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They have, but only because they've all been so starved of cash by the Premier League/awful distribution of cash over the years that they are desperate. Football League clubs lead a hand-to-mouth existence and can only afford to think short-term. The PL has us over a barrel.

Personally I am as anti this whole thing as anyone, but I understand why clubs voted for it even if I don't agree with them.

And thankfully that won't be the final because as far as I am aware the competition is still regionised so you have a south v north final. And I don't think these u23 teams are anywhere near as good as people are making out. Any self-respecting League One side should beat an academy side.

Nope it looks like from the 'Round of 16' the matches are not regionalised.
Another change is that the Semi-Finals are just one leg the home team decided by being first drawn out the hat.
 
These teams will be as strong as the clubs want them to be. Six U21s combined with five Premiership substitutes with half the youngsters (who could well be over 21 by the time the matches are played) able to be substituted by senior players during the game could be a very strong team.

I'm not sure where U23 comes into things though as these rules were published yesterday:

http://www.efl.com/global/trophyrules.aspx


Hi Mick

soon after the vote was made the EPL changed the goal posts and made it U23- to an extent that went under the radar although I have posted on it numerous times with links. It looks like they have now changed it back to U21's - and I think the below potentially explains why

What has also gone unnoticed is that in the last couple of days is that the EPL is introducing EPL2. A league for EPL U23 teams. THis is ,in my opinion significant to the football league as it potentuially means one of two things:

Our voices have been heard and the EPL has realised the amount of anger on U21/23 teams playing in the EFL trophy - in which case excellent, no doubt they will be out of it next year and the whole thing will soon be forgotten

OR


This was the plan all along, The EPL knew it was going to be introducing the U23 league --- lets fact it its such an obvious solution - how blindingly obvious does it have to be ? BUT by introducing U21 teams into the EFL trophy it legitimises them and is the first step to B teams in the Football League .

You have to ask if the EPL purely wanted U21 teams to play in the trophy, why have so many pulled out, and why did they almost immediately announce that actually it was U23 teams. Something doesn't quite add up to me. It may be simply that the right and left hands at the EPL don't know what the other is doing, it may be that they think both ideas are good ones and can run at the same time , it may even be that they genuinely thought they were doing us a favour ?

BUT it also might be the first small step to B teams , and whilst that remains a possibility we should be assuming the worst and asking questions In my opinion and not just saying 'it will never happen ' just because the current chairmen and CEO's say it wont happen (they are not around for ever- we are! )
 
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Hi Mick

soon after the vote was made the EPL changed the goal posts and made it U23- to an extent that went under the radar although I have posted on it numerous times with links. It looks like they have now changed it back to U21's - and I think the below potentially explains why

What has also gone unnoticed is that in the last couple of days is that the EPL is introducing EPL2. A league for EPL U23 teams. THis is ,in my opinion significant to the football league as it potentuially means one of two things:

Our voices have been heard and the EPL has realised the amount of anger on U21/23 teams playing in the EFL trophy - in which case excellent, no doubt they will be out of it next year and the whole thing will soon be forgotten

OR


This was the plan all along, The EPL knew it was going to be introducing the U23 league --- lets fact it its such an obvious solution - how blindingly obvious does it have to be ? BUT by introducing U21 teams into the EFL trophy it legitimises them and is the first step to B teams in the Football League .

You have to ask if the EPL purely wanted U21 teams to play in the trophy, why have so many pulled out, and why did they almost immediately announce that actually it was U23 teams. Something doesn't quite add up to me. It may be simply that the right and left hands at the EPL don't know what the other is doing, it may be that they think both ideas are good ones and can run at the same time , it may even be that they genuinely thought they were doing us a favour ? But it also might be the first small step to B teams , and whilst that remains a possibility we should be assuming the worst and asking questions In my opinion and not just saying 'it will never happen ' just because the current chairman and CEO's say it wont happen (they are not around for ever- we are! )

Good point about the Premier League 2, I hadn't considered that. I imagine they haven't just put this together overnight, so must have been part of the plan. I reckon they think both can run at the same time, but it does seem the appetite from the PL towards the EFL Trophy has waned significantly in recent weeks and the poor organisation/ill feeling may well be the reason for that.
 
Good point about the Premier League 2, I hadn't considered that. I imagine they haven't just put this together overnight, so must have been part of the plan. I reckon they think both can run at the same time, but it does seem the appetite from the PL towards the EFL Trophy has waned significantly in recent weeks and the poor organisation/ill feeling may well be the reason for that.

Lets hope the sky executives don't decide to promote this.
 
Good point about the Premier League 2, I hadn't considered that. I imagine they haven't just put this together overnight, so must have been part of the plan. I reckon they think both can run at the same time, but it does seem the appetite from the PL towards the EFL Trophy has waned significantly in recent weeks and the poor organisation/ill feeling may well be the reason for that.

One of the reasons U21 teams playing competitive matches was suggested in the first place was because the FA did a review into English football. One of the issues was that U21 British players don't progress into the first teams because the step up is too much for most of them. Their solution was to allow U21 teams to play competitively against lower league teams, potentially in the Football League. Obviously the FL refused this (at least for now). The theory is that this will help the England team because by giving British players competitive experience and thus acting as a stepping stone to their club's first team. So are we restricting this to British U21s, or are we being used as a proving ground for all nationalities?

Surely the simpler solution (as Didi Hamman stated on Twitter recently - he's totally against this idea BTW) is to stop the PL teams stockpiling youth team players and loaning them out. They shouldn't be allowed to do that. If they don't, then the lower league clubs will actually be able to take these players on and develop them into first team players quicker.

Here's some of Didi's tweets:

Well I shall be boycotting this sad sorry sack of xxxx of a trophy. Premiership in any form can go to hell in all of its ways and forms.
 
I also wont be going to The Brighton game, however I do plan to lend my support to our team at the Leyton Orient home game in October.
 
I also wont be going to The Brighton game, however I do plan to lend my support to our team at the Leyton Orient home game in October.

I had planned to do the same, but have had second thoughts now - if the competition as a whole is more of a flop this year then hopefully the one year experiment will be abandoned. To me the whole competition now lacks legitimacy and so I won't be attending games this year for the same reason I don't bother with pre-season friendlies - they're a waste of my time and money.

My resolve might be tested if we get to Wembley to play a league one or two side though.....!
 
Just read on BBC sport , that Portsmouth are doing a planned walk out shortly after kickoff in the efl trophy. They were going to boycott before hand but they didn't want to leave the club financially out of pocket.They voted against the new format in the first place. I wonder how many fans will follow suit, if any. Up the revolution citizen!
 
First crowd under ahave the usand for more than 30 years?
Yep could well be, I think we have only ever had the 2 home games in our history below 1,000 both in this competition.
But I would argue that this match is not a first team fixture. It does not appear on Brighton 's fixture list as a first team game.
The price should have been £5 for Adults.
Can't see the need to have the West Stand open either.
 
Im sure we have had sub 1000 crowds in this competition in the 90's or early 2000s im sure I remember watching a game against Cheltenham in front on around 900 odd
 
The 10-1 game against Aldershot was only a few over a thousand wasn't it?

Certainly wasn't a lot of us in the North bank that night :smile:
 

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