Raith Rovers are expected to consult with supporters before progressing any possible tie-in with other clubs under innovative new Scottish FA and SPFL plans.
The Stark’s Park club have had tentative discussions with Rangers over a ‘partnership’ from next season that would see loan players move from Ibrox to Fife.
However, it is understood Rangers are not the only club Raith have talked to about linking up under the radical new scheme.
And they have stressed that no deals have been struck between the Stark’s Park outfit and anyone else.
The governing bodies announced in February that an agreement had been reached to bring in a new ‘Co-operation System’ for season 2025-26.
It allows players in the ‘transition phase’ (ages 16 to 21), who are eligible for Scotland at international level, to join a lower-league club and transfer backwards and forwards between the teams throughout the campaign.
The system has been designed to increase playing time at first-team level for the country’s best youngsters and would allow for fluid movement of players outside the transfer windows.
Negative response from some Raith fans
It would bolster the lower-league team’s squad but could also leave them at the mercy of the needs of the ‘bigger’ side.
Clubs can strike flexible co-operation agreements with one team from each division in the SPFL, meaning Raith can also send their youngsters out to nominated clubs in League One or League Two and recall them when needed.
News that Rangers were in discussions with Raith met with a negative response from some supporters.
There were initial concerns over the Kirkcaldy outfit becoming a ‘feeder club’ for the Ibrox side.
However, with other clubs having also discussed the merit of a possible collaboration, Stark’s Park officials are likely to seek approval from fans before going ahead with any tie-in.
Raith have previously been well served by loans from Premiership clubs, with Finlay Pollock’s season-long switch from Hearts paying dividends this season, particularly in the second half of the campaign under manager Barry Robson.
Other youngsters to have made temporary switches to Kirkcaldy from the top-flight in recent seasons include Lewis Jamieson from St Mirren, Rangers pair Ben Williamson and Lewis Budinauckas, Kai Fotheringham from Dundee United, Kilmarnock’s Kyle Connell, Kieran Ngwenya of Aberdeen and Hearts midfielder Scott McGill.
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