Breaking News Changes agreed for the EFL Trophy

[LennySUFC]

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[FONT=EFL_Regular !important]EFL Clubs have agreed, at their 2016 summer conference, to pilot a new format for the EFL Trophy as part of their ongoing commitment to creating more and better home grown players. [/FONT]
[FONT=EFL_Light !important]The one season trial for season 2016/17 will include 64 teams made up of EFL League One and Two clubs, plus an additional 16 category 1 Premier League academy/under-21 sides.

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.

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this to me is an absolute joke and completely disregarding what a final means to a side like us. Can't wait for arsenal u21 vs Chelsea u21 in front of 12,000 people at Wembley! Once again there is little thought and respect given to lower level sides such as us.[/FONT]

 

[ace]

boycott anything to do with the Premiersh!te. Simples.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Yep, sad day indeed. This was one of the few chances for small clubs like us to get to Wembley - now it'll be dominated by Premiership B teams. I guess the restructuring of the leagues will now bring in these B teams as well. Sickening.

 

[londonblue]

Personally I think the FL teams should put out the weakest teams they can in an effort to de-legitimise the competition. They should also think about pulling out of the FA Cup, so that the only teams entered are non-league, the PL and possibly The Championship.

 

[C C Csiders]

Disgraceful and disrespectful.

 

[HudsonNo1]

And so it begins, the intrusion of premier league b teams into the football league. Starts with a cup completion and no doubt will soon progress. I don't understand how a majority of clubs can be supportive of this? Or is it not representatives of clubs who get to vote. With our history of the competition I'm really disappointed. Makes it much harder to progress.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Dear oh dear. Pandering to Premiership clubs, whilst not giving a monkeys about everyone else.

 

[USAShrimper]

Who gives a toss, Let's put all our energy in trying to make sure we never go down again and get into the Championship.

 

[SUFCStu]

Well this is just and utterly wrong.

Up yours FA,efl

 

[ace]

I give a toss!

 

[Depor_Shrimper]

An extra £1m added by the Prem for prize money more than doubling the available fund for the competition, I'd suggest this is the reason for the academy teams inclusion!

 

[OldBlueLady]

Utter disregard for lower league teams and supporters.

 

[Mick]

Well this is just and utterly wrong.

Up yours FA.

Wrong target ...... not that the FA aren't worthy of any criticism going !

This has been voted on by the English Football League. The clubs involved have chosen this rather than it having been dumped on them. How did we vote ?

 

[mfurok]

An extra £1m added by the Prem for prize money more than doubling the available fund for the competition, I'd suggest this is the reason for the academy teams inclusion!

Stuff their money and stuff them.

 

[Mick]

Dear oh dear. Pandering to Premiership clubs, whilst not giving a monkeys about everyone else.

Taking the Premiership's bribes rather than pandering ..... as they did with the academy rules.

 

[West Stand Wes]

It totally disgusts me that we (Football League clubs, fans etc) are somehow paying the price for the Premier League/big club's problems. This will aid development? Playing games in the PL aids development. Just ask Dele Alli.
Imagine how you'd feel when you finally get a chance to see your team at the famous Wembley, only to have the day completely void of all meaning because you're up against Man City U21's, who all earn 10x your team and do not give a toss about the trophy! Unbelievable treatment of the people that make our Football League system the best in the whole world.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Who gives a toss, Let's put all our energy in trying to make sure we never go down again and get into the Championship.

You should. Thin end of the wedge.

 

[southendkid]

Keep in mind in Spain the vast majority of B teams (including Barcelona and Real Madrid) played in the Spanish third division last season, in fact not a single B team played in the Spanish Second Division, depending on how the playoffs go this could be true next season as well. There's no guarantee the premier league B teams will outclass us and if the B teams do poorly in general it may make premier leagues rethink whether having teams losing regularly against lower league clubs is a good idea. Most of the B teams didn't do much in the Spanish third division as well, the only exceptions being Real Madrid (champions but there are no automatic promotion places, and they've blown their priority play off match so they're in the regular play offs now, and losing after the first leg) and Sevilla who made the play offs (currently 1-0 up after the first leg, they'll have one more match for promotion if they win).

Edit: It's also worth remembering a lot of the Spanish 3rd division clubs are weaker than most conference sides, many teams in the league struggle to even get an average of 1000 turning up to watch, so if Barcelona's kids can't cope with what is essentially non-league football it is unlikely the Premier League B teams will be successful against professional teams.

 

[secondalibi]

Unbelievable. But it's quite simple, we just play our under-21 side. Just treat the competition with the total lack of respect it deserves.

 

[fbm]

Hang on guys, hang on. Total knee jerk reaction from everyone without knowing any of the facts.

Yes, my first thoughts were similar... gone are our days of standing a chance of getting to Wembley.

But it's a 1 season trial. There is a world of difference between academy teams and L1 or L2 teams. They youngsters will have pace and athleticism on their side but not experience and any veteran centre half will know that speed is only half of it; reading the game and positional sense, that only comes with experience, will more often than not counter that.

I also can't see too many too sides wanting to put out their tasty youngsters in a group stage game on a Tuesday night away at Plymouth or Hartlepool, or places like Grimsby or Accrington where the football will be brutal and physical.

My guess is that it will be an experiment that won't work.

And if the competition does end up being dominated by the PL academy sides then the EFL won't vote for it again, will they?

What it might do is actually put some people on the gate. I would certainly pay to see the Arsenal kids at Roots Hall.

As for the suggestion of boycotting the FA Cup, who does that hurt? The PL clubs only come in at round 3 anyway and a cup run can be a money spinner for teams like us. The MK Dons v Wimbledon cup tie 2 seasons ago was brilliant drama, every round has a story, that's got nothing to do with the Prem sides.

Let's see the rationale behind the proposal - which the EFL have voted for, after all - before getting all antsy.