Celtic in talks with Ayr United over co-operation agreement

Celtic are in talks with Queen's Park about a co-operation agreement where players can be loaned freely to the Championship side, it can be revealed.


The Scottish FA are set to bring in a new system where clubs in the Premiership or Championship can sign an agreement with clubs in League One, League Two or the Highland and Lowland leagues allowing them to place a maximum of three players eligible to play for Scotland’s national team on a ‘cooperation list.’

Those players are able to move freely between the two sides over the course of the loan rather than only being able to be recalled in a transfer window.

The parent club will continue to pay the player's salary but can recall him at any time and send out a replacement



This will come into place when the transfer window opens on June 16. The loan system will also remain in place, meaning clubs can use both to get their young players more game time at a competitive level.

Several clubs are already in talks, as revealed in The Herald, with Celtic being one those.

Discussions are ongoing with Queen's Park about entering into a co-operation system.

The clubs have an existing relationship with the Hoops having loaned out Adam Montgomery and Dane Murray in recent times.

 

Setting the rule change aside, but from a historical perspective, shows how times have changed since the origins of Celtic.

Way back when Celtic was founded and for the first 5-6 years or so, the main rivalry that existed was primarily between Celtic and Queens Park. While anti-Irish and to a lesser extent sectarian sentiment did provide some of the cause of friction, the main contention was the question of professionalism, in which QP as the Establishment club adherence to * status and attempted to enforce that across the Scottish game, while Celtic were very much at the forefront in pushing for the introduction of professionalism.

While this did enforce a period of 'shamateurism' prior to it being allowed c.1897 and by the time Queens' Park finally accepted professionalism in 1899/1900 the proverbial horse had bolted. But it was during that period of shamateurism of the 1890's in which R******, who previously really had not made much of a mark in it's first two decades of existence, rose to prominance as the avatar of the professional 'Establishment' club until their death in 2012.

Anyhow, moving forward from the 1890s to 2025, and now apparently making a formalized arrangement to have them being a destination club for loanees.

 

Are they no bang in trouble financially and in free freefall since going full time?

Possibly why we're stepping in and seeing an opening?

 

It’s not a financial helping hand though is it? Just a partnership for players to be loaned under this new scheme I think

 

This is HUGE if true. Exactly what i have been wanting us to do for years. young and fringe players could get game time and still not have to move to another city. What i dont know is how many players a team can loan from the same club in a season?

Makes a lot more sense sending players locally instead of Belgium.

 

Austria is where we have the official partner in Admiral Wacker, Belgians just seem to like us

 

I doubt if they were in good financial health that they'd be as willing to be some sort of feeder club..

They went full time. Had a lot of backing which Haughey has seemingly stepped back from. Were hoovering up lots of kids from English academies that hasn't worked..

 

According to an article on the bbc site:

"A maximum of three players can move freely between the parent club and lower league club."

 

If we could have 3 every season playing regular championship football, that is far better than 11 players playing lowland league. If an 18 year old performs well there, extend his contract and I bet you'd get a better loan the following season to improve further.

 

I hate it for some reason.

 

Being able to freely loan 3 players to a team in the championship is a much better level for developing our young players than the current b-team. ideally we'd have a b-team in there but can't see the other teams voting for it, even though it'd probably increase some of their gate receipts playing us, this is probably the best we'll get for now.

 

Has this ever worked?

 

It's definitely a step in the right direction IMHO. If this agreement with Queens Park gets set up we can now have our top 3 prospects out playing regularly but still have full access to them if needed. Plus while only 3 guys can go out like that we can still if we want loan them more players on the older system for 6 months or the full season. So in that scenario we could have 5 or 6 guys out there at the same time with full access to our top 3 guys. Personally I still think allowing us to have our own B team playing in the league system just not able to get promoted out of the championship would be the ideal but this at least is an improvement.

 

Queen’s have long been linked with a tie-up with Celtic. Asked if tonight could help that process, Crighton added: “It can certainly help.

"It’s been rumoured for a few months that we’ve been in talks with Celtic. Until it’s all finalised, we just don’t know.”

 

Think the rule is you can send any 3 on any week . So a player can play for them one week and then our b team the next and we can send a different player. So plenty of players could get time there over the course of the season. Maximum of 3 at a time. "Player can be recalled at any time and a replacement sent".

 

That's interesting and a refreshing change

 

In all honesty does that really benefit Queen’s Park at all?

 

If there is injuries or suspensions then definitely. Could help them if they are short in a position for a couple of weeks. Over each half of the season it should be the same 3 if possible though.

 

Wonder if that might one of the loan destinations for Inamura that we have in mind. A full season in the championship would let us see what he can offer.

 

Yeah, we shouldn’t be trying to bring back the players unless we feel they’ll impact our first XI (which won’t happen).

not sure if I’m remembering incorrectly but did Queen’s Park get rid of their youth teams? Can’t remember who but I’m sure last season one of the championship clubs stopped theirs.

If so this would make way more sense for them too