SPFL: Clubs to vote on plan for new fifth league

Celtic and Rangers, as well as Hearts, currently field B teams in the Lowland League

Plans for a new fifth-tier league in Scottish football, which could expand the B teams system, have been put to SPFL clubs for consideration.

If they vote in favour, the new division would sit between League 2 and the Highland and Lowland Leagues.

Celtic, Hearts and Rangers already have colt sides in the Lowland League where they cannot be promoted.

A new 10-team Conference League could see as many as four Premiership clubs fielding sides in the first year alone.

B teams would not be allowed to gain promotion to League 2, which could lead to a scenario of a mid-table club facing a play-off for promotion.

It is understood clubs in the Premiership who want to field B teams would meet the costs for the new set-up, which could be up and running as early as next season.

Another proposal includes the expansion of League 2 from 10 to 16 teams, with the extra coming from a mixture of B sides and Highland and Lowland sides.

Clubs have been given two weeks to respond to the proposals.

Mick Kennedy, manager of West of Scotland League leaders Darvel, has criticised the plans.

Kennedy, whose whose sixth-tier side stunned Montrose and Aberdeen to reach the Scottish Cup last 16 this season, wrote on Twitter: "Only in Scotland would league reconstruction to progress our game relegate over 200 clubs.

"Anyone who supports this should be ashamed. There is a reason the new conference requires no voting power, because they already know it's wrong on so many levels."