The perennial debate over league reconstruction will return to the agenda on Tuesday when the matter is raised at the quarterly meeting of Scottish Professional Football League clubs.

Falkirk will table a motion to start the conversation about change to the structure of the nation's professional divisions, with the main focus being on the groundswell for an increase in the number of teams competing in the top league.

So what are the options which will eventually come onto the table?

Ask football fans in Scotland what they want to see and the consensus is for a bigger top flight.

The current case for an enlarged Premiership centres around several key arguments. It's claimed a bigger league would give more opportunity to "big clubs" currently playing outside of the top flight an opportunity to flourish.

There is also the well-worn argument that fans are simply bored of facing the same opponents three or four times a season on league business. So how can change be achieved?

A straight increase by even numbers, playing a regular season without any quirks, would create an imbalance in fixtures. A 14-team league would either mean 28 or 42 games, neither of which would find favour.

Similarly, a 16-team league would mean 30 matches, a drop-off of four home fixtures per club. In revenue terms, it is unlikely that would be a popular move.

Some form of innovation would be required, which would probably mean the retention of a league split during the season.

The last time efforts were made to increase the top flight, various ideas were floated. The one which gathered the most traction was a three-division structure of 12-12-18, which would have seen the top two leagues split into three groups of eight midway through the season.

Few would entertain the idea of making the top division even smaller, but there are arguments to be considered.

Take the Scottish FA's "best versus best" philosophy for the development of young talent. Some say an expanded league would give more game time to youngsters, but could an even fiercer competitive environment also help their progress?

Fans of simple league concepts would also welcome the return of say a 10-team Premiership, which would give a 36-game season.

Sticking with what we've got may not be a popular option but it is worth reviewing what positives the current set-up actually provides.

Since the introduction of relegation play-offs, the story of the bottom half of the table has been frequently compelling. Given how tight the league as a whole generally is between 11 clubs, there is constant danger for many of slipping into the second relegation spot.

The split also has its critics but it provides sub-plots to the league at various stages of the season. The race to get into top six creates meaningful games throughout, while post-split games in the main have teams with something to play for.

The current financial distribution model is another factor. At present, it is weighted towards the top 12 clubs, with recently-improved but lower amounts going to those in the second tier.

If the league is increased, money would have to be found to ensure teams 13 through to 16 receive a competitive amount of cash to have a fighting chance to flourish in the top division.

If there is to be change to the top flight, some form of reconfiguration to the three other professional leagues will inevitable have to follow.

Previous attempts to change back to three divisions, with an 18-team bottom tier, were thrown out during the last reshuffle.

The influx of clubs to the Championship typically associated with the top tier also raises a debate over maintaining a second-level league which is competitive and well-funded to ensure a smooth transition of teams to the Premiership.