The player pathway between the Scottish Premiership and English Premier League has very much been a one-way street since the days of Woods and Butcher, Sutton and Hartson.
Gone are the days when even Celtic and Rangers could compete with the big-spending EPL powerhouses in the ever-inflated English transfer market.
However, a new trend has emerged which might just be bucking that movement and proving beneficial for the top clubs in Scotland.
Okay we’re not talking about the likes of Mo Salah, Sergio Aguero or Eden Hazard swapping the EPL for the SPFL.
But the next generation of star? That could be where the fortunes lie for Celtic, Rangers and other top-flight sides north of the border.
While Ibrox prodigy Billy Gilmour was prised away from Ibrox by Chelsea two years ago, the momentum of young prospects heading in the other direction since has vastly outweighed the departures.
England U16 goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi last week became the latest youngster to leave the academy set-up south of the border in search of a first-team pathway in Scotland.
His move from Spurs to Celtic has all the hallmarks of Glenn Middleton , Armstrong Oko-Flex and Nathan Young-Coombes in the year or so before him.
So just what's driving these teenagers to make the massive decisions on their careers at such an early age?
There's one very simple answer to that question which all five have acknowledged in the interviews they have given since moving north.
The chance of first-team football.
Record Sport Online takes a closer look at each of the youngsters striving to make a name for themselves at Parkhead and Ibrox and what they've had to say about their moves.
Tobi Oluwayemi
The goalkeeper completed his move from Spurs to Celtic last week and the 16-year-old is highly-rated, having represented England at every international age group so far in his fledgling career.
Oluwayemi has signed a three-year deal at Parkhead and was won over by Hoops coaching staff who convinced the youngster first team chances would beckon if he proved himself in the Lennoxtown Academy set-up.
Oluwayemi touched on that when he spoke at his unveiling last week, while also pointing to his England youth colleague Karamoko Dembele as an example of the opportunities that lie in wait for youngsters at Parkhead. Dembele's rise from 13-year-old kid to Celtic top team debutant at just 16 has blown Scottish football away in recent years.
And Oluwayemi said: "I know Karamoko very well and he has told me all about Celtic, the size of the club, the great supporters and the club's tradition for giving young players an opportunity.
"I am very excited about this move and I will be working hard, giving everything to the club to progress and make the most of this great opportunity."
Nathan Young-Coombes
Another who has featured alongside Dembele for England's youth sides, Young-Coombes swapped Chelsea for Rangers at the beginning of this year, signing a two-year deal at Ibrox. And he took no time at all to show his promise as he helped a young Gers side win the Alkass Cup in Qatar, scoring a hat trick in the quarter-final and setting up Ciaran Dickson for the crucial goal in the final win over Roma.
The big-haired frontman then netted the winner as Rangers beat Celtic 3-2 in the Scottish Youth Cup Final at Hampden in April.
Young-Coombes has already had a taste of training with the top team - and again argues it is the chance to blaze a trail to the first team that convinced him of a move north.
“There was an opportunity for me to come and sign for Rangers and I couldn’t see a pathway for me down south," he said.
“When I came up here to speak to Craig Mulholland, I saw the environment I would be in and that wasn’t something I was used to.
"People think that down south you will get better opportunities, but I can tell you that is the complete opposite."
Armstrong Oko-Flex
A deadline-day signing with a difference for Celtic last summer. The Irish-born teen swapped Arsenal for Parkhead after being tempted north by then-manager Brendan Rodgers.
The striker has spent the first 11 months of his Celtic career developing his game in the academy ranks where he was noted for a series of stunning goals. His performances earned Oko-Flex a call-up to the first team for the pre-season trip to Austria and Switzerland where he impressed in a goalscoring appearance against Pinkafield.
Oko-Flex said Brendan Rodgers sold him on the move from the Emirates to Parkhead: "This is a massive club and one that plays in Europe, while Celtic are also known for bringing young players through their academy to their first team.
"I feel I have a chance to progress here and this is the right club for me at the moment.
"I had a meeting with Brendan Rodgers and he was very convincing. He's a great manager with all the success he's had at previous clubs and at Celtic, and he was one of the big factors in coming here."
Rodgers may be gone but Lennon clearly likes what he sees in the 17-year-old who could soon be challenging for inclusion in the first team just like his colleague Dembele.
Kane Ritchie-Hosler
The 16-year-old striker left Manchester City's Academy for Rangers after the Ibrox side snapped him up on a pre-contract deal in February. And he took no time in announcing himself when he bagged a double in his first run out in Light Blue against Partick Thistle earlier this month.
Ritchie-Hosler was reportedly set to be released by City but chose to move to Glasgow over staying in England. Former City youth chief Mark Allen, now director of football at Ibrox, was credited with playing a big part in that move with the youngster again eyeing a potential pathway to the top team at Ibrox.
Glenn Middleton
Scotland U21 star is proof that if you're good enough then you're old enough after being flung into first-team action for Rangers last season - and flourishing - just months after his move from Norwich City.
Middleton was a deadline day signing in January 2018 after Graeme Murty convinced his former Canaries prodigy to follow him to Ibrox. Even he couldn't have dreamed how his first 18 months would turn out though.
Four months later England and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard was confirmed as boss at Ibrox and, even better, Middleton was immediately installed in his top team for a pre-season trip to Spain.
Still only 19, the Scotland U21 star went on to make an astonishing 28 appearances for the Ibrox top team including in the Europa League where he scored against Spartak Moscow.
Shortly after arriving at Ibrox Middleton said: "It’s a big boost for anyone to be rated by Steven Gerrard. It means a lot to be given the faith and the chances he has given me so far.
"So hopefully I can keep showing what I’m capable of doing and get some more. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t confident I can get into the first team
“It’s the same for all the young boys. We come in every day, show him what we can do and hopefully get our names on the team-sheet as soon as possible.
“It’s always nice to get some recognition but hopefully that’s just the start."
