Breaking News Changes agreed for the EFL Trophy

[Danshrimper]

Be interesting to hear the club spin any positives on this proposal, especially when I expect attendances at these matches to be VERY low.

Am guessing they are now committed to the proposal for 2016/17, with no options for amending/reversing?

Can you also ask if they ever had any intention in asking the fans what they thought?

Attendances will be low if we're playing the under 21s of someone like Bournemouth or Watford but unfortunately games against Chelsea/Arsenal or even West Ham under 21s will probably attract a relatively big attendance for the JPT with local fans of those clubs possibly coming for a cheap chance to see their under 21s and others potentially attracted by seeing big clubs play at Roots Hall even if it isn't the main team.

 

[USAShrimper]

The higher we get up the leagues, the bigger our wedge should be. People on here astounded that Brentford, Rotherham & Bournemouth considered bigger clubs than us. Our main focus should always be the league.

 

[migraineboy]

This proposal is just being introduced so they can try and smoothly introduce a fifth division next year. Their argument (and by they, I mean the bloody Premier League) is that the JPT/EFL format will introduce at least another couple of guaranteed home games per season for L1/L2 teams, irrespective of the fact that the net attendance for these games will be significantly lower that what Southend would have got for the equivalent lost 3 home league games when league reduces to 20 teams. I'll be honest, I don't care which Academy team is sent to Roots Hall, I have no interest in attending these games (mainly because of the ultimate reasons for their existence). My guess (hope?) is that a lot of L1/L2 clubs who voted in favour (including Southend) are ruing their decision today based on the levels of backlash they are getting (or will certainly be getting in coming weeks)

 

[mfurok]

Has anyone actually picked up on the fact that the article quoted by MK clearly indicates that Johnstone's will no longer be sponsoring the trophy? If they have been unable to find another sponsor, then that would be a clear reason to try and involve the 16 academy sides and to recoup some money by doing so.I am absolutely sure that there is something at the root here that we clearly don't understand, which is why, despite my initial outrage I will look forward to hearing something actually from the club in response. I am at a meeting there on Monday so will press for a public explanation.

Surely this is a perfect example of a material change that the club should have discussed with the Trust in order to at least understand the viewpoint of the fans and to communicate any mitigating issues in favour of the changes.Otherwise what is the point of the Trust?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Surely this is a perfect example of a material change that the club should have discussed with the Trust in order to at least understand the viewpoint of the fans and to communicate any mitigating issues in favour of the changes.Otherwise what is the point of the Trust?

I understand what you're saying, but who and how would you have had the fans canvassed with/by? As I understand it, there was a limited time frame for response and vote otherwise we would have seen more. Typical shenanigans by the FL/EPL or whatever you want to call it, close season, people on holiday or doing charity fund raising a la Prostate Cancer Cycle.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Surely this is a perfect example of a material change that the club should have discussed with the Trust in order to at least understand the viewpoint of the fans and to communicate any mitigating issues in favour of the changes.Otherwise what is the point of the Trust?

Why don't you join the ST Ray?

 

[mfurok]

I understand what you're saying, but who and how would you have had the fans canvassed with/by? As I understand it, there was a limited time frame for response and vote otherwise we would have seen more. Typical shenanigans by the FL/EPL or whatever you want to call it, close season, people on holiday or doing charity fund raising a la Prostate Cancer Cycle.

This is a most unpleasant and unpopular development and anyone who supports lower league football will understand why.

To answer your questions:

If little time the Trust Committee.

By email.

.........and one question of my own......

What is currently more important to the Trust and its members than this development?

 

[mfurok]

Why don't you join the ST Ray?

This episode rather suggests that there is no point.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

This episode rather suggests that there is no point.

Sounds rather like you've made up your mind even before hearing the answer to your previous question.

 

[mfurok]

Sounds rather like you've made up your mind even before hearing the answer to your previous question.

My question is not relevant to my decision as to whether or not to become a member of the Trust. That decision was made a long time ago - sadly.

Just would like to know what the Trust think is more important than this.

As a matter of interest, do you know whether any supporter owned Club voted for this?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

My question is not relevant to my decision as to whether or not to become a member of the Trust. That decision was made a long time ago - sadly.

Just would like to know what the Trust think is more important than this.

As a matter of interest, do you know whether any supporter owned Club voted for this?

No idea.But I doubt it.

 

[OldBlueLady]

To answer your questions:

If little time the Trust Committee.

By email.

.........and one question of my own......

What is currently more important to the Trust and its members than this development?

Steve Kavanagh emailed those on the liaison committee yesterday in the light of all the negativity. I am not prepared to disclose what he's said in his email but, once I'd read it, it made things an awful lot clearer to me. That's why I think it's important to allow him to formulate a response to supporters' concerns.

I don't think he would mind me saying that he didn't take the decision lightly, and that, at the end of the day, the long term interests of the club were behind his decision.

 

[RHB]

Steve Kavanagh emailed those on the liaison committee yesterday in the light of all the negativity. I am not prepared to disclose what he's said in his email but, once I'd read it, it made things an awful lot clearer to me. That's why I think it's important to allow him to formulate a response to supporters' concerns.

I don't think he would mind me saying that he didn't take the decision lightly, and that, at the end of the day, the long term interests of the club were behind his decision.

Thanks for the update OBL. What I find difficult to understand is that the Club did not have a statement on the Club's position prepared before now. It could hardly have come as a surprise that fans would be negative, and an earlier statement would have mitigated some of unrest.

 

[migraineboy]

Steve Kavanagh emailed those on the liaison committee yesterday in the light of all the negativity. I am not prepared to disclose what he's said in his email but, once I'd read it, it made things an awful lot clearer to me. That's why I think it's important to allow him to formulate a response to supporters' concerns.

I don't think he would mind me saying that he didn't take the decision lightly, and that, at the end of the day, the long term interests of the club were behind his decision.

Will be interested to hear the stance of Southend (and the other clubs who voted for this) as I genuinely cannot see one positive for L1/L2 teams.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Presumably the Championship clubs, a large number of which have been or continue to be in receipt of massive parachute payments from the Premiership as reward for failure, were included in the vote. Their votes combined with those of willing dupes like Kavanagh who can't see further than the next cash handout probably carried the day.

I think the vote was something like a third of clubs were against it.

 

[migraineboy]

I think the vote was something like a third of clubs were against it.

Championship clubs were not allowed to vote. @AgainstLeague3 on twitter is currently compiling definitive list of who voted for/against from L1/L2 teams. Oxford United voted 'for', Wimbledon, Acc Stanley, Bristol Rovers, Hartlepool, Luton, Port Vale and Portsmouth voted 'against'. All other clubs yet to formally announce how they voted (which could indicate they are currently compiling a statement to explain why they voted 'for'). I think it was Portsmouth who stated that only a 'handful' of clubs voted 'against'. There are only a couple more clubs expected to announce they voted 'against'.

 

[Mick]

Steve Kavanagh emailed those on the liaison committee yesterday in the light of all the negativity. I am not prepared to disclose what he's said in his email but, once I'd read it, it made things an awful lot clearer to me. That's why I think it's important to allow him to formulate a response to supporters' concerns.

I don't think he would mind me saying that he didn't take the decision lightly, and that, at the end of the day, the long term interests of the club were behind his decision.

He's told the liaison committee something and you're not going to share it ?

Not much liaising going on there then ! :winking:

 

[OldBlueLady]

He's told the liaison committee something and you're not going to share it ?

Not much liaising going on there then ! :winking:

Now you're just being mischievous!

 

[Mick]

He's told the liaison committee something and you're not going to share it ?

Not much liaising going on there then ! :winking:

Now you're just being mischievous!

....... and curious.

 

[Magnum PI]

I would be hugely upset if the Football League was infiltrated with B Teams and Academies, but on the whole don't really care much about the JPT. Had we we never been to Wembley I might see it as a way to finally get there but my entire interest is the League and progressing Southend as far up that as possible. I will wait to see the proposals before making a full judgment. I might actually enjoy the opportunity to see us line up against some of the highly rated stars of the future rather than a load of Stevenage or Borient cloggers we will no doubt see enough of in league games.

I get that this might be the start of something but I see no harm in a trial.
Just a question, but if we had done a Bournemouth and made it to the Premier League I wonder how many of us would be screaming for the extra money? Just a question...