A whole game solution The Football League has distributed a discussion document to its member clubs ahead of its summer conference and AGM next month Clubs are being asked to consider the re-organisation of the domestic league system into five divisions of 20 teams from the 2019/20 season. Under the proposal, The Football League would become a four division competition below the Premier League, including a new League Three, with 100 clubs competing across the professional game. In addition, the League Cup and League Trophy will be retained with the latter potentially having a revised format include a group structure of three games before becoming a knockout competition thereafter. At this point, the Board of The Football League is offering no recommendation other than asking clubs to give the matter their full consideration, taking into account the following: - Football League Clubs should be in a financially no worse, or preferably better, position as a result of any changes; - Promotion to/relegation from the Premier League must be retained at three places; - There would be no relegation out of The Football League in season 2018/19; - Football League Clubs must support the final proposal. The proposal stems from English football’s collective concerns about the fixture calendar and enjoys the 'in principle' support of executives from the Premier League and FA. The Premier League is due to take a report to their Clubs at their summer meeting, while the FA Executive needs to consult with its Board. The congested fixture list remains one of the game’s biggest concerns with insufficient dates available in each season to sensibly accommodate both League and Cup fixtures without significant clashes. The League’s proposal seeks to achieve a new, innovative approach to the fixture calendar and will need ‘whole game’ support as this concern is not unique to The Football League and is shared for differing reasons by both the Premier League and FA. If implemented , the proposal would The number of midweek matches reduce from next season’s nine in the Championship, seven in League One and six in League Two to just one in the Championship, League Two and the new League Three and none in League One in 2019/20. In considering these matters, the football authorities have identified the following objectives: Football League Objectives: - To maximise the number of weekend/Bank Holiday league fixtures; - To remove where practical fixture congestion and scheduling conflicts; - To protect/improve financial distributions/income generation for Football League clubs; - To maintain the Football League Play-Off Finals as the last event of the domestic season. Premier League and FA Priorities: Increasing the prospect of success for Clubs in European competitions; Increasing the prospect of success for England Teams at all levels; Retaining the value and status of the FA Cup Competition; Avoiding a ‘problematic’ fixture clash with UEFA Competitions; To achieve a fixture schedule where the FA Cup Final is played the week after the last round of Premier League fixtures. The Football League believes there are any number of potential benefits for Football League clubs in reducing the number of fixtures, the importance of which will depend on a club’s individual circumstances. In all circumstances clubs should not be disadvantaged by the proposed changes. Benefits include but are not limited to: - The importance of each individual fixture will increase; - Reduced travel costs to four games which are often at a distance; - Midweek travel for fans vastly reduced. - Potential to reduce squad size; - Increased importance of reserve team football; - Enhanced recovery time/match preparation. - Increase in sale of season tickets due to reduction in midweek games; - Increased profile on League One, Two & Three at different stages of the season; - Statistically greater chance of promotion (and relegation); - At least six new Clubs (30%) to play each season. - No relegation out of the Football League in 2018/19; - Different formats for the Football League Trophy available; - Opportunity to standardise promotion/relegation. Any final decisions on this proposal would not need to be made by Football League clubs until their AGM in June 2017 enabling full consultation with clubs and stakeholders, including fans. http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2016/a-whole-game-solution-3119809.aspx
I like things how they are, the above describes things fairly convincingly however I don't like plans I've seen for group stages in JPT and league cup. Would prefer more fixtures a season not less. There are large groups of similar teams at around the 20 mark so I can see some logic in the idea
If they bring the conference as it stands into the Football League it would put financial pressure on the really small clubs. And as it stands, I'm amazed that L1 and L2 haven't returned to being regional.
That's very true- Last season, Plymouth played a midweek home game against Carlisle- Carlisle fans apparently got back around 4am (They lost 4-1 as well so must have been really pleased). There is no sense in that. Personally, I would have a 16 team Prem, though they would never agree to that given the loss of revenue- The yo-yo clubs like Burnley, Hull and Norwich would be championship and the bottom of the championship where there are perennial stugglers, go into League 1 and so on. There are a number of non league clubs that would do very well in the league and a number of League 2 clubs that franlkly didn't ought to be there. And please, no B teams,
Mmm, isn't the Premier League a 20 team division,yet every year we hear the likes of Wenger bleating on about the congested fixture list, so what's the point in change if it doesn't fix the problem?
B Teams would devalue the whole set up. It's only a matter of time before some of the Premier League break away to join a European Super League anyway. That will reduce the overall amount of teams as they'll be way too tired to play in both.
there are currently 96 teams in 4 divisions so they want to add 4 more! REDUCE CHAMPIONSHIP TO 21 ( NEVER ANY NEED TO ALWAYS HAVE EVEN NUMBERS ) TEAMS 3 UP AND 3 DOWN, THIS SAVES 6 GAMES PER SEASON PLAY 40 GAMES. DIV 1 22 TEAMS 3 UP AND 4 DOWN DIV2 NORTH 22 TEAMS 2 UP AND 1 DOWN DIV 2 SOUTH 22 TEAMS 2 UP AND 1 DOWN NATIONAL LEAGUE 22 TEAMS 2 UP BUT DOWN NUMBER DEPENDS ON WHAT IS BELOW this reduces the so called pressure .. but Championship teams would lose 3 home games for city = 50,000 spectators or in excess of half a million quid! THERE IS 6 teams in the european fixture congestion .those are the ones that moan. in cricket they have players for one days and players for 4 days so why not players for domestic and players for compo's ?
92 teams in the league mate, I'm surprised Mr Statman got that one wrong 3 x 24 = 72 Plus 20 for prem = 92 in Wales
TALKING FOOTBALL LEAGUE never mentioned premiership at all in my post CHAMPIONSHIP ...24 DIV1 ..... 24 DIV 2 ... 24 NATIONAL .. 24 = 96 = please log in to view this image read before you bleed
Business as usual with ol' jgf2, thread title says 5 leagues and his comments and stats are talking about 4, I'm reading but I don't bleeding care less..
it must be the summery wet weather or excesses of highly fermented apple juice ..... 1 == REDUCE CHAMPIONSHIP TO 21 ( NEVER ANY NEED TO ALWAYS HAVE EVEN NUMBERS ) TEAMS 3 UP AND 3 DOWN, THIS SAVES 6 GAMES PER SEASON PLAY 40 GAMES. 2 == DIV 1 22 TEAMS 3 UP AND 4 DOWN 3 == DIV2 NORTH 22 TEAMS 2 UP AND 1 DOWN 4 == DIV 2 SOUTH 22 TEAMS 2 UP AND 1 DOWN 5 == NATIONAL LEAGUE 22 TEAMS 2 UP BUT DOWN NUMBER DEPENDS ON WHAT IS BELOW
