Are Celtic trying to ignore their B team in the Lowland League?

Celtic opened their Lowland League campaign with a 3-2 victory over Broxburn Athletic on Friday night on Airdrie’s plastic pitch.

Two goals from Rhys Dargie and an own goal got Celtic off to a winning start but it seems that the club doesn’t want to highlight or promote the team.

Team News merited a tweet, as did the half-time and full-time scores but there is no match report on the club website to describe the goals or how the scoring went.

A decade ago the club would have a reporter at u-19/u-20/Development League matches with a decent report published within 20 minutes of the full time whistle with video interviews with a coach likely to be online before midnight.

So far this month there has been two stories on the club website about the B team, both fixture announcements. There was no mention of pre-season friendlies although Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool both reported on wins over Celtic.

On the squad page they have Josh Clarke out on loan at Partick Thistle but list Jude Bonnar and Kyle Ure in the B team squad, both played on Sunday against Ayr United.

Three points to kick off the season, with an own goal alongside a Rhys Dargie double securing victory ?#CELBRO | #CelticFC? pic.twitter.com/t3Bz3PeF2a

— Celtic FC B (@CelticFCB) July 25, 2025

Fortunately the Broxburn website provides some details of the Celtic goals

 GOAL! Celtic B equalise two minutes later. Francis Turley finds Rhys Dargie who drives from the right past numerous Broxburn players before finding the right corner with his shot.

Followed by

We have a stoppage in play on twenty-eight minutes as Emmanuel Obiwide and Marcus Lavery collide heads unintentionally. Fortunately, both players can continue, but Broxburn are down to ten men as Marcus Lavery is cut open.

GOAL! Celtic B punish ten men Broxburn and take the lead. Sean McCardle feeds in Rhys Dargie who slots his shot into the right corner leaving Mikey Andrews no chance.

CELTIC B 2 (Dargie-31 Minutes)

It is unclear why Broxburn were down to 10 men.

GOAL! Celtic add a third. A good through ball by Sean McCardle finds Rhys Dargie whose shot is saved by Mikey Andrews and hits of Andy Rodden and into his own net. Very unfortunate for the Broxburn left back.

CELTIC B 3 (Own Goal- 54 Minutes)

Broxburn pulled a goal back in the 75th minute but Celtic held on for a 3-2 win.

Mitchell Robertson captained the Celtic side which probably sums up the stagnation of  ‘youth development’

The 20-year-old defender has played in 16 UEFA Youth League matches over three seasons, against the two Madrid clubs, Lazio and Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig and finds himself playing against Broxburn Athletic on a Friday night.

Over the same period he has 78 appearances in the Lowland League to his name. Robertson is six months older than Lennon Miller.

Sean McArdle caught the eye in two first team substitute appearances at the end of last season, he also started against Broxburn.

Either Celtic have very strange career development plans for these players or they are refusing to sign new contracts and suffering the consequences.

On Tuesday the B team are away to Edinburgh based Civil Service Strollers.

In June 2023 Michael Nicholson revealed that the club ambition was to be world class in everything they do, presumably that will include the Academy/B team.

?? First team news of the season ?

Here is how the young Hoops line-up for this evening’c #SLFL clash against Broxburn Athletic ???#CELBRO | #CelticFC? pic.twitter.com/lPz8TwhzTU

— Celtic FC B (@CelticFCB) July 25, 2025