done for the last three weeks.

In their statements, the SFA and SPFL said that they had "sought legal clarification, overseen by a judge, on the correct interpretation of the Pyramid Play-Off Competition Rules, which are embedded in the respective rules of each of the SPFL, the Scottish Highland and Lowland Football Leagues".

They went on: "Having established that Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts have been correctly identified as league champions of the Highland and Lowland Leagues respectively - and the SPFL having determined that they both satisfy its Membership Criteria - dates for both legs of the Play-Off match and the Pyramid Play-Off match will be announced by the SPFL shortly.

"A draw also took place this afternoon by the Scottish FA to establish that Brora Rangers will play at home against Kelty Hearts in the first leg of the Highland and Lowland League Play-Off tie."

Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA chief executive, said: “The principle of the Scottish football pyramid is of huge importance to the integrity of open competition. It was vital, given the implications for all three clubs, that the respective organisations took all practicable steps to ensure that the play-offs could take place.

“We are delighted that the decision by the judge corresponded with the view of the Scottish FA and provides the necessary clarity to the league bodies and certainty to those clubs affected.”

Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the SPFL, added: “Like so many aspects of our sport, both the clubs and the SPFL have been in uncharted territory as a result of the disruption caused by COVID-19. We are 100% committed to the principle of the sporting pyramid but were understandably keen to ensure that any decisions reached were both fair and in accordance with the rules and agreements of all four organisations. 

“We therefore worked with the Scottish FA to conduct an arbitration in front of a senior judge and are very pleased that the position has been definitively clarified, and that this season’s Pyramid Play-Off Matches will proceed as normal.”