Non-Old Firm clubs want to introduce a 9-3 voting system in the top league to replace the 11-1 majority that is now needed to allow changes to go through.
Ibrox administrators Duff and Phelps have indicated they will support the present system that effectively gives the Old Firm a veto on change, protecting their larger slice of revenue.
John Yorkston, chairman of Dunfermline, has claimed the 10 dissident clubs could break away to form another league but he said yesterday: ''We have not discussed that yet. It could be an option but nothing has been agreed on anything like that."
He disclosed that members of the Gang of 10 would talk to the administrators of Rangers in an attempt to change their minds over sticking with the status quo.
Yorkston hopes the clubs could achieve their objectives by ''peaceful negotiations''.
The Gang of Ten held a meeting without their Old Firm counterparts present last week and at it they agreed to pursue change at a special general meeting of the SPL at Hampden on April 12.
''This was described as disrespectful by Celtic,'' said Yorkston. ''But Celtic and Rangers have chats all the time about matters concerning the SPL."
Yorkston claimed ''the move for democracy'' had no hidden agenda on the size of the league of the distribution of gate money.
''Some of the clubs do not want gate money shared ,'' he said. ''I do not favour a 10-club league but some other clubs might.''
Any move to break away from the SPL would be heavy with complications. Clubs would have to indicate a two-year notice period and then form what Yorkston called an ''SPL 2''.
The option for the Old Firm would be to invite 10 SFL clubs to join them in a league.
But this split is far from guaranteed. The row will rumble on but Yorkston admitted change was difficult because of the ''catch 22'' system of the 9-3 system preventing any move to an 11-1.
''The only way we can effect change is by calling a meeting. We have done that and we hope to persuade others of the value of our case.''
The weighted voting system was passed by all of the inaugural members when leading clubs split from the Scottish Football League to form the SPL in 1998.
