SPL managers don't appear to be shedding a tear over talk that the reserve league may be scrapped.

If reports are correct that a group of top flight bosses that included both Rangers coach Walter Smith and Celtic gaffer Gordon Strachan, are keen to ditch the set-up, then it could mean a complete change in attitude with regards to how young players are reared in the Scottish game.

More loan deals could well be the order of the day with genuine match experience gained in the cut-throat environment of the lower leagues.

In times gone by the Old Firm always farmed youngsters out this way and, more recently, in the Premiership even David Beckham was loaned out to Preston to toughen him up before he made his name at Old Trafford.

Hamilton Accies manager Billy Reid is one of the SPL managers who will have little problem if the decision is made to ditch the reserves.

"The biggest problem I have with the reserve league is the fact that if you have a couple of trialists and you want to have a look at them in a game situation, you aren't allowed to field them in a reserve game," he explained.

"What happens is that you play them in a bounce game. This week we have a reserve game today and a bounce game arrange for tomorrow and because we are going to take a look at a couple of guys in the bounce game, that has become more important that the reserve game.

"We all arrange bounce games throughout the season for various reasons, mostly to look at players, and if there was no reserve league you would probably just arrange more of those type of games."

And Reid would like to be able to send more of his kids out on loan.

Accies have the youngest side in the SPL, but he would like others behind them to get a decent crack at competitive football before going into the first team.

"In the reserve league I don't think there's any doubt that it can be a comfort zone because nothing really rests on it," he said.

"You can have senior players coming back from injury and in cases like that players are really just going through the motions. It would be far better if they were out playing first-team football somewhere."

The resented under-21 quota rule is also set to be cast aside.

At the moment clubs are obliged to put three under-21 players on the bench and, particularly at the Old Firm clubs, you can have players there who aren't particularly deserving of their place in the squad and are instead there simply because of their age.

"We would generally always have at least six or seven who fit the bill and so it doesn't really concern me whether that's scrapped or not," said Reid.

"But I have seen teams often put players on the bench to fill their quota of young players and it is obvious that they aren't going to get anywhere near the game.

"That kind of situation benefits nobody. It's a bit of a waste of time and you'd rather they were playing somewhere rather than kicking up their heels and making up the numbers."

The SPL, however, are keen to point out that as yet nothing has been decided with regards to the future of the reserves.

"It is a little premature to say it will be scrapped but it is under review," said Greig Mailer, the SPL's marketing and communications manager.

"The clubs themselves brought it up at our strategy day. It's not just about cost-cutting, though.

"It is more about finding what is best in terms of player development.

"We used to have an Under-21 league with very strict guidelines but we did away with that five years ago.

"We are constantly reviewing our options. We have to ask whether the reserve league is fit for purpose and whether we would be better just continuing with an Under-19 league."