Pressley embraces SPL vote to create new U20 league

FALKIRK manager Steven Pressley last night hailed the SPL’s introduction of a new under-20 league as a “step in the right direction” and insisted that his club expects to be given a place in the fresh set-up.

Pressley believes the Bairns, along with newly-promoted Ross County and Hamilton Accies, will meet the top-flight’s criteria to take part in the youngsters’ division, which was approved unanimously by the SPL at a meeting yesterday.

He said: “I’m really pleased because I think it’s a step in the right direction. I’ve been saying for some time that changes need to be made in our game.

“It’s okay talking about it, but we must see the evidence of it and I think this is the first step in the right direction, and it’s really pleasing.

“There have been many debates on whether the under-20s league is the correct way forward, but we have to give it the opportunity and then further down the line if there’s any other amendments to be made then let’s make them.

“But let’s get the league up and started. We’ve been doing a lot of planning over the last three or four months, in terms of next season and numbers and how to continue progressing our young players, and this is a big part of that, so we’re really pleased.

“I believe that ourselves, along with Hamilton and Ross County, will make up a 15-team league. Because of our elite status as an Academy, we meet the criteria to play in the league.

“It’s going to be a league played in stadiums and, I would hope, in front of crowds as well, and I think that in itself begins to prepare players for the first team.”

Pressley was keen to see his club perform in both the SPL’s new youth set-up and the SFL’s reserve league next term, but admitted yesterday such a move may not be possible as he grapples with the expectation of further budget cuts this summer.

He added: “To have a team also in the SFL reserve league might just stretch us too far, so we don’t know if that’s going to happen. It might be a step too far in the one season.

“Our young players are going to be very prominent in our team again next season. We’ll be maybe even more reliant on our young players, so we have to be careful.”

Meawnhile, Pressley has revealed he has agreed a new contract to stay at Falkirk next season and is already excited by the prospect of continuing to build a bright future with his team.

The former Scotland defender’s current deal expires this summer but, following weeks of negotiations, fresh terms have now been approved. All that remains is for the 38-year-old to put pen to paper on the agreement, a formality which should be completed in the coming days.

With a Ramsdens Cup triumph, a Scottish Communities League Cup semi-final against Celtic and a promotion push that only faltered two-thirds of the way through the campaign, Pressley is thrilled to have been charged with trying to guide his young side to further success. However, with Farid El Alagui, Mark Millar and Tam Scobbie almost certain to depart at the end of the campaign, he insists he is overseeing a long-term project at Westfield.

He said: “Everything’s agreed, I just haven’t physically signed it yet.

“My representative is out of the country, but has been in touch regularly with the chairman via e-mail. There’s no problems with it, it’s just getting round to actually signing the contract.

“There’s not any concerns, everything’s agreed. I am excited. Although we want to see progression, I think the long-term future of this club is a really exciting one.

“Over the last season we’ve started putting the building blocks in place for the foundations of this club for years to come.”