Clydebank manager Gordon Moffat is optimistic the club’s development side will have its application accepted for the Lowland Under-20 league for next season.

The Bankies announced in April that they had put their submission forward for the U20 set-up.

Eight players from the development side, who won 12 out of 13 games and went unbeaten last season, either featured for, or signed with, the first-team and Moffat believes the new league holds a load of benefits.

Speaking to the Post, he said: “It’s been on going and I’ve been speaking to [coaches] Scott Carson and Paul Mooney about the plans.

“They were keen to apply and we were keen to get the 20’s in as well because they play on a Friday night.

“In terms of what the 20’s league brings with the professionalism, all the players being Clydebank players, there’s no dual contacts and I can drop senior plays in to play as and when needed then it’s brilliant.

“It’s a big game changer in terms of how the young players will come through and I’m excited about bringing one or two others through as we did last season.

“Last season, I think between my coaching staff we hardly missed a 19’s game because they were Fridays and Sundays mostly.

Read more: Bankies boss pays tribute to Alan Vezza who will be leaving club

“We’re getting to the games all the time and if that was taken away it would be a huge barrier for players coming through if we’re not physically able to see them.”

The Scottish Junior FA announced two weeks ago that final league standings were set to be judged by average points per game, which meant that the Bankies dropped to ninth.

Auchinleck Talbot were declared premiership winners despite being in third place when the season was ended ahead of Kilwinning Rangers, who topped the table.

It’s a decision which has caused a whole load of debate, especially in the premiership, with both Blantyre Victoria and Darvel both being awarded league winners, and Moffat reluctantly accepted the decision.

He said: “I think some people aren’t going to be very happy about it.

“It is a wee bit baffling on the face of it when you look at Auchinleck winning the league when they are third. There’s certainly parts of it that don’t sit right with me but they had to make a decision so they can deal with placings.

“I understand some of the reasoning but if I was Kilwinning manager I certainly wouldn’t be looking at it that way.

“For us, we’ve had our home games and knew we were going to be safe in the league.

“In our league you could argue the pros and cons of what they have done in our division and make decent arguments for whether it was right or not but I don’t understand the joint winners at all.

“I’ve read the reasoning and gather they were so close on points gathered but ultimately somebody had more points than the other.”