Old Firm welcome say Kilby
Colt teams proposal for Lowland League
East Kilbride Football Club have this week stated they would embrace Old Firm Colt teams in the Lowland League.
Last week it was revealed the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) will canvass its 42 members for their views on allowing Colts sides — ‘B’ teams — into the pyramid set-up from season 2018/19.
Colt teams from the Scottish Premiership competed in the IRN-BRU Cup last season and will do so again in the 2017/18 campaign.
But now the SPFL are looking to take things a stage further by allowing them to enter the setup at the bottom of the pyramid, via the Lowland and Highland Leagues.
Under the proposals Colt teams would “float” within the pyramid up to and as far as League One.
Even if a Colt team was to win the division or finish in a promotion slot, this would be ignored “for the purposes of identifying the teams to be promoted and for participation in the Championship/League One PlayOffs,” according to a document circulated to SPFL members.
The option to enter a ‘B’ team would be open to all SPFL clubs, but it’s understood the cost of running a second match-day operation would prohibit only the biggest clubs in the country from taking part. Celtic and Rangers would lead the way with Aberdeen and Hibs reported to be considering the idea. Should EK still be in the Lowland League in 2018/19, it would deal a big blow to their hopes of winning promotion to League Two. However, the reigning Lowland champions — who missed out on promotion last month after losing to Cowdenbeath on penalties in the play-offs — would welcome the move. A club spokesman for East
Kilbride FC told the News this week: “The Colts idea is one of a number of things being mooted, so it’s too early to say if this will definitely happen.
“However, it if were to happen, we would embrace it.
“It might make it more difficult for the teams in the league on the park, but I think it would put the Lowland League on the map.
“If you attach Rangers or Celtic to anything, it gains interest.
“It might even help the club in terms of having bigger attendances and challenging the players, who will be facing stronger opposition.
“If it happens, it’s something that could benefit the game as a whole.
“It works well in other European Leagues and, if implemented correctly, people in Scotland would buy into it.”
Clubs have until Friday, June 30 to submit their interest to the SPFL, who have stressed the proposals are at an early stage and are reaching out to its members to “gauge interest.”
Rangers and Celtic’s Colts already play in the IRN-BRU Cup, with both sides exiting last season in round two and round three respectively.