Kids frozen out in our top flight

Pat Nevin insists top-flight clubs ignoring their youth talent are missing out on future transfer cash after it emerged just 17 Scots aged 21 or under have started Premiership games this season.

The former Scotland winger argues that continuing to fund youth programmes and giving kids a career path in their sides will eventually pay for itself.

The shocking statistic comes after MailSport revealed that more than three-quarters of the players signed by Premiership clubs in the last three transfer windows were non-Scots.

That prompted former Scotland manager Craig Brown to implore UEFA to reintroduce rules limiting the number of non-natives for teams in European ties – as they did in the 1980s and 90s.

Now we can reveal kids are finding their pathway blocked as top-flight bosses look for quick fixes and pick battle-hardened veterans ahead of quality youths for their first teams.

Only five of the 17 have racked up double figures this season.

Nevin said: “I can understand why managers are reluctant to play teenagers because they don’t have the time to build teams and improve the kids coming through.

“The churn in managers is so great these days so most are reluctant to start a development player when they could sign a ready-made older one to go straight into their side.

“When I was chief executive of

Motherwell there was a rule that so many Under-21 players had to be in squads on match days.

“All that happened then was that the youngsters started on the bench and usually stayed there.

“Motherwell were placed in administration – against my will – by the then owner John Boyle during my time at Fir Park but I’d already made sure that youth development was ring-fenced.

“It is just as well because James McFadden, Stephen Pearson, Lee McCulloch and David Clarkson who all came through went on to play for Scotland and the transfer fees they brought in saved the club.”

Nevin believes that investing in young talent should, in the long run, pay for itself.

He said: “Clubs are suffering from the cost-of-living crisis too but bringing players through the ranks can help overcome that.

“It’s a problem and there’s no silver bullet. But clubs need to recognise that youth development and their first-team squad are separate but equally important things.

“They should be working with but not for each other and they should each have their own budget.”

Scotland Under-21 coach Scot Gemmi l l last week named his 23-man squad for the friendlies with Sweden and Wales this month.

Just eight of those called up have started a top-tier match this season and nine have never made a single appearance for their club.