Thetownend.com

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36335384

Just seen this on the BBC, it will be interesting to see if this gets voted in next June. It will affect a lot of teams if they change all the leagues to 20 teams, quite a few in league 2 will have to go down to make it 20 teams in each league.

They are trying to get B teams through the backdoor.

The reason why there is no spare midweeks is down to the expanding CL/EL. They are just too long and should be reduced back to pure knockout (which I know they won't do). It's a joke when they get to the quarter finals of the CL and they spread them out over 4 weeks.

So fewer games will boost finances. How does that work then?

Exactly. This is from the same guy who wants PL B Teams in the FLT (formerly the JPT).

It's not "formerly the JPT", it's always been the Football League Trophy. JPT etc are just the sponsored names. Same as it's always been the League Cup, not the Milk Cup etc. You corporate whore :)

Oh, and yeah, it's a shit idea. Stop buggering about with the league, just abolish the Premiership and merge it back in to Divs 1-4. Job done.

Well if the Premier League have backed it then it's got to be a good thing for teams lower down the pyramid! those magnanimous bastards.

As intimated by others there is almost certainly an ulterior motive to this. The way I see it this is either a way to make room for B teams without relegating real teams into non-league or to make room for a revamped football league trophy to allow the B teams in. Seems like a shit idea that will cost teams money we'd just spend our lives bouncing around the bottom 3 divisions rather than the 2 at the moment. Just leave it alone!

Well due to there being FL games being played when CL games are on, the PL clubs don't get all their money from UEFA.

We need to know what the motivation is for the change.  If it's the introduction of B sides, they can #### off.  But I'm not sure it is.

There is the matter of fewer games = less revenue but, on the up side, there would be greater mobility for teams in the lower leagues which could make things more interesting.  There are plenty of teams in the 3rd & 4th tiers who seldom switch divisions.  We're not a bad example, as it happens.  I wouldn't dismiss this out of hand.

The proposal is for 5 tiers of professional clubs, each with 20 teams.  That's 100 professional clubs vs the 92 that we currently have.  In that respect, it's not a massive departure.  I'd like to hear more.  As PaulD says, though, let's rename the divisions 'Division 1' to 'Division 5'.  The current 'Prem' and 'Championship' nonsense means nothing and fools no one.

Just how I like my posts - utterly saturated / positively dripping in irony  8)

I bloody love the idea that Accrington Stanley would be a household name internationally, for their "unique product", if only they didn't play so many midweek matches.

Over half the clubs in the conference are professional these days anyway, it's pretty much a 5th division in all but name already.

As mentioned it's all down to what the real motives are

The football league chief executive specifically mentions leaving the door open for B teams in his statement on the proposals. Also the proposals have the support of the Premier League! Come on this is blatantly about B teams!

What a bunch of fucking full of shit  bellends the football league are.

I think I prefer Batch's approach in this instance to be honest. It seems far more appropriate  :D

I want to be outraged, I really do, but every year a new proposal emerges and every year it's voted against.

The fact is that one day, they will get their way.

Manchester City with their 'Mini Estadi' Academy Stadium set-up was the clearest sign that 'B' teams in the FL pyramid was more a future inevitablity than a possibility.

and when that happens, I'm out of watching football.

Yep.  Deal breaker for me as well.

I took it at face value and like the idea. So fuck you lot.

I certainly wouldn't boycott football over it.

I've thought for a while something like this makes a lot of sense....particularly as attendances for mid week league games seem down on past years.  As part of the process the Prem should be reduced to 18 clubs.

But would you travel 4 hrs each way to watch Man City B vs STFC at Boundary Park?  Even a home game vs a B side would be a complete non-event for me.  I wouldn't turn up if I had to pay for the privilege, certainly.

No. But in time the invited 'B' teams will probably build their own little stadiums... like what Manchester City already have.

(https://d297csy1wc3uin.cloudfront.net/~/media/Images/Home/News/Club%20news/2015/December/Academy%20Stadium%203.ashx?h=450&w=800)

Who would the fans of these new 'clubs' be?  I just don't get it.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not against a restructure of the league per se.  I'm not even sure B teams are a part of the proposal.  But if they are, it's a no from me.

the only way I'd accept b teams in the league is if they work their way through the system a-la-wimbledon.

even then I wouldn't be that bothered to see them play

Regardless of whether B teams are part of this proposal or not they can fuck right off.

Manchester United U21 already average over 3,000 at Altrincham. Which doesn't sound like much but it's more than one L1 side, six L2 sides and all but three sides in the National League (in 2015-16).

I've attended a few Premier League U21 games and it's a mixture of old boys, dads taking their kids because it's a cheaper alternative and losers (me).

I don't think the 'B' team will come in, the FL will just gobble up the best of the National League.

The last expansion included Gillingham so the FL better think long and hard about this...  :)

Well when you put it like that, I'm surprised people on here aren't more receptive to the idea ;)

It just leaves a horrible taste in my mouth, that the "if it's not broke don't fix it" adage is being manipulated so fuck all can be done about the real issues but something is being done never the less.

I'm not too bothered if the league expands or stays the same but I'm with Ardiles if B teams come into play....fuck that.

"The whole game needs to come together," he added. "It is about finding solutions that supports English football for the future."

So says the FL chief exec. If he is really serious then it shouldn't be just the FL that should change its structure.

Maybe I have selective memory, but I don't recall fixture congestion and player fatigue before the creation of the PL and the Champions' League. The FL should stop pandering to the FA and PL, and ultimately to the TV moguls (plus Wembley come to think of it).

I've stated it before, English pro football needs to be run by one body with one league of five divisions of equal numbers, with the same number of promoted teams and relegated teams between them (ideally four up and down to keep it exciting and refresh the divisions). Have one Saturday cup and one midweek cup competition with no seeding and all pro national league teams entering at the same round.

If the big boys were truly concerned about congestion and player welfare, they would lobby for a return to a knock-out European Cup just for the league winners (again without seeding).

Any thoughts about Celtic, Rangers and big boy B teams getting involved should be shelved without second thought.

The unique selling point about pro football in England should be the extraordinary way in which so many towns have pro football clubs, from the capital, former industrial powerhouses, spa towns, seaside resorts, new towns and market towns. That alone should make the 'product' marketable and attractive to TV companies, whose money should in a single league system be shared with greater equity throughout the league to fund stadium redevelopment, community facilities and supporter-club engagement.

The FA's and PL's delusional concept of creating a minority elite has been an abject failure, particularly with regard to the misguided notion of making the national team stronger. The rewarding of failure with huge pots of cash is a nonsense, and the peddled dream of attaining 'promised land' status continues to lure clubs into gambling their very existence, and tempt them into financial creativity to sidestep rules (punished by fines that are puny compared to the gains). Football clubs are not global brands. They are sporting institutions that compete every year to try and win individual matches and competitions on behalf of their locality and to continue their long-established heritage. Their success and failure should be measured by the number of games they win, the points accumulated and trophies won, and their ability to get as many people as possible into their grounds, not on their ability to hand over unnecessarily large amounts of money in salaries or to gain entry into a competition by finishing fourth.

The Wembley 'dream' has become a depressing myth: the hosting of FA Cup semi-finals has diluted its status, and the ludicrous robbery that is the play-off final ticket price, which is even more shameful when you see how the semi-final clubs reduced prices to attract fans to awkwardly-scheduled kick-offs and to help try to create a better atmosphere. The scheduling of international matches and league matches on the same day is an example of the disregard for the lower-league football supporter, adding to the disconnect between club supporters and the national team, and the hierarchical attitude of the football authorities.

The whole game needs to come together indeed.

65 clubs will need to vote in favour for this to happen, so it's not going to happen.

And then the Premier League will gently point out it's in our best interests (and the league will again remind us of the money the PL oh so kindly give us) and it'll go through without a hitch. God I hate the FA, FL and Premier League.

Considering they are supposed to be acting in the best interest of their members its the FL I despise the most

It's ironic only a few months of their 'rebrand' to the EPL next season (where their logo incorporates dots to represent the 72 league clubs) that the FL wants to help the elite, and get Celtic and Rangers in along with B Teams. There has even been talk that to help placate the loss of revenue the FLT will have a group phase, to be played in midweek...so therefore it was never about the number of midweek games.

Well they can do one...and the Chief Exec should hand in his resignation, and get someone in who represents the lower leagues, instead of doing something that helps the elite with playing more European games, when there should be less. In the last 25 years, the number of league games in the top division has reduced along with the League Cup and FA Cup...whilst the number of European games have increased. By UEFA rules, there must be no league/cup games involving the top two divisions whilst CL games, which the FL cannot fulfill, so the PL clubs get penalized by getting their TV money cut from UEFA.

That is the real reason...money for the elite, and stuff the rest of us.

The one thing I wish they'd consider is regionalising Leagues 1 and 2 instead. Very little difference in quality, shown by the teams coming up from League 2 being very competitive and teams going down struggling. Much bigger away crowds, lower costs...

I'd much rather have Portsmouth, Luton, Yeovil etc than trekking north all the fucking time. Three up and down into the Champ (2 winners plus a play-off winner from 2nd and 3rd in each league).

Don't really agree with the proposals, but I do think the "no relegation out of the football league" season has the potential to be hilarious. If you were someone like Newport, you could just have a laugh for a year. Play 9 upfront. Get smashed before a game. Play a dog in goal. That's what I'd do anyway. Could be a useful money saver, don't pay anyone for a year and have a team of homeless men and inanimate objects. In fact if we are struggling in that league (I fucking hope not) and Anton Rodgers is still with us, I'd like to see if my statement of a scarecrow being more useful than him is actually true.

They are talking about having 7 teams relegated from the Championship in 2019/20.

Madness.

In fact if we are struggling in that league (I fucking hope not) and Anton Rodgers is still with us, I'd like to see if my statement of a scarecrow being more useful than him is actually true.
[/quote]
 :clap: :clap:

foook, my dream isn't dead after all!

Lots of sane & sensible point being made (albeit with exceptions) but what I don't understand is what the FL board get from proposing this stuff? And yes, I know technically they haven't taken a stance on it, just put it forward for the discussion/vote. But it will be unpopular, it will be voted down - after all 90% would need to pass it.

So what do they gain? It can only be to serve the PL agenda with B teams. They are FL chairmen. Why float this idea unless it is to start making it (or softer variants acceptable)? Or is it like EPPP and the Prem will start withholding money if they don't get their way?

If it was to get a mandate against B teams or inviting Rangers & Celtic in, you would propose that on its own. So why this?

I wonder I'd this is an opening gambit to a 'compromise' of the thing they really want... 'OK ok let's not do that but let's let Celtic and rangers in and call it quits'

What if the PL sweeten the pill with 4 up, 4 down throughout the leagues? Wouldn't affect those already in L1 as it's already 4 down. First 3 automatic, 4 thru 7 playoffs.

Either that or a shedload of money to compensate.

Can't see how the reduction to 20 teams per league will increase the quality on show - if you're shit you're shit.

Well there's been talk of a playoff reshuffle (nothing official though) which to be honest I would put first before adding 8 teams.

It would be carnage, as you'd have to relegate nearly half the Championship to make promotion from League One possible, and the same with League One relegation.

Although it's not part of the proposal, not sure I'd favour a return to a regional L1 or L2.

People would soon get fed up with trips to places like Yeovil & Wycombe every year. Yes, the travel would be cheaper and maybe greater numbers initially, but in terms of the day out, I don't mind the trips to Sheffield or Greater Manchester for example.

From Swindon a trip to Chesterfield is preferable to a trip to Gillingham or Southend.

The whole regionalized league has been mooted by the FL and FA in the last few years, it could be fairly difficult to structure but I guess would only involve the bottom two divisions so (currently) we would not be affected as it would be Prem, Champ, L1 and L2N & L2S.

I am not sure if I would like this or not but have discussed it with other teffers on many occassions.

If like this season Blackpool, Doncaster, Crewe and Colchester went down then I guess it would mean Crewe going into the Southern league which would not benefit them at all as the furthest south geographically of all the 3 Northern teams.

Be a lot for the FL to work out.

Regionalised would be good for a season or two but as another poster said, it would very quickly get boring visiting the same teams year after year

It would be a pisser for those who live miles away and whereby away games provide the only real option of seeing the team.

Never understand how such things get through, it will be like turkeys voting for Christmas!

What would happen if the relegation spots from league 1 were filled with teams from one area?

I like the prospect of a trip to Fleetwood in August (even if it does turn out to be February). Not a fan of regional leagues at all.

As one of those people who live miles away, I can't think of anything worse than regional leagues.

I'm sitting here wondering for how long you lot will discuss a completely hypothetical situation that has not even been proposed in these changes.

Its what the internet is for.

What about Celtic and Rangers though?

then they have to play the next season rush and scully

Oh, I know there's a genuine concern/interest about some of it, B-teams included, but the localised leagues thing just seems to be something that popped into somebody's head and everybody's running with it as though it's on the cards. I wonder how long it would be before somebody gets emotional and starts saying they'll stop going if/when it happens.

I just tickles me, for whatever reason.

I hope you enjoyed it....

Anything to do with the football authorities needs Mulder and Scully

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11719/10289492/football-legue-club-for-more-time-to-consider-proposals?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

"Too early to comment" = Swindon

Is that really a Sky Sports page?  Can't even spell league correctly...

How thin would you like the end of that wedge?

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/05/30/shaun-harvey-discusses-whether-rangers-and-celtic-could-be-invol/

'All 72 FL clubs would have to agree'....Not going to happen then...and if you asked the fans of FL clubs, there would be a resounding 'No' as well.

Since when has that ever happened!

The FL clubs have already proven time and again that if they're bribed enough, they'll vote for anything, including things that are obviously against their own interests. And this would be accompanied by plenty of sweeteners from the Premier League, they'd love to have the Old Firm in the Premier League, rather than inconveniences like Watford and Burnley clogging up the glamour. As for asking the fans, what Ells said.

Survey here http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1211-june-2016/13302-have-your-say-on-football-league-proposals

Danny Wilson (finally) has the Chesterfield job (and wont be looking for a way out as he lives there)

Its not just the TEF that is running with that idea, its something Bristol Rovers chairman has been talking about also.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Regionalisation-relegated-Championship-Bristol/story-29381716-detail/story.html

In that article, the Rovers Chairman floats the idea of relegating 6 teams each season from the Championship (so that 3 teams could go up from each of the new regionalised divisions below).  He's clearly an idiot.

FUCK OFF

JPT to be renamed EFL Trophy and to include 16 Premier League academy teams from next season. New 4 team group stage also introduced.

You've got to admit that it's very hard to give a shit about the FL Trophy.

Makes it more interesting in my opinion

Yeah. STFC v Bormuff u 21 will see droves flocking to the CG.

I'd prefer it if the FLT didn't exist altogether.

Arsenal U21 at the CG would probably get a bigger gate than, say, Exeter City and FLT gates are generally rubbish. I don't want U21 in the Football League but this news is a bit 'meh' from me.

Be the start of a slippery slope imo

Probably a similar gate to plymouths reserves to be fair Reg. How about Chelsea or Liverpool though or do you only want to concentrate on the ones that obviously are not appealing

Little more on the ELF (haha) website

Central to the competition will be the introduction of a new group stage format with 16 regional groups of four teams.  The top two teams will progress to the knockout stages of the competition with the final staged at Wembley Stadium in April 2017.  

 Full details for 2016/17’s competition will be finalised within the next 14 days.
Read more at http://www.efl.com/news/article/2016/premier-league-trial-for-the-trophy-3140598.aspx#e7SiL5uV57vWc0So.99

So does that mean a guaranteed 6 games a year even if you don't get out of the group, makes a bit of a mockery of the idea that restructuring is all to avoid fixture congestion!

I doubt many could really give a shit about the JPT, it's the thin end of the wedge factor that some will be concerned about.

Wonder if we'll charge 27 quid for a game against Chelsea J team ;)

But as its regional and there are only 16 which Premier Teams are we likely to be in a region with, they have to have Cat 1 Academies, so possibly Southampton, do Bournemouth bother or meet standard or do they just spunk roubles on players these days?

I'm going to relentlessly boo Jordan Turnbull.

Reading may have a Prem academy....

Barnet and AFC Wimbledon were both included in the South West draw last season...

I think their academy is at the highest level but is that enough do they have to be a premier league team as well?

Fuck knows. Well I think some non prem sides play in the U 21 comp.

They are going to split the Prem B teams evenly through the groups and the Premier league have put £1m into the pot to make the prize money £1.95m

Ex Pox chair Ian Leneghan was also appointed FL chairman - apparently there was some clubs not happy about his appointment due to his record at the Pox

BTW it's Lenagan, he was at Oxford for some years yet a lot of the thick twats couldn't spell his name.

This is a year trial....crowds of fewer than 750, should see it binned, let's face it not as attractive as old school Combination.

I suppose though, the extra games and dosh from the Prem will be used as a way to reduce the FL to 4 leagues of 20.

fuck that shit, not interested in b teams in the slightest. used to enjoy the JPT in a perverse way,. not spending a penny more on it now.

Definitely.  Add in B teams, and the competition dies all together for me.  One less thing to worry about.

Says it all :

http://www.againstleague3.co.uk/eflbteams/

I don't mind the JPT but wouldn't cry if it disappeared.

However, you're right about the thin of the wedge. The PL really should fuck off. The FL is becoming an even more desperate lapdog, and the FA's impotence is rendering it meaningless to pro football.

We need a full boycott accross every team in Leagues One & Two.

Start of a slippery slope, I won't be attending. They are determined to ruin the lower leagues

Enough is enough.

Boycott.

 agree about boycott. Will be interesting to see how many would turn up at Wembley for a reading v west from b team final. In fact it might be a good thing
As for lenegan being fl chairman, how much fucking league experience has he got when the piss stains have only been in the league 5 minutes.

A boycott wouldn't really show much as attendances are shite in the first place. I'd happily go with a banner to highlight everyone's absence however...I just hope and pray this fails, unfortunately I can see fans of other big clubs attending to see their "kids of the future" as they do with pre-season. If we drew a top 4 club then the attendance would be shamefully high and football league will say it's working

... and as a result add to the push to bring B teams into the FL. I think I'll give up on pro league footy when / if it happens.

Interesting that the Championship clubs get to decide on who plays in a tournament that they don't

I'd rather they were in it, than we had PL 'B' teams

It looks like STFC voted in favour of it

Power voting with his mates perhaps

It has been reported that the Championship all abstained. Looks likely we did vote for it.

Any surprise there? If there is a £ in it short term then its done.

This...

I won't be going again.

I'm in 2 minds at the moment, not sure if I will fancy the games against any B team but then I couldn't imagine sitting at home whilst STFC are at home

It may be slightly different if they just made it an U21 competition so our first team don't have to play.

Then I'd just avoid it through lack of interest, rather than actively stay away :)

No games at all or just none of the FL trophy games?

So apparently the FL Trophy will allow U23 sides but 4 players will be allowed to be over 23.

And group phase draws will have a penalty shoot out to see which team gets an extra point.

Jesus wept. What is happening to the game!

Maybe they'll have the early starts for the players now then?

FL trophy only.....follow Town through thin and thin thus far in the League...

England's Euro shame will bring the idea of getting PL U21 sides into the FL back in focus. The usual guff about talented youngsters not getting first team experience blah blah blah.

It is the FA's and PL's own fault. Hoovering up talent just so that someone else doesn't benefit, amassing squads too large for the competitions that they are interested in taking part in, bringing in overseas players who probably don't justify the hype. A case in point could be Ibrahimovic and Rashford at MUFC - it would be a shame if the former dents the latter's chances of being a first team regular.

If the PL wasn't so awash with money, home-grown U21s would be getting the first team experience the national team supposedly needs.

Be time outs at live games for ads at corners etc in the near future, some clown will think that's a good idea.

I was in Malta many years ago, watching Italian football and they had adverts when the ball went out for a corner, goal kick or throw in. Awful.

They still haven't released the full details as yet so this could get even worse

The import of foreign "talent" and approach of big clubs to youth recruitment are indeed issues, but there is little evidence to suggest that giving the English players a chance will do much for the National team - we were shit before the PL.

Unfortunately, the lack of evidence won't matter to those who will push for PL U21 teams entering the FL.

So it is not just PL teams entering their kids teams (or U23's with 3 overage players plus overage keeper) - I see Newcastle are listed as well

Arsenal
Chelsea
Everton
Leicester City
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Middlesbrough
Newcastle United
Southampton
Stoke City
Sunderland
Swansea City
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United

I didn't realise the prize fund was so poor:

£10k for a group stage win
£5k for a group stage draw
£100k Final Winner

An excellent breakdown of it all is here

http://www.ciderspace.co.uk/ASP/news/news.asp

This is fucking bullshit.

More Nonsense

Strength of Teams

Invited Clubs – 6 of the starting 11 to be U21 (as at June 30). It should be noted that there are no restrictions upon those players selected having to have any connection with that club's Academy.

and yet we have to field five fucking first teamers in this bullshit.

(http://www.relatably.com/m/img/wtf-memes/a32c608af64ab319962bda9f20bd6eb52f8d5ee7a45020d56c7b57f591537bb3.jpg)

What's the fine for not fielding a strong enough squad?

Jesus Wept. Anyone who goes to any of these games should be indicted as an enemy of football. Or have squishy veg thrown at them.

It won't take a Chilcot enquiry to work out whether this was a good idea.

I recall when we got fined for this after beating Brentford 4-1...

Even though I'm not thinking about football...lets imagine Chelsea and Spurs are in our group, is it not beyond the realms of possibility that several thousand plastics will turn out, even though no Town fans will bother?

It's bad enough losing to Kidderminster Harriers in this comp....imagine losing to Swansea B.

If its that good for young player development then presumably they wouldn't mind if we played an under 21 team in the League Cup or whatever it is now.

I still don't see this as massively beneficial to U21 set-ups, let alone FL sides.

yes reg, the plastics will backfill when the bigger teams come to town. which is why it is important that  those who want to boycott should also do so when the normal legitimate teams come to town.

doubt my one man boycott will make a difference mind..

negative Nelly. England will win the world cup in a few years because of this don't you know.

Two of us, Batch, two of us. Together we are unstoppable

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6-F2HKLzB6c/hqdefault.jpg)

You can be Ted

Make that three. There is zero chance I'd go to any of these games. AFC Wimbledon or Barnet away in the paint pot? Sure. Palace stiffs away in the paint pot, not a fucking chance.

palace aren't in it :)

Ted

Why attend at all? Surely it needs boycotting in full or it has no discernable effect?

advert report that someone else reported that man u (and possibly Liverpool) may not accept their invites..mwhahaha

Fair point., and tricky one. I dind't mind the competition in it's previous form, so would be happy for it to return to so, but you're probably correct.

Man Utd have turned down the invitation, interestingly.

Probably don't want their precious little ones being kicked off the park by LG 2 cloggers.

The proposed format may get them game time in a semi competitive competition but it won't be any style of football the academies are drilling into them.

Pointless exercise to appease the prem

Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs have rejected their invitation. Man U and Liverpool also.

Time to bin this nonsense.

You'd think it would've been worth a few cursory phonecalls before spending money on developing the idea.

Total bollocks.

CG will be full of plastics but won't bother me, because I won't be going to any Trophy games Prem B or not. That includes if we amazingly get to the final.

I used to quite like a trip for the JPT games and done quite a few....Newport twice in recent seasons, Barnet for that epic semi final etc etc. Fucking ruined....ruined, I hope the thing is fucking scrapped.

It was a lower league Cup..pure and simple...now it's a sack of shit.

Another vindication for not buying an ST..... We voted for the shit too!

I will not be attending any games involving the 'B' teams, at the moment and nothing is confirmed officially Chelsea, Spurs, Man U, Liverpool, Man City have all be rumored to have declined the invitation, some have mentioned it is partly due to when the fixtures to be played at times around international fixtures.

Everton have confirmed they will take part, and Stoke & WBA are also said to be taking part

You'd think the FL may have actually spoke to the PL clubs before making themselves look like even bigger bellends before introducing this shite.

   :D

Wow, the final between Carlisle and Stoke B is going to be a belter.

(http://i.imgur.com/RVWZRFE.jpg)

Really?!

You're right about the 'Total bollocks' though.

It is expected to save face Championship teams with the right level academy with be requested to take part:

Norwich
Villa
Brighton
Derby
Wolves
Blackburn
Reading
Fulham

All the more reason to boycott then - without the "Big team plastics" a boycott may well genuinely succeed

pffffft. That's the opposite of saving face. May not even need a boycott. Yippppeee. Blackburn U23s academy on Tuesday in a (TTFKA)JPT group match, said nobody, ever.

Indeed, utterly uninspiring.

That is also the order they will get invited, it is on league position so as soon as someone says no they will invite someone else until they run out of clubs to invite (hopefully)

Be very interesting though to see how many foreigners are included in the teams

Ha, if they get rejected often enough we could end up playing our own B team!

Have we got one  :)

Belford, Brophy, BOO,  Beautyman, Barry.. Almost!

(Sorry)

Apparently, those clubs with Academies invited to enter the competition should have made their decision yesterday.

What happens if not enough of them accept to run the competition? Will it revert to the Johnstones Cup format we all know and love?

The million squid put up is ringfenced whether the 'big boys' participate or not.

I'm sure Reading and Blackburn could stretch to C team.....failing that divi up the players and make it 9 a side.

I read somewhere that the league had not given them a deadline to accept (another screw up)

I'm guessing they will just about get enough as they will invite championship teams who will probably accept as it is another reserve game

The FL are going to end up giving Championship clubs a financial incentive to take part to save face.

Meaning less money to the teams in L1 & L2 that actually need it.

Another triumph :(

Yay...  :doh:

I see the draw is being made for the joke of the EFL Trophy this morning.

The noted sexist Scudamore, has said that now the PL have got this they won't bother with the 5th Div B team thing.

From what I can see we could end up in a group with one of Chelsea, West Ham, Swansea or Reading.

Would be a disaster if was Chelsea, the CG would be quite busy for that game I fear

If we get Chelsea B away does it get played at the bridge?

Chelsea B, Oxford & Exeter

Well that draw couldn't have been any worse if you want people to boycott the competition, 2 big crowds I'd guess

Might be more to do with the new PL2 under 23 league which is starting up.
Could possibly affect the loan market in terms of PL teams keeping players back to play in the new league.

People will go to the Chelsea B game at the CG. They may not be all Town fans but people will go.

Kingston

No I think they play all away. Even if not they've just bought AFC's ground for youth and ladies teams.

Disappointing.

Also adds to the prospect of having to sit through another GW Reds display. 

Interestingly the early response on the Scum forum is that rightly they'll be boycotting....so fair to play to them for that.

Oxford and Chelsea. That's going to put a bit of a hole in the boycott I suspect.

I will be boycotting all JPT trophy games as principal, what a farce it's become.

Hopefully this will be the death of the competition, we already play too many games in a season.

Of course not many go anyway....but your point about too many games is highly relevant.

Williams has said if we can put out our best XI then we should have enough about us to stay in Div3, but after that we struggle, so the last thing we need is further pointless fixtures.

He did? Are you telling porkies Reg?

That could just as easily mean our first 11 could challenge for promotion, Reg. It's all about the spin  ;) That and the squad isn't complete yet, so it's rather a moot point.

Feel free to interpret it how you want....

I'm not interpreting it either way.

Poor Cheltenham.

One min we're told FL clubs to cut down on fixtures to save travel. Next we see Cheltenham drawing Everton, Bolton & Blackpool in @EFLTrophy

Then feel free to not interpret it either way...

I'll go with my interpretation that Williams wants some more bodies, to avoid the struggles we had last season.  With this in mind Chrystovski's original point about the new FLT format throwing up unwanted extra games is as pointed out highly relevant.

Norvern bastards. I'm sure Gloucester City must have been in Conference North at some point

If the restrictions are lifted re set number of first teamers having to play from previous league game, then it could be a useful exercise in giving the youngsters a chance. Can't see it happening though, might devalue the competition.  ::)

Barmy!  You couldn't make it up!


http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/cheltenham-town-draw-blackpool-bolton-wanderers-and-everton-in-regionalised-efl-trophy-draw/story-29555661-detail/story.html


Although, their fans don't seem to mind:

http://robinsnestforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21969

I read last week a number of U21's/B teams were wanting to play all their group games away, meaning the league teams in those groups would all get 2 home games.

Doesn't really matter to me as I decided last month that I wouldn't watch any game involving U21/B teams in this competition, and if we get Pox at home, and a number of people boycott, I can imagine that we could lose money on that game due to the number of coppers that'll still be needed.

Chelsea have already negotiated for our game to be moved.

Where to? Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo?

Hah.

Sorry I meant the date.

Don't give them ideas...

Normally any game against the Scum gets my juices going but I couldn't give a toss about this one. I'm boycotting the competition. Hopefully a Blackburn v Reading under 21 final. No crowd at Wembley and the prize money going outside the bottom 2 divisions who should be ashamed of voting it through. 

Shrewsbury are off to Middlesbrough  :D

This is the attitude people should have instead of just boycotting just the U21 teams.

If they don't, the Sky generation (watching their team's future egos) will mask the crowd drop from those boycotting. If we boycott every game, then hopefully all games have reduced crowds and make it look a farce. Sadly, I don't think they'll be any discernable difference.

Swindon v Chelsea reserves/B Team/U21/kitchen staff/whoever is available is on w/c 12th September

Swindon v Pox w/c 3rd October

Exeter v Swindon w/c 7th November

Its interesting that Man Utd declined the invitation, the way that Mourinho is spunking money around there B team could be worth 2-300 million plus and include none of the young hopes we are always told about!

I see West Ham are playing all their fixtures away from the Olympic Stadium in the FLT Trophy

Maybe we should do the same :

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CoX-uzhWcAAfXw-.jpg

Well said that man!

Scudamore has said that PL B teams in the EFL is not going to happen.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/26/top-flight-football-league-richard-scudamore-premier-league

Whether people believe him or not is another matter.

Perhaps more of a concern, in terms of threat to the integrity of league pyramid structure, could be the new PL2 under 23 league being the precursor to the closed shop Premier League of two divisions.

Job for the Trust methinks?

Hmm, you may have something there - "We're not going to fuck up your league by putting our B teams in it, we're going to fuck it up by pulling up the drawbridge"

Prexit 2 commeth ...

I'm boycotting all of the games. Down with this sort of thing.

You boycott all the games!!

Turn off your wifi when the commentary streams through...mind you...that's so shit and patchy you might not have to.

Won't be going to any of them.

Shame, because in usual circumstances I would of loved Pox and Exeter away.

Should be supporters' club, not Trust. The trust getting involved with something like that is not going to help their non-existent relationship with Power, and it's a fan issue, not a Trust issue.

In my opinion of course.

Traditionally, the Trust have always been the more activist of the two, the SC see their job as solely raising money to help the club and never engage in anything that could be construed as critical or unsupportive of the club. The Trust is, or should be, all about "fan issues", that's what it's supposed to be a "Supporters' Trust", to represent a supporters' views on how the club/game is run. If you want a games boycott organised, the Trust is your only hope. If the Trust are too scared of damaging a relationship they don't have, they need to look at whether that is skewing their core priorities.

Apparently Southampton told the FL that they didn't want to be drawn in the same group of Pompey due to police costs.

Fair points.

On the Trust website :

http://www.truststfc.com/efl-trophy-boycott-we-want-your-views/

And Sam Morshead's own take on the EFL trophy :

http://www.truststfc.com/sam-morshead-the-serpent-the-fruit-and-the-premier-league/

Unfortunately, we now have Luke Williams saying how excited he is about the prospect of playing Chelsea U 21. 

Now don't get me wrong he's in a difficult position....but I kind of take this as an insult to us fans, who are boycotting.

Now Adi Viveash may be excited about it, a chance to take his charges to the CG and gain a bit of revenge for the stick he used to take as a player.

If you've got a sec, please vote in the Trust Twitter poll on this, will help the Trust formulate an official position

https://twitter.com/TrustSTFC/status/758988392923226116

I'm not on Twitter, so can't vote....but count me in on boycotting.

There's an email address and link to the Facebook group here, if either of them appeal.

http://www.truststfc.com/efl-trophy-boycott-we-want-your-views/

Staff/players will always have a different take on this than fans. May be it hasn't even occurred to him how fans would look at this as an insult to lower league sides and even an existential threat, assuming you don't believe Scudamore that it's not the thin end of the wedge. Which, given it's Scudamore, is a given

Problem is, he's probably been asked the question by a journo and what can he realistically say?

"I think its a terrible idea, and the fans shouldn't bother coming to the games, even if that means my team playing in front of no one and my employer losing loads of cash".

It's also possible from a coaching point of view, particularly in Luke's case, that the idea of testing team against the 'best' of young talent appeals, from a development point of view.

As Paul says, he'll have different priorities to us as fans, the good news is I don't think he will change the minds of most whatever he comes out with

I did say he's in a difficult position...and hopefully with a bit more experience he'll come to understand the politics of the role.  But he should have said something completely non committal....like "Yes, it's a one year trial, so be interesting to see how it pans out, but extra games might need a bigger squad, which I'm sure the owner knows"

In which case he'll be all over Div 5, composed of the PL U 21 teams and a few grown up sides....perhaps that's the Power master plan  :hmmm:

Oh I completely agree Reg, just saying that it might not have even occurred to him that this was a problem.

Without searching too hard it appears the fine for not putting out a full strength side is (or was) £1,500. Could we raise £4,500 to cover the cost so the club can play a bunch of kids? Fuck the tournament and fuck its rules.

Interesting to see that having only been up a few hours the Trust twitter vote is running at 86% in favour of a boycott, out of 500 votes cast. That's a sizable proportion of the usual LDV gate.

What's also interesting, to me at least, is this - There was a previous poll done on the Trust twitter the day the new format was officially revealed, and though there were less votes, the result was almost identical, it was 88% then, 87% now.

 So it seems the lure of another Oxford game, and drawing the biggest club entering the competition, hasn't swayed anyone..

I would assume the club would want to do well in the competition, as well as hoping for a decent gate receipt from the 2 home games.

Rightly or wrongly there's still a business to run and the competition will still be seen as a bit of a money generator if you get to latter stages

On Williams' views - he may well be excited about the prospect.  Those in football live in an odd bubble, hence why the changes were overwhelmingly voted in favour of.

I think I saw on Twitter Pompey fans crowdfunding to enable Paul Cook to play a weakened side and pay the FL fine.

Potential £130k for winning all of the group games and the final, plus the share from the pool account.

Haven't made mind up yet about attending.
Football fans in general appear to be resistant to change though.
I bet there was a fuss when penalty kicks were first introduced in 1891.

Did penalty kicks benefit some to the deficit of others?
(Other than those that won and lost, naturally..)

Yep, Germans over England. Although that might be because they actually practice them :)

So Power and/or whoever voted for it.

Williams is excited about it (he's hardly going to say it's a load of shit is he??).

As usual in every decision that is made in a case like this, nobody thought or thinks about what the fans think. Fuck em....

I only know one fellow fan (who goes to games) that is excited about it.

I hope this Boycott thing snowballs.

I agree with Sam...I wish it had died....

Not really, only to put an end to the public school ideal that a gentleman would never deliberately kick the shit out of another.
A penalty kick was originally referred to as 'the kick of death' apparently.

Now that would be a rule change that would discourage playing for the penalty shootout. If you miss you die!
Or let the crowd decide with a mass thumbs up or down a la gladitorial arena.
Might have resulted in a world without Chris Waddle.

For no reason at all, this reminded me of a school football game we used to play up in Scotland called '5-a-kicking'. Basically one unlucky punter starts in goal and it was basically 'headers and volleys' with a twist. If you put the ball wide, or over (as over as you can get in jumpers for goalposts football) you then swap with the keeper. This goes on until the keeper concedes 5 goals. When this happens, the rest of the players are allowed to give you a kicking. Being one of the smaller kids at school, needless to say I hated this game.

 :)
Which might explain why it was once commonly thought that every English league team should contain at least one or two Scottish players.
We could do with a Lee Collins type this season.

 :hmmm:

Very decent group for us...Chelsea should draw a crowd and a chance to turn beat the scum under the lights. A boost to the finances also, so no complaints from me.

I think that's why Yaser isn't so keen on international duty!

Don't feed the troll...

Right Panda!

Could we not have just decided not to take part, Man Utd etc were invited but chose not to take part surely for it to be equitable league 3&4 clubs can do likewise?

We voted in favour of the proposals so I doubt we'd opt out anyway.

Of course we wouldn't opt out. As pointed out above, the financial boost those two matches will bring will be much welcomed. Some fans getting on their high horse and not attending will do nothing to change that.

The competition has long been dying a death so there is no harm in a one season trial as this is - if it doesn't work, it will be binned and I assume hoards of fans will flood back to watch us play Barnet.

And if it does work, there will be evidence that the PL/FL will use to further attempts to get PL U21 sides into the FL. Better to do what one can now to send a signal that this is not welcomed. I'm happy to sit on my high horse, not attend, and know that at least I'm doing something, even if it makes no difference in the long term.

They could introduce veteran sides for all I care.

Do we really need a competition that makes one or two sides feel all warm and fuzzy in a half-empty stadium? I'm not so sure.

Even a modern era FA Cup third round tie can conjur just much excitement as a full FLT campaign can. Just need to get that far.....

Rather travel to Barnet away and have a few beers than Chelsea 4th eleven at home.

Every change of a competition for the last 20 odd years has been to the detriment of lower league football, from the bastardisation of the European Cup/UEFA Cup to this. Don't forget there used to be 2 legs for the first 2 rounds of the LC, with a good chance of being paired with a big club in the 2nd round (just imagine how much money that could be worth now), and replays being culled/limited in the LC and FA Cup, just because the CL/EL has been extended and the first team players hardly plays in the early rounds either, where all clubs used to play their first team.

Hell, they got rid of the Football Combination as they couldn't be asked to play reserve games against us, but now they want to play their reserves against our first team.

The FL need to tell the PL to stick this plan, and dump the tournament. To compensate for the loss of games in the bottom 2 divisions, they should maybe get the divisions extended to 26 teams, by either reducing the Championship, which I read were complaining of fixture congestion, and/or getting some teams in from the Conference. Yes, more league matches, but people are more likely to turn out for more League matches than the FLT.

Portsmouth fans have the right idea.....

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36953689

It must hit home when a club like Portsmouth have to feel honoured to be playing Reading's under 21s.

God idea..

Unfortunately all the FL will look at is the attendances, and not whether most of the fans walked out of the games.

Good point.

I would rather go in the club shop and spend a tenner.

Or donate via this ...

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/14659699.Trust_STFC_set_up_fund_as_fans_look_to_boycott_EFL_trophy/

There appears to be a round of matches for the dreaded FLT tomorrow but we're not listed. Have we got a bye or something. In which case I'm boycotting the bye.

No they changed the rules to suit Chelsea as they didnt want to play in the international break. Same as they changed the rules regading having to play home games at your home ground to suit West Ham so they dont have to play at the Olympic stadium for home games as they moaned about policing costs. Make the fucking rules up as they go on. Now i see that cunt Shaun Harvey is advocating Rangers and Celtic in the new five division set up.

Cunts.

When Chelsea agreed to be in the competition, they only agreed if 2 of the games could be moved. Our game against Chelsea is now in 2 weeks, instead of this week.

Meanwhile the Chief exec of the FL speaks shite :

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/pompey/majority-of-clubs-and-fans-are-in-harmony-over-checkatrade-trophy-1-7548188

is there anything to stop us playing the required 5 first teamers  and subbing 3 of them in the first minute?

Ultimately all the power lies increasingly with the foreign owners of premier league clubs who have absolutely zero interest in the fans of lower league clubs. The very nature of the fabric  of our great game is under threat and there is very little that the fans or the gutless f
ootball league can do anything about it. The inevitable will happen in that celtic rangers and premier league b teams will join football league clubs in some reformatted version  of the existing structure.

'Current format a bit stale'....

There's a cup....bottom two divisions....North play each other....South play each other....then there's a final.

No B Teams? That's exactly what this is...

If it's so wonderful why are the big Prem clubs in 'harmony' that they ain't in it?

I'm going to pledge some money to the trust.

Reading that has made my piss boil.

What an utter tool that bloke is. You can tell he still believes in "thinking outside of the box" etc etc. Go back to the 80's man, when you were just a cunt, not a complete one.


Now the steam is easing, there is a 1st round tie that I really hope is the final. No disrespect to Fleetwood, but it's them v Blackburn u23's. That'll make the farce worthwhile.

West Ham can't play at home due to the terms of their tenancy agreement at the Olympic Stadium.

Here's the Crowdfunding account which the Trust are collecting donations for fans not going to FL Trophy games, which will be used to pay for underprivileged kids to go to STFC games :

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/truststfc-efl

Had this email from the guy who looks after @AgainstLeague3 on Twitter :

Open Letter To Supporters Ahead Of Tonight's EFL Trophy #BTeamBoycott


 Tonight sees the first matches of the newly revamped EFL Trophy – and as such the first games of the #BTeamBoycott
 

Against League 3 is asking supporters not to attend games in the EFL Trophy. We ask this of all supporters, from The Premier League down to League 2, to neutrals and non-league fans. Lower league football is increasingly under threat – and the EFL Trophy sets a damaging irreversible precedent that accelerates and assists the deconstruction of the greatest football pyramid structure in the world.
 

Whether you choose to boycott B-Team games or the entire competition is your decision. We feel boycotting the entire competition sends a greater message – but we understand supporters when they tell us that they have nothing against playing regular teams in this competition. This is especially relevant when considering the clubs that voted against these measures.
 

Asking supporters to boycott is a decision that we took with a heavy heart. No-one wants to deliberately avoid going to watch their team. It’s a horrible feeling. Against League 3 has always been a campaign that was run on the wishes and direction provided by our campaign supporters. When the Trophy changes were announced, our Twitter feed and our emails were overwhelmed by fans telling us to organise the boycott of this competition – so we did.
 

Boycotting doesn’t make you any less loyal or any less of a true supporter. Boycotting means you reject the idea that our teams should become just another tool for the Premier League youth development conveyor belt. Boycotting means you are willing to stand up and be counted to try and improve football for all levels – not for just the select few.
 

Boycotting these games may have some impact on your team – but a national boycott will have serious damage to the Football League executive – a group that betrayed football supporters for a tiny payday. This vote was forced on teams – and they accepted the idea following promises that were quickly broken. Everyone watched the farcical process of waiting for invitations to be returned from the Premier League. The Football League made promises that it simply could not deliver.
 

When Greg Dyke’s commission first suggested B-Teams in May 2014 – Against League 3 was started by two lower league football fans that fully rejected the idea that our teams should regularly play reserve sides for the benefit of the National Team. Many agreed with us, and 34,000 supporters signed a petition against these plans. Such was the public pressure that The FA ditched the proposals.
 

The Football League has always been fully aware that these measures are not supported by fans of the lower leagues. We’re told that “something had to be done” – that “the trophy needed rejuvenating” and Football League executives and chairmen have fallen over themselves to announce that this isn’t “the thin end of the wedge” for B-Teams entering the pyramid structure.
 

Yes, something had to be done about The EFL Trophy – but attempting to “rejuvenate” a trophy using measures supporters were firmly against is incompetent at best – arrogant at worst.
 

Serious concerns were raised regarding the voting procedure for these EFL Trophy plans. Representatives from several clubs confirmed to AL3 that they were given minimal notice by The Football League to ask supporters what they thought of the changes.
 

The decline of The JPT has been steady over a number of years. Why the rush to act? Why the deliberate prevention of supporter consultation? Where is the evidence that the changes truly help the national team?
 

In Shaun Harvey – The Football League has a chief executive that is overseeing the slow destruction of our pyramid and competition system. Following his exploits at Bradford City and Leeds – it’s unlikely he would himself pass the “Fit & Proper Persons Test” required for owning a football club. Harvey has told government he does not support supporter ownership, been accused by OFCOM of organising harassing radio broadcasts, banned the supporters trust at Leeds from buying tickets after questioning the regime, oversaw the awful EFL rebrand and has pushed for B-Teams despite vocal fan protestations. Against League 3 continues to call for his resignation.
 

English football is changing. There is genuine pressure from UEFA over England’s fixture scheduling considering that European domestic and international football will see changed formats over the next few years. What supporters must do is ensure we do not get stuck with an unworkable pyramid system for the next number of years. FA Cup replays are under increasing threat. Supporters must be open to change, but they have to be the right changes that benefit the many over the few.
 

If you decide to protest tonight – please do so safely, peacefully and legally. Please be understanding of fans that do decide to attend and try to educate rather than berate them. Don’t forget to stay involved with your supporters trust – or consider starting one if you don’t have one.
 

Supporters can be a real force for positive change in football. Let’s start tonight.
 

Thank you for supporting AL3 and the #BTeamBoycott
 

James Cave
 AL3 Campaign Manager

Not sure I could cross a picket line.

Could be trouble if clubs decide to bus in replacement supporters though.

'the greatest football pyramid structure in the world.' Really - what makes our system any better than any of the other leagues in the world, I don't disagree with the sentiment of the email but that does seems a little hyperbolic and OTT.

Why not just do away with the JPT, it was only created in line with the Full Members Cup, which in turn was only created to provide the upper level teams with something to do mid week whilst we were banned from Europe post Hysel. If the Premier teams want something for their young players to play in just reboot the Full Members Cup (I will always remember it as the Simod or Xenith Data Syatems cup anyway!) My first ever game was against Chelsea in the Simod cup January 19, 1988.

There's an inevitable whiff of historical self satisfaction here....it was a fair statement up until about 2008 when the swaggering jack booted Hun, introduced their very own Div 3.

Like our own it loses money hand over iron fist, nevertheless last season our own Div 3 average attendance only outdid theirs by a few hundred.

Nevertheless our Championship is still the 4th most watched league in Europe....although interestingly the Bundesliga has overtaken the Prem for bums on seats.

I see checkatrade are making friends with fans on twitter......

Perhaps they should check for a social media officer...

To be honest I assumed they were some manner of city trading company, not just some sort of plumber checking website so they have already achieved something from their sponsorship!

The fact that Crawley's ground is called the Checkatrade.com Stadium should have given you a clue.

Sam's been re-tweeting pictures of empty stadiums at tonights games, looks like the fans of most teams are boycotting the games

... and Paul Tisdale has named HIMSELF as a sub.

I feel a bit for the poor fuckers I expect the deal to sponsor was done before this farce started.

Could be wrong.

They were named as sponsors weeks after the draw. They deserve the grief they are getting.

Some fantastic low attendances around the country, 950 at chesterfield (120 being wolves fans) the lowest so far i think

394 at fleetwood vs Blackburn reserves PMSL what a joke , I really hope we get sub 500 against Chelsea

Looks like somebody started playing music over the Tannoy during the Blackpool game.

Posh won't have taken too much out of themselves before Saturday. Maybe Louis might have softened them up.

461 at Wimbledon vs Swansea reserves

Excellent.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37226544

I like those attendances.

Morshead on Twitter pointed out that transfer spending surpassed £1bn in this transfer window for the first time. Meanwhile, an average of 1,436 people attended the 29 'checkatrade' trophy matches (total of 41,658). Really impressed with the strength of feeling shown - people truly voting with their feet.

For some reason I adore the idea of Tisdale on the bench for Exeter. Shame he didn't come on - in his standard manager's garms, just nonchalantly kicking the ball to no one.

Love the attendance figures. With any luck this should kill a competition already in its death throes.

The biggest mistake our benevolent overlords made, was thinking we'd love watching our teams waste valuable players even more if we got to do so against overpaid never-beens.

I suppose the other mistakes they made, were believing that struggling lower league teams would like helping the very rich PL and Engerlund.

Pics and videos....

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/photos-showing-empty-grounds-as-fans-across-football-boycott-efl-trophy/story-29669235-detail/story.html

Anybody got a site with all the gates on.

Really poor, considering comp, kids tickets and maybe families going to see youngins make debuts.

Fleetwood's 392, is the lowest attendance I've seen so far.  Come on Town fans we can do better than that, for the Chelsea game.  OK there may be a few plastic Chelsea fans, but given the change in date and there being no chance of any of the Chelsea team ever playing for them....who knows it might just pass them by.

Oxford's 1500 a bit disappointing, not many fewer than last week when they got beat by Brighton 2nds in the LC.  Some of their fans were surprised  at the low gate for that, and speculated some of their more "challenged" fans may have thought it a Checkatrade game and so boycotted  :)

With the consultation that the FL / FA have put out about a new league, changing the FA Cup etc, I wonder if stfc will have learnt anything and consult with fans on this or just add their thoughts in regardless (like they did with the former piss pot trophy)

Considering all the changes in the last 25 years has been for a benefit of the big teams, I wouldn't hold my breath. Bring back the old European Cup/UEFA Cup, cutting the number of games....but we know they won't do that.

Leagues 1 and 2 need to have more matches than less. If the Championship wants to cut the number of teams to cut fixture backlog due to international break weekends, increase leagues 1 and 2 and get rid of the FL Trophy. Clubs get bigger crowds for league games in midweek, than for the FL Trophy.

If this week's anything to go by, clubs could be getting bigger crowds for the chip vans than the FL Trophy :)

Inclusion of B teams into new football league structure has been ruled out today.

Don't trust them....it's just a way of reinforcing LW's belief that Town fans are bucking the boycott by turning up in their tens at Checkatrade games.

Don't knock it.  We might be glad of a Division Five by 2019/20 the way things are heading at the moment.  ;)

It's a good point...although Rovers and Oxford have shown you can go to the Conference, and still get back up above us reasonably quickly.

Just got to rule out Scottish Teams, lack of regionalisation  and rule in conference teams and midweek games and no reduction of games...

Seems to suggest Scotland have been ruled out also http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37440689

Yep. No B teams and no Sweaties. The 8 extra clubs needed will come from the National League.

Still annoying that the B teams and jocks were even considered.

So, how do clubs benefit from 20 club leagues with less games being played

No FL clubs benefit, but PL clubs will get their full money from UEFA as no PL nor Championship games are supposed to be played the same time as CL games. Currently UEFA 'fine' them by not giving them all their money.

Looks like the Whole Game Solution has been kicked to the long grass...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37998768

Excellent,

But I give it 48 hours before its either resurrected/altered to something more moronic.

They'll get their way, one day.

Like trying to extend the Jokeatrade Trophy...

Unfortunately football administrators these days seem to only be interested in career advancement than for the good of football. I think Shaun Murphy sees himself as the person to take over from Scudamore at the PL. All Murphy's decisions at the FL have been in benefit of the PL and not the FL.

 :no:

If there's one thing worse than what the League have done to that competition, it's what you've just done there. Think you need to go away and have a long hard look at yourself then reflect on what you've done here.