Plans to introduce a Celtic B team into League 2 for the start of next season are being finalised for a vote by SPFL clubs.
A Rangers B team and two sides from the Highland and Lowland Leagues would also be added to expand the fourth tier to 16 teams. Should that motion fail, a strategic partnership between Premiership clubs and lower-league teams is also being looked at.
The notion to have B teams in the lower leagues stipulates that the maximum age for players would be 21 and that Celtic or Rangers’ second string could not be promoted above League 1.
Many people, including ex-players, feel that Scottish Football has suffered without youngsters having the chance to play reserve team football. The reserve league was abandoned a few seasons ago and the Development teams now just play friendlies. B teams are used in Germany, Portugal and Spain, and have provided a pathway for players to first team football across Europe.
A group was set up last summer to establish B teams getting to the lower levels of the senior game. Their detailed proposal has now been passed on to the Professional Game Board within the Scottish FA.
Included in the proposals are the following five points:
- Clubs in Leagues One and Two to benefit by at least £100,000 over five-year period
- Loans of under-21 players between clubs can be increased from two (current) to five
- B teams will be able to play in Challenge Cup but not the Scottish Cup or League Cup
- B teams will have no voting rights and no rights to any distribution money
- The only change to the financial model would be teams in first and second place in the Premiership, who would forego £290,000 for the first five seasons.
The group have revealed that there will be no changes in terms of the current set-up for the Premiership, Championship and League 1, though that may change in the future. Where League 2 is concerned, the proposals must be approved by both the SFA and the SPFL boards prior to the clubs being asked to vote at a special general meeting.
