Ambitious Caley Braves manager Ricky Waddell would be open to the ambitious £3million proposal to allow Rangers Colts into the SPFL – but the ex-Ibrox Academy coach admits it should prompt a rejig of the whole league set up.
The proposals would see Rangers and Celtic Colts join the league at League Two, with suggestions that the division could be further expanded to include two teams from the Highland and Lowland leagues.
Waddell would be in favour of this and insists the introduction of Colts can impact ambitious non-league sides trying to force their way into the top-four divisions.
“For me, Rangers and Celtic coming in I’d be easy with that, but the whole setup would need to be looked at and the clubs at our level would be able to get promoted easier,” Waddell said [Lanarkshire Live].
“That would be to the extent where it goes into a play-off situation in the Lowland League between the top few teams instead of what it is at the moment – which is heavily, heavily against the Lowland League and the Highland League.
“I wouldn’t be against the Colts if the system in the SPFL was going to have more ventilation up the way, so ambitious Lowland League clubs can get up into the setup.
“If teams are not good enough in League Two and finish bottom, they need to come down.
“That’s football, that’s sport – it has to be performance-related.
“I worked at Rangers as a youth academy coach and I recognise that young players need to develop and they need to develop in a competitive environment, so that’s why Rangers and Celtic are wanting to do this – which I would tend to agree with.
“It gives them that competitive environment.”
Talks to introduce Colts have continually cropped up in recent years and it seems like it is only a matter of time before it actually happens.
Getting the best young players in the country out playing competitive games is crucial to their development and the Colts plan is the best way to open that up of them.
A former Rangers striker received rave reviews over the weekend for an all-action display in his first start for his new club following a surprise return to Scottish football.