Reserves poised for title

Celtic's reserve side can clinch 8-in-a-row by beating Hearts next week in a game scheduled to be played at Stirling Albion's Forthbank Stadium.

After Rangers delayed the Rangers-Celtic reserve match due on March 17, Willie McStay's side returned to action with a 1-1 draw against Inverness Caley Thistle on Monday of this week.

Rangers 2-0 defeat from Motherwell yesterday leaves Celtic 10 points clear at the top of the league with four games left to play with Celtic clinching the title with a win over Hearts or a Rangers failing to beat Aberdeen.

Reserve titles on their own mean very little but there's little doubt that over the years the success of the Celtic reserve side has contributed greatly to the success at first team level.

Stephen McManus is the most obvious example, indeed he is going for his own personal 8-in-a-row having helped the reserves to four titles before being promoted to the first team where of course he is heading for another 4-in-a-row.

Others like Aiden McGeady and Shaun Maloney had brief reserve 'careers' with their promotion almost automatic through from youth team to first team.

Reserve glory has never been the aim, otherwise players like John Kennedy, Scott Cuthbert, Paul McGowan, Paul Caddis and Cillian Sheridan wouldn't be sent out on loan.

Those players would gain little from reserve team football which allows others like Jason Marr, Kevin Cawley and Danny Lafferty to step up into the reserve side to test themselves at a higher level.

The club's recent influx of young Eastern European players have been given valuable exposure and experience to becoming a Celtic player in a competitive environment where winning is expected.

No allowances are given for youth, winning is demanded but there's plenty of flair about the reserve side with Paddy McCourt and Mark Millar probably the most influential players in the current squad.

The future can rarely be predicted but the development of players is assured at Celtic, those good enough to move up from the youths get their chance, those too good for the reserves get loaned out for extra experience.

Hopefully Caddis and Sheridan will be part of next season's first team picture, Millar could be a dark horse as well with possibly McCourt or Koki Mizuno taking the leap from useful substitute/stand-in to a contributor at first team level.

Hail hail to the reserves regardless of what the SPL attempt to do next season, surely club's can carry squads capable of playing 22 games over a ten month season?

SPL Reserve Table