Dunfermline Athletic chairman John Yorkston has offered a ray of hope to the three clubs leading the First Division promotion race.

Clyde, Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle all fear that, even if they win the title, they will not be allowed into the Scottish Premier League.

None of the clubs presently meets the SPL requirement for a 10,000 all-seater stadium.

But Clyde and Falkirk already have plans to build temporary stands to bridge the gap.

We have got to have a common sense approach John Yorkston

Yorkston said: "I would not be opposed to that idea myself.

"I don't believe that would breach any rules as long as they are covered stands.

"As long as the stands are passed by local safety committee, we could not object to it."

Yorkston was in Dundee on Tuesday with representatives of the 10 teams set to leave the SPL unless the Old Firm back down on a number of contentious issues.

One of the items on the agenda was the need to inform First Division clubs of the future make-up of Scotland's top league.

Should the 10 break away from the SPL and leave the Old Firm on their own, the other clubs might wish to invite First Division outfits to join them in a new league.

It has been suggested that a reduction in attendances would lead to a relaxing of the stadium rules.

An SPL spokesman insisted that the previous rule - requiring 10,000 seats to be inspected by 31 March for entry the following season - had not been altered.

But Yorkston said: "If Partick Thistle were going to demolish one of their stands and build a new one, and that took them below 10,000 for a period, then nobody would have a problem with that.

"We have got to have a common sense approach."

Clyde, in conjuction with North Lanarkshire Council, have plans for a fourth stand to add to their 8,000 capacity Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, but the permanent extension would not be ready for the SPL deadline.

Director Gerry Dunn said: "There's more to the issue than just an extra 2,000 seats, but a temporary stand is a possibility we haven't ruled out."

Tenders have gone out for Falkirk's new 7,800-capacity stadium and they hope to have work completed by August.

Falkirk general manager Crawford Baptie is still hopeful that the SPL would relax its rules if given assurances that the stadium, plus temporary stands, would be ready for next season.

Table-topping Caley Thistle also have plans to build a new stadium.