Football League want a new division from season 2019-20

[THE FLASH]

God idea..

[Summerof69]

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.

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

[THE FLASH]

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.

[Summerof69]

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/

[Reg Smeeton]

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.

[tans]

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.

[Summerof69]

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.

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

[Batch]

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

[kirky69]

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.

[THE FLASH]

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

'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.

[suttonred]

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.

[ghanimah]

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.

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

[Summerof69]

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

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

[Summerof69]

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

[Wobbly Bob]

Not sure I could cross a picket line.

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