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Partick Thistle will seek "justice" on the pitch rather than in court after their "sickening" relegation.

The Firhill club say they cannot risk the six-figure sum legal action would cost and will instead target promotion from League One when the season starts.

The SPFL's reconstruction proposal - which would have reversed the demotions of Thistle, Hearts and Stranraer - failed after only 16 clubs backed it.

Thistle have demanded the SPFL set an October start date for League One.

The club feel "badly let down" by the SFPL board and added that the organisation has shown it is "unfit for purpose" in recent months.

"Court action is our preferred route. However, the reality is that the cost to do so is prohibitive for us and it comes with no guarantee of success," a club statement read.

"We are entitled to feel rage about this injustice, but we should channel that anger and use that money to deliver our own justice in the form of a club whose only stated intention is promotion next season."

Thistle were two points adrift at the bottom of the Championship, but with a game in hand, when the season was ended early on a points-per-game average amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Second-tier clubs have agreed to play a shortened 27-game campaign, which is scheduled to start on 17 October.

"We cannot be stopped from playing and clubs in our league have indicated they are able to play. League One must start in a similar timescale to the Championship," Thistle added.

"The SPFL has no reason to further harm our club by delaying the announcement of our fixtures when announcing other leagues."

Stranraer chairman Iain Dougan says lower-league clubs have become "weary" with attempts to reconfigure the leagues in the wake of last season being curtailed.

The proposal for an expanded top flight - and promoting Highland League champions Brora Ranges and Lowland counterparts Kelty Hearts in the bottom tier - fell well short of the 75% threshold required.

"I'm disappointed but not surprised," Dougan said. "At lower level a lot of clubs have just had enough.

"It's bad enough that they can't start back playing without having all the different variations of reconstruction. Some of think we have more to worry about than saving Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer."

Hearts have begun legal action against their relegation and Dougan admits Stranraer could benefit from that.

"We don't have the money for a legal fight," he added. "It would be a case of if Hearts did win, we would sort of piggyback on it. If there was anything coming out of it we would probably gain."