Chris Erskine, Darian Mackinnon, Paul Paton and Ian McShane are all players who have featured regularly in the top two tiers of Scottish football in recent seasons - so why will they be playing outside the SPFL next season?
Erskine and Paton have signed for Lowland League side East Kilbride from Livingston and Dunfermline respectively , while McShane and Mackinnon have signed for Darvel and Drumchapel United after leaving Falkirk and Partick Thistle.
Dropping into the fifth tier and below is becoming more common for footballers who could play at a higher level. But why? BBC Scotland takes a look.
Ambitious clubs aiming high
There has been a shift in the landscape of lower-league football in recent years.
Junior clubs, many of whom attract good crowds and are well-backed, have traditionally been separate from the senior game governed by the Scottish FA.
However, first in the east in 2018 and now in the west for the first time this season, clubs have relinquished their junior status (though can still play in the Scottish Junior Cup) and joined the league pyramid, with the chance to move into the SPFL.
Then there are other ambitious clubs in the Highland and Lowland Leagues, like East Kilbride and Kelty Hearts.
East Kilbride have dreams of reaching the Championship and become full-time within five years, having been in the Lowland League since its inception in 2013. Backed by local businessmen and brothers Paul and James Kean, who plan to build a new stadium and facilities, manager Stevie Aitken says it it is a simple vision to sell.
"When I spoke to the owners, they were so advanced with what they want to do," he said. "That's what impressed me, and I told the players: 'this is where the club's at, this is where they want to try and be - would you like to be part of it?'
"I think because Scottish football is in a bit of a bad situation at the moment, in terms of when we're starting back and shortened seasons, these players have looked and said it is a great opportunity."
Mick Kennedy, manager of Darvel who are in the newly established West of Scotland Premiership, took a similar approach in convincing McShane, Jordan Kirkpatrick, Jordan Allan and others to ditch the lower tiers of the SPFL to join their quest for the Lowland League.
"We can sell a bit of a journey for the guys," he told BBC Scotland. "We can say: 'Rather than bounce about from League One clubs to League Two clubs from one season to the next. Why don't you come and put roots down at a club still in the prime years of your careers and work with us to build it and move through the leagues?'"
A career focus
A big part of clubs being able to sell themselves to players previously out of their reach is facilities.
Darvel are backed by John Gall, who owns Browning's Bakers in Ayrshire (famous for the Killie pie), and have invested in impressive changing facilities which have been described as putting those of Celtic and Rangers to shame.
Kennedy says being able to create a professional environment helps convince those used to higher standards to join, but there is also a more fundamental element to players' decision to drop down to part-time football - a job.
Mackinnon joined Drumchapel United because they were able to offer him work with the roofing firm that backs them. Erskine has a personal training business which he can continue alongside his East Kilbride commitments, and playing for Darvel will allow McShane to start a modern apprenticeship.
Outside of the top few clubs, full-time footballers in Scotland do not make life-changing amounts of money. Kennedy believes the coronavirus pandemic has made players more aware of the need for a stable career in the long-term.
"These last few months will have an impact on players' decisions," he said.
"They'll be more aware of having a career behind them when they face such certainty. I'm sure there will be a vast number of players, unfortunately, who will be out of clubs at all levels.
"That puts us in a very strong position, where we've been able to create an environment that's very similar to where they've come from but also gives them a platform to build a career outside of football while still being part of a very competitive environment that's got a real vision behind it.
"I think it'll be a continuing trend, definitely."
And East Kilbride manager Aitken, formerly of Stranraer and Dumbarton, believes the current shake-up can only benefit the game.
"There's teams there [in the SPFL] just happy to make up numbers, to protect their own wee bubble and stop teams coming up," he said.
"I think now's the time to reconstruct and try and get more teams in there that have got investment and money and take the lower leagues forward - which would be good for Scottish football."