 | ||||
| Full name | Celtic B | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Bhoys The Celts The Hoops | |||
| Founded | 1888 | |||
| Ground | Excelsior Stadium,Airdrie | |||
| Capacity | 10,101 | |||
| Coach | Stephen McManus | |||
| League | Lowland League | |||
Celtic B are thereserve team ofCeltic Football Club. They play home games inAirdrie and compete in theLowland League. Celtic have run a reserve side since the early days of the club, comprising a combination of emerging youth players and first-team squad players. The current "B" side forms the highest level of the academy structure at Celtic, beneath which there are four junior strands: Professional Academy (Under 18s), Intermediate Academy (Under 13s, 14s, 15s & 16s), Junior Academy (Under 10s, 11s & 12s) and Development Centres (five years old and above).
Celtic ran areserve side from their early days, known at the time as theCrusaders. Other clubs in the 1880s also gave their reserve sides distinctive names, withRangers calling their Second XI theSwifts, andQueens Park naming their reserves theStrollers.[1]
Celtic's first known involvement inreserve league football, was their participation in theScottish Combination league in 1896. Several Scottish League clubs fielded 2nd XIs ('A' sides), as well as Queens Park Strollers.[2] However, by the 1900s Celtic managerWillie Maley was only using a small, if versatile, squad of players, and the decision was made to stop fielding a reserve team altogether.[3] In 1909, a new Scottish Reserve League was set up, again often including at least one non-reserve side of a non-league club in each of its seasons.[2] Celtic did not participate.[4] The league was disbanded duringWorld War I, but effectively re-established in 1919 as theScottish Alliance League. As with previous incarnations, this reserve league also contained the first XI of several non-league sides.[2] Celtic took part for the first few seasons, and won the championship in 1921–22, however withdrew again after that for what is presumed were financial reasons.[3] This appeared an unwise decision. Rangers went on to dominate Scottish football in the 1920s, and Celtic appeared to struggle without a reserve team to help blend younger players into the club's first team.[3]
The club did re-introduce a reserve team in 1930, and won three Alliance championships in 1934, 1937 and 1938, and the Second XI Cup in 1935 and 1936.[5]Malky MacDonald,Johnny Crum,George Paterson,Jimmy Delaney,John Divers andWillie Buchan all emerged during this time from the reserve side and went on to form the nucleus of the Celtic first team that won theleague championship in 1936 and 1938, and theScottish Cup in 1937.[5] In 1936, Celtic fielded trialistMohammed Salim in two Alliance league matches, with him becoming the first footballer from theIndian sub-continent to play for a European club.[6] A leagueAGM in 1938, resulted in the non-league sides being removed and the league became exclusive to First Division reserve sides. The advent ofWorld War II, however, once again saw the suspension of national reserve league football in Scotland, although regional leagues were set up.[2][7]
The national Reserve League restarted at the end of the war, once again mirroring the sixteen club top-tier division. The subsequent years into the 1950s saw various changes to the leagues, but Celtic's achievements at reserve level were undistinguished, with two fourth-place finishes in 1952 and 1954 their highest positions.[7] The Scottish (Reserve) League was set up in 1955, again mirroring the First Division although there were a number of seasons when not all of those clubs took part. This set-up, with minor variations, continued up until 1975.[2]Jock Stein's appointment in 1957 as reserve team coach saw an upturn in Celtic's commitment to reserve team football. Future star players such asPaddy Crerand,Billy McNeill,John Clark andBertie Auld all emerged at Celtic during this time. The reserves won the Second XI Cup in 1958 (thrashing Rangers 8–2 onaggregate) and the reserve league title a year later.[7] From 1958 up to 1966, Celtic also fielded a reserve side (effectively a 3rd XI) in theCombined Reserve League.[8] Although Stein left in 1960 to manageDunfermline Athletic,[9] promising players continued to emerge from the reserves, such asBobby Murdoch,Jimmy Johnstone andGeorge Connelly.[7]
The mid-1960s saw the emergence of one of Celtic's most notable reserve sides, a group that became known as theQuality Street Kids. Several became regulars in the first-team side, winning major honours and going on to representScotland at full international level, most notablyKenny Dalglish andDanny McGrain.[10] In August 1968, the reserves needed to defeatPartick Thistle by at least seven goals to win their Reserve League Cup group section; Celtic won 12–0, withLou Macari scoring four goals.[7] That same year, the Celtic reserves played theScotland national football team in a practice match; the young Celtic won 5–2.[11][10] During season 1970–71, Celtic won all three main reserve honours - league, Reserve League Cup and Second XI Cup - scoring 157 goals in the process and becoming the first reserve team in Scotland to win thetreble.[7]
In1975, the Scottish League was reorganized intoPremier-First-Second. The Premier clubs were assigned to the Premier Reserve League and the lower league clubs used varying regionalised sections and midweek competitions.[2] Key players continued to emerge from the youths and reserves;Roy Aitken,Tommy Burns andGeorge McCluskey in the late 1970s,[12] andPat Bonner,Charlie Nicholas andPaul McStay in the 1980s.[13][14][15] When theScottish Premier League was founded in 1998, the reserve league was replaced by anunder 21 league with some overage players permitted.[2] Various changes to this set-up were made in subsequent years, eventually leading to theSPFL Development League which was contested by the Under-20 teams of 17 Scottish Professional Football League clubs, including Celtic, up to the end of season2017–18.[16][17] During the 2010s,James Forrest,Callum McGregor andKieran Tierney all progressed as youths at Celtic and became established first-team players at the club.[18]Tierney was later transferred toArsenal for a transfer fee of £25m, a record fee for a Scottish footballer.[19]
In July 2018, it was reported that reserve leagues would be reintroduced in lieu of the development leagues that had been in place since 2009. The top tier of the newSPFL Reserve League featured 18 clubs, whilst a second-tier reserve League comprised nine clubs. Other than a minimum age of 16, no age restrictions applied to the leagues.[20] At the end of its first season (2018–19), Celtic – along with several other clubs – intimated that they would withdraw from the Reserve League to play a variety of challenge matches.[21] They later entered a small league (under-21 plus three overage) along with three other Scottish clubs andBrentford andHuddersfield Town from the English leagues.[22]
In the 2021/22 season, Celtic B (and Rangers B) began playing in theLowland Football League (the fifth tier of the senior setup). There was a proposal to include them in an expandedScottish League Two (fourth tier)[23] still under consideration by the SPFL for the year after that.[24]
There were numerous cup competitions for reserve sides since the earliest days; e.g. the Edinburgh 2nd XI Cup first played in the 1870s and the Scottish 2nd XI Cup which existed from 1882 to 1988. A plethora of cups were introduced during the 1880s but the advent of professionalism a decade later put pressure on club finances, and during the 1890s these tournaments gradually fell away.[25] The Scottish 2nd XI Cup was first competed for during season 1881–82 and was competed for each season up until 1988. The Scottish Reserve League Cup was introduced in 1945 and was last held in season 2013–14.[26] In June 2016, it was announced that theChallenge Cup would be expanded to include Under-20 sides from eachScottish Premiership club.[27] In the2016-17 edition, Celtic U20 won their opening tie againstAnnan Athletic and then eliminatedCowdenbeath (both of thefourth level) before being knocked out by the then-League 1 clubLivingston; they progressed further than all other Under-20s teams. In the2017–18 Challenge Cup, the side were beaten byAnnan Athletic in the first round.[28]
Celtic's U20s were the first Scottish participants in theNextGen Series - a youth tournament based on theUEFA Champions League. In the2011–12 season, Celtic were drawn againstBarcelona,Manchester City andMarseille, and finished third in their group.[29] Celtic confirmed that they would play in the2012–13 edition tournament as well;[30] the team were again eliminated in theGroup Stage.
In 2013–14 Celtic's senior teamqualified for the Champions League group stages, meaning that the youth squad could play in thefirst edition of theUEFA Youth League. In the following season there was no chance to participate in that competition due to the first team's failure to qualify, but in2015–16 an additional route into the tournament opened up to domestic youth (Under-17) champions, and Celtic qualified as the Scottish holders of that title.[31] After navigating two rounds, Celtic were eliminated on penalties byValencia.
In 2016–17 the senior teamsucceeded in reaching the Champions League group stage, so the youth squad also enteredthat season's Youth League via that route (they had also qualified through the Under-17 path again in any case).[32] In the Youth League, theGroup Stage mirrored the tough draw in the senior tournament, and Celtic collected just one point and finished fourth. Qualification was the same in2017–18 – the Under-17s won the Scottish league[33] but in any case the first teamreached the Champions League groups.
Celtic also successfully applied to compete in the2014–15,2015–16 and2016–17 editions of the England-basedPremier League International Cup.
A Youth Division was set by the Scottish League in 1993 and ran until 2012. This was an Under-18 league initially, but changed to Under-19s from 2003 onwards. Celtic Youths won the league for four consecutive seasons from 2002–03 to 2005–06.[34]
TheScottish Youth Cup was set up in 1984 and open to all senior clubs in Scotland. It was initially an U19 tournament, but is now for U20 sides.[35] Celtic are historically the most successful club in the competition, winning 14 finals.[35] TheGlasgow Cup was for many years considered an important trophy for first-team sides in Glasgow, but by the 1980s had lost prestige and saw Celtic and Rangers usually fielding reserve sides. Due to lack of interest in the tournament as a senior competition, it was relaunched in 1989 as a youth tournament and is currently competed for by the U17 sides of senior league clubs in Glasgow.[36][37]
Note: squad numbers listed relate only to first team numbers. In "B" (or youth) matches, the team wear 1–11.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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The Celtic Youth Academy works with players from as young as five years of age, concentrating in early years on improving players technique, passing and possession. Players are actively encouraged to demonstrate their skills, including tricks and flicks, in match situations. The academy also works in partnership withSt Ninian's High School in Kirkintilloch, where players of secondary-school age benefit from nine coaching sessions per week.[40]
The most promising players then progress to Celtic's Development Squad programme.[40][41]
In 2017, the Celtic academy was one of eight across the country designated 'elite' status on the introduction ofProject Brave, anSFA initiative to concentrate the development of the best young players at a smaller number of clubs with high quality facilities and coaching than was previously the case.[42][43]
The youth academy currently comprises four levels: Professional Academy (Under 18s), Intermediate Academy (Under 13s, 14s, 15s & 16s), Junior Academy (Under 10s, 11s & 12s) and Development Centres (five years old and above).[44]
On 23 November 2023, Celtic Soccer Academy announced that a partnership with Get Gung Ho FC from Singapore, providing the support of the soccer academy to help develop their players, coaches and programmes over the next three years.[45]
Since 2007, the club's academy and reserve sides have trained at theLennoxtown Training Centre. In 2019, Celtic announced plans to redevelop their older Barrowfield training ground in eastern Glasgow nearCeltic Park for use by the academy sides and theirwomen's team, including an indoor pitch and a matchday venue, augmenting the Lennoxtown base which would continue to be used by the first team squad.[46][47][48][49][50]
In July 2021, it was announced that the men's B-team (as well as the women's team) would play the majority of their home fixtures in 2021–22 atAirdrie'sPenny Cars Stadium.[51]
| Position[52] | Name |
|---|---|
| Head of youth academy | Chris McCart[53] |
| Head of academy coaching | Steven Hammell |
| Professional player pathway manager | Shaun Maloney |
| Academy operations manager | Brian Meehan |
| B team head coach | Stephen McManus |
| B team coach | Jonny Hayes |
| U18 head coach | Adam Asghar |
| U18 coach | Chris Henry |
| Head of academy goalkeeping | Colin Meldrum |
| Intermediate goalkeeping coach | Robbie Thomson |
| Junior academy goalkeeping coach | Tom McKay |
| Intermediate academy coaches | Miodrag Krivokapić Tom McCafferty Tony McGrory Mark McNally John McStay Michael O'Halloran |
| Junior academy coaches | Stevie Chalmers Mark Farrell Chris Hynes Michael McCahill Scott Murray Aiden Robertson Jose Romero Zeshan Ullah |
| Head of youth recruitment | Willie McStay |
| Head of children's programmes | Willie McNab |
League
Cup
Other
Third XI / B Team
Domestic
International
Notes
Players inBold have senior international caps
Roy AitkenMarc AnthonyGary ArbuckleOwen Archdeacon
Bahrudin AtajićBarry BannanCraig Beattie
Teddy BjarnasonJimmy BoyleGerry BrittonMark BurchillTommy BurnsPaul Caddis
Graham CareyJim Casey
Dominic CerviJoe ChalmersPaul ChalmersMarc CocozzaRyan ConroyBarry John CorrRonnie CoyleStephen CraineyDanny CrainieGerry CreaneyScott Cuthbert
Karamoko DembéléSimon DonnellyRoss DoohanMichael DoyleMichael DoyleBarry ElliotDavid ElliotSimon FerryIslam FeruzStuart FindlayKjartan FinnbogasonDarnell FisherSean FitzharrisJames ForrestMark FotheringhamScott FoxMarcus FraserSteve FultonDeclan GallagherTony GallagherMichael GardynePaul GeorgeJim GoodwinLiam GormleyPeter GrantRoss HarrisChris Hay
Conor HazardColin HealyEwan HendersonLiam HendersonJack HendryJohn HerronGary HoltGary Irvine
Jackson IrvineMikey JohnstonDenny JohnstoneJames KeatingsJohn KennedyLiam KeoghStewart KerrJohnny KennyLewis Kidd
Antons KurakinsDaniel LaffertyPaul Lawson
Jacob LenskyJamie LindsaySimon LynchShaun MaloneyDavid MarshallJason MarrAlex MathieJohn Paul McBrideKevin McBrideRyan McCannDugald McCarrisonJamie McCartGeorge McCluskeyBrian McColliganAiden McGeadyDylan McGeouchMark McGeown
Michael McGlincheyJon-Paul McGovernMichael McGovernPaul McGowanCallum McGregorJim McInallyKerr McInroyDes McKeownBrian McLaughlinStephen McManusMark McNallyAnthony McParlandJamie McQuilkenPaul McStayWillie McStayChris MillarMark MillarCalvin MillerLiam Miller
Milan MišůnAdam MontgomeryAllan MorrisonDavid MoyesCharlie MulgrewAidan NesbittPat NevinCharlie NicholasJim O'BrienDiarmuid O'CarrollEoghan O'ConnellDarren O'DeaStephen O'DonnellArmstrong Oko-FlexBrian O'Neil
Tomislav PavlovJohn PotterBryan PruntyBen QuinnRocco QuinnAnthony RalstonCraig ReidMark ReidNicky RileyAndy Ritchie
Luca SantonocitoTony ShepherdCillian SheridanPaul SlaneBarry SmithJamie SmithGreig SpenceMark StauntonJoe ThomsonRobbie ThomsonKieran TierneyLewis ToshneyRichie Towell Andrew TraubJohn TraynorFilip TwardzikPatrik TwardzikRoss WallaceSam WardropCalum WatersTony WattStephen WelshDerek WhyteDavid van ZantenRocco Vata Mo Yaqub
