BOSSES at Hampden will decide on the future of Vale of Leithen at a special meeting next month following problems with crowd capacity at Victoria Park.

The Innerleithen side are the only club in the Lowland League yet to gain the required SFA Entry Level Licence.

Significant improvements have been made around the ground in recent months to comply with the Licence. But the necessary enclosure capacity of 100 has not been met.

Vale general manager Mark Lamb told us: “We had everything else ticked of and expected the capacity to easily be 100.

“Scottish Borders Council’s building control people thought otherwise and we now have additional work to do to the enclosure.

“We have been up front all along with the SFA and they have been very supportive. We are confident this last part of the jigsaw will be in place before we go back to Hampden next month.” Vale have purchased more than 100 seats from Whitehill welfare which will be fitted into the enclosure.

But they will also have to install steel barriers to satisfy the local authority.

Vale’s first home game of the 2015/16 Lowland League will be next Wednesday when they welcome neighbours Selkirk.

But before that they face the difficult journey tomorrow (Saturday) to Dalbeattie Star.

Manager Ian Little will be without the injured Kenny O’Brien. And Lamb admits he will be a miss. He added: “Kenny has shown that he is a big player for us but he could be out for four or five months. We just have to get on with things without him and we do have a good squad of players. I’d rather be going down to Dalbeattie at this time of year than in the middle of winter and we have done well there recently but it will be a tough opener.

“We know the quality that Selkirk have and that will be another tough game. All the games in the Lowland League are tough.” Amongst Selkirk’s summer signings are former Livingston and Berwick rangers midfielder Ross Gray.

Former France Under 20s and Marseille midfielder Florian Moulet has also returned to Yarrow Park.

Steve Forrest’s side welcome Edinburgh University to Yarrow Park tomorrow before heading for Innerleithen on Wednesday to face Vale. Forrest added: “We need to get off to a good start and I’ll be disappointed with anything other than a win against Edinburgh University.” Gala Fairydean Rovers take to the road for their league opener tomorrow against Preston Athletic.

All of Saturday’s games kick off at 3pm.