Hearts may have to wait until mid-October before resuming play if the final proposition for league reconstruction fails.
All 42 clubs have been given until 10:00am on Monday to submit their response in an indicative vote to a proposal that would see Hearts and Inverness Caledonian Thistle joining Dundee United in an expanded top flight, while Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts, winners of the Highland and Lowland Leagues, would join the bottom tier.
The plans would also save Partick Thistle and Stranraer from relegation to the third and fourth tiers respectively, but should there be insufficient support as seems likely then Hearts will be destined for the Championship.
In addition, a vote amongst Championship clubs on playing a reduced 27-game campaign starting behind closed doors in mid-October will take place and early indications suggest that this will pass.
The SPFL have also asked for assurances from Championship clubs that they will be able to fulfil all fixtures in the shortened season.
The Championship season usually lasts 36 games, with each side playing against the other four times but under these plans, that would be revised to three.
The promotion and relegation play-offs would remain in place.
Hearts owner Ann Budge has previously threatened legal action should the club’s top-flight status be taken away.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
