Latest news with #CooperationSystem
Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Hibs duo join Gala Fairydean Rovers on Cooperation System loans
Hibs defender Owen Calder and winger Jamie McMurdo have joined Gala Fairydean Rovers on Cooperation System loans for the 2025/26 season. 18-year-old full-back Calder joined Hibs in November 2016 and signed his first professional contract with the Club in September 2023. He spent three months on loan at Berwick Rangers last season and played a key role in Hibs Under-18s' CAS Elite Youth League success. McMurdo, who joined the Club in 2018 from Tranent, has also joined the Rovers on loan. The 18-year-old signed his first professional deal with Hibs last summer and was a consistent starter in Darren McGregor's Under-18s side last season. As part of Hibs Cooperation System agreement with Gala Fairydean Rovers, both players will be eligible to play for Hibernian – including in KDM Evolution Trophy and UEFA Youth League matches – while out on loan at Netherdale. McGregor said: 'Jamie and Owen are both exciting players who were a large part of our Under-18s title success last season. 'This is a great opportunity for them both to test themselves in the Lowland League.' Like this: Like Related
The National
25-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
What Scot free Dundee United starting line-up shows about our game
But how should Scottish football enthusiasts feel about one of this country's leading clubs taking to the field in a continental competition without a solitary home-grown player in the starting line-up? Is an XI comprising footballers from Ukraine, Australia, Moldova, Hungary, the Netherlands, Croatia, Ghana, the Republic of Ireland and North Macedonia prevailing really reason for somebody from these shores to celebrate? Yes, manager Jim Goodwin threw on young Owen Stirton and Craig Sibbald in the second half and the duo duly helped the hosts, who had taken the lead through Zachary Sapsford shortly after half-time, to see out the hard-fought victory. But the complete absence of any homegrown players in the team which took to the field was depressing and alarming in equal measure for those who care about the health of the sport here and the fortunes of the national team. Read more: It should not, however, have come as any great surprise to anyone. The number of native players involved at the elite level in this country has been steadily dwindling for many years now. The situation has reached crisis point. Brown Ferguson, the former East Stirlingshire, Alloa Athletic, Hamilton Academical, Partick Thistle and Stenhousemuir defensive midfielder who is now assistant to Gary Naysmith at the third tier Ochilview Park part-timers, outlined some worrying statistics in these pages last month. Ferguson, a regional performance manager with the Scottish Institute of Sport as well as the high performance manager for Scottish Golf, has been personally collating data about the decline or our national game for several years now. He showed that the overall percentage of Scots to start top flight games during the 2024/25 campaign was just 31.46 per cent. That was down from 45 per cent three years ago. In addition, he highlighted that, on average, just four out of the 132 players who kicked games off in the elite division every weekend were under the age of 21 and originally hailed from this nation. (Image: Andrew Milligan) 'When I started doing this, the number of Scots who were starting every week on average was at about 48 to 49 per cent,' he said following the end of the 2024/25 campaign. 'Now it is down in the low 30s. I think it is a major problem already. And it is only going to get worse and worse. There needs to be an intervention before it becomes an even bigger problem.' Mercifully, the Cooperation System was rolled out by the SFA this summer. It will see up to three Scotland-qualified players at Premiership and Championship clubs move to lower league outfits freely on loan going forward. Hopefully, it will help more gifted kids make the difficult transition from the youth ranks into the senior game going forward. Hibernian manager David Gray started Chris Cadden, Josh Mulligan and Kieron Bowie in the capital outfit's European League qualifying game against Midtjylland in Denmark and Josh Campbell came off the bench. But having just four Scots involved is not an awful lot better. United's line-up against Strassen in their Conference League qualifier highlighted just how much of a problem our most promising prospects being lured south by major English clubs when they turn 16 because of Brexit has become. Read more: Managers like Goodwin and Gray don't have the same quality of youngster to choose from that they did in the past. With a bit of luck, both Hibs and United can build on their promising first leg performances and reach the group stages of a European tournament this term. But it would be nice to see more Scots involved going forward if they do. United have brought in no fewer than 11 new players this summer and Sapsford believes it will take time for them to gel. 'It's not easy, but I think we're doing really well,' he said. 'It's tough for any manager and players to get used to each other. (Image: Andrew Milligan) 'But I think we're doing it really well and these games are definitely helping. We learned a bit (on Thursday). That's what we're going to work on during this week, preparing for the game next Thursday. So we'll do our work and we'll be ready.' He continued, 'Playing at Tannadice was an incredible experience. Everyone told me it's amazing and the fans really showed up and it was great. I had goosebumps walking out, hearing the fans scream. I've honestly never heard a stadium like that. It's crazy. 'I'm loving it. It's a new experience for me. I'm from Australia, so it's completely different. I know it gets colder, but I'm ready for that. I'm loving it so it's good.'
The Herald Scotland
25-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
What Scot free Dundee United starting line-up shows about our game
Is an XI comprising footballers from Ukraine, Australia, Moldova, Hungary, the Netherlands, Croatia, Ghana, the Republic of Ireland and North Macedonia prevailing really reason for somebody from these shores to celebrate? Yes, manager Jim Goodwin threw on young Owen Stirton and Craig Sibbald in the second half and the duo duly helped the hosts, who had taken the lead through Zachary Sapsford shortly after half-time, to see out the hard-fought victory. But the complete absence of any homegrown players in the team which took to the field was depressing and alarming in equal measure for those who care about the health of the sport here and the fortunes of the national team. Read more: It should not, however, have come as any great surprise to anyone. The number of native players involved at the elite level in this country has been steadily dwindling for many years now. The situation has reached crisis point. Brown Ferguson, the former East Stirlingshire, Alloa Athletic, Hamilton Academical, Partick Thistle and Stenhousemuir defensive midfielder who is now assistant to Gary Naysmith at the third tier Ochilview Park part-timers, outlined some worrying statistics in these pages last month. Ferguson, a regional performance manager with the Scottish Institute of Sport as well as the high performance manager for Scottish Golf, has been personally collating data about the decline or our national game for several years now. He showed that the overall percentage of Scots to start top flight games during the 2024/25 campaign was just 31.46 per cent. That was down from 45 per cent three years ago. In addition, he highlighted that, on average, just four out of the 132 players who kicked games off in the elite division every weekend were under the age of 21 and originally hailed from this nation. (Image: Andrew Milligan) 'When I started doing this, the number of Scots who were starting every week on average was at about 48 to 49 per cent,' he said following the end of the 2024/25 campaign. 'Now it is down in the low 30s. I think it is a major problem already. And it is only going to get worse and worse. There needs to be an intervention before it becomes an even bigger problem.' Mercifully, the Cooperation System was rolled out by the SFA this summer. It will see up to three Scotland-qualified players at Premiership and Championship clubs move to lower league outfits freely on loan going forward. Hopefully, it will help more gifted kids make the difficult transition from the youth ranks into the senior game going forward. Hibernian manager David Gray started Chris Cadden, Josh Mulligan and Kieron Bowie in the capital outfit's European League qualifying game against Midtjylland in Denmark and Josh Campbell came off the bench. But having just four Scots involved is not an awful lot better. United's line-up against Strassen in their Conference League qualifier highlighted just how much of a problem our most promising prospects being lured south by major English clubs when they turn 16 because of Brexit has become. Read more: Managers like Goodwin and Gray don't have the same quality of youngster to choose from that they did in the past. With a bit of luck, both Hibs and United can build on their promising first leg performances and reach the group stages of a European tournament this term. But it would be nice to see more Scots involved going forward if they do. United have brought in no fewer than 11 new players this summer and Sapsford believes it will take time for them to gel. 'It's not easy, but I think we're doing really well,' he said. 'It's tough for any manager and players to get used to each other. (Image: Andrew Milligan) 'But I think we're doing it really well and these games are definitely helping. We learned a bit (on Thursday). That's what we're going to work on during this week, preparing for the game next Thursday. So we'll do our work and we'll be ready.' He continued, 'Playing at Tannadice was an incredible experience. Everyone told me it's amazing and the fans really showed up and it was great. I had goosebumps walking out, hearing the fans scream. I've honestly never heard a stadium like that. It's crazy. 'I'm loving it. It's a new experience for me. I'm from Australia, so it's completely different. I know it gets colder, but I'm ready for that. I'm loving it so it's good.'
Daily Record
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
St Mirren strikes two co-operation club partnerships
Saints chiefs have signed off on a partnership with League Two side Dumbarton as well as Lowland League outfit Clydebank as part of the new Cooperation System launched by the Scottish FA. St Mirren has announced a partnership with two new clubs as part of a new system launched under the Scottish FA. Both William Hill League Two side Dumbarton and Lowland League club Clydebank have formed a new link with the Scottish Premiership outfit as part of the new Cooperation System. It will allow young St Mirren players to gain experience and game time with the West Dunbartonshire clubs without the constraints of formal loan agreements. The new approach follows the Scottish FA's Transition Report, published in 2024, which showed that there aren't enough opportunities for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The system allows the club to place a maximum of three players, who are eligible to play for the Scotland National Team and are under the age of 21, on a cooperation list. And the new alliance is already starting to bear fruit as Carrick McEvoy, Thomas Falconer and Theo McCormick have all joined Dumbarton, with Billy Hutchison joining the Bankies after featuring as a trialist on Saturday. Saints manager Stephen Robinson said: "I firmly believe in the loan system to develop our young players and something that hindered that previously was not being able to bring them back at certain stages or leaving yourselves short in numbers. "With the cooperation agreement, we are able to get them into men's football and develop under other coaches. Hopefully, we can also help the coaches and the clubs they are going to. It will be a great benefit for both parties." On paper, the system will allow these players to move back and forth between the co-op club and the parent club without being bound by any loan rules being enforced. Chiefs at St Mirren say the club aims to provide individual development plans involving coaching and mentoring for players between aged between 16 and 18, resulting in clear pathways being set out and monitored. The integration of academy graduates into the first team still remains "a priority" for the club as they focus on nurturing homegrown talent and optimising the financial sustainability of the club. Academy director Allan McManus said: "We're looking to build a strategy that's going to help our young players get more experiences towards first-team football. The earlier we get young players exposed to first-team football, the better opportunities they'll have to go further in the game. "We feel that any of our players that will go will be looked after and treated the right way. Hopefully it's the start of a positive relationship that will last several years and we're excited that our young ones are going out there." He added: "We're all excited about the new cooperation agreements and the flexibility within them. I think it really helps the young players, they have the opportunity to be playing and learning. If they are thriving, then the manager can bring them back at any time and utilise them in the squad. "Part of our strategy as a football club is that we want to engage with our local community and the surrounding areas as well. Longer-term we want to build more of these agreements and we believe it's going to make a significant difference in the development of our young players."
STV News
15-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
Aberdeen use new 'cooperation' loan rules to strike Elgin City deal
Aberdeen and Elgin City have announced a new partnership for the movement of young players as part of the Scottish FA's new 'Cooperation System'. Under the new system, which was launched by the governing body last month, players aged between 16 and 21, who are eligible for Scotland national teams, can join a lower-league club on loan but move back and forth between their parent club and the cooperation club to increase their game time. The new scheme, which clubs approved earlier this year, is designed to tackle a key area of concern over a vital stage of player development and offer competitive game time at a crucial, traditional stage of young players' careers. Premiership clubs are able to strike formal agreements with clubs from each of the three other SPFL divisions, and the Dons say the Elgin deal is just the first as they look to maximise the scheme's potential to give young players first-team football. Three 17-year-old defenders will be moving to Elgin as part of the new partnership. Dylan Ross and Jamie Mercer move under the new agreement and will be able to transfer back and forward as necessary, while Northern Irish centre-back Noah McDonnell joins the League 2 club on a standard loan deal. Aberdeen director of football Steven Gunn said: 'We were at Borough Briggs back in January to play a Scottish Cup fixture and not only were we thoroughly impressed by the facilities, but it was clear the team have a solid identity and a talented staff. 'From our early discussions it was apparent we are aligned in terms of our priorities for the development of our players, and importantly, Elgin City demonstrated a sound knowledge of the players and a real desire to support their ongoing development. 'This agreement with Elgin City is just the first, that covers League 2, and we hope to have others announced shortly.' The move comes after Aberdeen revealed that they would not be entering a team into the Club Academy Scotland U19s programme, though they will participate at U17 level. That decision came as part of a review of player development, with the club saying they needed to ensure a better return on investment from their multi-million pound youth football programme and academy. Citing the difficulty in getting players ready for top-flight first team football, Aberdeen said they were targeting 'an optimal pathway for young talent' and welcomed the flexibility of the new loan scheme and its potential for improving development. SNS Group Opportunity: Hampden bosses have brought in new rules to aid young Scottish players. The Scottish FA has published full details of the new rules, with Gould and Docherty answering key questions about how it works and how it can help player development. Why has this Cooperation System been introduced? Based on the research we have carried out into similar systems in other countries, the Cooperation System affords more opportunities for the best young talent to get playing time. It offers an alternative to clubs and players, who may otherwise be denied a loan opportunity, whilst also having limited playing opportunities at their parent club. For example, clubs competing in Europe may not able to send young players on loan due to Homegrown Matchday Quotas and clubs without a large budget may carry smaller squads and not send best young talents on loan in case of an injury crisis. The Cooperation System gives young players the option to receive critical playing experiences at an appropriate level within the pyramid. How does this system work? A club can place a maximum of three players on a 'Cooperation List' and these players can move freely between the parent club and the club who they are in a Cooperation Agreement with. So, for example, if the parent club has injuries in the player's position, they can recall the player, provided they give the minimum prescribed amount of notice to the Cooperation club. The parent club pays the salary for the player and – unlike with loan deals – they maintain the player's registration. What other countries use a version of this system? Club Cooperation systems already operate in a number of countries, such as Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia. Which clubs can enter into these Cooperation Agreements? A club in the SPFL Premiership or Championship is permitted to operate as the parent club, and sign Cooperation Agreements with clubs further down the pyramid (League One, League Two, Highland League and Lowland League). Championship clubs are also able to be both a parent club, to a club in a lower division, and a recipient club to a Premiership club. A club cannot sign a Cooperation Agreement with a club in the same league as their first team or B team. Can a club enter more than one Cooperation Agreement? The parent club may sign a Cooperation Agreement with a different club at each level of the pyramid, but a parent club cannot have two Cooperation clubs within the same division. Which players are eligible to move under the Cooperation System? Only players who are eligible to play for the Scotland National Team and who are under the age of 21 would be able to participate on a 'Cooperation List'. For the upcoming 2025/2026 Season, a player designated as Under-21 would refer to a player born in the calendar year 2005 or younger. This is in line with the definition used by other nations around Europe. How many players can move to one club at a certain time? The parent club, which pays the full salary for players under this system, is able to list a maximum of three players who would appear on a 'Cooperation List' between the two clubs. Does the Cooperation System replace the previous Loans System? The Cooperation System does not replace the Loans system, meaning clubs can use either of, or a combination of, both systems. A maximum of five players can be shared between two clubs (including loans and 'Cooperation List' players). Clubs can have a maximum of three loan players from club to club – therefore the maximum split would be 2/3 or 3/2 in terms of loan / cooperation. Clubs are under no obligation to use all three slots if they sign a Cooperation Agreement. When can players move between clubs under the Cooperation System? Clubs are entitled to change the players on the Cooperation List – to remove a player who has been recalled or not participating and replace him with another young player who may benefit from the experience – but only during the summer and winter transfer windows, as well as the extended loan windows that follows the transfer windows. Players who are on the Cooperation List are able to move freely between both clubs throughout the season, although there is a minimum playing time for a player to remain on a cooperation list beyond the cut-off date of March 31. As a minimum, a player on a Cooperation List must have played at least 15 minutes in at least five matches for the Cooperation club before March 31 to be eligible to feature for the Cooperation club after that date. This would ensure that a club cannot receive extra assistance for key games late in the season with a player being made available just for those games. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
