Steven Ferguson says Ross County will look to loan out their young players rather than participate in the newly-returned SPFL reserve league.
Following a two-year absence, the Scottish reserve league will return for the first time since the 2019-20 season was paused due to Covid.
A 10-team league will commence on September 6, with Dundee United, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Livingston and Motherwell the only top-flight sides involved.
Celtic, Rangers and Hearts have entered B teams into the Lowland League this term.
Staggies chief executive Ferguson says the Dingwall outfit have opted not to run a reserve team as they view loaning youngsters out as being a more valuable way of developing players.
Ferguson, who was previously County’s academy director, said: “For where we are at the moment, and for what our strategy is, it’s not of any real benefit to us.
“We are lucky in the fact our young players can go and play men’s football on loan. We have really looked at getting them out and playing in the Highland League.
“The young lads that have come in have games provision lined up with the under-18s and club academy Scotland.
“But we want them playing in the Highland League, getting as much contact with men’s football as early as they can.”
Loan pathway has been fruitful for Staggies in past
Lewis-born pair Adam Mackinnon and Matthew Wright enjoyed successful loan stints with Brora Rangers in the early part of last term before being recalled to the Staggies first team for the second half of the season.
County have already farmed Ryan MacLeman and Connall Ewan out to Forres Mechanics, while goalkeeper Logan Ross has returned to Lossiemouth following a successful loan last term.
Ferguson says loan deals provide the young Staggies players with the opportunity to develop while aiming to catch the eye of manager Malky Mackay.
He added: “This is one bit where we probably benefit by being in the Highlands.
“We have Highland League clubs in and around us, but the guys can train with us on a daily basis, still under the watchful eye of Malky and his staff.
“They get exposed to men’s football really early.
“Adam Mackinnon and Matthew Wright benefitted from that last season, as did Logan Ross who is a great example of that. He played nearly every game at Lossiemouth, after going there at 16 years of age.
“For a young goalkeeper, getting that many games under his belt in a very competitive league was great for him.
“We just feel with where we are at the moment, that’s a really good fit for us.”
Staggies have opted for different path since Development League success
County won the Development League title in 2017 under the guidance of future first team manager Stuart Kettlewell.
At that point, County’s development squad was augmented by a number of players who had previously been on the books of other clubs.
Ferguson says the picture has since changed, adding: “In the past we have gone down the route of having a full reserve team, and a full development squad.
“We were carrying a squad of 20 players to make that happen.
“We won the Development League one of the last years it was there. There was a reserve team after that, but for our model and what we want to give to the players we feel us not going into that is better for our club.
“I understand city clubs needing it, but we feel for us to develop our young players the way we want to, we think what we are doing just now is a good fit for our club. We need to do what’s best for our young players.”
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