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The EFL Trophy


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From the above link
He then went on to present a number of options and considerations for the members to deliberate. These included: 
  • Addressing the concerns around the full-strength team policy by improving the eligibility criteria for EFL teams. Goalkeepers will not count towards the full-strength quota and only four qualifying outfield players will need to be named on team sheets. A qualifying outfield player would be considered as any player who meets the same full strength criteria as 2016/17, is on loan from a Premier League or Category 1 club or has made 40 first team appearances (if this criteria was applied in 2016/17 only two fines would have been levied).
  • Significant increase in prize money.
  • Regionalisation until the quarter-final stage (improved from second round in 2016/17) to minimise travel for clubs and fans.
  • Flexibility of fixture dates to allow teams to schedule games outside of international weeks.
As a result of the discussion and subsequent debate, Clubs will now be asked to vote on the following:
  • A revised format including 16 invited teams.
  • A return to the previous 48-team competition, exclusive to League One and Two.
  • Remove the competition from the fixture calendar.

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16 invited teams could be Scottish / Welsh / NI  teams  if they had any vision. Sure the travel costs would be high and therefore the need for more regionalisation

What else would spark the fans interest?

Coventry v Heart of Midlothian  or    Oldham v Coleraine  has to have more viewers than Hartlepool v Blackburn B

 

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2 hours ago, opinions4u said:

I always liked the 48 team knockout format.

 

But I think last season's nonsense killed it for me.

 

I didn't mind it the 48 knockout either. The team strength rule wasn't ideal at all and needed amending but aside from that it was fine. We may have had more time for it had we managed to progress from the two Northern Finals we got to.

Edited by ChrisA
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Either go back to the original format or scrap it, otherwise there is a real risk of a final between Sunderland U23s v Stoke U23s or something similar. Not exactly a mouth watering prospect.

 

In its various forms, it was always a competition for League 1 & 2 clubs and, whilst it's a bit of a crap competition, that's how it should stay, not an excuse to let some of the so called "big boys" have a sniff.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just posted this in a new thread - MODS feel free to merge.

 

Sorry if this has already been posted, however it seems the club have decided to vote in favour of the same format as last year.

 

I can't remember if we were invited to cast our votes on what format we would prefer going forward, but if it's remotely close to what's happened at Notts County then it's a disgrace.

 

County fans were asked to vote for their preference - only 5% voted to keep it the same as last year - yet their 'fishul this morning has confirmed that not only did the club decide to stick with last year's format, but they manipulated the fans' votes to make it appear that 50% were in favour of retaining the competition in the calendar (but conveniently ignoring the fact that 95% wanted nothing to do with B teams).

 

From our POV, I can understand to an extent how appealing the additional prize money would be to Corney et al, however I'd also like to think that they would consider the fans' views on the competition in general (I know, very naive of me) and in particular the low numbers not only at BP but at pretty much every ground in the country.

 

You would have to think Shez has been told to take this competition seriously next season - otherwise what's the point in committing to it on the basis of additional prize money?

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3 minutes ago, sjk2008 said:

 

You would have to think Shez has been told to take this competition seriously next season

 

...we should take it seriously every year.... any money generated could help increase the budget for the following season...... and/or avoid us having to partake in loans or be served with winding up orders.

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1 minute ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

...we should take it seriously every year.... any money generated could help increase the budget for the following season...... and/or avoid us having to partake in loans or be served with winding up orders.

Andy, this is a competition where most of the fans refuse to take it seriously.

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9 minutes ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

...we should take it seriously every year.... any money generated could help increase the budget for the following season...... and/or avoid us having to partake in loans or be served with winding up orders.

 

We take part in 4 competitions each season the EFL trophy is the one least likely to make us any money plus it's also the one the fans care about the least. Certainly in it's hideous B team format.

Edited by GlossopLatic
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We were always going to vote for it to remain in its current format, as will most other clubs. It is an additional income stream and that is all that most chairmen will see.

 

I don't really understand why we went through the charade of asking for fans' feedback though. I would be surprised if many people actually fed back that they loved watching games in empty stadiums or were comfortable with having to make a decision between standing up for something they believed in and supporting their club.

 

My view is that if this is embraced it will lead to the reopening of debates on introducing 'B' teams into the lower leagues which will ultimately seriously damage the integrity of football at our level.  

 

 

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1 minute ago, Latics and England said:

My view is that if this is embraced it will lead to the reopening of debates on introducing 'B' teams into the lower leagues which will ultimately seriously damage the integrity of football at our level.  

 

Ironic that Harvey et al at the 'EFL' investigated Huddersfield's line-up the other week because it could potentially damage the 'integrity' of the competition, yet he's more than happy to introduce third/fourth string sides into competitions (and probably into the leagues if he had his own way).

 

I'm not at all shocked us and others have ignored their principles for a bit of cheap cash. In our state it's to be expected we'd grovel at the feet of the Premier League. What a shit situation to be in.

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39 minutes ago, disjointed said:

Andy, this is a competition where most of the fans refuse to take it seriously.

 

32 minutes ago, GlossopLatic said:

 

We take part in 4 competitions each season the EFL trophy is the one least likely to make us any money plus it's also the one the fans care about the least. Certainly in it's hideous B team format.

 

I largely agree with you.... I'm merely pointing out that as a team that has been rooted between 15th and 19th in League One for 8 years, any medium/long term improvement in fortunes could be achieved by generating revenue for further investment. If one such way is attempting to get to Wembley in the least favoured competition, then so be it. If we were fighting for Promotion regularly, maybe I would take a different view..... but we're not.

 

The only passage above I might tackle either of you on is the EFL Trophy being the least likely to earn us money. The present League Cup format perpetually sees us pinned against a better team(s) in the North in the early rounds, which are very difficult - currently - for us to progress through, to draw the big boys and earn TV money from later. One could easily argue that trying to beat teams in L1 and L2 (and if we must - although I'd prefer we didn't have to - U23 teams from the Prem/Champ) to progress to Wembley, is more likely.

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23 minutes ago, NewBlue said:

I'm not at all shocked us and others have ignored their principles for a bit of cheap cash.

 

What are these principles, specifically - what are OAFC's principles exactly? I'm sure the foundation on which the club is now built revolves around getting their hands on the money.

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16 minutes ago, rummytheowl said:

 

What are these principles, specifically - what are OAFC's principles exactly? I'm sure the foundation on which the club is now built revolves around getting their hands on the money.

 

I suppose they're the owners, however I don't doubt that he sees this format as degrading to league clubs.

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2 hours ago, lookersstandandy said:

 

...we should take it seriously every year.... any money generated could help increase the budget for the following season...... and/or avoid us having to partake in loans or be served with winding up orders.

 

I'd rather we just got promoted and were no longer shit enough to enter it anymore....

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