Celtic, Rangers and Hearts will again field B teams in the Lowland League next season after member clubs officially voted for their inclusion last night.
The move gives breathing space for those planning a new Conference League involving reserve sides from the three Premiership clubs plus Aberdeen to be established at tier five of Scottish football in 2024-25. Scottish football’s Pyramid Working Group has been looking at options for the new division which would see the four B teams joined by a mixture of clubs from the Lowland and Highland Leagues - with the Premiership’s second strings barred from winning promotion from the new Conference into League Two.
Although it has still to be formally voted in, it’s expected to get the go ahead in the coming months. To plug the year-long gap before the restructuring comes into play, the Old Firm and Hearts B teams were seeking entry back into the Lowland League. The controversial move has long attracted controversy from ambitious clubs lower down the pyramid who argue their pathway is being blocked to cater for the professional sides.
