MSPS have told Scotland’s football authorities that progress on improving rights for young players has been too slow and external regulation may be needed.

A Scottish Parliament committee is concerned about young players being stuck in exploitative contracts which do not pay them fairly.

The issue was first raised in a petition to the Scottish Parliament 10 years ago, but the Public Petitions Committee said changes brought in by the SFA and SPFL have not solved the problem.

The committee wants to ensure under-16s are not required to sign multi-year contracts and that young players receive the minimum wage.

Convener Johann Lamont said: “There is a huge power imbalance between football clubs and the young people who aspire to play for them. Clubs trading in children’s dreams should not be hiding devils in the detail, such as contractual small print which too many young people and their parents or carers may overlook.

“The committee welcomes some of the measures introduced by the SFA, but this progress has been painfully slow. After 10 years, the committee believes that time is up.

“A number of the issues in this petition are not simply about football, but the protection and welfare of our young people.”

A report released today says that regulation or new legislation might be the only way forward.

The committee also said there had appeared to be breaches in the rules around children’s human rights in football, which the Children and Young People’s Commissioner should investigate.

Lamont added: “We are also concerned that the commissioner is not prioritising this petition in his office’s work, despite agreeing with his predecessor that issues remain unresolved. We believe the commissioner’s office still has a critical role to play in ensuring the rights of children involved in youth football are not overlooked.”