Clubs given £750,000 boost

Scotland Under-21s were defeated in Portugal

A £750,000 boost to youth football development has been announced by the Scottish Football Association.

The grants to clubs around Scotland are the latest in a £5m package paid out in recent years.

They were announced as the latest products of their youth system were losing 6-5 to German Second Division side SC Freiburg.

SFA chief executive David Taylor stressed that the national body has a long-standing commitment to the "many clubs making a significant effort to develop young footballing talent".

Celtic's Mark Fotheringham faces Freiburg

"I am delighted that we are again able to make a youth development award payment to clubs which have a viable youth programme," he said.

"The money comes from the income which we generated from our business operations during the past year and it is, of course, entirely right that this is ploughed right back into important football activities."

The amount of award, with a maximum of £21,000, was determined by assessments carried out by the SFA's football development department staff.

Clubs that did not meet the minimum criteria, or which did not apply for an award, were not allocated any grants.

The side losing in Germany were a development squad brought together by Under-21 boss Rainer Bonhof that have travelled to the Algarve during the Scottish Premier League's winter break.

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Grants were awarded as follows:

Level 1 - £21,000 (22 clubs)

Aberdeen, Ayr United, Celtic, Clyde, Dundee, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Inverness CT, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Queen of the South, Queen's Park, Rangers, Ross County, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Stenhousemuir, Stirling Albion.

Level 2 - £14,000 (8 clubs) Albion Rovers, Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Cowdenbeath, Elgin City, Hamilton Academical, Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers.

Level 3 - £10,500 (7 clubs) Annan Athletic, Berwick Rangers, Brechin City, East Fife, Forfar Athletic, Fraserburgh, Preston Athletic.

Level 4 - £7,000 (10 clubs) Buckie Thistle, Deveronvale, Forres Mechanics, Gala Fairydean, Keith, Lossiemouth, Nairn County, Peterhead, Rothes, Stranraer.

Level 5 - £3,500 (10 clubs) Burntisland Shipyard, Civil Service Strollers, Clachnacuddin, Cove Rangers, Edinburgh City, Fort William, Hawick Royal Albert, Huntly, Newton Stewart, Wick Academy.