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Edinburgh Reporter
04-06-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
SFA announce new Cooperation System to boost opportunities for young Scottish players
A new Cooperation System, which will boost opportunities for young Scottish players during a vital stage of their development, is now live, with players free to move under the new system from the opening of the summer transfer window. The proposal was passed by clubs earlier this year, following extensive consultation since the Scottish FA's Transition Report was published in 2024. The Cooperation System provides greater flexibility to the previous domestic loan quotas by enabling players in the key 'transition phase' of 16-21, who are eligible to represent the Scotland national team, to join a lower-league club but be able to move between the parent and cooperation club throughout the season to increase playing time. Clubs can now enter into Cooperation Agreements, with players then free to move under the new system from the opening of the Transfer Window on Monday, 16 June. Alongwith this change, a revamped KDM Evolution Trophy was also launched by the SPFL last month, in a further move to support the progression of the best young players in the country. The new set-up will include William Hill Premiership B teams in a league phase format, providing more opportunities for youth players aged under 21, as they move from the academy environment to senior football. Based on the Transition Report's findings, the Under-18 level within Club Academy Scotland (CAS) and the SPFL Reserve League will also be replaced with a hybrid Under-19 category in CAS from the 2025/2026 season, with several overage players also allowed to participate. Matches will take place on Monday as opposed to the current Friday, so clubs can expose the young players to the senior environment at the weekend and still include those who have had limited minutes on the Monday. Andy Gould, Chief Football Officer, Scottish FA: 'The overriding message from the Transition Report was that we haven't been producing enough opportunities for young players to play with and against senior players during that golden age of opportunity between 16 and 21 years of age. We felt that the Cooperation System would be complimentary to the existing framework, with more freedom of movement for players who are on the cusp of the first team with their parent club. 'It's rare in Scotland that we can get everyone united and on the same page and we are grateful to all the stakeholders who have worked together to make this happen. We are confident that we can see a significant increase in playing minutes for young players across the pyramid.' Chris Docherty, Head of Men's Elite Strategy, Scottish FA: 'Throughout our research during the creation of the Transition Report, it was also clear from speaking to clubs that the gap between both the current Under-18 system and the SPFL Reserve League and the first team was far too big. This change to a new Under-19 level will benefit late maturing players, while the move to Monday matches should stop players missing minutes to sit on a bench at first team level. 'Also from consultations with coaches and ex-players, it was clear that the previous reserve system was a key part of their development and, by allowing a small number of overage players to play in this league, we hope we can create a hybrid model that benefits these young players by giving them chances to play against more experienced older pros as well as their peers. 'These changes – as well as the introduction of the revamped KDM Evolution Trophy – won't fix all the problems instantly, but we believe they mark a significant moment as the game comes together to get behind the development of young Scottish players.' Cooperation System Explained The Cooperation System comes following the Transition Report, authored by Scottish FA Chief Football Officer, Andy Gould and Scottish FA Head of Men's Elite Strategy, Chris Docherty. The report sought to establish trends in successful player development from across the world and the authors have below answered some key questions relating to the new system. 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 31 March. 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 31 March 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. Like this: Like Related
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Champions League-style Challenge Cup revamp aims to give kids more chances
The competition has been given a radical new look for next season SPFL chiefs have announced a Champions League-style revamp for the Challenge Cup, designed to breathe new life into the competition. An estimated £1.25m in prize money will be shared with clubs for next season's competition, with the winners receiving £150,000, a 50 per cent increase on this season. Next season's competition, rebranded the KDM Evolution Trophy from the SPFL Trust Trophy that Livingston won in March, will feature a first-round league phase made up of 30 teams from League One and Two and 10 Premiership 'B' teams. Premiership 'B ' teams will play all games away from home. The draw will be split into three pots and regionalised into north and south, based on geography. Teams will only play against six opponents from their own region, three from each of the other two pots. Goals scored and points gained from the six matches will feed into the one league table – similar to the Champions League – with the top 22 progressing to the round of 32 and the bottom eight eliminated. Teams finishing in positions one to six are seeded in the round of 32, alongside the 10 Championship clubs. Teams from seven to 22 are unseeded in the draw, with teams paired according to final league phase and Championship rankings, and assigned two potential opponents from the other end of the rankings. The competition reverts to a traditional knock-out, and there is no regionalisation at this stage, with open draws from the round of 16 onwards. It is hoped that the revamped competition will provide more opportunities for young players, as youth prospects aged 15 are now eligible to take part. SPFL group chief executive Neil Doncaster said: 'We're confident the new competition format will help develop some of our most promising players across the country. 'Allowing players to compete at a high level from the age of 15 will pay dividends for them, for their clubs and, ultimately, for the national side. 'We've had long discussions with our member clubs and the Scottish FA about this new competition format, and we've also introduced some key principles to reduce travel time and costs, particularly for William Hill League 1 and 2 clubs. 'We would lastly like to thank the SPFL Trust and the donors who support them, who have been fantastic supporters of this competition for the last four seasons.'
Scotsman
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Tony Bloom could be Hearts' missing X-factor but I have questions and I know fans who will vote against deal
Majority of Jambos backing Bloom - but some have reservations Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... On the face of it, the announcement that a competition for lower-league clubs in Scotland has acquired a new sponsor and is being renamed has very little to do with Heart of Midlothian Football Club. However, the news on Wednesday afternoon that the Challenge Cup, which has most recently been known as The SPFL Trust Trophy and is currently in the hands of Livingston, will now be reformatted and known as the KDM Evolution Trophy did raise eyebrows as Scottish football digested confirmation of Tony Bloom's intended £10 million investment in Hearts, which has been interpreted as a potential game-changer in some quarters. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster is quoted in the press release thanking the SPFL Trust 'and the donors who support them' for their recent years of Challenge Cup sponsorship. It's been known for some time that the SPFL Trust, a registered charity, were stepping away to concentrate on other initiatives in conjunction with Scottish football's senior clubs. And who knows, James Anderson, whose munificence has supported the Challenge Cup in recent years, may well help fund such projects. From left: Foundation of Hearts Chairman Gerry Mallon with non-Executive Director James Anderson, Non-Executive Director Kevin Windram and Non-Executive Director Donald Cumming during a Heart of Midlothian AGM at Tynecastle Park, on December 14, 2023, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group) | SNS Group But it does pose further questions about the benefactor's future intentions with regards to Hearts and which were initially raised by the latest Bloom-related developments. What does the future look like for the Tynecastle club full stop? As well as Anderson, who along with wife Morag is estimated to have ploughed as much as £25m into the club, there's question marks about how long chairperson Ann Budge plans to stay so directly involved. Now 77, it's a wonder she still has the appetite while having to endure the type of criticism that recently came her way following her 'yesterday's news' comment to a reporter asking her about the previous day's sacking of Neil Critchley. When Hearts were trailing to Ross County in Dingwall last weekend, she was described as yesterday's news herself by jeering fans. Which brings us to Bloom, and the enthusiasm with which confirmation of his plans has been greeted. As well as being the talk of the toon, "The Lizard", as the professional poker player was once known, was also the centre of discussion at Dalmahoy, where Hearts held their golf day on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Bloom awaits to be waved through at Tynecastle. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nevertheless, it's understandable if some are harbouring initial reservations about Hearts being so eager to get into bed with the Brighton & Hove Albion chairman when they've worked so hard to establish themselves as the UK's largest fan-owned club. Hearts fan will be asked to vote on whether to accept a near £10m investment from Tony Bloom. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group Some might have felt this claim jarred with the post from the club on Tuesday reporting news that Bloom has made a proposal to invest £9.86m for a 29 per cent stake, though crucially in the form of non-voting shares. As the FoH Board outlined in a missive to members, 'the voting rights of the club's existing shareholders, including FoH as the majority shareholders, will not be diluted as a result of the proposed investment'. Bloom's stake will fall in line with recently redrawn SFA rules regarding multi-club ownership, with Hibs now seemingly reaping the benefits of Bournemouth owner Bill Foley's £6 million investment last February. Depending on who you speak to, Bloom's cash injection is either potentially transformative or a drop in the ocean if 'disrupting' a natural order of Scottish football that has become so well established since 1985, when Aberdeen were the last Old Firm club to win the title, is the ambition. Bloom's is being backed by the FoH, whose chairman Gerry Mallon gave a very persuasive interview on behalf of the majority shareholders outlining the pros of the proposed deal. The cons were not addressed. Quite possibly there aren't any. 'Anyone who doesn't vote in favour of this needs their head examined,' was one of the first comments underneath the video. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Still, nobody should be condemned for advising some caution. What is the point in putting in place a 20-day consultation period if it's not for those affected to discuss, query and, if they still feel unsatisfied, object? Lawrence Broadie, a communications specialist who worked at Hearts prior to 2011, knows the motion will 'sail through' with a more than 50 per cent majority required – he estimates upwards of 98 per cent will be in favour. He is not against the idea of investment from Bloom, who few can argue is a credible and successful operator in football having driven a data-led revolution at home and abroad, where he also has a stake in Belgian club Union-Saint Gilloise. Lawrence Broadie previously worked for Hearts. | SNS Group 'I am not against it,' says Broadie. 'I just have questions.' He knows of a few who have concerns to the extent they will likely vote against the Bloom bid, including 'fan ownership purists' who, regardless of voting rights being maintained, have concerns about the FoH's shareholding being reduced by almost a third. Nothing is guaranteed, as Hearts, who have been healthily backed in recent seasons with no tangible reward, have themselves shown. Nobody had them in the bottom six at the start of the campaign and yet it's where they ended up much to the outrage of their fans. 'Is this what 40 million pounds gets you?' has been the gist of some of their complaints, with the question a particularly pointed one with supporters having contributed almost half that total through monthly donations. Hearts stand accused of wasting a 'golden ticket'. 'On the face of it, someone who is prepared to spend £10 million for the right to put one person on the board, there's been worse deals,' adds Broadie. 'But I think there are some fundamental questions about what the club is trying to do. Because the evidence is that they have not always spent money wisely in the last 11 years.'
Edinburgh Reporter
07-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
KDM Group named as new title sponsor of revamped Challenge Cup
The SPFL has agreed a multi-year deal with the Scottish based, internationally operating construction firm as the league reveals further details of its new competition format and a record-breaking prize pot. The title partnership marks another milestone in KDM Group's growing and significant support of Scottish football alongside their Soccer Centre partnership with the Scottish FA and stadium sponsorship of Dunfermline Athletic's KDM Group East End Park. The competition logo, also revealed today, features the illustration of the brand-new competition trophy which has been commissioned by the SPFL and KDM Group to celebrate this exciting new era for one of Scottish football's best loved competitions. The final trophy will be unveiled this summer, in time for the tournament's kick off. An estimated £1.25 million in prize money will be shared with clubs for the 2025/26 KDM Evolution Trophy – an increase of more than 50% on this year's competition. Next season's winners will receive £150,000, with increased prize money at every stage in the competition. Competition format changes were confirmed earlier in the year alongside a new Scottish FA Cooperation System, which is designed to strengthen youth development in the Scottish game. The new set-up will continue to include William Hill Premiership B teams in support of the Scottish FA's aim to provide more opportunities for players in the key 'transition phase' of ages 16-21, as they move from the academy environment to senior football. In a further move to allow the best young players in the country to experience first-team football at an earlier age, youth prospects aged 15 will now be eligible to participate in the competition. The new format includes an opening round league phase and was inspired by UEFA's new club competition formats. The first round league phase will comprise 10 William Hill League 1 clubs, 10 William Hill League 2 clubs, and 10 William Hill Premiership B-teams. Clubs participating in the league phase of the competition will be split into three pots by division and regionalised into North and South sections, reducing travel costs for clubs and supporters across six league phase matchdays. Points gained by clubs across six league phase matchdays will feed into a single league table, with the top 22 clubs qualifying for the seeded knock-out Round of 32. William Hill Championship clubs will enter the competition from the Round of 32 as seeded clubs, alongside clubs finishing in the top six of the league phase, with the remainder of the competition following a traditional knock-out format. Neil Doncaster, group chief executive of the SPFL, said: 'We are really pleased to welcome KDM Group as the title sponsor for the KDM Evolution Trophy from season 2025/26, and to announce a significant rise in prize money for next season's competition. 'KDM Group is a highly-respected and well-established firm in Scotland, the UK and beyond, and have already demonstrated a passion for Scottish football. They have a proud history of supporting our national sport and thislong-term deal isreally positive newsfor all 42 member clubs. 'We're confident the new competition format will help develop some of our most promising players across the country. Allowing players to compete at a high level from the age of 15 will pay dividends for them, for their clubs and ultimately, for the national side.' The changes to the KDM Evolution Trophy format were made following lengthy consultation with SPFL clubs and the launch of a Scottish FA Transition Phase report last year which sought to establish trends in successful player development from across the world, and those recommendations fed into discussions with clubs, the SPFL and Scottish FA. William Hill Premiership B-teams will play all league phase matches away from home in a further move to reduce travel costs for William Hill League 1 and League 2 clubs and their supporters. Clubs participating in the league phase will also be permitted to play a limited number of trialists to support squad management in the early stages of the season. Doncaster added: 'We've had long discussions with our member clubs and the Scottish FA about this new competition format and we've also introduced some key principles to reduce travel time and costs, particularly for William Hill League 1 and 2 clubs. 'We would lastly like to thank the SPFL Trust and the donors who support them, who have been fantastic supporters of this competition for the last four seasons.' KDM Group offers a variety of construction services to blue chip clients across the UK and Europe, which includes delivery of services such as: general contractor, interior fit-out, mechanical and electrical, manufacturing and design. The company is based in Dalgety Bay, Fife, with regional offices and operations throughout the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Republic of Ireland. Iain Jones, Chief Executive of KDM Group, said: 'We're incredibly proud to support the launch of this exciting new football competition and to see the KDM Evolution Trophy come to life. The name reflects the evolution of our business, from a smallshopfitting company to a leading international brand. It mirrors the journey of this tournament and the aspiring players it supports. Our investment in football spans all levels of the game, from grassroots to the professional stage. 'Through our KDM Group Soccer Centres, we provide primary-aged schoolgirls access to the game whilst having fun, helping to grow the game from the ground up. We've previously been the official partner of the Scottish Cup and are proud sponsors of the Scotland Women's National Team & Dunfermline Athletic FC. 'This new tournament is another step forward, providing a platform for talent to grow and evolve, just as we have.' The full schedule of prize monies for the KDM Evolution Trophy is set out below: Winner – £150,000 Runner up – £100,000 Losing semi-finalists – £75,000 Losing quarter-finalists – £50,000 Round of 16 losers – £40,000 Round of 32 losers – £30,000 1st round (league phase) losers – £15,000-18,500 (depending on final league position) A summary of key competition dates is set out below: League Phase MD1: 12/13 August 2025 League Phase MD2: 26/27 August 2025 League Phase MD3: 6/7 September 2025 League Phase MD4: 23/24 September 2025 League Phase MD5: 11/12 October 2025 League Phase MD6: 11 November 2025 Round of 32: 9/10 December 2025 Round of 16: 6/7 January 2026 Quarter Final: 27/28 January 2026 Semi Final: 24/25 February 2026 Final: 28/29 March 2026 / 4/5 April 2026 Like this: Like Related
Scottish Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
SPFL bosses give Challenge Cup biggest redesign yet with new name, Uefa style league phase and 15-year-olds set to play
The competition has been given a facelift - again ALL CHANGE SPFL bosses give Challenge Cup biggest redesign yet with new name, Uefa style league phase and 15-year-olds set to play IT'S had more facelifts than Sharon Osborne and Simon Cowell put together. And now the SPFL have announced the latest cosmetic redesign to the Challenge Cup which they think will give it the X Factor. 2 The new branding for the trophy 2 The rule makers at Hampden have made a major change to the competition Credit: SNS League bosses say that as of 2025-26 the competition last known as the SPFL Trust trophy will now be sponsored by the KDM Group and go by the KDM Evolution Trophy. They say they've announced a multi-year deal with the Scottish-born construction firm and have thanked them for bankrolling a record-breaking prize pot totalling an estimated £1.25m in prize money - a rise of more than 50% on last year's competition. Next season's winners will receive £150,000, plus a new - as yet to be unveiled - trophy. And there's also set to be MAJOR competition format changes - which were confirmed earlier in the year alongside a new Scottish FA co-operation system apparently designed to help youth development in the Scottish game. They say that TEN Scottish Premiership B teams will enter a new 'Uefa-style' league phase - although what happens to the other two teams isn't entirely clear. They also say that youth prospects aged jst 15 will now be eligible to participate in the competition. In total, the first round league phase will comprise 10 William Hill League 1 clubs, 10 William Hill League 2 clubs, and 10 William Hill Premiership B-teams. The B teams will play all their matches in the league phase away from home, in a move the SPFL say is designed to reduce travel costs, with trialists permitted to play in these matches. Clubs participating at this phase will be split into three pots by division and regionalised into North and South sections, but will feed into a single league table with with the top 22 clubs qualifying. The ten William Hill Championship clubs will then enter the competition as seeds - with the remainder of the competition following a traditional knockout format. Hamilton Accies Players Walk Out Over Unpaid Wages SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: 'We are really pleased to welcome KDM Group as the title sponsor for the KDM Evolution Trophy from season 2025/26, and to announce a significant rise in prize money for next season's competition. 'KDM Group is a highly-respected and well-established firm in Scotland, the UK and beyond, and have already demonstrated a passion for Scottish football. "They have a proud history of supporting our national sport and this long-term deal is really positive news for all 42 member clubs. 'We're confident the new competition format will help develop some of our most promising players across the country. Allowing players to compete at a high level from the age of 15 will pay dividends for them, for their clubs and ultimately, for the national side.' Doncaster added: 'We've had long discussions with our member clubs and the Scottish FA about this new competition format and we've also introduced some key principles to reduce travel time and costs, particularly for William Hill League 1 and 2 clubs. 'We would lastly like to thank the SPFL Trust and the donors who support them, who have been fantastic supporters of this competition for the last four seasons.' The Lowdown: the KDM Evolution Trophy The full schedule of prize monies for the KDM Evolution Trophy is set out below: Winner - £150,000 Runner up - £100,000 Losing semi-finalists - £75,000 Losing quarter-finalists - £50,000 Round of 16 losers - £40,000 Round of 32 losers - £30,000 1st round (league phase)losers - £15,000-18,500(depending on final league position) A summary of key competition dates is set out below: League Phase MD1: 12/13 August 2025 League Phase MD2: 26/27 August 2025 League Phase MD3: 6/7 September 2025 League Phase MD4: 23/24 September 2025 League Phase MD5: 11/12 October 2025 League Phase MD6: 11 November 2025 Round of 32: 9/10 December 2025 Round of 16: 6/7 January 2026 Quarter Final: 27/28 January 2026 Semi Final: 24/25 February 2026 Final: 28/29 March 2026 / 4/5 April 2026
