The ex-Hearts and Celtic star looking to help free agents as he aims to make difference amid 'sad reality'

As part of his role with PFA Scotland - the independent trade union for professional footballers - former Hearts and Celtic forward Craig Beattie is helping out-of-contract players find new clubs ahead of the new SPFL season.

Beattie, 41, is currently the union’s Player Relations Officer and he has played a key role in organising this year’s annual showcase event, which takes place at Cumbernauld’s Broadwood Stadium.

The likes of ex-Celtic full-back Daniel Church and ex-Rangers midfielder Harry Weir are among the group building up to a match this Saturday which will see managers, coaches and scouts attend looking to pick up a hidden gem.

Beattie hopes to get talented players moves to SPFL clubs

“The lads behind me are out of contract, they're looking for employment, looking for a job ultimately and it's a really difficult time at this stage of the season so every year PFA Scotland puts the talent showcase on with a view to trying to help the guys and support them getting a club for next year,” Beattie explained to Sky Sports. “They train all week and the sessions have been brilliant so far. Then ultimately we'll get a game on a Saturday where there'll be loads of coaches, scouts and managers looking to strengthen the squad for next year.

“I think at times once you're a football player you get classed as earning hundreds of thousands of pounds a week like some of the players in England do. But we know full well that those riches aren't here in Scotland and it's stark contrast to the players here who are concerned about their career and their future. We also dip into education and personal development in the afternoon because some of these lads are out of full-time academies for example and they won't stay in full-time football. That's the sad reality. Our job is to help them do that.

“Industry-wide the exit element for the players could be a lot better but the players should be thankful and grateful that they've got the players' unions there to support them. There's a lot of funding, a lot of work and a lot of effort goes into providing that support. What we then hope is that the players buy into what we're doing because it's vital to them and some of them don't realise at this moment in time how vital it's going to be so it's not until a little bit down the line where they go I wish I tuned into that, I wish I tapped into that resource but we're there to reissue the message.”

The showcase matches have previously been a success, with many players going on to win contracts at club’s within the SPFL or below in the likes of the Lowland League.

Beattie highlighted the example of former Aberdeen youth star Finn Yeats - who managed to earn a full-time deal with John McGlynn’s Falkirk and is now a Scottish Premiership player after the Bairns’ second-tier title success.

Falkirk ace is great example of PFA Scotland showcase working

He said: “Ali Spalding went to Arbroath and is now a League One champion. We've had Corey O'Donnell and Kinley Bilham go to Stenny and they are playing regularly. The big one for us has been Finn Yates. He signed for Falkirk three years ago, he was at a bit of a low ebb, came to the talent showcase, played really well on a Saturday and he signed for Falkirk soon after.

“The end of his first season he played in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. Season two he was in the PFA Scotland team of the year, part of the invincible side that won League One and then last year he'd been promoted to the top flight. Now there's a lot of talent and hard work that's went into that from Finn, a lot of work from Falkirk as well so a huge amount of credit goes to Falkirk but that opportunity might not have arisen for Finn if he wasn’t part of the talent showcase and that's what I'm having to convince and say to these players that opportunity is there. Some of these players behind us could end up being top flight players in two or three years just like what Finn has done.”