Dumbarton chairman John Steele has exclusively revealed that the club are aiming to kick off their 2020/21 campaign in October.

League One and League Two clubs have been asked by the SPFL whether they would like to resume competitive football in either August, October, January or if they plan to “hibernate” for the duration of the season.

Premiership clubs are set for an August start date with the Championship set to get back under way in October.

An October start would mean 27 league fixtures would be played, and a January relaunch would result in an 18-game term.

Clubs have until this Friday, June 26, to respond and the Reporter has learned that October looks like a feasible start for the Sons chairman.

He said: “Like many clubs we are obviously keen to resume footballing activities as soon as possible, within proper safety guidelines.

“It looks to us that October is the most realistic date for this to happen.

“We have a working group established within the club, looking at all the issues relating to restart.

“At present that is focussed on an October return, but evidently we will need to be flexible as circumstances develop.”

Meanwhile, the club has also announced that they knocked back proposals to change the league format in the SPFL.

Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer were pushing for a reform to a 14-10-10-10 structure after their relegations from the Premiership, Championship and League One respectively.

A vote from clubs in the top four divisions failed to gain the numbers required and the current divisional arrangement remains, meaning relegations stand.

Sons chairman Steele said smaller clubs would have been negatively affected.

He told the club’s website: “After careful consideration, the directors were regrettably unable to support the proposal for league reconstruction put before us earlier in the week, not least due to the likely financial impact on some smaller clubs, including our own.

“The difficulties and challenges brought about by the current pandemic are painful for all of us. But Dumbarton FC remains committed to the principle of reform and to finding a path for progress in Scottish football, and we will continue to do everything we can to make that happen.”