THE circumstances were very different but the opportunity was the same. In both cases, it has been a chance squandered as the bigger picture was blurred by short-sightedness.

Every day, scores of players at every age level make their way through the gates of Auchenhowie and Lennoxtown and every year millions of pounds head out the door as Rangers and Celtic run their respective youth development programmes.

They are investing in the future, but is it their future? They are producing players, but not necessarily ones that will pull on a blue or green jersey.

The theory was that the Gers should have proved that you can win things with kids as they made their way through the lower leagues.

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It was, it seemed, the time to give their most promising young talents a chance to prove their worth, to see if they would sink or swim. Several were thrown in at the deep end, but only Barrie McKay could keep his head above water. When the talent was needed, there wasn't enough of it there.

Midfielder Lewis Macleod emerged as one to watch but his premature Ibrox exit and subsequent injury woes have curtailed his progress. Only time will tell if he can live up to the promise that he showed under Ally McCoist.

Instead of entering the top flight after three years with the foundations of a youthful squad that had miles on the clock and medals in their pocket, Rangers had a group that had to be almost completely shipped out before a fourth season in the lower leagues.

The team that Mark Warburton assembled was the best in the Championship but, despite his youth development background, there wasn’t exactly a pathway from Auchenhowie to Ibrox.

Between them, Ryan Hardie, Liam Burt and Jordan Thompson earned a handful of first team appearances. They were on the bench, but hardly ever on the park.

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Instead, minutes were given to the likes of Nicky Clark, Dean Shiels and Nicky Law when it was clear, especially towards the end of the campaign, that they didn’t have a future at the club.

Warburton did put his faith in 18-year-old Gedion Zelalem, but it won’t be Rangers that reap the rewards of the midfielder’s development in the long run.The same applies to Emerson Hyndman and Jon Toral.

Under the guidance of Craig Mulholland, funds are being invested in the Auchenhowie academy once again and the success of the blueprint is imperative for the club going forward.

Across the city, Celtic had the same scenario in front of them. With the title in the bag before a ball was kicked, Ronny Deila had a chance that few other Hoops managers will be presented with.

But Eoghan O’Connell made just one appearance, Ryan Christie struggled to get a look-in on his return from Inverness, Scott Allan became the forgotten Bhoy of Parkhead and Liam Henderson had to head to Rosenborg and Hibernian in search of a game.

The Hoops system produces talented footballers but not enough, for whatever reason, have made the transition into the Parkhead first team.

When you consider some of the players bought and money spent by both halves of the Old Firm whilst they were apart it’s a shame that more Scottish kids weren’t given their big break. Neither club is likely to get that freedom again.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers: We need grafters not shirkers to take Celtic to the next level

In the here and now, what Rangers do have at least is young players gaining experience away from the sanitised world of the Development League. Thompson and Hardie, who spent the first half of the season at St Mirren, are both at Raith Rovers, while keeper Liam Kelly is on course to lift the League One title with Livingston.

The Under-20 side fielded by Graeme Murty is regularly made up of players that have been fast-tracked through the levels, with 15-year-old Billy Gilmour already a name on the lips of many Gers supporters.

There appears little chance that any up-and-coming kid will see much first team action this term, but Rangers have to hope that the time comes when those in the youth ranks simply cannot be overlooked for a jersey, and certainly not by a protégé from another club.

At Celtic, the pressure to produce players is not as great because of their financial strength but the Parkhead crowd have rightly taken great pride in Kieran Tierney’s rise and rise, while Callum McGregor and James Forrest are key parts of Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

It is undoubtedly more difficult for a player to break into Rodgers’ side but that will remain the aim for the Lennoxtown staff and those Hoops hopefuls under their guidance.

For too many, the dream never becomes reality. For the sake of Rangers, Celtic and Scotland, that has to change.