News on Our Favourite Cup Competition

[Shrimper]

this post hits it on the head for me , cheap tickets normally under the floodlights , and watch the new players , ones with prospects and those who might not make it , blood these people in these games and prepare them for the future, can't see what's wrong with that ? If for you don't like seeing that , don't come

It's the B team aspect that people don't like. This is meant to be a competition for LG1 & 2 not fancy pants Premiership teams. They removed the B teams and go back to a format that involves just the 48 teams and I'd go again.

 

[bazzashrimper]

If I remember correctly, one of the "selling" points of having b teams was the opportunity for supporters of l1 and l2 teams to go to matches at some prem stadia. Interesting that one of the format changes is that b teams play group matches away from home now. Hey ho... the prize fund has gone up and I suspect that's the only thing that the 66.6% looked at.

 

[RobM]

If I remember correctly, one of the "selling" points of having b teams was the opportunity for supporters of l1 and l2 teams to go to matches at some prem stadia. Interesting that one of the format changes is that b teams play group matches away from home now. Hey ho... the prize fund has gone up and I suspect that's the only thing that the 66.6% looked at.

I don't recall many Cheltenham fans going to the away tie to Middlesborough under 23's on a Tuesday night.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I've said before, I'd rather have seen then the top conference sides brought into play rather than Academy teams from higher clubs. Having said that, I do quite like the group stage so this bit at least, works for me. I absolutely "get" that we're supposed to provide the experience for the Academy sides, and I "get" that the funding is part of this. Does it sit right with me? No. Will I go to the matches next season? Yes, I fully expect so, I still like to watch my team wherever and whenever possible, and it is good to give the chance for some of ours to help get match fit - i.e. Anton, last season against Brighton.

 

[manor15]

I've said before, I'd rather have seen then the top conference sides brought into play rather than Academy teams from higher clubs.

Given that they already have 46 league games (+ 2/3 for any in the play-offs), the FA Trophy and FA Cup (inc qualifiers), would they really want extra fixtures to handle? Especially given that quite a few are still only semi-pro.

 

[bazzashrimper]

I don't recall many Cheltenham fans going to the away tie to Middlesborough under 23's on a Tuesday night.

True. I never said I agreed with the sales pitch, but it was a sales pitch.

 

[Shrimperforlife]

It's the B team aspect that people don't like. This is meant to be a competition for LG1 & 2 not fancy pants Premiership teams. They removed the B teams and go back to a format that involves just the 48 teams and I'd go again.

If they are fancy pants teams , using a old shrimperzone phrase.... they got spanked!!!!!

 

[Danshrimper]

this post hits it on the head for me , cheap tickets normally under the floodlights , and watch the new players , ones with prospects and those who might not make it , blood these people in these games and prepare them for the future, can't see what's wrong with that ? If for you don't like seeing that , don't come

You're completely missing the point. People have a problem with B teams not the competition. We had cheap tickets under the floodlights before B teams. People are acting like B teams have all of a sudden created cheap tickets and football that wasn't there before which is completely false. We don't need B teams in the competition to watch young players being prepared for the future, another completely irrelevant point that has nothing to do with what people have rightly taken issue with.

No I don't like seeing us play the B teams of teams 1 league above us, it's an insult and I don't understand how people don't see that. Would you be happy seeing Bournemouth and West Brom B in the league with us next season? If no then why is it any different for the FLT? Because all you're doing by supporting this farce is providing further fuel to the PL and FA's ultimate aim of forcing (bribing) B teams into our league and ruining it.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Think the idea of B teams coming into the EFL is dead and buried. Therefore I can't see anything very wrong with the competition as it stands now.

 

[Shrimper]

Think the idea of B teams coming into the EFL is dead and buried. Therefore I can't see anything very wrong with the competition as it stands now.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. It only took £3m to do two more years of this. How much for the league?

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Am I wrong in hoping/thinking that those people on here who have Sky subscriptions should have a good look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves if they are at fault for the massive gap in funding that there is ........... and hence the money that is there for the "top teams" to buy their way into this competition .......... and for that matter, their potential to buy their way into almost anything?

 

[The General]

My stance on this still hasn't changed ... you won't find me at any of these games. Used to go to the majority of them (home and away) but not anymore :thumbdown:

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Am I wrong in hoping/thinking that those people on here who have Sky subscriptions should have a good look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves if they are at fault for the massive gap in funding that there is ........... and hence the money that is there for the "top teams" to buy their way into this competition .......... and for that matter, their potential to buy their way into almost anything?

Are you suggesting that instead of supporting their team at The Hall some of these boycotters might be watching European or Premship footie in their lounges? And they would do that as a protest against what? And who is hurt financially by that?
What next to help fill the club coffers? buy their kids Chelski shirts as it is blue?

 

[CMRandall92]

more fool you - people like you are making it easier for the powers to be to ruin the game

Edit: Meant to be a reply to Thundersley Blue last post

 

[Shrimper]

Am I wrong in hoping/thinking that those people on here who have Sky subscriptions should have a good look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves if they are at fault for the massive gap in funding that there is ........... and hence the money that is there for the "top teams" to buy their way into this competition .......... and for that matter, their potential to buy their way into almost anything?

There is a massive funding gap but it lies at the feet of the FA, the Premier League and the Football League.

The UK market isn't as big for the finances as it used to be what with the advent of China and USA.

I won't hold it against people who watch Sky but can still be annoyed at the gap in funding.

 

[Agent Lomas]

What a farce.

I really hope we didn't vote for it.

My other hope is that the final is MK v some U23 outfit in front of a handful at Wemberlee to truly make it the cup of shame.

Or even better, two U23 sides in the final. Only then, the EFL should (but probably won't) realise how stupid the inclusion of U23 teams actually is.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Or even better, two U23 sides in the final. Only then, the EFL should (but probably won't) realise how stupid the inclusion of U23 teams actually is.

They haven't been good enough though, and that's what last season's competition pretty much showed. I agree that it would be a farce if it does happen.

 

[mattitouk]

As said before on last seasons format changes (for what its worth, i'm against B teams in the competition also). However, looking at the latest changes in comparison to last season, I can only see this overall as an improvement.

1. More flexibility for league teams in terms of fielding squads
2. All "B" teams have to play away
3. Doubling the prize fund (in the group stages) & Total Prize fund up from £1.95 Million to £3 Million.

Especially the latter, a group stage win has been doubled from £10,000 to £20,000 for a win. Meaning we could possibly pick up £60,000 for winning just all of our group stage matches, to put that into perspective, even if we lost in the second round of the Checkatrade Trophy (like we did last season), It would mean we would still get more in prize fund money than if we reached the Quarter final's of the League cup and lost say to Liverpool, Man Utd or Chelsea.

Some might say, its not all about the money, but to be fair IMO, I think it is, for most League One & League Two sides of a similar size to us, a good cup run in this "tin pot" competition could basically be our bread & butter in financial terms of either strengthening the clubs finances or having the funds to bring in a player during the January transfer window.

Add to that, it's our most realistic chance from a fan's perspective of reaching a final & lifting a cup at Wembley, all in all, i'm happy with this current changes considering it could have been the same or even worse.

In summary, i'm content with the changes, & that there is double the amount of more money on the table for us as a club if we achieve the same as last year, But i'm also neither promoting or discouraging a boycott of the competition...each to their own (I for one attended the games but boycotted the Brighton U21 game) and I said last year, lets all getting behind our team, & I would hope that other fans on here would also attend the other fixtures against "real" league teams.

UTB

:happy: