Why Hearts could benefit from Rangers and Celtic colt teams plan

A fresh attempt to introduce Celtic and Rangers “colt” teams into the Scottish league set-up could benefit Hearts by saving the Gorgie club from relegation.

The concept of the Glasgow club’s reserve teams playing in the bottom tier has been mooted at regular intervals in recent years but has always been resisted by lower division clubs.

However, Rangers are reportedly pursuing the idea once more as part of a proposal to revamp the league which will be presented to clubs next week.

The climate for pushing through the idea might now be more favourable, with many sides in a parlous position due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and football’s shutdown.

With little prospect of matches being played in front of paying customers any time soon, clubs are facing chronic economic problems.

According to a report on the BBC, Rangers will propose a new 14-14-18 league set-up with an expanded bottom tier including Celtic and Rangers colt teams as well as Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts, the champions of the Highland and Lowland leagues.

A 14-team top flight would likely mean Hearts staying in the Premiership, with another team from the Championship joining them, probably Inverness Caley Thistle.

Hearts were relegated last month when the SPFL board ended the season with eight rounds of fixtures remaining. The Tynecastle side were bottom when football was halted in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The final league standings were based on an average of points won per game over the course of the incomplete season.

The BBC report claims both Old Firm colt sides would pay a £125,000 “joining fee” to become part of the SPFL set-up, starting off in the bottom tier.

Further reduced payments would be made in each of the following three campaigns.

The money would go to clubs in the bottom tier and add up to £1.2 million of “new finance”.

The colt teams could be promoted only as high as the second tier.