Scottish clubs face votes on measures to boost young players

Scottish football is considering quotas and other measures to give young homegrown players more time on the pitch, after figures presented to clubs showed under-21s accounted for just 4.1% of minutes in the Scottish Premiership.

The figure, discussed at a September summit of all 42 SPFL clubs, compares with 15.1% in Denmark’s top division. Scottish-born players made up 28% of starters in the opening round of this season’s Premiership fixtures, against 72% in Norway’s equivalent opening weekend.

The Scottish FA has proposed requiring two Scotland-eligible under-21 players to start in Scottish Cup and Premier Sports Cup matches. It has also proposed that clubs across the four SPFL divisions give eligible under-21s an average of 60 minutes per league game — 6% of available playing time.

The Scottish Cup proposal was due to be considered at the SFA’s October annual meeting, but the vote did not take place. The SFA says it is expected in mid-December. A separate vote on league and Premier Sports Cup proposals is due at the SPFL’s annual meeting this month; changes would need the support of 11 of the 12 top-flight clubs.

Different approaches to developing players

The debate is sharpened by the experience of former Inverness Caledonian Thistle academy player Calum Ferguson. He made two first-team appearances after graduating at 18, then moved through lower-league clubs and played in Canada and New Zealand. Now a development officer with Alba Football Alliance, he says young players and their families can be led to expect a route to first-team football that most will not get.

Norway offers one comparison, though its approach goes beyond quotas. Its league rules require each full squad to include 16 homegrown players and limit matchday squads to nine foreign players. Viking FK’s Nicklas Fuglestad, 20, says the rules make it easier for academy players to step up.

Håkon Grøttland, who leads player development at the Norwegian Football Federation, points instead to long-term investment in coaching and facilities as central to Norway’s progress. He says artificial pitches helped make football a year-round sport; between 2016 and 2025, 539 were built and another 586 redeveloped. Norway also created a national development structure linking grassroots clubs, districts, professional clubs and the federation.

St Mirren manager Craig McLeish, who says he gave six homegrown players their debuts by September, argues the Scottish proposals do not go far enough. He also doubts more far-reaching measures would win approval. Managers, he says, face pressure for results and may hesitate to risk untested young players when a run of defeats could threaten their jobs.

Scotland has produced players including Andrew Robertson, John McGinn and Ryan Christie through its youth system. Whether clubs will back rules designed to give the next generation more opportunities remains to be decided in the votes ahead.