Hibs Conference League snub is example for others to follow as Tam McManus changes his mind on B teams

The sight of Scott Brown making his debut for the Hibs reserve side in an Edinburgh derby was one to behold.

A decent crowd of around 800 were inside Easter Road and as I prepared to take centre, I looked over my shoulder to the lamb to the slaughter at right back. A 16-year-old Broony was up against Jean-Louis Valois. Wee Scot was skinny as a rake, it looked like being an unfair mismatch against a winger who had thighs like pistons, top to toe ripped. I genuinely feared for him, Valois was going to terrorise that wee guy, I'm sure I wasn't alone in thinking that.

Just a few seconds into the game, the ball was played out to Valois and Broony came flying in from nowhere and nearly launched the Frenchman into Leith Docks. It was in front of the main stand, there was a collective gasp, 'who is this kid?' Valois did a vanishing act and I came off the park looking at Broonie in a new light, the Tasmanian devil had been born. That's just a story to walk hand in hand with the decision by Hibs not to field B teams in the proposed Conference League which is hoping to be brought in for the 2023-24 season.

When the idea of having B teams in the Lowland League I was initially positive about it but no longer. It isn't working and needs to be brought to a halt. It's been in operation for a couple of years and the big thing which changed my mind is the failure of any club to bring kids into their first teams.

Youth development is all about trying to bring young boys though and there's zero evidence of that. I've already lamented the lack of young Scottish players getting first team game time this season and the statistics are horrendous.

We need to get back to the good old Premier Reserve League. The Hibs reserve side would play in