Celtic have described today`s reconstruction veto as a missed opportunity for Scottish football as they expressed confusion over St Mirren and Ross County`s change of heart.

Celtic proposed a change in the voting structure for future league reconstruction to a 9-3 majority instead of the current 11-1, but both Saints and County rejected the compromise at today`s Scottish Premier League meeting.

A club statement read: "Clearly we are disappointed that today's proposals have not been voted through. We believe this is a huge missed opportunity for the whole of Scottish football.

"We were pleased a number of months ago to have achieved unanimity across all clubs on the proposals for the way forward.

"We do not understand the rationale now offered for rejecting these proposals and the unwillingness to take the game forward positively.

"It is unfortunate that the vision shown by the vast majority of clubs is now not shared by all.

"We believe these positive proposals would have fundamentally enhanced Scottish football for the future."

Celtic had agreed to give up a significant proportion of their potential prize money, given they are expected to win the league for the next few years, to secure the 12-12-18 structure.

They believed the game needed freshening up with chief executive Peter Lawwell admitting concern at the number of Parkhead season-ticket holders who have not been turning up this season.

The statement praised SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster for his efforts and continued: "We understand today's events are unfortunate and the implications for the game will generate some uncertainty. However, Celtic has strong foundations and will look forward.

"We have enjoyed a tremendous season, we are on the verge of securing back to back SPL titles and yesterday we ensured our place in this season's Scottish Cup final.

"This, at the end of a season where we joined Europe's elite as one of the top 16 clubs across the continent.

"While we have not reached agreement on these proposals, our club is fundamentally in a very healthy position and now we move on. We thank our fans for their continued support as we move forward."

Doncaster says he will remain in his role as chief executive of the SPL for as long as the clubs want him despite today's failure.

He said: "I'm here for as long as the clubs want me to be here.

"I believe very much in the Scottish Premier League and I will do my utmost to continue to do the best by that league.

"There is a lot of work to be done by the entire executive team over the summer.

"We've got sponsors to find. We need to bring as much money as we can in to benefit the SPL clubs and that work will continue."

Doncaster added: "I'm extremely disappointed for Scottish football as a whole.

"But I'm particularly disappointed for the First Division clubs, who were really relying on this vote today, relying on the SPL clubs allowing a redistribution of income that would have enabled clubs in the First Division to sustain full-time professional football in an environment where it's so difficult at the moment.

"That redistribution of money, the single league, the pyramid structure, play-offs - all of those benefits have now been denied us by this vote today."

All 12 clubs had previously reached unanimous agreement in principle on the proposals.

Asked why two clubs subsequently opted not to back the plans, Doncaster said: "That's a question you would need to ask individual clubs.

"What I can't do is talk about individual clubs and the way they voted or the reasons they voted that way. That's a conversation you will have to have with them.

"For my part, we, as an executive, have carried forward these proposals.

"On two occasions, the proposals have come in front of clubs; on two occasions, they have been unanimously backed by all 12 clubs.

"But, at the final hurdle, when we needed 11 clubs supporting, 10 put their hands in the air and two did not."

On whether failure to gain unanimity when it came to the crunch was embarrassing for the SPL, Doncaster said: "More than anything, it's just disappointing."

Asked whether the proposals were now dead in the water or could be revisited in the future, he said: "The idea of cherry-picking was discussed today.

"The difficulty is that one club's cherries are not another club's.

"Consensus can only be achieved where there is real compromise on all sides.

"That's what got these proposals to the point that we had, with 12 clubs voting in principle of taking them forward.

"It's just at the final hurdle, when we needed 11 clubs, two clubs voted against."

Despite suffering such a major setback, Doncaster was adamant that the SPL remains an attractive product as they seek sponsorship for the top-flight.

He said: "The SPL has got a great deal going for it as it is.

"We are already, per capita, the highest supported league in Europe. SPL football is watched around the world in many countries.

"It's a game that's got a great deal going for it, it's a league that's got so much going for it.

"It's just disappointing that, at a time when so much work has been carried out to take these proposals forward to improve the game even further, and which would have benefited the First Division, that, at the final hurdle, we fell short by one vote."

He added: "The broadcasters made it very clear last year when they signed new long-term agreements with the SPL, despite the loss of Rangers last summer, there remains a real belief in the league.

"It's just disappointing that these plans, which would have improved the game even further in this country, have suffered the knock-back that they have today."