http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36503204 I didn't realise this was happening and it makes me very angry. Once again, the Premier League want it all their own way without regard for the integrity of a competition. We do not exist just to serve you! If you just want to buy ready made players and are unwilling to give your academy players a chance, that is not our problem! Portsmouth v Everton's Academy, oooh what an exciting fixture please log in to view this image Yes I know the Johnstone's Paint is a joke of a competition that no-one takes seriously, but it's the principle of the matter My reaction when I read this: please log in to view this image
I'm furious over this and have already written war and peace on the Gills board about it. It was good to see your club voted against - well done
Sounds like a Sepp Blatter idea to me - totally ridiculous At least if we were playing and beating them, we could chant Premier League, you're having a laugh
Is anyone really surprised though? This is just typical of the way things are going nowadays. Everything that we have they want to take a part of and if this is allowed then it is yet one more thing that will drive another nail in the coffin of things not Premier League. They wanted to sort out the lower leagues to allow in their B teams previously which was refused so this is yet another example of trying it on. If allowed then no doubt the sorting of leagues will be back on the agenda soon. I have no idea how my club voted in this. However I suspect it wasn't against. I am firmly with you PompeyLapras. If my club were playing one of these B teams then they would be doing it without me there and I suspect a lot of others. Even down to stealing youth players for little return for the club who finds them and puts them on the right track in the first place. As if the money they get already isn't obscene enough without wanting more.
I'm not so against Premier League B teams being in senior team cup competitions as I am senior team league competitions, but I dont know if this is the way to go. Here's a thought,why dont the Premier League and Championship teams just have their own cup competition for B teams instead of inserting them into the EFL/JPT competition?
So which ****ty Premier League academy will we have the 'honour' of playing when the fixtures for this are eventually released?
Knowing our luck Lapras, it will begin with S and end in N........ Yep - Soddin' Everton, complete with snivelling Dutch Ronnie
Please sign this boycott against Premier League clubs' academies participation in the Football League Trophy (formerly the Johnstone's Paint Trophy) and send a message to the FA and the Premier League that teams in League 1 and 2 do not exist just to serve the Premier League! http://www.againstleague3.co.uk/bteamboycott-signup/
The group stages are regional, so we're either going to get Southampton, Bournemouth or one of the London clubs.
No doubt if we play Southampton and lose, our dear neighbours will get hysterical and pretend it actually means anything.
And respectfully the reverse would apply so both sets of supporters have in their number those who think that way.
