The EFL Trophy Thread

[Kenneth E End]

Exeter City also voted in favour.

Don't agree with the decision whatsoever.*

The statement ends with "To be clear, this is not a precursor to ‘B Teams’ entering the league structure, which Exeter City would be against should it ever be proposed" which ultimately, is the main reservation I have.

I'm surprised at this, considering Exeter are a fans owned club.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

Isn't this a bit harsh? I always thought Cambridge were a relatively well run club (post George Rolls of course)

Well run yes, we're in the best shape I've ever seen us. Jez George is quite rightly akin to royalty for the effect that he's had on the club. Likewise, Dave Doggett. I can't really fault them in any way except the contempt they both hold for our clubs supporters, particularly those who create the atmosphere.

There have been many occasions now where they've either criminalised our fanbase, failed to defend them when required, or downright insulted our intelligence with issues like this. Whilst it's easy to be delighted with the bigger picture, a club should at least have some respect for the fans that have been there all along.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Well run yes, we're in the best shape I've ever seen us. Jez George is quite rightly akin to royalty for the effect that he's had on the club. Likewise, Dave Doggett. I can't really fault them in any way except the contempt they both hold for our clubs supporters, particularly those who create the atmosphere.

There have been many occasions now where they've either criminalised our fanbase, failed to defend them when required, or downright insulted our intelligence with issues like this. Whilst it's easy to be delighted with the bigger picture, a club should at least have some respect for the fans that have been there all along.

Got to be honest, I find some of these comments a bit puzzling.

 

[Judge Dredd]

That "fan's" charter (clearly not remotely influenced by the fans) thing was legitimately one of the cringiest I have ever seen.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

Got to be honest, I find some of these comments a bit puzzling.

Probably less puzzling if you find yourself slapped with a banning order for being attacked by the police. Or getting banned and then dragged to court by the club for similar.

Or the 'fan charter', or the 'we have a hooligan problem' statements.

Cringeworthy at best, a disgraceful way to treat your own at worst.

 

[shoddycollins]

http://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/new...eme-ahead-of-the-201617-campaign-3141302.aspx

Welp... we are an utter disgrace of a football club, but we knew that already. Ashamed to be a Carlisle fan right now.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Well, our board was clearly in favou- I mean weren't in fav- ok I have no idea what our board wanted because they didn't have time to read the papers, despite the fact there were 3 board members there, though no one from the Mariners Trust. Despite this, they voted in favour anyway! Shambles.

 

[mowgli]

Not even an U18 team? I know an academy is expensive, but the EFL put up £1 for every £1 the club puts up.

Nope just a first team and that's it,we're skint!

 

[GTFCfish]

Confirmed today that we voted for it:

http://mobile.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/efl-trophy-club-statement-3142059.aspx

 

[Gashead]

Confirmed today that we voted for it:

http://mobile.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/efl-trophy-club-statement-3142059.aspx

Look at you lot, took all this time to get back in the FL, and now you're back you're sucking at the teet of the evil Premier League

 

[dedwardp]

We voted for it as well: http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport...olchester_United_in_support_of_Trophy_changes

 

[TimeyWimey]

All these Chairmen/CEO's who voted in favour of it with the stock "it's not opening the door to B teams in the league" should be absolutely hounded out of sight of football when, after this "trial" spectacularly fails, they still vote through B teams in the coming years.

Do they honestly believe U-21s will boost gates? They must have known football league fans have no interest in watching other clubs U-21s and when we can out number Man City at their own ground in a FA Youth Cup game, that says everything about Premier League fans appetite for youth football.

Accrington's statement nailed it. Basically, "Our fans wouldn't want it, so we didn't vote for it". Sorted.

 

[King Kev]

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.

The armchairs will love it. As someone else posted, parents who have never been to Old Trafford, Eastlands, Goodison Park, The Emirates will be turning up with their replica shirts and their kids and plonking them in the away end to support the under 21s team against their actual local team.
It will be one hell of a sad experience that they will talk about for weeks on end.

 

[hellogregory]

The armchairs will love it. As someone else posted, parents who have never been to Old Trafford, Eastlands, Goodison Park, The Emirates will be turning up with their replica shirts and their kids and plonking them in the away end to support the under 21s team against their actual local team.
It will be one hell of a sad experience that they will talk about for weeks on end.

This may actually turn me into a football hooligan.

 

[Gashead]

I suppose the worst cases for this sort of thing will be in the North West. Can't imagine we'll get many in for Swansea Under 21s

The nearest we've ever got to that sort of thing was when Rovers played Liverpool in the U18s Yoof Cup a few years back. Which, ya know, was a legit competition so whilst it was a bit weird to see kids in Liverpool kits, I didn't care that much.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Didn't a crap Luton side beat Arsenal U21's to seven either last, or previous, preseason? What's the point. Dreadful alround. Glad we as a Club voted against and proud we then have the morals to say it's a democracy so as others want it we we'll go with it - but a concerning development and surely not a precedent for B sides. I think those who voted for will see the bad in that. As fans I hope we will not have the wool pulled over our eyes and crowds are abysmal for the u21 ties

 

[Judge Dredd]

Didn't a crap Luton side beat Arsenal U21's to seven either last, or previous, preseason?

It was three pre-seasons ago - IIRC it was the last friendly before our Conference pissing season. Crowd was average PSF size too (2,411 according to Wiki).

On the other hand, in our first season down in the Conference, we lost comfortably to Man U u21s and the crowd was just shy of 7,500, huge compared to any pre-season friendly in recent memory. I guess ManUre are a much bigger draw than the Arse even down here.

 

[Kenneth E End]

It was three pre-seasons ago - IIRC it was the last friendly before our Conference pissing season. Crowd was average PSF size too (2,411 according to Wiki).

On the other hand, in our first season down in the Conference, we lost comfortably to Man U u21s and the crowd was just shy of 7,500, huge compared to any pre-season friendly in recent memory. I guess ManUre are a much bigger draw than the Arse even down here.

That Man Utd team was quite an impressive one - I remember a certain Febian Brandy running the show up front. Tom Cleverley, Tom Heaton, Ritchie de Laet and Nicky Ajose were also in the squad.*

*I don't actually remember this, I looked it up.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

H

That Man Utd team was quite an impressive one - I remember a certain Febian Brandy running the show up front. Tom Cleverley, Tom Heaton, Ritchie de Laet and Nicky Ajose were also in the squad.*

*I don't actually remember this, I looked it up.

Impressive knowledge.

I wonder how many archived Fleetwood match reports have been mysteriously opened over the last few months.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Supposedly being altered to include Premier League U-23's (+ 4 overage), plus penalties "for an extra point" if a game is a draw.

LOfuckingL.

 

[hellogregory]

The overage players part is a ploy to boost attendances so they can deem the trial a success.

They'll drum up rumours that Hazard/Alexis/Rooney/etc will be one of the 3 and the plastic premier league fans will flood down in their numbers.

I think this will also mean we have next to no chance of winning the competition with the calibre of players they can pick.

They are c***, absolute c***.

 

[TimeyWimey]

#eflexit

 

[GTFCfish]

And the FA will now use England's shambolic performance at the Euro's to 'prove' that U21/U23/B teams etc in shit competitions like these are the way forward -- 'yeah put them in the Football League trophy and England will fucking piss the 2018 World Cup'.... #morons

 

[dedwardp]

Wasn't there always going to be the few overage players eligible anyway, in much the same way as they are in those age group league games?

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Supposedly being altered to include Premier League U-23's (+ 4 overage), plus penalties "for an extra point" if a game is a draw.

LOfuckingL.

That is because none of them were going to take up the offer to play in the competition because 'amazingly' none of them prem sides give a flying f*ck about pushing youth players.

now it wil allow them to have some competitive reserve games which is more about what B teams is about for them and always has been.

My worry is people are going to boycott the wrong games, its not the ones vs B teams people need to dodge, its the other ones. The B team games will get some armchair fans and some stupid deals to tempt people in so that they can as such 'pretend' its great for the other clubs.

but if say Carlisle Vs Hartlepool for example dropped to a gate of 200 fans because most of the usual 2,000 die hards boycott it then..........this competition and idea dies.

 

[hellogregory]

That is because none of them were going to take up the offer to play in the competition because 'amazingly' none of them prem sides give a flying f*ck about pushing youth players.

now it wil allow them to have some competitive reserve games which is more about what B teams is about for them and always has been.

My worry is people are going to boycott the wrong games, its not the ones vs B teams people need to dodge, its the other ones. The B team games will get some armchair fans and some stupid deals to tempt people in so that they can as such 'pretend' its great for the other clubs.

but if say Carlisle Vs Hartlepool for example dropped to a gate of 200 fans because most of the usual 2,000 die hards boycott it then..........this competition and idea dies.

But if we boycott the other games, they'll turn round and say well the B teams are obviously a good thing for the competition because they draw bigger crowds than Carlisle v Hartlepool.

 

[Murphy]

This is literally just the old reserve league in a revised cup format while simultaneously shafting a huge group of football supporters and players in the process.

What a load of shit.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

But if we boycott the other games, they'll turn round and say well the B teams are obviously a good thing for the competition because they draw bigger crowds than Carlisle v Hartlepool.

no they won't

If crowds go down to about 100-200 tops for the other games there will be a massed panic.

if the real fans boycott the B team games (to be replaced by the armchair lot) and then as usual turn up for others then the clubs know they are fine.

 

[Shrimper92]

As expected this is just going to be a Premier League play thing so that they can play their over-paid reserves.

 

[King Kev]

And the FA will now use England's shambolic performance at the Euro's to 'prove' that U21/U23/B teams etc in shit competitions like these are the way forward -- 'yeah put them in the Football League trophy and England will fucking piss the 2018 World Cup'.... #morons

The FA are thick as pig shit and quite possibly one of the most revolting organisations around. The fucking apology after Monday's farce pissed me off, will they be willing to change anything to make things better? Not a chance in a million years, they will merely continue to be used as a lapdog to the premier league and the big clubs.