Kelty Hearts have issued a response to address "uncertainty and speculation" over their decision to pause their academy operations.
The club have said they have highlighted "concerns" that they had over its set-up, that has led to them calling a temporary halt to their under-17 and under-19 teams at the end of the season.
They released a statement after the Times were approached by several sources who claimed that the move left players and parents "blindsided".
A meeting of more than 60 people was held last Tuesday, attended by Kelty Hearts chief executive, Jim Kirks, where news of the club's decision was delivered, understood to mostly those in the under-17s.
It is believed that those in the older age group were informed after playing in away match, in Perth, against St Johnstone.
Those who came forward to the Press did not wish to be named, but claimed that the meeting had been hastily-arranged, and that financial sustainability, and "influence from the Scottish Football Association", were cited as reasons behind the move.
One source claimed that it "could not have been more poorly received", and that "rather than looking to the future with optimism, there is real cause for concern".
However, the club have now given their side of the story, with chairman, Jordan Gardner, revealing he has been "shocked and dismayed at the current ‘academy’ setup that we inherited" after completing a takeover of the New Central Park outfit in January.
The 'Maroon Machine' have also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Kelty Hearts Community Club, a registered charity, founded in 2018, which runs community initiatives on the football club's behalf.
"I would like to address the recent uncertainty and speculation regarding our decision to temporarily pause the under-17 and under-19 ‘academy’ setup at Kelty Hearts Football Club," Gardner stated.
"We’ve spent the last several months evaluating every aspect of this football club.
"That starts with the first team, the off-field operations, the match day experience and goes all the way down to the youth setup at this club.
"Throughout this process, I’ve been shocked and dismayed at the current ‘academy’ setup that we inherited when we bought this club."
He went on to state that the academy was "hastily set up without full compliance of SFA rules and regulations"; has had "extremely poor financial management, with no oversight of the academy bank accounts, or a clear picture of who has access to the finances, or where that money is going"; and have no "proper academy director with the prerequisite qualifications and experience to oversee a professional level academy".
Gardner went on to say that the club had highlighted those "concerns" with those running the academy, "giving them ample opportunity" to address them ahead of next season.
However, he said that they hadn't been, which in turn has led to the club's decision.
In emphasising that it "in no way" impacts their commitment to youth football, Gardner continued: "We fully support the Kelty Hearts Community Club and it will always be a hugely important part of the wider Kelty Hearts family.
"Since its inception in 2018, the Community Club has played a vital role in developing players, creating opportunities for young people, and strengthening the connection between the club and our local community.
"We want to reassure players, parents, coaches, volunteers, supporters, and sponsors that Kelty Hearts Community Club will continue to be a key part of our future for many years to come.
"Everyone involved with Kelty Hearts Football Club remains fully committed to working closely alongside the Community Club to provide clarity, stability, and continued support across all age groups and sections.
"There are no changes to the commitment we have towards the Community Club, and we look forward to continuing to help it grow and thrive in the years ahead."
The Kelty chairman added that the understood wider concerns relating to the academy move, but that "I only ask that you give us the time and space to address these issues so we can build a proper youth setup that everyone in this community is proud of for future generations".
The club have also said that they will "continue to work positively with Fife Council to ensure New Central Park remains a multi-use facility that serves the wider community", maintaining access for schools and the community club at competitive pricing levels.
Last summer, Kelty announced that their academy had been accepted into Club Academy Scotland (CAS), an elite performance pathway for youth football.
It is a Scottish FA structure that "defines, operates and partially funds" the academy system across Scotland, alongside a games programme, governing the development of players from the age of 11-19.
Clubs are assessed against set criteria, and a set of measurable performance outcomes, and placed into elite, performance (progressive) level and performance level, and advanced youth level, categories.
At the time, the club, who were placed in the latter of those categories, said that the "exciting development marks a significant step forward in the growth of our club", which "represents another key milestone in ensuring long-term success and a strong pathway from grassroots to senior football".
Earlier this year, a consortium led by Gardner secured an 80 per cent shareholding in the 'Maroon Machine', with 20 per cent owned by 'Kelty Hearts FC Members Ltd', a company incorporated by the outgoing board of directors.
The club's new owners spoke of their plans to build the club in a "sustainable and prudent manner", with Kirks telling the Press: We're here to build slowly, improve the infrastructure, improve the pitch, improve the on-pitch performance.
"That's what we're about."
On the pitch, the club have had a rapid rise over the last decade, leaving junior football to reach their tier of the SPFL four years ago.
However, with two games of the League One season to go, they are bottom of the table, five points adrift of second bottom, Hamilton Academical, with a vastly inferior goal difference.
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