Former Ayr United owner Lachlan Cameron tonight insisted Scotland's top clubs have been handed too much power.
The outgoing owner, who has agreed to step aside at Somerset Park, said the Premiership was an "iron gate" filled with teams "looking to keep their own little circle going".
Cameron has long called for clubs throughout the country to be given more of a say.
And pressed on the governance of the game when speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound show, he said: "We're a membership organisation and we've let ourselves get to the point where those of us lower down the table have given too much power to those at the top.
"We've taken away our own power to change things at the top.
"We're hamstrung and have no way to change it.
"There is too much power at the top and not enough spread around the leagues.
"It is an iron gate within the Premiership with teams trying to shut everyone else out and looking to keep their own little circle going."
Cameron insisted that writing off almost £1 million of his own cash during his time as Ayr owner was "worth it" to lead the club.
He added: "I don't think you can get into football at our level without expecting to have a financial input and not get much of a return.
"For me it was worth it – I can walk away with my head held high with everything we've done.
"The club is poised to build moving forward."
Cameron also hailed incoming owner David Smith as the right figure to develop the club both on and off the park.
He said: "The next five to 10 years will be a great time to be an Ayr United fan.
"Football entertains a lot of characters and not all of them are good.
"But I found David and he is the right way for us to go as a club.
"We've fallen out of the top four in the Championship and our fans are going crazy – that shows how far we've come.
"Now we're expected to be knocking on the door of the Premiership."
Also speaking on the show, former Ayr boss Ian McCall hailed Cameron as a "top man who will be missed from Scottish football".
The pair enjoyed almost five years together after Cameron handed McCall a chance at redemption in the Somerset dugout.
McCall, now boss of Partick Thistle, delivered the League One title in 2018 and brought through stars like Lawrence Shankland and Michael Rose.
The Jags manager said: "I know the type of people who tried to take the club from Lachlan down the years and he knocked them back.
"So although I don't know the new owner David Smith personally, Ayr United fans can be assured he is the right type."
