The EFL Trophy Thread

[AdamStag]

I'd be interested to see which chairmen have voted for this to happen in league 2.

I'd be highly disappointed in radford if he signed up for it, and even if he did so of want to know why

 

[Judge Dredd]

Boycott this shit. Shame on the honchos of those clubs that voted for this. Pompey and Accrington have already come out and said they voted against it.

We voted against it too. Some moderately interesting comments about it from our MD:
http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gary-sweet-luton-town-efl-3140729.aspx

 

[TimeyWimey]

I'd be interested to see which chairmen have voted for this to happen in league 2.

I'd be highly disappointed in radford if he signed up for it, and even if he did so of want to know why

I'm afraid ours will have backed this. It is basically a bigger ambition of this club to play Man Utd u-21s than it is to play Man Utd's first team.

 

[Alan Partridge]

John Nixon will have voted for this, almost certain of that!

The sooner he fucks off the better, he doesn't even have a paid role at the club (so they say) and he's voting on issues like this for us? He's only holding on so he can go on jollies to Portugal to rim his mates for nowt, the goblin-faced c***...

 

[shoddycollins]

Well personally I hope we draw one of the academy sides at BP so that we can 'impress' the bigwigs with a crowd of zero. Sure they don't care about getting big home crowds but a ridiculously low crowd would embarrass them, and John Nixon too.

Sadly I fear we'd get a lowish crowd but not low enough to go noticed outside this forum. Something like 1500.

What I'd love is if one of our clubs opted to field an academy side and played the game behind closed doors, making the legitimate claim that interest was so low they'd be losing money by opening the stadium to supporters.

 

[womble76]

the football league changed its rules to pass this through. Usually 90 percent required to pass but they lowered the figure to force it through.

 

[dedwardp]

The worry about boycotting is that I can genuinely imagine quite a decent turnout of families taking young children to go and watch "Chelsea" etc, even if it is the U21s. I'm not talking about the fans going to watch our teams week in, week out, but the kids that go to football training every week in a PL kit. They'll go, and the crowds will still be decent. So you can boycott all you like (I certainly wouldn't go), but I doubt it will make much difference.

Shameful decision.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Champions League. Not sure we'll get past the group stages but be good for kids development.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

Pools objected I believe .....what happens if the final or even both semis are youth teams ....how can it be the Foot ball leagle trophy ?

 

[Smudge]

From a Premier League perspective, I doubt even any Prem clubs are interested in this. Found an interesting link on the subject on a Liverpool site, which highlights the rules involved for the competing Prem clubs, and even the clubs with massive squads, I cant see it being any benefit to even them, never mind the likes of ourselves, Palace and Hull! http://www.thisisanfield.com/2016/06/football-league-trophy-feature-premier-league-21-teams-201617/ It seems the games will all take place on international breaks (pointless when a lot of these youngsters at Premier League clubs are actually internationals too...) no players named in the 25 man squads are allowed to participate (so if you have a young lad who is not quite ready for the first team but just needs a bit of experience, do you put him in your Prem squad and maybe give him one or two games there for experience, or let him play in the JPT, where he is potentially playing against senior pros who are probably a good 10-12 years older and more developed than them?)

I totally understand the opposition to this from lower league clubs, but I cant even think its the Prem clubs who have pushed for it either, as the setup gives us absolutely no benefit either. Under 21s only, take away internationals, or anyone actually in with a shot at getting a go with the first team, essentially leaves a load of schoolboys who will be playing against grown men and experienced pros. Its akin to getting an amateur middleweight boxer and expecting him to fight a professional heavyweight. Doesnt matter how good the amateur is, he'll get creamed in a mismatch and learn nothing from it. There is a good reason we have age group football.

 

[hodge]

What a joke. Its not a competition I have huge feelings for but what an awful sell-out to start letting in PL academy teams. Cant wait for the Man Utd V Arsenal reserve team trophy final at Wembley.

Who seriously thought this was a good idea? The FL teams voted it in knowing full well its the best chance of a trophy most of them will ever have!?

I imagine a situation similar to EPPP being introduced forced through, premier league threatened to withdraw funding for lower league clubs if they voted against it.

 

[TimeyWimey]

From a Premier League perspective, I doubt even any Prem clubs are interested in this. Found an interesting link on the subject on a Liverpool site, which highlights the rules involved for the competing Prem clubs, and even the clubs with massive squads, I cant see it being any benefit to even them, never mind the likes of ourselves, Palace and Hull! http://www.thisisanfield.com/2016/06/football-league-trophy-feature-premier-league-21-teams-201617/ It seems the games will all take place on international breaks (pointless when a lot of these youngsters at Premier League clubs are actually internationals too...) no players named in the 25 man squads are allowed to participate (so if you have a young lad who is not quite ready for the first team but just needs a bit of experience, do you put him in your Prem squad and maybe give him one or two games there for experience, or let him play in the JPT, where he is potentially playing against senior pros who are probably a good 10-12 years older and more developed than them?)

I totally understand the opposition to this from lower league clubs, but I cant even think its the Prem clubs who have pushed for it either, as the setup gives us absolutely no benefit either. Under 21s only, take away internationals, or anyone actually in with a shot at getting a go with the first team, essentially leaves a load of schoolboys who will be playing against grown men and experienced pros. Its akin to getting an amateur middleweight boxer and expecting him to fight a professional heavyweight. Doesnt matter how good the amateur is, he'll get creamed in a mismatch and learn nothing from it. There is a good reason we have age group football.

U-21s in the JPT in itself is of no interest to the Premier League. It's purely and simply a foot in the door. Within the next decade Premier League "B teams" will be in the Football League.

 

[Smudge]

I agree that's a step they all ultimately want. Especially with the recent proposals to up the FL from 92 to 100 clubs. Again though, I think it's something most Premier League teams aren't arsed about, as our squads aren't that big. Only the likes of Chelsea, City, Spurs, Liverpool, Arsenal and United I would have thought have so many players and constantly moan about the current under 21 system. It's working just fine for the rest of us.

Again, it's a bizarre situation all round. Seems the fans of no club actually thinks this is a good idea, the 16 Prem clubs who will be invited didn't get to vote on something that affects them, while the 24 Championship clubs it won't affect dis get a vote!

All round, I just don't trust this money grabbing rebrabding crusade the FL are in the middle of. They seem to have completely forgotten that they are supposed to represent the fans of 72 clubs, not themselves or their own interests.

 

[LongEatonPie]

I hope there is a mass boycott of the competition by fans. Seriously, get gates as close to 0 as possible

That won't be that difficult for us. On occasion we have had less than 1,000 turn up to these games.
I have never been to a JPT game and that will not change especially now.

 

[LongEatonPie]

U-21s in the JPT in itself is of no interest to the Premier League. It's purely and simply a foot in the door. Within the next decade Premier League "B teams" will be in the Football League.

Honestly this is why I am putting most of my time in to my local non league side Long Eaton, if the 72 allow this to happen then as others have said it will only end one way.

Its shredding the heart out of football if the premier league want an exclusive league why not just sod off, we don't care.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We voted against it too. Some moderately interesting comments about it from our MD:
http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gary-sweet-luton-town-efl-3140729.aspx

I think Gary has been very sensible in this. Obviously we weren't impressed, but acknowledged its a democracy and now its something we need to embrace. The talk of boycotts will only lose your own club revenue.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I agree that's a step they all ultimately want. Especially with the recent proposals to up the FL from 92 to 100 clubs. Again though, I think it's something most Premier League teams aren't arsed about, as our squads aren't that big. Only the likes of Chelsea, City, Spurs, Liverpool, Arsenal and United I would have thought have so many players and constantly moan about the current under 21 system. It's working just fine for the rest of us.

Again, it's a bizarre situation all round. Seems the fans of no club actually thinks this is a good idea, the 16 Prem clubs who will be invited didn't get to vote on something that affects them, while the 24 Championship clubs it won't affect dis get a vote!

All round, I just don't trust this money grabbing rebrabding crusade the FL are in the middle of. They seem to have completely forgotten that they are supposed to represent the fans of 72 clubs, not themselves or their own interests.

I don't disagree with these sentiments, but the majority of L1 and L2 clubs voted for it!

 

[Pliny Harris]

In a much more minor way I'm recalling a few years ago when Wembley FC became part of a Road to Wembley marketing campaign where they'd be followed for as far as they go towards the FA Cup final. The gimmick part was drafting in expired slabs of ham in their playing staff and team, such as Venables, Seaman, Le Saux, Parlour, Keown, Ehiogu and Carniggia, which must do wonders for the sort of club that must already struggle with its identity a bit. Anyway the aim was to lift Wembley FC up into the football league rounds and get them further than any counties league outfit has in the FA Cup. They bowed out in the Preliminary Round (five rounds away from the 1st Round).

Digressing, I hope each U21 is twatted as early on as possible. I'm sure it wouldn't put off the powers that be on its own, but it'd be nice if it was landed on its face by the physicality of senior football and the genuine quality of football league sides. In front of crap crowds too. We know how to get a shite crowd at Gigg Lane when the urge is there, and hope other sides would follow suit. Could nip it in the bud. Could...

Back to the Wembley FC comparison, any Prem-ification of regional teams naturally misses the point. Whatever league you should be in, it helps to rise with your league, rather than due to the crumbs from the Premier League table. Big crowds usually feel a bit better to be part of when the floaters are there for Bury, rather than for Manchester United U21s. Don't think that'll need explaining.

Guess I'll get used to the "EFL" term. It's still very new to me and naturally I'm hostile.

 

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

Had a look at the details behind it, what details there are at the moment.

So presumably its not a coincidence that there will be 16 regional groups and 16 U21 teams. So we'll get to wet ourselves at the chance of drawing one of the big seeded Premier League teams. Meanwhile 3 more matches are added to an already congested season meaning it will now take 8 games to win at Wembley. Great start on fixing that fixture congestion Mr Harvey.

I guess that we'll be forced to play strong teams, which means at least two more opportunity for injuries and suspensions hurting our league campaigns.
I'm sure no extra leeway will be given to the suspension milestones to allow for this. I doubt they'll be friendly matches when you have players from U21 clubs that have never played a first team game but are on four times the wages of a player that's been playing for 10 years.

All of this in front of crowds that are generally piss poor anyway for this competition, especially in the early rounds.

Where do I sign up?

 

[Aber gas]

I think Gary has been very sensible in this. Obviously we weren't impressed, but acknowledged its a democracy and now its something we need to embrace. The talk of boycotts will only lose your own club revenue.

If fans go to these games they legitimise these changes. Some things are more important than a bit of extra revenue. I personally hope not a single person goes to this pointless experiment.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Just boycott the games. No revenue raised, no appetite to continue with it.

If the crowds even come close to the already pathetic attendance figures for this competition, it will have been justified.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Had a look at the details behind it, what details there are at the moment.

So presumably its not a coincidence that there will be 16 regional groups and 16 U21 teams. So we'll get to wet ourselves at the chance of drawing one of the big seeded Premier League teams. Meanwhile 3 more matches are added to an already congested season meaning it will now take 8 games to win at Wembley. Great start on fixing that fixture congestion Mr Harvey.

I guess that we'll be forced to play strong teams, which means at least two more opportunity for injuries and suspensions hurting our league campaigns.
I'm sure no extra leeway will be given to the suspension milestones to allow for this. I doubt they'll be friendly matches when you have players from U21 clubs that have never played a first team game but are on four times the wages of a player that's been playing for 10 years.

All of this in front of crowds that are generally piss poor anyway for this competition, especially in the early rounds.

Where do I sign up?

I think I saw somewhere that this is to be played on international breaks - so potentially Saturdays will be used.

 

[StagsForLife]

I think I saw somewhere that this is to be played on international breaks - so potentially Saturdays will be used.

So those international breaks where League 1 and 2 clubs play then... which will mean more Tuesday night matches. Even the bloody conference wasn't this shit.

 

[hellogregory]

If the unthinkable happens and they put B teams into the football league (that's their plan, the person who said this is their foot in the door is right), could teams resign from the football league and start up in a new league together? Would clubs be able to do this, or is there some sort of legal thing that would stop clubs?
I know this would be a drastic measure, but if it was possible and enough clubs threatened to do this, surely they'd have to pull the plug, otherwise it would defeat the purpose of putting the B teams in.

 

[Munkiki]

no players named in the 25 man squads are allowed to participate (so if you have a young lad who is not quite ready for the first team but just needs a bit of experience, do you put him in your Prem squad and maybe give him one or two games there for experience, or let him play in the JPT, where he is potentially playing against senior pros who are probably a good 10-12 years older and more developed than them?)

agree with your post but am I missing something with this bit? You don't name under-21s in your 25-man squad so this hypothetical young lad could play in the JPT and still get Prem experience as well. If they're in your 25-man squad, they're over 21 and shouldn't be eligible for a under-21 team (even if the U21 leagues do allow it).

 

[Smudge]

agree with your post but am I missing something with this bit? You don't name under-21s in your 25-man squad so this hypothetical young lad could play in the JPT and still get Prem experience as well. If they're in your 25-man squad, they're over 21 and shouldn't be eligible for a under-21 team (even if the U21 leagues do allow it).

This is another reason this is less use than the current setup. Currently overage players are allowed to play in under 21 games on return from injury and so on, we did it last season with the likes of Hibbert, Osman and Pienaar. But in the case of this new setup, we would not be allowed to do that, as these players were named in our 25 man squad for the season.

 

[dedwardp]

This is another reason this is less use than the current setup. Currently overage players are allowed to play in under 21 games on return from injury and so on, we did it last season with the likes of Hibbert, Osman and Pienaar. But in the case of this new setup, we would not be allowed to do that, as these players were named in our 25 man squad for the season.

You do realise you would still have the U21s league, don't you? The U21s league permits two overage, outfield players as otherwise there is no reserve league for senior players who need game time.

 

[Smudge]

Yes. But overall, my general point stands. There is very little to be gained from throwing an underage team into competitive games against lower league sides.

 

[AdamStag]

Why not just play our under 21s/18s for the game?

Show we've got as much contempt and lack of interest for the game

 

[hellogregory]

Why not just play our under 21s/18s for the game?

Show we've got as much contempt and lack of interest for the game

That's what I think we should do (as well as the fans boycott obv).

Fuck the comp rules and fines, but I don't even think they'll dish out the fines now they are allowing premier league sides to play their kids.