Conference League plans blasted as 'shattered' Albion Rovers board addresses relegation

Albion Rovers have shot down Conference League plans as their board spoke of their heartbreak at breaking a 120-year spell in Scottish senior football.

Rovers' new-look board say controversial plans to install a league between League Two and the Lowland/Highland Leagues will hold clubs back ‘at their level’ and won’t help Scottish football as a whole.

The new Conference containing Premiership B teams would slot in between League Two and the Highland/Lowland Leagues, creating a new fifth tier for the start of the 2024/25 season and put another barrier in place for ambitious clubs in the tiers below to reach the SPFL.

But the Cliftonhill club also said they were “shattered and deeply saddened” after a 2-0 aggregate defeat against the Spartans sent Rovers down to the Lowland League next season.

In a statement issued to supporters, the club board said: “We would like to put on record that we do not support the creation of the Conference League.

“At last night’s board meeting this was agreed unanimously by all board members, taking into account the clear opinion of our supporters, who have voiced their concerns online and at our recent AGM. We are listening.

“The proposal is of no benefit to Albion Rovers or to the clubs in and around our level of football.

“This would still have been our position had we retained our SPFL status.”

The statement spoke about their recent ejection from League Two, saying: “Everyone on the board of Albion Rovers Football Club is shattered and deeply saddened with this past season and our subsequent relegation into the Scottish Lowland Football League – ending our proud, unbroken 120-year stay in Scotland’s senior leagues.

“As the board of Albion Rovers, we accept ultimate responsibility for this.