Premier League U21 sides in Football League Trophy

[Bobbin']

@SkySportsNewsHQ: BREAKING: League 1/League 2 clubs asked to consider allowing Premier League U21 teams to take part in Football League Trophy #SSNHQ

Why don't these wankers just fuck off and leave us football leaguers alone.

Apologies if there's already a thread or this is already well known. Just delete this if there is, I've only just seen it and posted in my disgust!

 

[valefan16]

As an article on the Vale unofficial site said... Its called the Football League Trophy for a reason!

 

[Agombar stool]

I'd say yes................

On the proviso that the Premier league sides collectively pay each of the League 1 and League 2 sides a million quid each to allow them to take part.

 

[Agombar stool]

But yeah.

the Premier League can GTF

 

[valefan16]

Where would the games be played though if away to a U21 side? (Guessing they'd have it so Prem sides are always away unless against each other?) Would anyone turn up to watch say Swindon V Palace Reserves? Hardly going to pull in the punters.

 

[JonBCFC]

I'm pretty certain this is going to be a unanimous NO.

For many teams it's one of the only ways they can get a cup final at Wembley.

 

[HarvSFC]

It's stupid. If Premier League clubs want their U-21's to play in the JPT so much then send them out on loan to League 1 and 2 teams. I for one enjoyed my time going to JPT matches when we were down here. I went to 6/7 of our JPT matches, although it was helped by five of them being at home and one at Wembley. These matches will turn into glorified friendlies, whereas they should be competitve matches and a chance of silverware for clubs that don't have much chance of winning the FA Cup and League Cup. The final was a great day out when I went and it was helped by there being 73,476 fans in the 2009-10 final. Not going to see half of that with U-21 teams added.

 

[Madejski]

Yea imagine a final of say QPR U21s vs Hull U21s. I doubt Wembley would even get a 10,000 attendance.

The sweetener of the deal is supposed to be that all match revenue raised from the B teams games will be spread amongst their league 1/2 competitors, but if they are only getting a couple of hundred fans in then it isn't exactly going to be a big financial boost. And finances seem to be the only reason why you would think that league clubs would consider it.

 

[TomPNE94]

Id love it if the clubs all told the Premier League to fuck off. Sadly I can see them being swayed by $$$

 

[tommy_b]

It's pointless. I understand (but disagree with) the argument for putting U21 teams into a formal league as it provides weekly development. Unless the JPT goes back to an initial round robin group of 3 (years ago, kids) then it's just a round of fixtures where teams get knocked out.

So Burnley's U21's go out first round and what do they gain from that? It's the same as them playing in the League Cup a few weeks before/later and going out. Hardly building their game-time or experiences.

 

[Super_horns]

I doubt it would even be Under 21s - more like the Under 18s.

PL won't risk squad players in this.

 

[blade1889]

So FL clubs have rules in place so they cant play their reserves but PL clubs could waltz in with their U21s. Cant see it working tbf, U21s are not, by and large, at league one standard and would probably be knocked out straight away. Exceptions being the 'too5'. Even then, whilst they have individually very talented youngsters I'm not sure they have enough to make a competitive team?

Sadly this will probably go through as the PL will hold the FL to ransome over the payments they get to distribute from sky.