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It's been neglected amid the problems for its larger, long-established Scottish banking competitors, but it's probably the kind of neglect that the Clydesdale Bank rather welcomes.

Under the large wing of the National Australia Bank (NAB) and a partner of Yorkshire Bank, based in Leeds, it has only featured in the public eye of late because of speculation that they might some day get sold off.

The promotion of Cameron Clyne to NAB chief executive, effective from January, has helped the speculation, as he figures out which way to take the bank forward. Its annual figures are out next week, so we will then be able to see test the claims that it has maintained a strong balance sheet through the banking tempest of recent months.

But ahead of then, Mr Clyne has been talking to a couple of British newspapers, with contradictory reports resulting. The Sunday Times had him "probably" offloading his two British banks, but not yet.

"You couldn't say you are going to do X or Y in three years because you have no idea what the market is going to look like," he's quoted saying. "The right thing to do, irrespective of the medium-term strategy in Britain, is to support and grow it. The decision will actually become quite clear at a point when the market normalises".

But the Yorkshire Post this morning puts a different interpretation on what I'm told were the same words - that is, a bank chief should never say never about disposals or acquisitions, but this is a time to build up the Clydesdale and the Yorkshire, to keep them strong, to grow them organically and perhaps to take cautious advantage of the opportunities out there. And no, they're not for sale.

While on that familiar theme of Scottish banks, another interesting Sunday newspaper report has Johnny Cameron, who ran the division of the Royal Bank of Scotland that bought into most of its problems, being blocked from taking on a new senior job in finance.

The Financial Services Authority won't comment on his case. But it is pointing out that it recently announced it is going to be much more robust in its role of approving senior appointments in British financial institutions.

To take a senior and influential role, you need to win the FSA's approval. If you move from one bank to another, that approval transfers. But if, let's say, you left your last job in October, and have only had a very large pension to keep the wolf from the door since then, you have to re-apply for FSA approval.

And whereas it used to be a paper-based, rubber-stamping operation, the most senior people can now expect to face an interview with the regulator.

Watch out for a cracking encounter if Sir Fred Goodwin ever seeks a return to FSA approval.