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The arguments on why this is a bad thing for clubs in League 2 and the game as a whole are utterly obvious and have been covered already, so to focus on a far less important but still significant issue here: would this actually benefit the players? There's a whole argument to be made on the likelihood of players who haven't broken through to the first team at 19-21 ever being good enough for the national team anyway, while it also needs to be explained why lower league clubs should be expected to degrade and ruin themselves in the name of producing players for the national team in the first instance even if it could be demonstrated that it would turn these youngsters into superstars, but I digress. The general argument is that youngsters should be given the opportunity to play at the highest possible level, as that gives the the best opportunity to develop whereas the Development League doesn't give them enough of a challenge (if that's the case I question why Rangers get pumped in it so often and finished 13th of 17 teams last season, but I'm digressing again). If you take it as a given that playing at a higher level is the best thing for a player, then presently for a youngster at a Premiership club who can't break into the first team, that means going on loan to the Championship. If we focus solely on the OF, they currently have the following development squad players on loan in the Championship: Joe Thomson (Celtic) Paul McMullan (Celtic) Jamie Lindsay (Celtic) Aidan Nesbitt (Celtic) Scott Roberts (Rangers) Jordan Thomson (Rangers) Tom Walsh (Rangers) Ryan Hardie (Rangers) If you were to add Aberdeen to that, since the Sunday Mail mentioned them as a future possibility, there'd be another six. Now, if we had OF youth teams in the lower leagues, none of these players would be going on loan to Championship clubs. Celtic and Rangers obviously aren't going to diminish the quality of their youth team in League Two by letting the likes of Lindsay or Hardie go out on loan to Championship clubs: that would risk not winning. So you'd have the situation where the best players among their youth teams were actually being held back and not given the opportunity to play at the highest level they're capable of. The likes of Kieran Tierney who can compete for a first team place are going to be fast-tracked straight to the first team, the players who are League Two standard or worse do get a benefit of experience of that level ahead of playing for a real club there, however the likes of Jamie Lindsay who aren't good enough for Celtic but too good for League Two get caught in a limbo where they aren't able to progress, meaning that when Celtic or Rangers release them after they get too old to play for the B team they've not got the experience at a higher level that the loan system gives them just now. Obviously there are some cases of players benefiting from time in the lower leagues and going on to play for the national team - Andy Robertson started out with Queen's Park at League Two (though having been released by Celtic for being too small at under-15 level he'd never have made it as far as a Celtic B team in League Two), Robert Snodgrass couldn't get a game for Livingston in the First Division at 19, went on loan to Stirling in the Second Division and got his move to Leeds 18 months later - but these are few and far between. The idea that a player like Paul McMullan or Tom Walsh would be turned into a international level player by getting a formative spell in League Two is utterly ridiculous, really. It's not like Rangers and Celtic are likely to promote players based on their performances at that level either: even when Rangers were in League One they released Kane Hemmings after he scored double figures in the Championship on loan at Cowdenbeath the season prior. How likely it is they'd give someone a shot based on hitting 20 goals in League Two rather than burning £1.8M on another Joe Garner? So, obviously a disaster for clubs at that level, makes a mockery of the league, is an even bigger insult to clubs further down and outside the pyramid than it is to those in L2, and as far as I can see is highly unlikely to develop players for national team anyway, not that that would justify the change in any case. The only beneficiaries I can see are Celtic and Rangers, who'll get even more pulling power to tempt youth players away from other clubs, and the media who'll have four more OF derbies to cover.

I'm not one of 'those' people but I saw a Channel 4 news link pop up on my feed this morning that showed a child in Aleppo, literally a toddler of 2 years old, burst open from the head, covered in dust, dirt and asbestos, looking every inch the tortured war victim that a child of his age should never look and shell shocked to the point he wasn't even crying whilst people in the hospital all around him were scrambling to find if both his parents had died or not. It fucking broke my heart completely to see this level of suffering inflicted on something so innocent and it's so normal for his little body to go through all this shit that he's just switched off emotionally at such a young age. I was in tears for this poor wee baby. Then you have this, this fucking utter garbage. To call it a non-story would do non-stories a disservice. It's a chancing arsehole and her precious wee torn faced (I mean look at him, you can tell he's a bellend) angel moaning about a fucking £400 lump of plastic....not even moaning, going to the press to try and secure a fucking freebie to make this wee arsewipe's Christmas 'perfect'. This sort of shit makes me irrationally angry and I'm not usually one of those 'babeh's are dying in Afrika FFS' types. But to see real horror this morning, then an hour later, this garbled nonsense really boils my fucking piss. The media in this country should be utterly ashamed of themselves for even giving this bitch a shred of credence.

Rangers have some nerve demanding this considering it was only a few seasons back they were in league two. Instead of playing youngsters then they brought in the likes of Kevin Kyle. It is completing pandering to the Old Firm and would mean league two would be finished as a proper contest.

How many current Scottish internationalists and by that I mean the regulars, have Celtic & Rangers produced themselves compared to the rest? Forrest is the only one I can think of. Hibs & Hearts always had a decent representation (amongst other clubs) over a number of years and did we have a colts team? No. We gave the youngsters a fucking game. Celtic could easily afford to play someone like Henderson/Christie every single week because 90% of the time they'll win and win comfortably. The solution to youngsters in Scotland progressing isn't giving these c***s their reserves a route into the professional league, its to stop them stockpiling the youngsters and let them go away elsewhere and play.

You let your club die. That's proper shite.

The pitch frozen solid... Finishing with the greatest picture of the Jerry Kerr stand that you will ever see...

It's like Sophie's Choice, only you hate both your kids.

Athletics being ran at Cappielow in 1893. Not exactly sure where in the ground this is but I'll take a guess at the Cowshed/Wee Dublin End corner.

What boils my piss at airports more than anything else are the fucking fannies at the luggage carousel who crowd around it and stand about an inch from the belt as soon as they get there, wait for their case and block the way for everyone else. It's dead fucking simple. Stand about 6 feet back and watch for your case, then step forward to collect it when you see it and get the f**k out of the way. This allows everyone to get their case unobstructed and clear the area. Genuinely seething every time I'm in an airport at this and I wish these people dead.

This thread is designed as the definitive place to read up on all of Stenhousemuir's transfer activity and developments over the next few months. Every other team has their own close-season topic, and the Warriors should be no different. What we do know: Colin McMenamin, Kieran Millar and Ciaran Summers are all signed on for next season Chris Smith and Ross McMillan have joined Stirling Albion, while Bryan Hodge has moved on to Forfar Athletic Paul McMullan has returned to Celtic at the end of his loan agreement and is very unlikely to come back next term David Irons has returned to Ochilview as an assistant manager The playing budget for next season will be cut by around 25 per cent Plenty to get to grips with in there, anyway. Of the players out of contract, I think it's important we keep Alan Lithgow, Ross Meechan and Greg Fleming. I think there might be a player somewhere in Jamie McCormack and reckon he might just do us a turn. The rest can go. I'd feel a little sorry for Josh Watt as he tries his best but he's just too damn frustrating but the rest have let us down or haven't been good enough. We can't be expected to duke it out at the bottom of the division with laconic jobbers like Tony Marenghi in the side. As I said on another thread, this year will be a struggle but at least we're mentally prepared for it. At this stage I'd reckon we'll finish in the lower reaches of the table, if not bottom. I'm hoping to be a little more positive come August.

Take any picture of Somerset and convert it to Black and White. Pretty much the same

The day colts are in the league set up is the day I stop going to watch Scottish football

Has anyone ever seen Andy Broon and Robert Thomson in the same room?

9/10 South American geography letting me down.

Our beloved auld Brockville - and one with Fergie getting a roasting from Wullie Cunningham, just before he led a player strike!

Sorry but that's bad form, not something to point score over

Virgin Mary socks @throbber

Where the East Stand now is at Palmerston Park, Dumfries. Used to be Jimmy Jolly's Bullshed or the Coo Shed.

The worst thing about going through airport security is the puddle drinkers that, once their stuff has been through the x ray machine, stand and put their shoes/belt back on and gather up their stuff at the conveyor belt. They handily provide a wee table for you to do it not 3 feet away. Pick your tray up, go over there and get out of the f*cking way.

Add me to the 'if this goes through I'm done' list. Absolute shambles it's even been thought of let alone discussed.

Maybe we should suggest that the colts are placed directly into the premiership. That way the youngsters are playing against the top players in the country. It will be much more beneficial to them. Enhance their experience by taking the pressure off by having no relegation. The Old Firm could shit in their own woods.

I'm sure premier sports will have millions to give us after how many subscriptions they would've received for people wanting to watch the Colt teams in the challenge cup. Increased sponsorship? What is attractive about under 20 old firm teams ffs? They both currently play in training grounds infront of nobody but their mums and dads. You are deluded.

Grandbairn No4 here safe and sound. Wee Myla Elizabeth weighed in at 8 11oz and 56cm long. I'm nerves are wrecked, as she was born at the side of the road on the A1 by my son, with the help of a very nice man on speaker

"Give me enough silver coins and i'll let you stick it anywhere big boy"

Only an idiot would think that the EU makes most of the key decisions for its member countries.

Brilliant stuff. I think Ross Meechan is "doing a Willie Lyle" - he's quickly gone from junk into an icon. Not too sorry to see Moutinho or Faulds go. The former was only ever a stopgap signing and the latter had talent but only ever showed it once every seven or eight matches. He could do some great things on the ball but was frequently caught out in possession and could never impose himself. I'm not surprised Martin Grehan didn't sign on - I was hoping for big things after his season with Straraer but he was injured for long periods and sometimes gave the impression he couldn't be bothered. I wish all three players well.

I'd be happy to get Mark Baxter in, I've always thought he's a solid (if unspectacular) presence at right-back. I also have a feeling we'll sign Stuart Malcolm from Forfar Athletic. Don't ask me why, I just do.

There's our No. 1 for next season sorted.

He offered nothing, but I can't imagine he was very paid much (if at all). I think he missed the game against Brechin City because he attended Falkirk's Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibernian. I don't think he'll be kept on next term, certainly not in a playing capacity. He was popular with a small group of younger supporters though. They brought a Portugal flag to a couple of the games.

The away end of East End Park last season for a big game against Forfar.

A guy on my feed's dog has died and I can't cope with the photos of his wee face. Need to find more girls with massive tits and quickly.

Cappielow in the ?60's. Not much changed.

If the Old Firm are allowed B teams I would like Stirling to enter a B team in the Premier League.

What's wrong with cheering for Fu? Higgins is a c**t who should've been banned like Lee and Hann were. Glad he lost.

I see computer literacy is listed as one of the essential skills. Kris Boyd will be fuming.

Fascinating maps

Yes. This too. I hate people in airports. There's also the reprobates who stand with their nose two inches from the gate as soon as the flight gets called if it's one with no allocated seating. Arseholes.

Yep, you're going soft - it's utter shite and she needs telt.

Shat it.

A league personal best score (or certainly equalling) 8/10. Knew 5 and gutted to have gone wrong with one of the easiest flag questions in recent times!

They'll be hoping some chairmen are idiots. And I don't think that's an unrealistic hope.

It doesn't, actually. The SFA had the option not to make an appointment or to call for more applications. The 'he was the best of a bad bunch' argument has no credibility.

Stick to googling newspaper reports,you are an idiot

^ The total ("popular") vote was irrelevant in this year's election. The Trump campaign, rightly, focused on winning enough votes in the electoral college. If the contest had been decided by the total number of votes nationally, the Trump campaign would have had a different strategy. Trump would have spent more time in the states that the Democrats had sewn up, especially California. Pathetic losers like Michael Moore ignore or fail to grasp that basic point.

Get this idea, Malky Mackay, Stewart Regan, the whole SFA, the Old Firm and their sympathisers so far tae that we never ever speak of it again. The racist, sexist, anti-Semitic homophobe asked to be judged on what he does in the job, not on his past. That's you judged already Malky. Nothing new, just more of the same pandering to the Old Firm that fits in so well with the SFA's party line. B Teams would be the death of senior football in this country. It'll help the Old Firm get richer. It'll help the Old Firm keep young guys in their squads, without getting a sniff of top team action. It'll create an uneven playing field where club's with multi-million pound budgets, stunning facilities and no fans are competing against proper football clubs with a fraction of the budget. And it will kill any prestige linked with winning a lower league title. If ANY senior club votes in favour of this, and I suspect Morton will, then they need to be hounded by their own fans. It's the only way they might (and I mean might) listen.