Celtic’s B team are expected to play their final Lowland League fixture this weekend, according to a report from The Scottish Sun, bringing an end to a five-year spell in the fifth tier of Scottish football. The move would mark a change in how the club develop young players.
Since joining the Lowland League in 2021, the B side has provided a platform for academy players to step into senior football. It offered regular matches, but the level has often been questioned, especially when compared to the demands of the SPFL.
The current thinking appears to be moving away from that model. Instead of keeping players within a controlled B team environment, the club are looking at sending more prospects out on loan to Championship and League One sides.
That approach has already been tested. Several young players have spent time at Ayr United, where minutes have come in proper competitive games with pressure on results. That kind of setting is closer to what they would face if they were pushing for a place in Celtic’s first team.
Recent examples back that up. Kyle Ure, Francis Turley and Jude Bonnar have all featured regularly at Somerset Park, while Ben Summers joined them during the January window. Elsewhere, players like Josh Clarke, Aiden Rice and Andrew Kyle have also gained experience at different levels of the Scottish game.
The Lowland League run looks set to end with a trip to face East Stirlingshire at Ochilview. Jonny Hayes’ side currently sit mid-table, but results have never been the main focus of the project.
What stands out is the limited pathway from the B team into the first team so far. Only Owen Moffat has started a senior match after coming through that route, which raises questions about how effective the setup has been.
By shifting towards loans, Celtic lose some control over development, but players gain exposure to a higher level of football. Decisions around minutes, roles and positions will sit with other managers, not Lennoxtown staff.
It’s a different route, and one that puts more weight on how players handle real first-team environments rather than structured development games.
Celtic should scrap the B team and the Ladies, not because they are that bad, but because the B team route to the first team has been blocked by the Manager in the last few seasons, and as for the Ladies, they are completely underfunded ( same as first team).