U-19 Champions
With a lack of matches going on this time of year is traditionally a time for talking shops with reconstruction and amalgamation annual favourites.
Only three SPL fixtures survived the weekend with some lower division clubs now having gone a month without a match and any gate money.
Revolution is in the air this morning with plans for the SPL to takeover the SFL and various options being floated.
Play-offs, ten team leagues and winter breaks are all being offered up but the suggestion that a Celtic XI or reserve side may be about to be revived is one of the most interesting.
In any deal between the SPL and SFL there will be a lot of trading going on with the offer of Celtic and Rangers playing on a weekly basis likely to be one of the main incentives to lower division clubs.
Any moves for change are certain to face resistance with the football business hardly renowned for innovations and moving with the times.
Having a Celtic XI anchored in the lower division shouldn’t pose a threat to any club’s existence and should bring some extra publicity and attention even if it’s unlikely to have any noticeable effect on attendances.
The need for Celtic to have an outlet to develop players between u-19 level and first team level is glaringly obvious.
Ryan Conroy, Milan Misun, Dominic Cervi, Sean Fitzharris, Declan Gallagher and Danielle Giordano have all been sent out on loan to the lower divisions this season with variable levels of  success.
Having a Celtic XI playing every week would give players invaluable experience of football at the sharp end where senior professionals are playing for their bonus and a shot at the big time.
Stepping up from the u-19 set up into the first team is asking an awful lot of any player with only Aiden McGeady and Stephen McManus making the transition in the last decade.
So far this season Celtic’s u-19 side have played nine competitive matches and unless Saturday’s match with Hearts goes ahead they won’t play game number 10 until the end of January.
While the players enjoy the best in coaching and conditioning there is no substitute for regular matches to develop players.
It may be almost a footnote to the great and glorious plans to be revealed over the next fortnight but the return of a Celtic reserve side playing league football could be as significant for the club as any of the other planned changes.
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