Would Scottish football benefit from B teams?

There are few things which spark a more furious reaction in Scottish football than the suggestion of Old Firm 'B' teams entering the SPFL.

The debate reignited last summer when Rangers' "innovation paper" surfaced, and after a working group took on some of their proposals, a vote on introducing colt sides into League 2 will now be held by all 42 SPFL clubs.

Lots of managers and coaches have been talking up the idea as a way to develop young players, but some lower-league chiefs and fans feel it cheapens their competitions.

But others feel it's just a vehicle for Celtic and Rangers to maintain their decades-long dominance of Scottish football. Very early indications from a survey launched on Tuesday by Supporters Direct Scotland suggests more fans are against the idea than for it.

But with the introduction of colt teams seemingly closer than ever before, what are the arguments?

How does it work elsewhere?

The rhetoric in favour of 'B' teams is that they give young players the chance to play first-team football between 17 and 21 against physically stronger and smarter opponents. Ones who are scrapping every week for win bonuses and promotion.

This presents an altogether different challenge to the somewhat sterile environment of the under-23 or reserve league (which is not like the old reserve league where first-team regulars would often play).

Former Hearts midfielder Neil MacFarlane is head coach of Brentford's B team. The Championship club withdrew from the English academy structure in 2016 and scout young talent locally and from abroad.

The move has been a roaring success, producing 16 players for the first team in four years. A first team that is currently in the play-off places with their sights on the Premier League once again.

"It is as close as you can get to a first team," MacFarlane told BBC Scotland. "We run it the same way, we have the same amount of staff, we put the same amount of effort into it. My job is to make sure they're game-ready for first-team football."

Unlike the current proposal in Scotland, which will place Rangers and Celtic in League 2, Brentford do not play in a recognised division.

Instead they compile a fixture list of games against elite academy teams and first teams, both locally and in Europe. In recent times, they have played development teams at Chelsea, West Ham, RB Salzburg, Bordeaux, Rangers, Celtic, Hibernian and Aberdeen, and the first teams of FC Astana, AFC Wimbledon, Paphos and others.

"We were branching out and really testing the boys and playing against men," MacFarlane said. "But also different cultures, different ways of playing, educating them that way.

"If I was to take the FC Astana game, we matched them in fitness, technically and tactically, but on set pieces, we really struggled. We couldn't deal with the physicality.

"It let the boys know what first-team football is because when you step into the first team, you need to be able to deal with a 6ft 3in centre-back coming up for a corner."

Does it develop players?

Having pulled out of Scotland's reserve league, Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs have tried to embark on a more varied path, but their opposition is not as diverse.

MacFarlane believes even the subtle move of calling it a 'B' team, rather than a reserve or development squad, brings the environment closer to the first team, and his side always train near the 'senior' squad.

Many countries in Europe have B teams within their league structure, with the likes of Portugal and the Netherlands having success using them to develop talent. At Ajax, Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs De Ligt both played for the B team, while Joao Felix did likewise for Benfica.

Both clubs were found in a recent study to have produced the most players currently in Europe's big five leagues, though an outstanding academy is also a large part of that.

In the US, several MLS franchises have a second team in the second tier. Scottish-born forward Daniel Steedman plays for Atlanta United 2, who are coached by former Aberdeen, Hibernian and Newcastle midfielder Stephen Glass.

"Most young guys have to learn to always take it 100% seriously," Steedman says. "When you come up against guys who are a lot physically stronger and more athletic, there's no leeway to goof off.

"At Atlanta it's basically an extension of the first team. They try to treat it as one big team."

What about lower-league clubs?

Despite the benefits, allowing colt teams into the league set up would represent a fundamental change to the Scottish football eco-system, and one many lower-league clubs are sceptical of.

Some are stung by previous mishandled attempts to force colt teams through, and there is concern about what allowing them in would do to the integrity of the competition and the baggage large Old Firm travelling supports in particular might bring.

Iain McMenemy, chief executive of League Two club Stenhousemuir, is on the working group and was a big proponent of strategic partnerships between lower league and Premiership clubs, so much so that the Larbert club have entered into one with Hibs.

But while these are mutually beneficial, colt teams are a tough sell to fans of lower-league clubs. The Supporters Direct Scotland survey - which has only been live for a day - suggests a majority remain unconvinced. Of course, that depends on who you support.

"Our football it's important to our supporters and they don't want to see anything that would cheapen that," McMenemy said. "It's about development for them [colt sides], not winning titles. It's how that faces off against your club trying to win a championship. The objective clash is one of the main things."

Peterhead manager Jim McInally arguably summed up how most fans feel on BBC Scotland's Sportsound earlier this week.

"I don't think the onus is on Scottish football to develop Celtic and Rangers' best players," he said. "The onus is on Celtic and Rangers to develop those players. You need to play with men, it's not just playing against men."

MacFarlane, though, maintains the benefits of the B team he has witnessed at Brentford can help the national side - although he warns it is not a silver bullet.

"The more we push our young players, the more opportunity we have of increasing the standard," he adds. "But we have two analysts, three physios, a sports nutritionist, sleep coaches, an assistant manager and full coaching staff. We have everything at our disposal to make players better."

A version of this article was first published on the BBC Sport website on 19 June, 2020