Rangers and Celtic B teams 'set to return' to Lowland League as clubs to vote on return next season

Lowland League clubs will vote on whether to admit Rangers and Celtic into Scottish football’s fifth tier again next season.

The Glasgow giants’ ‘B’ teams, set to clash in the division in a rescheduled match at Ibrox next month, have been competing in the league this season as an experiment.

But the Old Firm now want to return for the 2022/23 campaign and have made a formal presentation to the SFLF, reports the Daily Mail.

That will now be discussed at a general meeting on March 21 before going to a vote on whether they should be included again next season.

A spokesman for the Lowland League said: “A formal discussion about any future involvement of guest clubs is scheduled to take place at our planned General Meeting with clubs later this month.

“As ever, we are open to ideas that can progress the Lowland League - and Scottish football as a whole - but it has to be a collaborative process with our members.”

Rangers and Celtic failed in bids for their Colts sides to be admitted into the senior set-up and the Lowland League move was an alternative with each paying £25,000 for entry.

Gers sporting director Ross Wilson hailed the move at the time, saying: “We’ve been very clear in that now probably over the last year that we think that the B team playing within the league structure is something that is to the betterment of Scottish football - whilst absolutely being clear we think it’s to the betterment of Rangers as well and we don’t want to hide behind that.”

Hearts were reportedly considering a move to join the Old Firm but haven’t yet applied to the Lowland League.