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Celtic co-operation agreement plans change amid Queens Park problems

Celtic co-operation agreement plans change amid Queens Park problems

Previously spending a staggering £5.7million in the Championship Scotland's oldest senior club need to slash expenditure to around £1million a year.
With Queen's unable to commit to a long term tie up, Premiership champions Celtic have now held discussions with Ayr, managed by former Parkhead captain Brown, with midfielder Jude Bonnar expected to be first to move to Somerset Park.
The SFA have given clubs the green light to team up to boost the number of first team opportunities for young Scottish players between the ages of 16 and 21.
Recent figures from CIES Observatory show that St Mirren offered just 0.8% of their available first team minutes to players aged 21 or under last season. Dundee had the highest figure in the SPFL Premiership with 24.8%.
Under the new rules, up to three players can be placed on a co-operation list and allowed to move freely to move between the co-op club and parent club in order to increase their first team experience.
Aberdeen have confirmed agreements with League Two Elgin City and Kelty Hearts of League One.
Read more from Stephen McGowan:
Defenders Dylan Ross and Jamie Mercer have joined City with Lewis Carrol, Joseph Teasdale and Cooper Masson heading to Fife.
Director of Football Steven Gunn claims the agreements: 'create a clear pathway for promising young players to gain valuable senior football experience, learn from good professionals and be better prepared for the demands of first team football at Aberdeen.'
St Mirren will team up Dumbarton of League Two and Lowland League team Clydebank.
Carrick McEvoy, Thomas Falconer and Theo McCormick have already joined Dumbarton while Billy Hutchison has moved to Clydebank.
St Mirren boss 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.
"All in all, I believe it's a brilliant way to develop young players in Scotland and doesn't compromise any young players coming back into the first-team."
Newly promoted League Two side East Kilbride have also agreed a deal with Hibernian. Goalkeeper Freddie Owens and forward Dean Cleland have already moved to K Park.
Rangers are expected to confirm a co-operation agreement with Championship side Raith Rovers.
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