Football League Trophy poll

[GTFCfish]

As per Richard Cranium's request here is a poll for how you would like this competition to be ran.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I voted scrap the competition altogether. Regardless of the format, it's never really been supported by fans or clubs in the same way the other competitions have been; other than the Semi Finals onwards. I don't like matches where people don't really mind that they lose.

It's a day out of Wembley and for the teams that get there very profitable, but only 2 teams can do that a season.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

I would rather scrap the thing entirely as well, by my reckoning 31 of the 48 teams in League 1 and League 2 have played at the new Wembley in non-EFL Trophy games, so the argument of it gives teams a shot at Wembley is a load of guff to me, there's still a damn good chance of getting there over a 10 year period without it.

But obviously reverting to type is infinitely more preferable than keeping it as it is now.

 

[Chief Rocka]

They should just bin it off altogether, I never bothered with it when it was just L1&L2 and was even less interested when they changed it.

 

[Gladders]

Against league three have run the same poll on twitter today and with almost 2000 votes so far, 77% say revert it and 21% to scrap it.

 

[GTFCfish]

Against league three have run the same poll on twitter today and with almost 2000 votes so far, 77% say revert it and 21% to scrap it.

And the other 2% are probably the 48 clubs Chairmen.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I voted scrap, the only way I would agree to keeping it is if it were used instead of pre season friendlies

 

[Vanni]

There's something dodgy going on with this poll. How come nobody voted for option 1?

GTFCfish, are you Sepp Blatter in disguise?

edit - seriously though, as hard as it is to imagine, I think there are some folk who think A is the better option, so it's probably down to votes being visible to all which some people have a problem with. Can't say I blame them tbh

 

[Vanni]

And the other 2% are probably the 48 clubs Chairmen.

There are always those fans who see an away match against a side from another division as an excuse to chalk off another ground. It may be hard to grasp for the likes of you and me but sadly it's true.

 

[hellogregory]

My choice would be to revert back to L1 and L2 only, but if that's a no go then I'd rather it was scrapped completely than remain as it is.

 

[GTFCfish]

edit - seriously though, as hard as it is to imagine, I think there are some folk who think A is the better option, so it's probably down to votes being visible to all which some people have a problem with. Can't say I blame them tbh

I have changed the poll now then so votes are anonymous and it is now allowed for people to change votes if anyone would like to vote for option 1 but were too embarrassed to do so before.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I have changed the poll now then so votes are anonymous and it is now allowed for people to change votes if anyone would like to vote for option 1 but were too embarrassed to do so before.

If people are too plappy to have others know how they voted then they shouldn't have a vote #grow a pair

 

[BelizeHatter]

Makes sense to me the individual Clubs decide - Bare (or is it bear) with me........

Opposition to this is all about B teams in the EFL right? Lets face it this Cup has never historically been a high priority competition for most Clubs - or Sponsors for that matter, having often never heard of the title Sponsor company. The latter stages interest perks up a bit, but thats it, its a dying format. So it needs something to hype it up or get shot of it. Many clubs need the revenue though, so pressure comes from the Boardroom and Prem clubs recognise the leverage that gives them to make things better for themselves. Nothing wrong with that if you're in a Capitalist society - its good business sense and dog eat dog. Football is a tradition too however, not just business. It needs protection and we dont get it from the Authorities. Its suffered at the lower levels as its popularity increased, the rich get richer the poor starve and die. The poor traditionalists need help. Its pretty clear there's too much football for this level but its needed to survive. The best eleven or even fifteen doesn't win anything, its the best Squad'or luckiest with injuries etc. Id imagine not many Countries play as many matches in a season as we do in UK.

We are protected (or not) by the EFL from Prem Clubs filling the League with B sides. If the fans dont like whats on offer they don't go. It was good to us this year. We made prize money and blooded a ton of youngsters in a real football environment. Our fans weren't on board and I don't blame them - but it was of value to the Club Management both financially and football wise. If the Prem teams can decline the invite so should EFL Clubs have that option. Or field youngsters too.

The only real issue is if Prem teams infiltrate the EFL with their B sides and this is the precursor. The sad reality is thats gonna happen with or without this Cup. EFL have to have the balls to resist and clubs need money in the interim to survive so there has to be some give and take.

Of course it really needs the FA/FIFA to grow a pair, add player/team salary caps, stop the massive wages and drain out of the game through Agents etc and distribute the obscene money throughout the whole chain, much more evenly. We the fans can then pay less at the gate, attract more people and bring the working class Man and family back. Kids can still aspire to be top players and can still earn a massive salary with the lower League players also maybe earning more than now or being funded training for latter life as football retirement comes well before workforce retirement and a living will likely still be required.

This should come from the top. But it wont. Unless forced. This should be driven and pushed by the masses - Football is nothing without fans. But that probably wont happen either. We need to lobby the FA and EFL from within the Clubs. The fans need to push. Stop attending any Wembley games esp England. Don't go to any event The FA organise. Fuck the FA Cup for a year. No fans in Stadiums on organised dates but fans who would have attended and can afford it still pay the Club so the Club doesn't hurt. Make them realise fans aren't happy. Make them realise we have the power. Prem fans should see it could be them too. They should sympathise and join force.

None of this will likely happen and most of the fan driven stuff is probably either not viable or not very smart being off the cuff and along with you I probably wouldn't be arsed either. But. Its then easy for the authorities to do nothing and we don't have much to gripe about.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Man. I got carried away there. Wall of text. Sorry.

Cliffs......... Fuck the FA and the football League, We are the famous blah blah. They tried to kill us off, but we're not so soft, we are the famous blah blah

 

[Richard Cranium]

There are always those fans who see an away match against a side from another division as an excuse to chalk off another ground. It may be hard to grasp for the likes of you and me but sadly it's true.

I know of people who did this for the Port Vale game we played this season. Looks like it will be league fixture next season

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Had it not changed this year and vote had been about possible changes I'd made sure to vote keep to l2/l3 sides.

Football simply put......is about memories. You get good seasons and bad, good players and bad. You enjoy, relax or be bored, frustrated or angry.

At the end of the day whether its great, good, bad or atrocious over time you forget large parts of it......just them odd games, goals, players whether for a good or bad reason you remember it and can always vividly talk about it.

Is the efl trophy a priority.....no it never was, but it for me and many others certainly created memories, a good chunk of mine come from this cup from 20 plus years of watching.

Sadly it is beyond repair now

 

[Kenneth E End]

Makes sense to me the individual Clubs decide - Bare (or is it bear) with me........

Opposition to this is all about B teams in the EFL right? Lets face it this Cup has never historically been a high priority competition for most Clubs - or Sponsors for that matter, having often never heard of the title Sponsor company. The latter stages interest perks up a bit, but thats it, its a dying format. So it needs something to hype it up or get shot of it. Many clubs need the revenue though, so pressure comes from the Boardroom and Prem clubs recognise the leverage that gives them to make things better for themselves. Nothing wrong with that if you're in a Capitalist society - its good business sense and dog eat dog. Football is a tradition too however, not just business. It needs protection and we dont get it from the Authorities. Its suffered at the lower levels as its popularity increased, the rich get richer the poor starve and die. The poor traditionalists need help. Its pretty clear there's too much football for this level but its needed to survive. The best eleven or even fifteen doesn't win anything, its the best Squad'or luckiest with injuries etc. Id imagine not many Countries play as many matches in a season as we do in UK.

We are protected (or not) by the EFL from Prem Clubs filling the League with B sides. If the fans dont like whats on offer they don't go. It was good to us this year. We made prize money and blooded a ton of youngsters in a real football environment. Our fans weren't on board and I don't blame them - but it was of value to the Club Management both financially and football wise. If the Prem teams can decline the invite so should EFL Clubs have that option. Or field youngsters too.

The only real issue is if Prem teams infiltrate the EFL with their B sides and this is the precursor. The sad reality is thats gonna happen with or without this Cup. EFL have to have the balls to resist and clubs need money in the interim to survive so there has to be some give and take.

Of course it really needs the FA/FIFA to grow a pair, add player/team salary caps, stop the massive wages and drain out of the game through Agents etc and distribute the obscene money throughout the whole chain, much more evenly. We the fans can then pay less at the gate, attract more people and bring the working class Man and family back. Kids can still aspire to be top players and can still earn a massive salary with the lower League players also maybe earning more than now or being funded training for latter life as football retirement comes well before workforce retirement and a living will likely still be required.

This should come from the top. But it wont. Unless forced. This should be driven and pushed by the masses - Football is nothing without fans. But that probably wont happen either. We need to lobby the FA and EFL from within the Clubs. The fans need to push. Stop attending any Wembley games esp England. Don't go to any event The FA organise. Fuck the FA Cup for a year. No fans in Stadiums on organised dates but fans who would have attended and can afford it still pay the Club so the Club doesn't hurt. Make them realise fans aren't happy. Make them realise we have the power. Prem fans should see it could be them too. They should sympathise and join force.

None of this will likely happen and most of the fan driven stuff is probably either not viable or not very smart being off the cuff and along with you I probably wouldn't be arsed either. But. Its then easy for the authorities to do nothing and we don't have much to gripe about.

Bloody good post.
There needs to be a huge overhaul in the funding formula for all professional clubs. There needs to be more of a merit based system in place; so no £x million for finishing bottom of the PL.
Those clubs in the PL don't need a minimum £100m a year.
The cups need huge prize money increases to keep up. The FA Cup should have a £10m winners cheque attached - around treble what it works out to now. The League Cup a £2m cheque and the EFL Trophy £250,000, with also escalations depending where you finish on the pyramid (but obviously no money for getting relegated).
Central funding needs to be distributed more so down the chain, doubling what is currently offered.
This won't make much a difference on PL club finances anyway- perhaps they'd lose a few million each max.

 

[Kenneth E End]

One idea that will never happen is that the tournament turns into a double elimination competition. I.e. if you lose once you get a second chance. So there are no 'dead' games which were a total waste of time this season.

 

[AdamStag]

I actually like what Luton did it in this year and fair play to them.

I'd have the competition as an under 23 tournament, with either 16 groups of 3 with the top 1 going through or just the bye for set random teams.

 

[GodsGift]

EFL to confirm tomorrow it's staying as it is.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

EFL to confirm tomorrow it's staying as it is.

Whoopy do, about time it was scrapped

 

[AdamStag]

Whoopy do, about time it was scrapped

How can you scrap it if it's staying the same? Lol

 

[AdamStag]

If that is the case I hope clubs continue to boycott it.

I hope clubs follow lutons example of playing youngsters themselves.

I myself will flatly refuse to go to any of the games.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Confirms what we all knew anyway. The majority of clubs don't give a toss about its fans. Absolutely shocking if true. Too many options to vote on so it was spread out. It should of been retain it or revert back to how it was.

Any clubs who voted to scrap it might aswell have not bothered.

 

[valefan16]

Stays as it is you just know we aren't listened too!

That said if fans like myself happy we just don't turn up and eventually it'll die. I didn't bother with any of the games and wasn't arsed by any of the results or going out. We played weakened teams.

Against Derby we ended with 9 men I think due to injuries and still won without issue and they weren't overly up to it.

Can't wait for the England development argument when the likes of Muniesa, Adam and the like got game time!

One of my favoured memories was winning the LDV in 2001 in Cardiff, having beaten Stoke on golden goal in the northern Semis at the Shitannia. Was a decent competition if you got far and got the day out at the end but it's a complete farce now.

 

[Nat Brown's Foil Coat]

Reckon English football would reach its nadir the day an U-23 team walks out at a Wembley final in place of a proper club - dissapointing that it's seemingly still a possibility

 

[AdamStag]

All you've got to do is play reserve squads and don't watch the games.

I was ashamed and disappointed of the Mansfield fans I knew that went away to port vale and derby.

 

[hellogregory]

Too many options to vote on so it was spread out.

Exactly. To ensure that the current format remains, they split the reverting back to 48 teams option into 2 separate options of knockout and group. An obvious attempt to rig the vote.

If they were doing the vote fairly, the current format option would have been split into 2 as well.

It would be interesting to see if the votes of the 2 revert options combined add up to more than the 1 current format option.

 

[AdamStag]

In all honesty, is 4 options too much? Really?

You aren't putting this infront of children, irrespective of voting options, chairman would and should have a clear vision on how to vote.

I don't buy into that argument in the slightest.

We made about £100k in prize money last year and I still think it's crap and want nothing to do with it, and any decent knowledgable football fan would think the same.

Watch the same chairman who ignored the wishes of their own fans moan when 480 turn up to watch their side play against a dodgy under 23 side.

If you read this and go to one of these games, shame on you

 

[hellogregory]

In all honesty, is 4 options too much? Really?

With the way they've done it yes 4 options is too many.

It is an obvious attempt to split the votes "against" the current format in half to ensure that the single option "for" the current format wins the vote.

5 options would have been more fair. If they are going to have 2 options to split the 48 team format votes in half then they should have 2 options to split the B team format votes in half.