• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

'EFL' Trophy

Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
While it does not directly affect us next season, the Football League (or should that be 'EFL'), have incredibly and stupidly accepted £1 million to allow Premier League academy teams into what was the JPT next season. The thin end of the wedge and probably a precursor to 'B' teams in the National League and Leagues One and Two. If that comes to pass, I am finished with football.

The Premier League: utter scumbags.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,020
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
That's a very worrying development.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
From reading some of the forums of League One and Two clubs I think there will be mass boycotts of this 'competition' next season. The PL can bully lower division clubs as much as they want, but some sub-1.000 crowds could kill this idea stone dead. Just gutted that a competition we won and have real history with has now been wrecked, and fearful of what could follow if this move is not vehemently opposed.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I agree this is very depressing. Also how many fans are likely to want to go to a Liverpool v Arsenal academies final for example?
 
Joined
5 Oct 2006
Messages
776
Player
Liam Palmer
I agree this is very depressing. Also how many fans are likely to want to go to a Liverpool v Arsenal academies final for example?
Probably more than would go to a Stevenage versus Burton Albion final, to be fair. Still think it stinks. In Scotland, the equivalent competition, the Challenge Cup, has expanded to include Premiership under-20 side AND two side from both the Welsh Premier League and Irish League. Bonkers. Still, Airbus versus Edinburgh City would suit me fine, I suppose!
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,692
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
I have no issues with inviting clubs from across the border into minor competitions like the JPT or the Scottish Challenge Cup. It makes for a bit more interest. The JPT gets a bit boring seeing just the same old sides. However, I draw the line at mixing first teams with reserves and age-related teams. It devalues the competition. If the above proposal stops there, it won't be too bad, but I think it's the thin end of the wedge. Having said all that, it will be interesting to see how and if it works for the parties involved in terms of gates and general logistics. It may get the thumbs down eventually. In any case, lessons will be learned from the experiment.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Probably more than would go to a Stevenage versus Burton Albion final, to be fair. Still think it stinks. In Scotland, the equivalent competition, the Challenge Cup, has expanded to include Premiership under-20 side AND two side from both the Welsh Premier League and Irish League. Bonkers. Still, Airbus versus Edinburgh City would suit me fine, I suppose!
You're probably right about numbers, although Barnsley v Oxford attracted over 59k.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Not many would want to see a Hull U-21 v Bournemouth U-21 final, that is for sure. What an utter nonsense.

Apparently, it is the top 16 A-graded academies that have been invited to enter, which includes clubs outside the Premier League, like Bolton. So theoretically, you could have Bolton's first team drawn against their reserves ! Farcical.

I still believe this is a 'softening up' exercise that will lead to academy teams in the League and for that reason, whatever you think of the worth of the JPT, it should be resisted. As I have said, if League clubs end up incurring massive losses to stage the games the experiment will never get past one season.

What is really depressing is the sum of money the League chairmen were willing to take to sell out in this way. £1 million. That works out at approximately £20,000 per annum, per club. A pittance, even to a loss-making club. It just emphasises that most chairmen are not fit to run clubs and we are fortunate to have our current owners.
 

bigmart

bigmart
Member
Joined
29 Jul 2009
Messages
7,112
Player
Ian Muir
Terrible idea this, hope it fails miserably and is scrapped after 1 year
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,020
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
I still believe this is a 'softening up' exercise that will lead to academy teams in the League and for that reason, whatever you think of the worth of the JPT, it should be resisted.
Agreed.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Some of the attendance figures from the first round of matches tonight:

760 at Blackpool
392 at Fleetwood
461 at Wimbledon
876 at Orient
585 at Accrington
950 at Chesterfield
1,326 at Charlton
1,540 at Bolton

Some of the other gates are disturbingly reasonable, but that little lot should kill this farce of a competition stone dead.
 
Top