Former Celtic and Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish has suggested playing a one-legged play-off between Hearts and Dundee to decide who plays in Scotland's top-flight.
The Edinburgh club await the outcome of an indicative vote on league reconstruction to keep them in the Premiership and could pursue legal action if sent down.
But Dalglish believes reforming the SPFL structure should not act as a lifeline for Hearts.
Rather, he believes the Tynecastle side and third-placed Championship team Dundee should clash for the right to be the 14th club in a July certain raiser for the new Scottish season.
In his Sunday Post column, Dalglish said: "The reconstruction has been driven by Hearts owner, Ann Budge, and there is clear, and understandable, self-interest involved, given the position her club finds itself in.
"I don’t think, however, that increasing the size of the Premiership to 14 teams should guarantee that the Jambos avoid relegation.
"The current recommendation would be that Inverness Caley Thistle join Championship winners, Dundee United, to get the Premiership numbers to the required amount.
"Fair enough. But in the interest of the much-trumpeted sporting integrity, I’d like to see it go further.
"My suggestion is that Hearts should play Dundee, who finished third in the Championship, in a play-off match. A one-off game at a neutral venue.
"Surely, such an important decision should be decided on a football pitch and not round a negotiating table?
"Remember, Hearts finished bottom of the league. So why should they be given special treatment this season?
"And would Ann, the management and the players not feel better about themselves if they felt they had earned the right to be in the Premiership next season by achieving it on the field of play?"
